I live on the computer
Almost a real life
Frozen until a cure comes
This is my own form of haiku–instead of five, seven, five syllables, it’s seven, five, seven. I didn’t re-invent the form on purpose, I made a mistake. But I like it.
Lynda Simmons and I want to document your pandemic feelings, through your story or poem, in an anthology sponsored by the Burlington Community Support Program.
It would be nice if you are somehow linked to Burlington should you wish to submit. But you can also submit anonymously.
There is no reimbursement, this isn’t a contest–therefore you and your family can definitely write it together. Team writing–a great family literacy project.
We have free workshops available to you through Burlington Public Library.
For kids and parents February 11, 4-5:30 Sylvia McNicoll
For adults, February 18, 2-3:30 and 7- 8:30
We will also be posting writing tips in February.
Does your work have to be perfect? Lynda and I will edit it but remember my imperfect haiku. If you make us feel what you’re going through, we will love it.
Visit writingtherollercoaster.com to find out more and to submit!
If you live in Burlington or have lived or work in Burlington, check out a new project I’m working on with renowned author and creative writing instructor Lynda Simmons at:
Writingtherollercoaster.com
You can put your feelings into a story about your pandemic experience and submit it for publication.
All ages, all walks of life. We want to document this historic event by publishing the highs, lows and the mediums of your experience.
Lynda Simmons is in charge of teen and adult writers. To help you get a good start on your story she’s giving two workshops on January 19.
at 2 p.m. https://attend.bpl.on.ca/event/4784936
Or 7 p.m. https://attend.bpl.on.ca/event/4785001
I’m in charge of the 8-13 year old writing submissions. To help young writers create a story for the project they can register at:
https://attend.bpl.on.ca/event/4785183
You don’t need a Burlington library card. But I love mine!
Thank you to the City of Burlington Community Funding Grant.
You never know how you’re going to engage your young person with books. I love series reading because the entry point into the story becomes a safe home you’ve already visited. That is for the second, third and fourth book.
How do we hook a new reader enough to acquaint themselves with a set of characters and a premise in the first book?
I worked with my son at Epilogue Productions.com to visually demonstrate how I put myself into every character I write. But really these videos are for fun. Laugh with your students or kids. Visit Sylvia McNicoll Youtube for more videos of The Great Mistake Mysteries.
After reading 70 mystery books in three months in order to judge them for the Arthur Ellis (novel) Crime Writing, I felt inspired to write one. Just one. Endlessly I walk my dog in Brant Hills so I instantly found a natural setting. An inciting moment was when I took a bag of dog poop from a tree (who puts them there, honestly?) and deposited in in the new blue domed recycling box. OMG! Once you put something in you can’t reach back in to get it out. The irredeemable, Mistake one.
How awful it feels to realize you’ve made an error you can’t correct. I thought about how anxious kids seem to be these days and thought of structuring stories around mistakes; celebrating the errors that help us observe something more clearly or make us more understanding of others’ errors. Mistakes that cause us to change and grow.
Remember no story happens unless something goes wrong.
The Best Mistake grew into a series of four book: The Best Mistake Mystery, The Artsy Mistake Mystery, The Snake Mistake Mystery and The Diamond Mistake Mystery.
Mysteries can require tight plotting; for me I certainly approach with an ending in mind. But my characters take over and I seem to chase after this quirky bunch as I write my stories.
Check the video out to see what I mean and to enjoy a giggle.
We created this video as a special thank you to all the authors and illustrators who took the time to be videoed with my son Craig McNicoll at Epilogue Productions. You can view them reading, drawing and discussing their work at the Canadian Children’s Book Centre Youtube channel. There are way more wonderful Canadian writers and illustrators to discover out there. Visit your library and ask. Or open the book and read the “about the author/illustrator,” to find out where the writer is from. An bookstore like A Different Drummer Books or McNally Robinson can help you. Books give you wonderful other lives to live, places to visit, ideas to explore. Enjoy! Happy I Read Canadian Day.
Recent Comments