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
