When I attended the Patron of Reading Conference in
February this year the lovely Helena
Pielichaty, the first ever Patron of Reading, gave a moving speech about
her experience of being a Patron of Reading. She finished by saying ‘This is
the thing of which I’m most proud’. Helena is a talented and profilic author who has
had numerous books published including the popular Girls FC series but
the thing she is most proud of is inspiring children to read through her POR
work. This made me think. What made me proud? What were my rainbow moments, the
things that brighten my day?
When I get a new book published I’m always pleased
when I finally hold the printed copy in my hands, but proud? No. I’m too
besieged with doubts; what if no one likes it? What if there are some typos
(and yes, that’s happened a few times), what it if doesn’t sell? I’m fully
aware that while my books pay the bills they aren’t literary masterpieces.
My rainbow moments are when a teacher at a school I’m
visiting tells me that a pupil who has listened engrossed to my story has never
sat still to listen to a story before, or that a pupil who has filled a page in
one of my workshops has never before written more than a sentence, when a
former creative writing student gets an agent or a book deal, a social media
student starts their first blog or makes their first tweet. I feel proud when
I’ve helped someone to achieve something.
Earlier this year a lady attended one of my writing
class. She had never written anything before, never used a computer, but wanted
to write a children’s story for her grandchildren. She worked hard on this
story throughout the course. Then one week she told us she’d bought a
second-hand computer and was taking IT lessons. On the final week she brought
in a neatly typed copy of her story. She was so pleased and proud. Helping that lady write her story is my
brightest rainbow moment this year.
What are your rainbow moments?
Karen King writes all sorts of books. Check out her website at www.karenking.net
7 comments:
Those are lovely moments!
My books don't even pay the bills! I'm hoping for a rainbow moment on Friday when my Patron of Reading School (the only one on the island of Ireland) hosts a launch for my new book.
That sounds a perfect rainbow moment, Sheena. I hope you tell us all about it. :)
And thank you, Joan. They are. :)
Funnily enough, when I got a booking to go on BBC radio (high point of my career) the euphoria made the Rainbow song 'Still I'm Sad' pop into my head. Actually a very upbeat and vivacious tune despite the title. So that was definitely a Rainbow moment. :-)
Going on BBC Radio is definitely a Rainbow moment, Nick. :)
I think my rainbow moments have been getting letters from children saying they liked a story, and children on visits responding and asking questions about my books - that is so rewarding! Also - I did a reading of my and Rosalind Beardshaw's picture book 'The Fairest fairy' which is about a fairy who is (spoiler alert!) not very good at school but is voted the fairest fairy because of her kind heart and capacity for friendship. I usually read it to little ones, but I felt very moved when a much older girl with obvious learning difficulties came and sat down and listened to it very intensely. I so hope she came away feeling that what matters is having a kind heart, not passing tests.
I hope so too. What a lovely rainbow moment, Anne. :)
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