Undiscovered Voices 2012: The Long-List

by Jo Wyton

The time is nigh. Well, nearly.

In a few weeks, the winners of the SCBWI Undiscovered Voices 2012 competition will be announced. 25 writers made the long-list (which, if we’re being honest, is really a short-list). In a dramatic plot twist, only 12 will go on to have their 4000-word extracts published in the Undiscovered Voices anthology in February…

The SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) strives to create opportunities for unpublished writers at every turn – and boy, do they do it well! Much in the spirit of the society, this year the Undiscovered Voices team announced the long-list prior to announcing the winners for the first time.

In an effort to milk the last bit of calm before the storm, I asked some of those on the long-list to give their thoughts, hopefully to give everyone a flavour of SCBWI and the suberb Undiscovered Voices competition.

Rosie Best: I picked up the email on my phone at about midnight. It's hard to adequately express the feeling in words - interpretive dance might be better, but to the untrained eye it would probably just look like a lot of flailing and jumping up and down! I work in the Working Partners office with some of the people who organise the competition so it's been a hard couple of months trying to keep a straight face whenever it came up in conversation - they had no idea I'd entered and I had no idea whether anyone had liked my submission! Plus, I've read the previous anthologies and it means a huge amount to me to be in that company. I'm so flattered to think anyone thought my submission might possibly have as much potential as some of the ones we've had in previous years.

Liz de Jager: More than anything else, from the responses I’ve had from friends who are writing YA or kids books and who have not heard about SCBWI before, I know that UV has done something incredible: it has highlighted SCBWI, the fun and camaraderie we have and also the opportunities we offer aspiring writers. I would be surprised if we don’t get a swathe more members joining because of the buzz. At least, I hope so! As to how I feel weeks on from the announcement? Still very weird!

Julienne Durber: Of course I’m incredibly pleased to have made the long list, as my family and friends keep reminding me. But, while 125 budding authors shrug and move on to the next submission strategy, I along with 24 others am chewing my nails up to the elbow wondering whether I’ll be in the top 12 and make it into the anthology ...

Sharon Jones: I nearly didn’t enter Undiscovered Voices. The voices of doubt all but drowned out those of my critique partners, until one of them told me in no uncertain terms to stop being such a wimp and put something in. I will be eternally grateful for her nagging! Being longlisted has given me everything a budding writer needs: a boost in confidence, an introduction to industry professionals, and the motivation to get on with writing the next thing. Jo asked how I feel… well… I feel grateful… and lucky… and as nervous as an X Factor contestant on elimination night!

Rachel Latham: When I got the email to say I'd been long-listed I screamed for my eldest daughter and husband to check I'd read it correctly. How I feel is unbelievably excited and so hopeful. But it's hard not to live in that fantasy world of turning into JK Rowling overnight but at the same time I have to keep going to work, running the home and caring for my daughters. I want to be a published author so much I feel as though someone in a position to know has said "Yep you can write and so..." but I don't know the outcome yet. So hard, so exciting.

Maureen Lynas: How did I feel when I received the email from the UV team? Thrilled that the judges enjoyed my work. Excited by the possibilities. Nervous about the possibilities. Hopeful for the future. I think it went something like ‘Yay! Wow! Eek! Yay!’

Stephanie McGregor: SCBWI has played such a huge role in my growth as a writer, and I am so thankful to have been chosen as one of the long listees! You asked what it means to me, and gosh, isn't that a huge question? Hopefully it means being discovered, as the title insinuates, but there's more to it than that. It's been a long black tunnel though rejection hell, and the honour of having someone acknowledge my work is a light, not necessarily at the end of the tunnel, but at least guiding me in that direction. The dream of having my own novels on the bookshelf remains to be seen, but just having SCBWI UV take the time to say 'well done' has meant almost as much to me.

Chantel Napier: I am absolutely thrilled to be long-listed for Undiscovered Voices 2012. What an honour! I began writing North of Nowhere last autumn and felt encouraged by my critique group to enter. I can’t wait to read all the short-listed entries. Good luck to everyone!

Sally Poyton: Imagine the scene: my husband’s away and has promised to call before he goes to bed. It’s ten past one in the morning, and he’s not called. Annoyed and determined to stay awake for when he eventually phones, I switch on my PC. An e-mail from the Undiscovered Voices team is waiting, saying I’ve made the long-list. I’m Dyslexic, and they manage see the story through the spelling errors - wow! Has it actually happened? Have I read it wrong, better read through, again, and again, and again. So when my husband eventually called at 1.15am, (hanging out of the hotel window to get signal), instead of being cross with him, I was uber happy. So Undiscovered Voices, at the very least, saved me a huge argument!

Lara Williamson: I must make a confession. I only joined the SCBWI seven months ago. But the seven months since have been fantastic. The writing bubble I'd lived in, on my own, has grown and flourished. Now I'm joined and supported by like-minded people. And it feels good. Finding out I was long listed for UV2012 was amazing. (Could you hear my heart pounding as I opened that email?) No, it was more than that. It was amazing x100. I am very grateful and proud to be part of it.

As for me? Well, I’d like to say that the envelope went in the post and I calmly forgot about it, but I didn't. I’d like to say that when I got the email saying I’d made the long-list I took the news with the grace and togetherness of a proper grown-up, but I didn't. What I can say is that this has been a great end to the year that has changed the way I see writing, a year that started with joining the SCBWI. I know for sure if it weren't for the great people I've met, who have between them supported and cajoled with brilliance, I’d never have thought to enter something like Undiscovered Voices, let alone stood a chance of being long-listed. Of course, we now have an agonizing five weeks to discover who will make the infamous anthology. And I thought people in the writing business were nice...

So that’s it. Eleven of the Undiscovered Voices 2012 long-listers. (Apologies to those I couldn’t get in touch with in time!) The remaining long-listers are: Jan Carr, Veronica Cossanteli, Sandra Greaves, Jane Hardstaff, Deborah Hewitt, Jennifer Hicks, David Hofmeyr & Zoe Crookes, Michael Marett-Crosby, Richard Masson, Anne Mitchell, Melissa Rogerson, Joanna Sargent and Rachel Wolfreys.

This year, writers weren't the only ones to get pen-happy - illustrators joined in too. The illustration long-listers are: Kim Geyer, Jennifer Graham, Julia Groves, Amber Hsu, Heather Kilgour, Shana Nieburg-Suschitzky, Nicola Patten, and Rachel Quarry, and I for one can't wait to see their efforts!

Of course, this competition is only one of the myriad of ways for writers to get a foot in the publishing door, and from talking to others who entered I know that the effort that went into getting work ready for Undiscovered Voices was a testament to the SCBWI in itself – and all that care and support won’t have gone to waste for anyone, regardless of whether they found themselves on that long-list.

Those who did can enjoy the feeling for another few weeks, and then it’s Judgement Day. Until then, we’ll party on!

Bloodied and Bandaged: My Arvon Experience

by Jo Wyton

Last week I attended an Arvon Foundation course in the rainy depths of Shropshire, and I will just say up front that it was fantastic!

My course ran at the John Osborne centre at the Hurst

For those unfamiliar with Arvon, it’s a charitable foundation set up in 1968 by John Fairfax and John Moat, both close friends of Ted Hughes. They have a number of houses dotted around the UK, all in the middle of nowhere in the beautiful and mercifully remote countryside. Their courses cover everything from Writing for Beginners to Writing for Games and Writing Poetry. Each course is led by two or three (if you’re very lucky) published authors, with the occasional visiting author popping up during the week.

See - middle of nowhere!

In this case, Linda Newbery and Celia Rees were our Writers in Residence, and Gillian Cross was the visiting author. (Excuse me whilst I steady myself.) Each morning consisted of workshops, with one-to-one tutorials in the afternoon and various discussions (and sing-a-longs, for that matter) in the evening. Our group ranged from 17 to, well, that would just be rude, wouldn’t it?

The lovely Celia Rees (left) and Gillian Cross (right)

Now it’s a strange kind of place, an Arvon centre, where everyone takes it in turns to cook and wash-up, you find yourself sitting next to Linda Newbery at dinner, and the toilets are sponsored by Dame Maggie Smith. (No, really.)

Arvon Centre folk get imaginative as often as possible!

On the inside of the downstairs toilet...

(thanks to Becca Beddow for the above photos!)

Most people arrive at an Arvon course a little bit bloodied in some sense of the word – it might be that they’ve had writers block for a year, or that their lives have drastically changed and they’ve decided to pick up a pen (or a laptop) for the first time. It might simply be that their plot or first chapter isn’t working.

Whatever ailment people arrived with on day one, I am certain that by the time we all left, they were a bit closer to fixing it. My own particular ailment is confidence in my writing, but to be honest I mostly just wanted to learn some new tricks and meet some new people.

The bloomin' brilliant Sheena Wilkinson (whose debut novel Taking Flight is scooping up the awards!) and Philippa Francis (writing as KM Lockwood)

Becca Beddow trying to concentrate despite me taking photos of her!

It’s safe to say that new tricks a plenty were offered up and gratefully received, and I did indeed meet plenty of new people, many of whom I will definitely stay in touch with. But mainly I just came back feeling ready to tackle anything!

Arvon provides the chance to surround yourself with writers, every one at a different stage in their quest to transform into the Lesser Spotted Author, and maybe to rediscover what it is that makes them love what they do. It also, coincidentally, gives you a peaceful week away from your emails, telephone and the general rigmarole of daily life.

No e-mails here, thank you very much!

I picked up some great tips and advice during my Arvon week – from everybody, I think. Gillian Cross spoke of the serendipity of writing a novel on Wednesday night, and then the following evening another guest provided me with my own serendipitous moment. Linda Newbery listened with patience whilst, with great ineptitude, I tried to explain my plot, and somehow she even managed to follow what I was saying enough to help. Celia Rees welcomed me to my tutorial with the words, “Well this is all good, but THIS is a prologue. You don’t need it.” So at least one darling was murdered this week.

Celia said something else that I’m certain is going to stick with me. She said, “Don’t just write a novel. Write your break-through novel.” (Or something to that effect. I was generally thinking ‘Oh my god, I’m sitting next to Celia Rees’ and trying not to hyperventilate at the time.)

Celia Rees (left) and Linda Newbery (right) planning our next punishment. I mean, workshop.

The tutors were all more than generous with their time and experience, as were the other people on the course. Everyone was so supportive, which isn’t unusual for children’s writers, but it is unusual to experience it for almost a week!

By the end, the atmosphere in the house had descended into friendship, and our last night was full of people reading their work and singing folk songs over a glass of wine. For me personally, it was also full of a trip up the stairs, a couple of bags of frozen peas (one of which ruptured on the stairs – apologies lovely Arvon people), and the wonderful Gita, who bandaged me up.

Just in case you needed to see evidence...

Arvon courses mean different things to different people. But everyone went away with something new, something to work on, and I reckon everyone’s writing will be all the better for it.

Sign me up for next year.

Slushpilers go to Arvon:

Maureen's Arvon experience with Malachy Doyle and Julia Goulding

Candy's Arvon with Melvin Burgess and Malorie Blackman

Surviving the Slushpile ...as a dyslexic

by Sally Poyton
Guest Blogger

Notes from the Slushpile attempts to make some sense out of the mad scramble for a publishing deal. As the newest slushpile guinea pig, I'm going to attempt to take you all with me... This is the second in new series Surviving the Slushpile, where we'll highlight some of the highs and lows of the slushpile journey.

Sally Poyton is knee-deep in the slushpile just like the rest of us - and you think you've got it hard!

I’m dyslexic, and just like Winnie-the-Pooh, my spelling wobbles, unfortunately sometimes with embarrassing results. This can be problematic, especially as I’m trying to write a novel. As if breaking in to the world of literature isn’t difficult enough with dropping book sales, slushpiles and all manner of other obstacles to avoid. How about adding this to your list: having to translate your manuscript from your own version of English, to one that other people can read.

So here are a few words about my daily battles with, well, words.

Case One: Napoleons Ice Cream

It’s an easy mistake to make, and I made it. As a kid, I read the top of the ice-cream pot as ‘Napoleons Ice Cream’ as opposed to ‘Neapolitan Ice Cream’. So, yes, I really thought it was named after the little French man with the big chip on his shoulder. I thought he couldn’t decide which flavour of ice cream was his favourite, and therefore got them all put together in one pot (dictators can do this can’t they?).

Advice : Don’t trust anyone! Because until recently, nobody corrected me…

Napoleon and his favourite ice-cream

Case Two: Fooling the spell checker

This must be the bane of any dyslexic writer’s life – spelling one word wrong, but inadvertently spelling another word correctly in its place. This is BAD! Spell checker doesn’t pick it up, and as it has no red squiggly line underneath it, neither do I.

If you thought Napoleons ice cream was bad, think again. Imagine working for an educational computer company, and selling, say, Brothel printers instead of Brother Printers. Thankfully, I had a boss with a sense of humour. That’s not my only work place mistake, but I’ll spare you the details of the castrated chips.

Advice: Ignore the advice in Case One. Always get someone you trust to proofread your work.

Case Three: Google is for life, not just for searching for websites

Spell checker, that’ll fix everything, right? Well let me tell you – this is a myth. Spell checker most of the time has no idea what word I’m trying to write. Usually I end up spending precious minutes retyping the word in as many different ways as I can think of to try and get it to recognise my intended word, and advise me of the correct spelling, but with no luck.

Should've gone to Google...!

In fact my spell checker seems to have developed an attitude recently. If it was actor, it would have stormed off to its trailer long ago. Yesterday, it point blank refused to check my spelling saying that there were too many mistakes in the manuscript.

Oh dear. Word rebels at last.

Advice: When Word spell checker fails, copy your misspelt word and paste it into the search bar in Google. This will then bring up websites featuring the word you meant, just like magic. How can this be possible? Information. Google saves and remembers all of the searches done worldwide. This includes all of the people who search for something but spelt it incorrectly. It also then remembers what sites they went to. So far has it has never got it wrong for me. It’s a great tool, and it’s also reassuring to know there are other people who are not only really bad at spelling, but spell the same way as you.

Case 4: The Unreadable Manuscript

After ten months of researching, plotting and writing, I completed my first ever manuscript. Feeling an enormous sense of achievement, I printed it off and asked a friend, who happens to be an editor of children’s books, to read it. After two weeks came an awkward conversation. It turned out that my draft novel was unreadable. Why? Well it was one paragraph with a mere 115000 word count. Plus the only grammar used was full stops and the occasional comma.

Advice: Don’t let this deter you. Grammar can be learnt. Writing is a craft, and grammar is one of the tools which you will learn on the journey. (Unlike spelling, which eludes me completely). Get some kids workbooks on grammar, and learn. It’ll take a while, but it can be done.

Alternatively, get help. If you’re serious about writing, budget in some money to get your work proofread, or copyedited, to pick up any errors that you miss. But most important of all: don’t give up.

Case 5: An Ode to Dyslexics Everywhere

Some of the all-time greatest author were dyslexic – Roald Dahl, A.A. Milne , William Butler Yeats and Hans Christian Anderson to name a few. Having dyslexia can be an obstacle, but it is also a gift. Being dyslexic, your head is wired differently, using more of the right side of the brain, the creative half.

At least there's one word you always know how to spell in Scrabble! It's worth 21 points, too.

This means that you think differently, which can be very useful for a writer. Being dyslexic you see and experience the world differently, and then process that information through the creative part of your brain, meaning one thing – ideas. What’s a story without ideas? A story with the absence of creative ideas would be a barren narrative.

So, yes, we may have trouble with words, but that can be fixed. What’s important is having the ideas, and being able to tell a story.

So if you’re dyslexic and you want to write, then write. It won’t be easy, but that not why we do it. There is one thing that unites all writers, dyslexic, and non-dyslexic: we all write because we love to write.

Sally Poyton has done everything from admin to hand-rearing parrots. She studied Art at university and produced works based on fairy tales. With a desire to write, Sally eventually overcame her fear that her dyslexia would prohibit her, and started writing. Now, many hours and manuscript re-writes later, she thinks of herself as a writer. An unpublished and un-agented writer, but still a writer! She enjoys all forms of narrative, from graphic novels to films, but her passion is fairy tales, and the darkness within them.

http://sallypoyton.blogspot.com/