by Sylvia McNicoll | Jun 12, 2026 | Sylvia McNicoll
It’s no secret that I am the judge for the Burlington Public Library’s writing contest for 13 to 17 year-olds this 2026.. The entries I’ve received have made my heart soar. The genres/tones run the gamut from fantasy and horror to humour and grief. Our future looks good with kids who can imagine, empathize with and solve problems in story like this.
It’s also no secret how I choose a winner.I tell writers this all the time. Â Make me feel something. This is true of music, photography, sculpture, painting, for all the arts.Although I usually only judge one.( I have judged speech and sandcastle competitions. ) I don’t have to cry. I just have to recognize an experience as honest to the human (or alien, or dragon) experience. But in order to make me feel something, the writer has to feel it themself. (OMG pronouns, am I right?)
Okay, Banjo’s my fur child and he’s not really writing here. But reading is important too!
So why should your child write fiction in particular?
On paper or screen, they need to present their characters with a problem and either think of a way to solve it or allow the character to adjust to the problem. These are critical thinking skills they’re learning here.
Writing acts as therapy. You write about something you’re passionate about and get all your feelings outside of your head. No more mental loops, hopefully. Â Like clearing the hard drive on your computer. Â Now you have a nice clear brain.
You learn something, safely too, Â by putting your characters through an experience, without all the hardships and dangers the character encounters.
Then there’s just the practise of putting words together in a way that’s relatable to others using some good grammar convention, correct spelling etc. You know, the school things. They will improve through writing story too.
Now, why enter a writing contest? Because creatives watch athletes win red ribbons, brass trophies and gold rings all the time. Also creatives maybe need the impetus to allow others to see their work, to submit and yes to compete..
Thank you to the Burlington Public Library for encouraging writers at every level.
by Sylvia McNicoll | Apr 17, 2026 | Sylvia McNicoll
The email starts “Years ago you came to my school…”  Sometimes that’s when the best book relationships begin. A librarian champions to get an author visit, displays the books, encourages the students to read the book., welcomes the author as a celebrity.  Renée, my now 41 year-old fan, used to carry Bringing Up Beauty with her from foster home to foster home. Now that she has her own daughter, she wanted to find a copy. She contacted me.
And here we are together. She has her support book. Â How lucky we are to have librarians.
by Sylvia McNicoll | Apr 16, 2026 | Sylvia McNicoll
One hundred and seventy students crowded into the small gym. They are not all there in this photo. No working microphone available. The kids were energetic and enthusiastic. Hand waving volunteers. Great readers. Loved working with them. Thanks to Ontario Arts Council Writers in the School grant.
by Sylvia McNicoll | Apr 9, 2026 | Sylvia McNicoll
Most of the time,
There’s no reason or rhyme,
But at the end of the day
Things turn out okay.
What do I most want readers to experience from my books? First I want to take them outside themselves, away from their own life, and absorb them in a story by putting them in someone else’s. I want them to enjoy the emotions that go along with this experience and gain from them, resilience and hope. Resilience, my characters face the worst problems and somehow make it through and make peace with themselves and their life. My readers see how problems can be resolved and how to make the best of a bad situation. Hope, the inner resolution that no matter what happens, life can always get better again depending on how you face up to it.
In Blue to the Sky, Ella hopes to conquer her allergies and her fear of public speaking.
While the first is not within her power, the second she achieves through spoken word poetry. Writing poetry also becomes a helpful coping mechanism. The way she explains life to herself.
Hopefully readers will also gain empathy for their allergic friends.
by Sylvia McNicoll | May 31, 2025 | middle grade fiction, Sylvia McNicoll
Speaking about the theme of friendships in middle grade novels with good friends Karen Krossing and Richard Scrimger, corralled by moderator John Corr, what came to my mind was the communities of writers these events foster and promote. How we’ve missed these over COVID and even post pandemic. Rarely is travel funded anymore, when we can Zoom and FaceTime, or Team. But here we were on a Saturday in Oakville together, talking about writing process and inner monsters and allergies, our stories, thanks to Appleby College’s parent association.Thank you Kathy Vucic in particular.
It was wonderful to out in the public eye again. Â Afterall if a book reaches a shelf and no one knows about it, is it ever read?
Thanks Joyce Grant for the photo!
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