I would like to welcome Kaye Baillie to this blog. She is a persistent and talented lady who has written several short stories published for the educational market. Today she shares some tips as well as a few other ideas.
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR WRITING
JOURNEY.
I wanted to change from being a
personal assistant to do something creative. I enrolled part-time at Box Hill
TAFE for the Diploma of Professional Writing and Editing.Within the next few years I got married, had two daughters and then finished the Diploma part-time via Off Campus correspondence.
My favourite subject was Writing for Children and still is my passion.
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT BEING A
WRITER?
Being able to create stories and
characters that didn’t exist before I wrote them.
WHAT IS THE HARDEST THING ABOUT BEING
A WRITER?
Finding the time to write and using
that time wisely.
TELL US ABOUT WRITING FOR AN
EDUCATIONAL MARKET.
The stories for the educational market
must meet certain criteria such as the style and type of sentence structure and
words used. Stories must be clearly written offering text that is appropriate
for a certain reading level while introducing some new words. These books are
designed to allow a tiered system of learning to read.
WRITERS ARE SOMETIMES INFLUENCED BY
THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN THEIR OWN LIVES. ARE YOU?
Definitely. The two educational
readers I have had published both stemmed from real experiences. I mixed a
little bit of reality with a lot of imagination.
A short story of mine which will be
published soon with the NSW Department of Education’s School Magazine also came from a real experience when I was minding
our neighbour’s chickens and they all escaped.
WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON AT THE MOMENT?
I recently finished a 10,000 word
non-fiction book for Middle-Grade readers based on the life of Miles Franklin.
Whether it gets accepted by the publisher is something I will have to wait to
find out.
Next I would love to write a picture
book so that will be my next project.
DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS FOR NEW WRITERS?
Not only immerse yourself in books
that you feel strongly about and would like to write, but also in books that
you are unsure about. That way you can decide what you don’t want to write and can focus on your passion.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR PUBLICATIONS/AWARDS
IF ANY?
Publications:
Scaredy
Cat,
short story in anthology Hopscotch, Jelli-beanz
Publishing, December (2011)
(fun
stories and poems for kids)
Back Home and Too
Hasty, short stories in anthology Short
and Twisted,
Celapene Press (2011) (these stories must
have a twist in the end)
Train Music, Nelson Thomson Learning (2004) (Grade 6
reader)
Diving at the Pool, Nelson Thomson Learning (2001) (Grade 3
reader)
Fire on Blue Hill, Junior Education Big Book to promote
bushfire awareness. TXU Australia (1999) (I was commissioned to write this and
the book can be found in many Victorian Primary School libraries)
Awards:
Highly Commended, Grey Water Gruesomeness in
Adult Section of Scary Story Competition, Writing Classes for Kids and Adults,
January (2012)
Special Mention, The Best of Friends, Picture
Book Manuscript in the
Kids Book Review
Unpublished Picture Book Award, November (2011)
Highly Commended,
Summer Night, Lorraine Marwood, ‘Note on the Door’ Poetry Competition,
September (2011)
WHAT IS THE MOST SURPRISING THING
ABOUT WRITING/PUBLISHING THAT YOU HAVE LEARNT?
Writing – it takes enormous commitment
and time and that there are many ways to write any story. To find the way that
suits you to write takes practice.
Publishing – quite a few years ago I
had a junior novel accepted for publication. I edited the story to death and
the publisher decided not to go with it. I learned that just because a story
has been accepted does not mean that there ends the work. I should have
listened to them more.
WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE AUTHOR AND WHY?
There are so many wonderful authors to
choose from. For adult stories I love Elizabeth Jolley for her unusual
characters and Truman Capote for his beautiful prose. For children’s stories
I’ll say Jenny Wagner who has a lovely way with words.
OTHER THAN WRITING, WHAT ELSE DO YOU
LOVE?
I love to cook, especially cakes and
desserts. I love talking to birds and animals. I love a cool breeze on a warm
night and I love views of hills, mountains, rivers and oceans. And I love a cup
of tea first thing in the morning.
IF YOU HAD A PREMONITION YOU WOULD BE
STRANDED ON A DESERT ISLAND, WHAT 5 BOOKS WOULD YOU THROW IN YOUR BAG?
Pearl in a Cage by Joy Dettman which is what I’m currently reading.Absolution Creek by Nicole Alexander (she did a great author visit)
The Story of Charlotte’s Web, E.B. White and Michael Sims
John Brown, Rose & the Midnight Cat, Jenny Wagner (resonates on many levels)
The Well, Elizabeth Jolley.
WHAT FIVE WORDS BEST SUM YOU UP?
kooky, hungry, nervous, kind, curious.
HOW CAN WE LEARN MORE?
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