tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post4712706271540191178..comments2024-03-25T09:56:16.164+00:00Comments on An Awfully Big Blog Adventure: The problem with awards, by Keren David Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-38209775822115514242018-05-10T17:37:56.797+01:002018-05-10T17:37:56.797+01:00Well, I won the Branford Boase with a fantasy adve...Well, I won the Branford Boase with a fantasy adventure (Song Quest)... but that was almost 20 years ago, when there weren't nearly so many debuts around, so I guess debut authors today are - by necessity - likely to be more savvy about the market and what is likely to sell than I was.<br /><br />Bear in mind hardly anyone had the internet in those days. I didn't know anybody who had published a book, and had no idea I was even writing a children's book at the time... I imagined it might end up on an adult fantasy genre list, if anywhere. Then I read (and loved) Philip Pullman's Northern Lights, and decided that if his book qualified as a children's book then so did mine. My logic for approaching children's publishers was this: there were a lot more children's publishers than adult publishers willing to look at unsolicited fantasy, so I had more chance of getting my book past the slushpile... it got picked up by Barry Cunningham for Element Books, before he set up The Chicken House. There's history for you.Katherine Robertshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17196712319655603442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-45259515612092180992018-05-10T08:30:54.500+01:002018-05-10T08:30:54.500+01:00I think I'm with C J Busby on the 'wide ra...I think I'm with C J Busby on the 'wide range' thing. One of the reasons I love books for young people is the diversity. And I don't mean the 'diversity' of ethnicity, colour, religion, gender and what have you, I mean the diversity of subject, approach, style, voice, tone etc. I guess every few years that divesity may appear to be threatened by an overwhelming 'trend' that seems to be pushing other types of book to the margins. That may not be a good thing, but it might be somewhat inevitable given the power of market forces (yep, even in our 'creative'business). In terms of external v internal: Both GK Chesterton and Neil Gaiman are attributed with saying that fairy tales don't exist to tell children dragons are real, they exist to show that dragons can be beaten. That's always really struck me as true. However, it's probably evolved a bit; the dragons may be internal or external, and perhaps the books don't show they can be 'beaten,' but that they can be coped with; faced up to, made less scary. On the writing to trend question: Like Lu Hersey who commented above, I was lucky enough to study on the Bath MA Wrtiing for Young People. Our tutors were very clear: 'don't write to trend'. They reasoned that firstly, by the time you finish it, and by the time it is sold and then published, trends may well have changed. Secondly that whilst being influenced is okay, ultimately you really DO have to write the book you want to write (as Dianne notes above)and the one you would want to read, because it will probably be a better book :) Chris Vickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04285957611821219790noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-56491258554610815102018-05-10T08:01:10.254+01:002018-05-10T08:01:10.254+01:00What Stroppy said... I think there is a lot of thi...What Stroppy said... I think there is a lot of this that's down to publisher /creative writing MA zetgeist, led by what wins prizes (Carnegie has a huge influence). It's slightly inevitable that 'prize' offerings would cluster around these forms/themes. Yes, the authors write what they want to, but the ones that are put forward for the Boase, or chosen to be published in the first place, are hitting the 'sweet spot' for editors. I also agree with Philip that there is something more adult in the sensibilities that dominate the literary prizes bit of children's publishing - what's seen as good writing rather than merely entertaining. None of which is to disparage these particular books - but there is good writing in adventure and fantasy too, which doesn't seem to be as celebrated. Children need a wide range - they are as different in their tastes as adults.C.J.Busbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12288574235370421625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-63881373932273039792018-05-09T10:35:52.648+01:002018-05-09T10:35:52.648+01:00Thanks for a great post Keren and for bringing in ...Thanks for a great post Keren and for bringing in Julia Eccleshare's comments. Her thoughts are always balanced. The Branford Boase does so much to encourage new talent and some years will inevitably produce a more exciting/varied list than others. We are dealing in creativity not pigeon-holing. My son was shortlisted a while back and I know he told the story he wanted to tell and would've wanted to read. <br />Dianne Hofmeyrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18222157214605257030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-37251153592455468782018-05-09T07:35:49.441+01:002018-05-09T07:35:49.441+01:00Whether or not the debuts knew what was out there ...Whether or not the debuts knew what was out there (and who launches on a career without doing research? that seems a bit odd), the editors do. I'll leave aside the writers for a moment, as it's not individual writers who make trends but publishers. If there is a theme in entries this suggests that publishers are moving in a similar direction or - to be cynical - jumping on a band wagon they hope is heading for the prize table. I'd put it down to zeitgeist and publishing trends, though I wouldn't be surprised if CW degrees have something to do with both. Debuts rarely publish their first novel - most have a string of unpublished novels behind them, and should have had time/nouse to read around and explore the market. Which is not a point against or in favour of this type of book.Stroppy Authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16560035800075465845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-11228655107652691452018-05-08T17:33:01.397+01:002018-05-08T17:33:01.397+01:00Thanks for commenting, Philip, and giving us furth...Thanks for commenting, Philip, and giving us further thoughts on the Branford Boase Prize entries.Penny Dolanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16386668303428008498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-39095802539930507912018-05-08T11:51:06.999+01:002018-05-08T11:51:06.999+01:00Hello there Keren, Thanks for the post - it's ...Hello there Keren, Thanks for the post - it's good to see the Branford Boase making people talk and think - any coverage for debuts is great. There are plenty of things to answer here but I'll try to be brief: Firstly: I'm making a general statement about a particular kind of book which now, for various factors including societal trends and previous successes, has become prominent among debuts, which was not the case last year in previous years, and which I in particular find depressing. I'm not saying they shouldn't exist, and in fact have said that when they are done well they can be very effective. On the whole, these narratives tend to be incremental, slow and inward-looking; perhaps there is more of an adult sensibility to them than I think there should be in a children's book. <br /><br />Secondly: if you're not aware of a trend or a formula doesn't mean that it's not trend-following or formulaic. I had no idea what I was doing with my first book and lots of people said it was sub-Harry Potter - which it was and wasn't. (Kirkus Reviews in particular introduced me to the idea of a "MacGuffin", of which I had not heard before). The "Zeitgeist" does has some value, and one does pick up things whether one realises or not. You learn and carry on.<br /><br />Thirdly: I love Jane Austen, and I don't think this is the same kind of criticism. Do we want books for children to look inward or outward? I'm not saying these kind of books shouldn't exist; but that they should be handled with care as it's much harder to make something dramatic and exciting when it's focused only on the internal. <br /><br />Fourthly: As I stated at the end of the blogpost for Minerva Reads, all of these books had merit, and I hope that all of the longlisted authors move on to great things. And also I look forward to your book on agoraphobia (which I'm sure will be as brilliant, moving and exciting as your other books.)<br /><br />Best wishes, Philip<br /><br />PHILIP WOMACKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04568326890433679833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-65230803100942804862018-05-08T08:26:10.329+01:002018-05-08T08:26:10.329+01:00You may have to ask. The current panel is made up ...You may have to ask. The current panel is made up of a festival director, a couple of writers(one for children) and a teacher librarian. Sounds okay to me. Hopefully they change around every couple of years like the judges of the Childrn’s Book Coubcil of Australia.Sue Bursztynskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09362273418897882971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-90593229016566737362018-05-08T07:55:19.701+01:002018-05-08T07:55:19.701+01:00Great post, Keren. I was only longlisted for Branf...Great post, Keren. I was only longlisted for Branford Boase... but am with you on the judging panel idea. I'd be absolutely brilliant at it. How do we apply?LuWriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06793378306766981247noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-14148930937902549752018-05-08T04:14:05.692+01:002018-05-08T04:14:05.692+01:00I have to admit, I do write a lot of first person,...I have to admit, I do write a lot of first person, though never present tense, which I don’t much like. For the reasons suggested, my fiction is set in other times and places. <br /><br />But really, it has always been the case that parents tend to be killed off or moved elsewhere before the story begins, to make those outdoor adventures possible. While I see your point, as a slush reader I also see his. You do get tired of the same old same old. Which is not the fault of the authors who are not responsible for what other people entered! Sue Bursztynskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09362273418897882971noreply@blogger.com