PASS IT ON ISSUE 48
PASS IT ON - ISSUE 48: DATE
Hi everyone! I hope you have all had a fantastic week. Thanks to all who
have contributed and a special hello to all new members. Thank you also to
everyone who has offered support and encouragement, I really do appreciate
it. Please enjoy this week's issue of PASS IT ON.
A Disclaimer of Liability
Please ensure that your submissions are ACCURATE and clear. I will accept no
responsibility for any errors or omissions contained in the information
submitted. PLEASE be careful.
To unsubscribe send an email to jacket@smartchat.net.au with "unsubscribe"
in the subject heading.
WHAT IS PASS IT ON?
PASS IT ON is an on-line networking newsletter for those involved with or
interested in the children's writing industry. It is emailed to subscribers
every Monday.
PASS IT ON will survive only for as long as YOU the CONTRIBUTOR determine. I
am the collection point for YOUR submissions. I am one cog in a tool that
has the potential to be very powerful.
If you wish to receive PASS IT ON - email me, Jackie Hosking at
jacket@smartchat.net.au and I will send you the most recent issue of the
newsletter. If you like what you see, please request an invoice and I will
add you to the subscriber's list.
If you join in July it will cost you $24.00 If you join in August, it will
cost you $22.00 If you join in September, it will cost you $20.00 etc...
Please contribute as often as you can and be assured that I will treat your
contact details with the utmost confidentiality. I look forward to making
many new friends.
Past issues may be viewed at my website www.jackiehosking.com
GENERAL INFORMATION
· Tamborine Mountain Writers' Group
Hi Everyone,
Unfortunately I've had to cancel the workshop, we have been unable to get
the numbers we needed to meet Rowena's fee and she has asked me to cancel. I
apologise for the inconvenience but it is out of my hands. For those of you
who have paid, I will organise to have your payments reimbursed and mailed
out to you all in the next week.
I would just like to take this opportunity to thank the members of the group
who were willing to support this workshop and also the non-members for their
interest. Hopefully we can reschedule a workshop with Marianne at a later
date when she is feeling better.
Kind Regards, Azra
The Ipswich Festival of Children's Literature 2005 is being held between 29
August and 9 September, with 3-4 September a weekend program for adults and
young adults. The program is available at:
http://www.learningplace.com.au/uploads/documents/store/resources/res_7629_programfinal.pdf
In conjunction with the Festival, writing competitions are being held for
adult writers of children's literature and information can be found at: (see
competitions section of the newsletter)
As far as I know, the Ipswich Festival of Children's Literature (September)
and the Somerset Celebration of Literature (March) are the only two
Queensland events targeted towards children's writers, and children's
literature in general, and they're both well worth the visit.
Due to serious health problems owner Ross Butler has decided to wind down
the operation of the Otford Press Group, which includes the children's
Banana Books imprint. Sadly, the existing company is no longer in any
position to support an ongoing publishing program in terms of having the
appropriate resources and expertise. General Manager James Herd and
Production Editor Jude Jones will be leaving the company shortly. Any
questions for published Banana Books authors can be referred to the company's
Financial Manager, Graham Schweizer.
LIFELINE BOOKFEST FEATURED SIGNED BOOK AUCTION
Three PIO subscribers from Queensland, Penny Garnsworthy, Hilary Smillie and
Sharon L. Norris, donated signed copies of their children's books to a
"Signed Book Auction" held as part of Lifeline Gold Coast's "Bookfest" on
Saturday, 9 July, at the Parklands Showgrounds at Southport. All funds
raised from the Signed Book Auction will help Lifeline Gold Coast assist
those in need in the community.
For those PIO readers who wondered about getting their work sent out to US
agents and publishers by Scriptblasters mentioned in last week's issue,
below is the email returned when enquiries were made as to the company's
credentials and method of operation:
Our database consists of agents and publishers that deal mainly in adult
mainstream fiction. The agents are a mix of smaller boutique agencies to
well-known members of the
agents and publisher to all our customers once an order is placed, but we
don't provide it prior to that. In regards to your request to contact the
writers who have provided us with testimonials, I'm afraid we can't do that.
As you can imagine, we receive numerous inquiries from people around the
globe and it certainly wouldn't be fair of us to expect the writers who have
volunteered their testimonials to us to field questions from unknown
sources. I'm sure you can understand if you put yourself in their position.
We hope the above information has been helpful and we look forward to being
of service to you if you feel we are a good fit for your writing needs.
Regards,
Jane Lineman
Director
Angus & Robertson (
Reference Collection for $29.99 (discounted from $90). It is a boxed
collection of 8 paperback books with titles such as Clichés; Usage &
Abusage; Modern Humorous Quotations; Spelling Dictionary; Writer's Manual.
CONGRATULATIONS go to Ann Harth for receiving an Honourable Mention in the
2005 Write It Now Competition! for her Young Adult story NIOKA
Go to http://www.smartwriters.com/index.2ts?page=2005winners for the list of
winners.
You can visit Ann Harth at www.annharth.com
· The following information was taken from the Dahl-y Telegraph - a
monthly newsletter about Roald Dahl and his books.
THE
Hurrah! And hurrah again! The wait is over and The Roald Dahl Museum and
Story Centre has welcomed its first guests to Great Missenden. The venue
opened on 11th June and has welcomed over 5,500 visitors within its first
month!
The Museum was officially opened by Cherie Blair (the wife of the British
Prime Minister), who was keen to impress on the attending crowd that she
"didn't want to be mistaken for the Grand High Witch". No-one would have
made that mistake as Mrs Blair gave a cracking speech and joined Liccy Dahl
in showering the crowd with chocolates!
Roald Dahl advised us that "the greatest secrets are always found in the
most unlikely places". Roald's widow, Liccy, let us into a very big secret.
There were three things in life that Roald could not abide - beards,
speeches and MUSEUMS! But, as the EVENING STANDARD newspaper said, "You
can't help but feel that he'd have made an exception for this one... it's
designed to give an insight into the author himself - and to get children's
creative juices flowing."
That seems to be working. As 11 year-old Rachel Miller told THE GUARDIAN,
"the centre has definitely inspired me to carry on with my own writing".
Excellent, Rachel - we look forward to reading YOUR first novel!
Praise for the design of the Museum (by Bremner and Orr) has been unanimous.
In THE INDEPENDENT, Nick Tucker said "this brilliantly interactive museum
will be well patronized by children as well as by scholars attracted to what
is already one of the largest literary archives in the world."
If you haven't visited the museum yet, why not treat yourself over the
summer? It's always best to book in advance - see the Museum's official
website for details.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Some words on Good Health while Writing...
Many MANY years ago I attended a festival session featuring a panel of
writers. Back then, something Nadia Wheatley said really stuck with me.
She told us to be careful of our posture and physical health when sitting
down to write, otherwise, we might pay for it later in life. It was
excellent advice. Of course, I ignored it. Like most people I get really
lazy at the computer. I cross my legs. I slouch. I don't rest my eyes. I
don't stand or walk away from the computer regularly. And sometimes, on my
chair, I even sit like a frog with my feet sticking out of the arm rests
(horrific visual, I know). So, here are a few tips that you might like to
ignore as well:
* Stand up or walk away from your computer at least once every hour. This
is not only good for your bones, but your eyes as well. If you suffer from
eye strain, please see http://www.visionworksusa.com/computereyestrain.htm
for some excellent eye exercises.
* When sitting down, make sure that you are comfortable and have good
posture.
* If you feel discomfort or pain in any part of your body (especially in
the back, wrists, etc), try to do something about it. As with any injury,
ignoring the problem can lead to more serious conditions in the future.
Another good website is http://www.me.berkeley.edu/ergo/services/tips.html
* Unless there's a prince/princess around, don't imitate amphibians!!
Happy and healthy writing to all of you.
Froggy
· Are you aware a writer or illustrator may approach the Australian
Copyright Council for free legal advice? It may be contacted on 02 9318
1788; info@copyright.org.au; www.copyright.org.au.
Alternatively, you might approach the Arts Law Centre of Australia, ph 1800
221 457; email artslaw.com.au web www.artslaw.com.au. Charges apply if
your queries are complicated and you need to be referred to a lawyer for a
face to face appointment.
Members of the Australian Society of Authors Ltd, should also contact their
society for legal advice. Two useful books, the ASA Guide to Book Contracts
and Between the Lines: A Legal Guide for Writers and Illustrators by Lynne
Spender are available from the ASA; ph 02 9318 0877; or email
asa@asauthors.org. Their website is www.asauthors.org. The association also
offers its members a Contract Advisory Service.
>From personal experience dating back to 1978 when I got my first book
published, I can strongly advise anyone contemplating signing a contract to
get a legal opinion on it via this service. If you are not already a member
of the ASA, I would seriously advise joining before signing your first
contract.
When a big publisher disputed the interpretation of a contract with me,
Jeremy Fisher, the ASA's Executive Director, personally took up the matter
and very ably represented me.
With Jeremy's invaluable help and that of the ACC, whose legal officer wrote
an excellent letter giving the ACC's legal opinion on the issues involved, I
am delighted to report that the matter has now been resolved amicably.
SEEKING
Does anyone know the whereabouts of the wonderful Eva Mills, ex Random House
publisher? I miss her professionalism and would like to know which
publishing house she is now working for (assuming she is) so I can follow
her with my manuscripts. DC (author)
CV Suggestions Wanted
Would someone mind giving advice on how to prepare a 'writer's' CV? I know
mine looks amateurish but am not quite sure how to tighten it up to an
industry standard. My CV's in the past have always been for my other job as
a health professional, but I think the format needs to be different. For
example if you have 15 articles with one magazine, do you list all of them?
Do you put in a brief synopsis of your contracted novel mss? Do you write a
short list of unpublished mss, to show you have several mss under your belt
even if they are yet to find a publisher?
I recently received two contributors' agreements from a children's magazine
for an article and photos I supplied to them.
The contract for the article gave the publisher 'non-exclusive' licence to
publish but they wanted 'exclusive licence' to publish the photos throughout
the world.
I am a new writer and am quite naive when it comes to these matters. I was
hoping someone could please tell me whether it is normal for publishers to
get exclusive rights to photos and if not, can anyone advise me what I
should do about it.
I would be grateful for any advice.
Help! I have a manuscript that falls between the lines of fiction and
education.
My story is set in a mythical jungle where Lion, King of the Jungle, decides
to form a symphony orchestra to impress the new lioness, who is a pretty
classy lady. There is much banter between Lion and the know-all Owl who
feels his assistance is needed in selecting animals to play the instruments.
While it has an amusing storyline, there is a good deal of information about
each instrument, the four sections of the orchestra, etc.
Can anyone suggest an education publisher who might be interested in this
type of manuscript. I feel illustrations of each instrument would be
needed, which probably places it more in the educational field rather than
fiction. Val N.
I am trying to help a
striding home." If you can help, please contact
dibates@enterprisingwords.com
Also, does anyone please have a copy of the poetry collection, Don't Throw
Rocks at Chicken Pox by Bill Condon (HarperCollins) which I can purchase?
I've been asked to speak about what parents should look for in
choosing books for their children.
I thought that would be simple, but now I'm stuck. I'd deeply
appreciate some ideas. MW
REPLIES TO SEEKING
Like another PIO reader, I too keep a separate folder in my email inbox in
which to file PIOs for future reference. But I go one step further.
I also keep a separate Word document which I've divided into different
sections or topics, eg, publishers, comps, markets, etc. Each week I read
through PIO and if there is any part which is of particular interest to me
that I want to keep for ready future reference, I drop it into the word
document under the relevant heading. Then if I'm looking for information,
eg, about a particular comp I saw mentioned in a previous newsletter some
time back, I can quickly go through just one document instead of scan lots
of PIOs looking for it. It means you have to be a bit disciplined to do it
in the first place and only pick bits you think you might want to reference
readily, but saves time in the long run.
NEW PUBLICATIONS
SPECIAL EVENTS
The Geelong Gallery is hosting an Artists in Schools information session for
artists and teachers.
Wednesday 20 July,
Cost: $15 Teachers and $5 Artists
This price includes GST, refreshments and resources
Bookings essential T. 5229 3645
· CHILDREN'S WRITERS' FORUM No. 2
Saturday 30 July,
(I suggest you bring some lunch!)
Guest publisher: Maryann Ballantyne - Black Dog Books
black dog books publishes books with bite.
Books kids want to read.
Quirky books.
Funny books.
Books you can't put down. Their website is at www.bdb.com.au
Guest writer: David Metzenthen
David Metzenthen was born in
after abandoning a career in advertising. He has lived and traveled
overseas, but regards
inspiration for his work.
He has won several awards for excellence, including the 2003 Queensland
Premier's Literary Award and the 2004 Ethel Turner Prize for Young Adult
Books in the NSW Premier's Literary Awards for Boys of Blood and Bone; and
the 2003 Victorian Premier's Literary Award for Wildlight.
David has also written for the educational market - I've asked him to talk
about his experiences and share information and advice!
Q&A session will focus on small business and tax issues and information -
but other questions and feedback welcomed.
COST: $20.00 - AFTERNOON TEA PROVIDED
If you need directions to the campus, please let me know in your RSVP email.
VENUE: Auditorium, Building 10,
One Book One Brisbane 2005-07-07 July 17th to 19th August.
This is
Workshops are scheduled at various
discussion at the QLD writers centre.
All details are available in a brochure which can be picked up at any
www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/libraries.
The Children's Book Council, Southern Sub-Branch invites you to:
A Literary Dinner with Carole Wilkinson,
Wednesday 27th July, 7 for a 7.30 start,
Chambers Restaurant,
Carole Wilkinson has written numerous books for children. Her novel
Dragonkeeper won the CBCA Book of the Year Awards, 2004, Younger Readers and
was shortlisted for the 2004 NSW Premier's Literary Awards, Patricia
Wrightson Prize for Children's Literature. It was also joint winner of the
Aurealis Awards for speculative fiction, young adult division, and has
recently won the Younger Readers section in the Queensland Premier's
Literary Awards.
Carole will be speaking about her interest in dragons and things Chinese,
which fuelled her research for Dragonkeeper.
Cost: $47.50 for non CBC members, $42.50 for full CBC members
Enquiries: Bloomin' Books, 9540 3788 during business hours.
Bookings must be received by July 20th.
Book early - only fifty places available.
For further information contact Sue Whiting at whitings@bigpond.net.au
MARKET OPPORTUNITIES
· http://www.lipmag.com/index.htm
lip is an alternative magazine for girls who think, create and speak out.
lip offers in-depth exploration of political and social issues, showcases
art and fiction by young women, is a forum for girls to express their own
perspectives and publishes the many voices of young women on the themes of
modern life.
lip is currently unable to offer payment for publication. lip is a fully
volunteer effort, and we run on a very small budget with high production
values. We will send all contributors a complimentary copy of the issue in
which their work appears.
writer's guidelines
Articles: lip welcomes articles and essays from both teenage and adult
writers. We would like to encourage the expression of a wide variety of
voices, and our only requirement is that your piece relate to the lives of
teenage girls in
your article.
Fiction: lip publishes short stories and poetry by young women only (under
25). We accept pieces of up to 3000 words.
Reviews: Girls under 25 years old may send a review of any book or CD, but
the review must be "chick-centred", ie. focusing on an aspect of a book or
CD that is of especial relation to girls or feminism. Reviews should be
between 400 and 1500 words.
Procedure: All submissions may be e-mailed to editor@lipmag.com or mailed to
the editor at the address below.
An excellent resource for researchers is http://EzineArticles.com/ As a
freelance writer, I wrote this week asking if payment was made for articles
submitted to the site (there are many, and all are very well written). Here
is the editor, Wally Pingel's reply to me: Sorry, we don't pay contributors.
Our 8,000+ authors send in articles in exchange for a link back to their
website in the resource box below the article. Although I generally do not
support non-paying markets, the link incentive might entice me to submit an
article, given that I can conform to the many, stringent writers'
guidelines. DC
UC Publishing are looking for stories for a new series called Young Heroes.
You can read about it and obtain a Writer's Brief from their web site
http://www.ucpublishing.com . Look under Writer's Page, then under New
Writing Projects.
Puffin books: http://www.penguin.co.uk is a
Submit: via agent only to puffin books, Penguin Books, 80
Across the seven seas. Each book features young people who are studying in a
foreign country and each book in the series will be written by a different
author. The series will be told in the third person, and enhanced with maps,
emails, postcards, letters home etc. throughout the book. Each story begins
with a teenage girl embarking on a summer or semester aboard. In the course
of the story she'll discover more about herself and how she can impact the
world around her. To keep the series inventive and original, each
protagonist will face her unique personal set of challenges and rewards.
This series needs a light, sassy tone. So far books set in
COMPETITIONS/AWARDS
· In conjunction with the Ipswich Festival of Children's Literature
2005 (see General section) writing competitions are being held for adult
writers of children's literature and information can be found at:
http://www.learningplace.com.au/deliver/content.asp?pid=23505
· Children's Peace Literature Award
A biennial award to one or more Australian authors of books for children
that encourage the peaceful resolution of conflict or promote peace at the
global, local or interpersonal level.
Conditions for nominations
· the book is intended for children and has been published since
August 2003;
· the author should be Australian or normally resident in Australia;
· the book's theme should encourage the peaceful resolution of
conflict and/or promote peace at the global, local or interpersonal level;
· entries must be lodged by 22 July 2005;
· the judges' decision is final - no correspondence will be entered
into;
· the judges shall have the discretion to divide the prize between
up to three books that they consider to be of merit: if, in their opinion,
no entry is worthy of the prize, no winner shall be chosen;
· nominations will be accepted only from the publisher or
author/illustrator; and
· at least one copy of the book, with the nominator's name and
address, and an entry donation of approximately $15 per book (cheque payable
to Psychologists for Peace, South Australia), is to be forwarded to:
Psychologists for Peace
c/- PO Box 612
North Adelaide
South Australia 5006
Value of the Award
$2,000 prize money.
Sponsor:
Psychologists for the Promotion of World Peace
an Interest Group of The Australian Psychological Society Ltd.
Closing date
will be presented at a public gathering in
Previous winners
2003Irini Savvides for 'Sky Legs' (Hodder Headline Australia, 0-7336-1495-7
(pbk) 297 pp), an engaging story of how Eleni responds to the challenge
presented by her family's relocation from inner Sydney to the Blue Mountains
during her final years of schooling.
2001 James Moloney for 'Touch Me'
1999Phillip Gwynne for 'Deadly
1997James Moloney for 'A Bridge to Wiseman's Cove'
1995Brian Caswell for 'Deucalion'
1993Isobelle Carmody for 'The Gathering' and
Bob Graham for 'Rose Meets Mr Wintergarten'
1991Libby Gleeson for 'Dodger'
1989Victor Kelleher for 'The Makers'
1987Gillian Rubinstein for 'Space Demons'
Poetry Competition - add seen in local Victorian newspaper.
Open to Australians of all ages and put on by the Poetry Institute of
· Offering thousands of dollars worth of prizes
· any subject or style acceptable
· original work, not more than 24 lines
Entries to Poetry Institute of Australia, PO Box 1545, Cleveland, QLD 4163.
Faxed to (07) 3286 7661 or emailed to poetry@dodo.com.au Details: (07) 3286
7661 DS
Leila St John Award
The Leila St John Award is an annual award of the Victorian Branch of the
CBCA. It is awarded for services to children's literature in
Although it is usually awarded to an individual, it may be given as a joint
or group award when that is deemed to be more appropriate. Presentation of
the Leila St John Award and Certificate is made at the Victorian Branch AGM.
The Award is named after Leila St John, a founding member of the CBCA
Victorian Branch who played an active role for many years. Her particular
contribution was the founding and running of the annual Christmas Book
Appeal. This appeal enables the gifting of a new book, individually
selected, to all children in State care in
her nineties Leila produced the beautifully hand written bookplates with
each child's name that are placed in each book.
The Leila St John Award was first presented in 1999.
Previous Winners are:
1999 - Bea Fincher
2000 - Moira Robinson
2001 - Ann Haddon and Ann James (joint award)
2002 - Margaret Dunkle
2003 - Kay Keck
2004 - award not made
Advice to nominators and an Award nomination form are available by visiting
http://www.cbc.org.au/vic/award.html
The closing date for nominations is the last Friday of September
Graham Davey
President CBCA Victorian Branch
Scholarship
I am always lamenting the lack of up and coming good children's booksellers.
Whenever we lose one of our good staff they are so hard to replace. I have
waited for ages for a training scheme within the industry but it seems to be
too hard to get going. Therefore I have decided to offer a form of
scholarship. Our aim is to encourage people into children's bookselling.
The person or persons who will be selected must be, or planning to be
studying children's literature in some format, e.g. a Masters. We will
provide at least 2 days paid employment and will commit to top class retail
training. They will be able to get their books, needed for their course, at
cost, and we will pay $250 each semester towards expenses. Over a three year
course this will amount to $2,250. This may help someone choose a course in
children's literature with this financial support, plus books, plus paid
employment. As stated previously we are prepared to take on more that one
candidate. The expectation is that they may stay in children's bookselling
but at least the experience will serve them well if they wish to go into
other areas of the industry.
This gives us the opportunity to have someone work for us with a children's
literature background and to give something back to the industry.
We will be advertising initially in our newsletter and then universities who
run children's literature courses but wish to alert the industry in case
they know someone who would benefit from this scheme.
Please send details to chris@pagesandpages.com.au
Chris Page is co-owner of PAges and PAges Bookshop at Mosman where they have
a specialist children's shop. He is also a member of the Specialist
Children's Booksellers group that produced Don't Leave Childhood Without.
WRITING COURSES/WORKSHOPS
VWC workshop on Language and Grammar
Sunday 17 July,
If you want to produce work to a high standard you need to have a firm
foundation in the basic rules of grammar and punctuation. This workshop
provides information, discussion and exercises on language and grammar. It
includes information on readability and plain English, inclusive language,
simple and complex sentence structures, basic grammar terminology, and
editing. It discusses contemporary trends and boundaries of language use,
the validity of other Englishes, and matters of style and content for reader
needs. It will include exercises on copyediting, proofreading and grammar.
Connie de Silva is an editor, researcher and writer who teaches professional
editing.
To book for this workshop, phone the Centre on (03) 9654 9068. (Bookings are
essential for all VWC workshops.)
When: Sunday 17 July, 11am-5pm
Where: The Space, 1st Floor Nicholas Building, 37 Swanston Street Melbourne
Cost: $120, Members $80/$75
HAVE YOUR SAY
FROM AN AUTHOR
Thanks to the person who recommended looking at the submission guidelines of
US publisher Tanglewood Press in last PIO. What a hoot! Sounds like they
were written by an editor with a good sense of humour who knows exactly what
she doesn't want. It's all good, sound advice, but I was interested to see
that their lead-in title is about farting. Would have thought every
publisher has done that by now. I was also a bit nonplussed by the final
bit of advice: "Deciding that you want to be a children's book author is
similar to deciding that you want to be a movie star. Only a lucky and
talented few will make it, and many talented and deserving authors will
not."
As an author, it's the first time I've ever been likened to a movie star -
or even mentioned in the same breath. Is it really a valid comparison? Thank
God we authors don't have to worry about our looks and growing old!
· FROM AUTHOR Margaret Clark
On Sunday 3rd July I attended Australian Voices in Print, the popular
Australian readers and writers' festival at the
at
been used and I thought it was excellent - lovely harbour views and plenty
of room for the events. I was able to travel easily from
Avalon and return on the same day without too much drama, and I really
enjoyed catching up with authors and publishers. I also enjoyed being on a
panel which focused on encouraging young people to read books.
The inspiring Father Tim O'Riley, and authors Scott Monk and Andrew Daddo
were my fellow panelists and Mark Macleod did a brilliant job (as usual) of
chairing the panel. Over two days, authors and others donated their time and
expertise for Father O'Riley's Youth off the Streets program and
WIRES -Wildlife Information and Rescue Service.
I would particularly like to thank Selwa Anthony for her amazing hard work
in orchestrating the event and putting it all together. I'm sure all who
attended would like to add their appreciation too. Well done Selwa.
· FROM AN AUTHOR
Thank you to everyone who replied regarding the issue I raised in PIO 46
regarding "authorization" in schools. The responses indicate what I
suspected - not many authors are aware of the requirements stipulated by the
State Department(s) of Education.
Some misunderstood what "authorization" means - I'm sorry I wasn't very
clear last time. I didn't mean the "working with children" clearance we all
must have. Authorization is a yearly (or bi-yearly) review conducted in NSW
(& Qld), where the presentation of the author/performer is checked by a
panel (sometimes just one person) who sits in on a school show and either
gives it approval, or not. In NSW, the author then goes into the
"Authorized Performers Handbook" and can be chosen by schools. The
Department actively
discourages schools from inviting non-authorized people to perform for their
children.
The fact that some of you replied that you have never been required to have
this, or have never been asked, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. It just means
the teacher in question didn't know about it. And yes, you can perform in
Qld schools without Arts Council approval, but
strictly speaking only in private schools, and public schools who want to go
against the guidelines. In fact, I'm in Qld right now doing a 2-week schools
tour - only private schools, I'm afraid.
I raised this issue because the NSW Department is now actively advising
public schools not to have "un-authorized" performers in school. And for the
author who gets maybe 5-10 schools a year, the registration fee of over $200
is extremely high.
So, is anyone out there authorized? I'm sure many of us work in public
schools, but strictly speaking, we should not unless we have:
- "working with children" clearance
- Public Liability Insurance
- Department of Education authorization.
· A CORRECTION
In PIO Issue 47 I said that deadlines for the October issues of the
Victorian Magazine are 8th (Comet/Explore) and 15th (Challenge) of July.
Alas, I misread the table. That was for the final submission of work - but
the articles submitted on spec were actually due in May. Of course, they are
still having new issues next year, with later submission dates. Sorry those
of you who rushed out to get submissions away. I had too - but a lovely
email from Verity set me straight. Kat
FROM AUTHOR Janeen Brian
Am I the only one to wonder about how to record aspects of PIO that I find
of great interest? In the early days, I printed out each copy and filed it
in a folder. That soon bulged, and space is of the essence in my office.
Then I opened a folder in my computer file cabinet and placed each copy in
that. Then another writer-buddy commented on the amount of memory that would
take. What then?
Finally I went back to pen and notebook. Now, I read through the whole
newsletter when it arrives and then later, I review it and note in my
special exercise book any comments, websites, quotes, or other points of
interest. I've found this has helped me a great deal, because I'm not trying
to absorb everything in the first hit, and I can be selective on the
re-read. I have also enjoyed spending better quality time checking through
websites, because I've recorded only those that would interest me, instead
of being overwhelmed by everything else. I'm not wasting paper, nor taking
up memory space and my involvement with the wonderful newsletter is more
productive.
What do other readers do?
www.janeenbrian.com
FROM AUTHOR Dianne (Di) Bates
Over this past week I have received emails from two writers, both of whom
have become involved in paid activities which they now believe are taking
advantage of their time and expertise. Both of the writers are professionals
in that they are published, pro-active and practice ethical industry
behaviours. It would seem that neither of them, however, undertook their
current activities contracts in place. Can I suggest that if you take on
writing-related work, that you make sure that you cross all the t's and dot
all the i's before making the commitment? If, for example, you are running
workshops, contract for a mutually agreed time frame and student numbers. If
you are judging a writing competition, contract to be paid per specified
number of entries or at an agreed hourly rate. Let the organiser know
exactly what you will and will not do. If you are embarking on a writers'
tour, make it clear that you will not take on extra duties during the tour
unless they are clearly outlined prior to the tour. Best of all, it would
pay you to contact more experienced writers (perhaps through PIO) to ask for
advice to help you prepare an agreement between you and the organisation
which wants to use your expertise. Good luck!
· FROM AUTHOR Edel Wignell
I'm getting on my hobby horse again. (Scroll down to the next item, if you
like.)
On Monday 4 July I attended a CAL Seminar, 'Copyright in the Digital Age:
Learn how to protect your work in the digital environment', at the State
Library of Victoria. Michael Fraser, CEO, CAL, spoke on 'The Digital
Environment'; Caroline Morgan, General Manager, CAL spoke on 'Protecting
Your Work'; Eric Moore, Business & Process Development Manager, CAL, spoke
on 'Digital Rights Services'. This was followed by a Panel Discussion with
eight speakers (five minutes each), including Dr Jeremy Fisher, Executive
Director ASA and Hazel Edwards, Board of Management, ASA.
Hazel Edwards (who writes for children and adults) uses the word originator
for creators, such as authors, illustrators and designers. I like this word,
for when we're negotiating with publishers for improved contracts, it's
beneficial to remember that, without originators there are no books,
CD-ROMS, data bases.
In regard to the copyright on the imprint page, a speaker said, 'It is your
statement to the world: "I own this book."' I sympathise with the author who
wrote recently in PIO that she had negotiated to retain copyright, but when
her book was released, copyright on the imprint page was in the name of the
publisher. It has happened to me, too.
The following week, the packager of the series wrote that the author had not
lost copyright because the contract clause stands. He's right, of course.
But the statement to the world remains, 'This book belongs to the
publisher.'
What does it matter - apart from the author's hurt feelings? There are
several possibilities. Firstly, a compiler may read the book and request a
chapter for inclusion in an anthology. The recent 30 Australian Ghost
Stories for Children (Random House) included chapters from novels as well as
short stories. The compiler requests permission and pays a fee for use.
Secondly, the writer of examination materials, asks permission to reprint a
segment of a chapter as a comprehension exercise, and follows the same
procedure. The Acknowledgments page should include the name of the Author ©.
Whether the copyright is credited to the author or to the publisher, the
publisher is approached for permission. If the copyright is credited to the
author, the publisher will inform him or her. If the publisher owns the
copyright, the author doesn't need to be consulted.
Education titles stay in print for many years - usually ten, sometimes
longer. Imagine, many years later, a compiler seeks permission to publish an
extract. She notes that, according to the imprint page, the publisher owns
copyright, so she seeks permission. The Rights and Permissions Officer won't
check the contract, of course. She won't even wonder. The imprint page tells
the truth. The compiler is granted permission and pays the required reprint
fee to the publisher. The author is bypassed forever, just because of the
simple mistake.
Nag, nag, nag! If you have been reading PIO for the last 18 months, you will
be sick of my comments on copyright. Okay, I'm getting off my hobby-horse,
and I promise not to nag about it again.
PS After-thought - next day. Can you imagine a sculptor being commissioned
to create a work for the forecourt of Hooray Holdings building in the city?
When it's installed, the name of the company is on the sculpture - not the
name of the artist. EW
THANKYOU
Many thanks for all your hard work as Editor of Pass It On, Jackie. It is a
big job with a constant commitment. I find it a treasure house of
information, and, if I had more time I would follow up even more leads than
I do.
Please find enclosed a cheque for $24 for my subs. I hope that most of your
readers decide to continue to subscribe now that they have to pay subs. You
and Di Bates did well to contribute so much of your own time, energy, effort
and skill into putting it out as a free bulletin. Personally, I couldn't
see how it could be sustainable indefinitely if you did not get
reimbursement. Thankyou.
***The Subscriber who sent me this asked if I would like to include it in
this week's newsletter and as you can see I have decided that I will because
I would like to use it as opportunity to say thank YOU for all your support.
I have been overwhelmed this last week, not only with your subscriptions but
with so many kind words of encouragement and thanks. I'm only sorry that I
cannot reply in a more personal manner. So to all of you wonderful, kind and
generous souls out there. THANKS! J Jackie xx
ARTICLES
PUBLISHER GUIDELINES
AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR PROFILE
USEFUL BOOKS/WEBSITES
The Purple Crayon that has a few articles by Aaron Shepard about rewriting
folk tales. http://www.underdown.org/aaron_folktales.htm
BOOK REVIEWS
by Laurine Croasdale on ABC Radio Canberra with David Kilby. They will also
appear in the PETA newsletter and website.
The BIG Picture Book by John Long, and illustrations by Brian Choo
Allen & Unwin
Great Pioneer Women of the Outback by Susanna de Vries
Harper Collins
Change the Locks by Simon French
Puffin Books
Watch Out Wilf! By Jan Fearnley
Walker Books
INDEPENDENT CHILDREN'S BOOKSHOPS
**Note this is a new section - please feel free to add to it**
FROM AUTHOR DIANNE (DI) BATES
Please find a list of independent children's bookshops in NSW for those PIO
subscribers who wish to support shops which stock all Australian children's
books and not just a select few. Remember, you can generally order books by
phone and email.
BLOOMIN' BOOKS
1/53 Denman Avenue
Caringbah
Ph (02) 9540 3788
BOOKS 7 BEYOND
7 Towri Close
St Ives
bksandbeyond@optushome.com.au
THE CHILDREN'S BOOKSHOP
6 Hannah Street
Beecroft
staff@thechildrensbookshop.com.au
GATEWAY BOOKSHOP
South Town Walk
40 Baylis Street
Wagga Wagga
Freecall 1800 040 992
GLEEBOOK'S CHILDREN'S BOOKSHOP
191 Glebe Point Road
Glebe
books@gleebooks.com.au
LESLEY MCKAY'S CHILDREN'S BOOKSHOP
Paddington (address not known; can someone please supply?)
MOIRS BOOKSHOP
Shop 4, 50-54 Burns Bay Road
Lane Cover
Ph (02) 9427 4218
MOSS VALE BOOKSHOP
370 Argyle Street
Moss Vale
staff@thechildrensbookshop.com.au
PAGES & PAGES CHILDREN'S BOOKSELLERS
Glenrose Shopping Centre
Glen Street
Belrose
&
878 Military Road
Mosman Junction
info@pagesandpages.com.au
READING MATTERS
693 Darling Street
Rozelle
Ph (02) 9555 9183
SHEARERS ON NORTON
99 Norton Street
Leichardt
childrens@shearersbookshop.com.au
NOTE: I am not sure if READABILITY CHILDREN'S BOOKSHOP (Manly) is still in
business. Maybe someone can verify this.
INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES
Doris Lessing:
And it does no harm to repeat, as often as you can.
"Without me the literary industry would not exist: the publishers, the
agents, the sub-agents, the sub-sub-agents, the accountants, the libel
lawyers, the departments of literature, the professors, the theses, the
books of criticism, the reviewers, the book pages - all this vast and
proliferating edifice is because of this small, patronised, put-down and
underpaid person."
Charles Caleb Colton:
"To write what is worth publishing, to find honest people to publish it,
and get sensible people to read it, are the three great difficulties in
being an author."
ADVERTISEMENTS
PASS IT ON SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Submit contributions to jacket@smartchat.net.au
Comic Sans MS, 12pt, single-line spacing (not essential but helpful)
Mark PASS IT ON SUBMISSION in the subject line
Submit within the body of the email
Give your piece a title heading: eg New Publications; Seeking; General
Information; etc.
Email addresses and contributor contact details will be withheld unless
otherwise stated
Jackie Hosking
Editor/Compiler "PASS IT ON"
www.jackiehosking.com
posted by Jackie at 10:40 PM
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