SketchLook!

SketchLook is an ongoing feature of the SCBWI Blog. It is a glimpse into the working process of artists, how we experiment, think through our ideas, stretch our imagination and observe the world. This is a glimpse at current work in progress, free doodles, rough drawings, and sketches from life. CLICK HERE to participate in SketchLook.

 

To get us started, we thought we'd give you a peek at our working drawings and sketchbooks:

Sarah Davis—I'm working on a book for Gecko Press, written by Juliette MacIver, called "That's Not A Hippopotamus!". For the first time I'm using an  A3 scrapbook to collect all my thoughts and scribblings. I really like this way of working, and it's great to have everything in one place and see how the ideas progress, so I think I might keep at it. Here you can see my attempts to develop all the characters - an entire class of schoolkids!

Marjorie Crosby-Fairall—I tend to use my sketchbook for "shorthand" notes and ideas while I'm thinking through a project. When I'm happy with a concept and rough layout I swap to separate sheets of paper which are often organised into notebooks. Unless I am working on a book, I usually develop the characters according to the requirements of the layout. 

A call-out for the next selection will be sent out in good time but members of SCBWI Australia East & New Zealand are invited to submit images at any time. Work should be scans or snapshots of sketchbook pages featuring sketches, drawings from life or working drawings. Up to five images, Jpeg format, 72 dpi, 750px width maximum. Kindly avoid overlaying text on images and other digital manipulation. CLICK HERE to submit images for SketchLook.

Being a Story City: Adelaide Writer

by Jade Harmer

What is Story City?

Story City is a unique, digital story-telling experience founded by talented entrepreneur, Emily Craven. It combines traditional choose-your-own-adventures with real-life locations.

How did you become a Story City writer?

I’d read about Story City in Brisbane and was intrigued by the concept, but I learned that Story City was coming to Adelaide when SA SCBWI Coordinator, Katrina Germein, shared the call out for artists with SA members. I saw it as a unique and challenging opportunity and I knew I had to apply.

Until that time my focus had been on writing picture book manuscripts and flash fiction so I figured I was out of my depth, but on the flip-side I’d come up with a story idea that I thought had potential. When I was chosen as a writer I felt a healthy mix of excitement and trepidation.

What was your writing process?

The timelines for the project were tight and the story structure was unlike anything I’d experienced. A matter of weeks to complete fifteen locations and devise eight alternative endings, and, like everyone, I needed to juggle the project around the rest of my life! I wrote through the evenings when the house was quiet, drank copious amounts of tea and ate way too much chocolate.

It wasn’t until my second draft that I worked out a manageable process and found some rhythm. Walking around the Adelaide CBD kept my ideas fresh and taking a ridiculous number of photos helped me to enhance the locative elements of my story. Ultimately, after numerous drafts, some insanely late nights and plenty of great editorial guidance, my story emerged.

The illustrator, musician, narrator and sound engineer then worked their magic. They brought my story to life and I was blown away by the outcome.

What is your story about?

You are an entrepreneurial alien Captain from the Never Galaxy who offers immersive tours of Earth to wealthy alien tourists and dabbles in the intergalactic black market. You are caught up in a game of hide and seek with a cheeky pair of alien tourists, but you need to evade the big, blue guardians of the Never Galaxy who are committed to sentencing you to a fate far worse than death!

Would you do it again?

Yes! Being a Story City writer presented me with an incredibly steep learning curve, but the opportunity to take a story idea from concept to completion was invaluable to developing my skills as a writer and collaborating with the other artists and the Story City team was a pleasure.

Want to get involved?

Download the Story City App and choose an adventure, or register you interest in becoming a Story City artist!

On-line Critique Group Update

ON-GOING CRITIQUE GROUPS
I am pleased to report that we now have another Online Critique Group successfully up and running, bring the total number to eight, covering all genres from Picture Books to Young Adult. I continue to receive positive emails from members who find the critique feed-back extremely valuable and enjoy the support and interaction with other writers and illustrators.

PROBLEMS AND ISSUES
Unfortunately, as we all know life sometimes gets in the way of good intentions and some members have had to take leave of absence or drop out completely from their Critique Groups due to family issues, new babies or work commitments and so on.

Fortunately these critique groups are continuing but some are in desperate need of additional members to top up their numbers to form well-balanced groups offering robust critiquing.

WANTED: NEW MEMBERS
So if you have been thinking that you would like to join a Critique Group but you haven’t got around to filling in the on-line form, now is the time to do so.

We would love to have new members, published and ‘keen to be published’, in all the genres to form new groups and, in particular, to supplement the following existing groups:

  • PB Writers
  • JF
  • YA
  • PB Illustrators only
  • Illustrators

If you are interested please read the information and register On-line by 1st December 2015. PLEASE NOTE: there will be no placements into groups from Friday 4th December 1015 until 20th January 2016 when placements in groups will proceed as normal according to availability.

LOOKING FORWARD TO PUBLISHING SUCCESS
One Critique Group member has already had an offer from a publisher for her Picture Book manuscript and is waiting to see the success of on-going negotiations. Another member has had a publisher express an interest in her submission.  Both of these authors revised their manuscripts after receiving their On-line Critiques.

So sign-up and look forward to receiving constructive and useful critiques that will encourage and help you to re- shape and improve your art work or writing towards your publishing goal.

 

Margaret Roc
Critique Group Coordinator