Saturday was the day of my choir’s rehearsal and concert, which went well. Some of us went for a drink afterwards and it was enjoyable. Yesterday, I didn’t blog because I went to the London Literary Festival, in fact to a talk by children’s laureate Jacqueline Wilson. Why did I go to see her, you might ask? Simply, because she has five books in my reading list (The Big Read: The Top 100 Favourite Books of All Time as polled by the BBC several years ago.)
I have yet to read any of her books, but she is next on my list - as children obviously voted alongside adults, there are many children’s books in the Top 100; children’s books, however, can teach a writer plenty and – as J.K. Rowling has amply demonstrated, often cross over to have mainstream appeal.
In person, Jacqueline Wilson was endearing, amusing and clearly dedicated to literature. I arrived 5 minutes late and was not allowed in for a further fifteen minutes, along with several other parents and there children, because of needing applause first. Finally, we were ushered in and I sat near the front and listened to the author: a smallish woman with short white/grey hair and five or six huge rings on nearly all her fingers; some big gems.
She talked of how her publishers (Random House) put on a driver and a silver Mercedes for her and of how her driver even helped her out with some antiseptic cream when she was bitten by a ferret once. She read an extract from a volume of autobiography from when she was a little girl and met a famous author. He proceeded to drape her in a snake he had, asking her if she was scared (she was petrified!) yet she said no; her mother telling her she didn’t know why she didn’t object instead of standing there so gormless. She tells her mum she didn’t like the snake; that it felt awful.
Then the young Jacqueline met a very famous female writer whom she admired and who was just sitting on her own, waiting for someone to approach her. Jacqueline’s mother pushes her forward, saying ‘Go on, say something: you like her!’ ‘I know!’ she whispers.
‘But I couldn’t,’ Jacqueline tells us. Then her mother brings her closer and the young girl says meekly to the glamorous successful author, ‘I like your books.’
‘Thank you,’ the author says sweetly, and smiles at young Jacqueline before young Jacqueline turns away ‘and we both breathed a sigh of relief’
She talked about having stayed in the same old modest house for a long time with her thousands of books, and how once she overheard one boy saying to another, ‘That’s the house where Jacqueline Wilson lives.’ The other one replied. ‘No it’s not. That house is a dump.’ Eventually, she moved, but says that although she wants to buy a little dog, because she is away so much she will wait until her books stop selling, and stay at home with it and read all her books then.
She spoke of meeting the Queen and how she sat behind her and Prince Phillip in a Royal Box when she was made the Children’s Laureate, and how she leaned forward to listen as to whether they were gossiping, but says they weren’t and were in fact very professional.
She also talked about her passion to help people read out loud and the importance of reading out loud to children until they slouch off in a surly manner as a teenager. She even said that she will support schools and organisations that take that initiative as it is one close to her heart. She jets all around the world on promotional tours and has written 90 books so far. Her most important piece of advice to all the would-be authors in the audience was, ‘Read, and keep reading. No one who has been published as an author has ever got there without reading a lot.’
There were thousands of children who put there hand up, wanting to ask a question afterwards, and one twenty-year old woman from Hungary thanked the author as she said the books had helped her learn English and fit in in this country. She also talked about her mum telling her ‘No more autobiography’ as a mention of her mum’s ex-partner had mortified her when her friends poked fun at her over it. Also, she says her best old childhood friend might be upset if she wrote in detail. Maybe one day, though, she appends.
I opted out of the mass exodus to have a book signed but was deeply grateful for having met her. Later, I sat in a Latin American restaurant outside the Royal Festival Hall and had a meal. I saw Jacqueline walk past and imagined her perhaps getting into her chauffeur-driven Mercedes and being whisked back to her home.
The following is an article about mindmapping; something I mentioned previously. This article is targeted for writers but mindmapping can be used by anyone and is a great way to organise ideas. The source of the article appears in full below.
“Mindmapping is better than linear outlining because authors can use flexible thinking and relativity in writing their book. One can add and subtract a thought or phrase from a mindmap easily. Mindmapping is an excellent way to start, organize, and finish your book.
What is Mindmapping?
Mindmapping is a color-coded outline of main ideas, sub topics and details, printed on different colored branches connected to the center. In the center in a circle, you will list your main idea, such as your book or chapter title.
For "The One-Minute Sales Person", Spencer's mindmap would have had seven different colored vertical branches coming from that center, so details
can be put on connected horizontal branches--much easier to read.
What are the advantages of Mindmapping?
First, a mindmap is open-ended and open-minded. No more squeezing new
"ahas" or ideas into the strict, tight form of the linear outline. You can make mistakes in your mindmaps. Imperfection leads to creativity. When you get an idea for chapter one, you can just add another branch off the main one. Mindmapping expands flexible thinking, making for better writing.
Second, mindmaps use only three to five concrete or color words on a branch. These key words help jog our memory. Under Chapter One "Attracting Passion," I added several horizontal lines that represented the format that follows. One line had "opening quote," the next one "introduction," the next one "Jerry's Story," the next "Food for Thought and Action," the next, "Passion Hot Line," the last line, "practice."
Third, mindmaps speed up your writing because you only write key phrases.
When you sit down at the computer, from your color-coded map, the answers
will flow naturally. If you need to fatten up your chapter, just go to your chapter file folders where you keep your research.
Fourth, in mindmaps you see the whole related to the parts. Your thesis, chapter titles, and chapter contents all flow because you answered each
question your readers had. This fast-forward technique allows me to write at least two or three books each year, and makes each book more organized,
more focused and clear, easier to read, and finally brings more sales because people can understand the information quickly and easily.
How Do I Create My Mindmap?
Use a large sheet of paper, at least 8 ½ by 11 inches, but I recommend a large square of butcher paper or poster board, so you can spread out and enjoy the process! Have at least six or seven colored felt-tip pens in primary and bright colors ready.
In the center, encircle your title. Arrange your chapter headings, each on
a different colored vertical branch, around the center in any order (you can number them later). If you can't think of a title, put a few key words. Use only one color per branch. Off each main branch, put five or so other horizontal branches of particular chapter parts.
Even though you later change your mind about the contents, this initial mindmap gives you the overall picture of what your book is and what it will share with its readers. I made several mindmaps of my Passion book before I settled on the best information to include.
For the colored mindmapping example, go to
http://www.bookcoaching.com/graphics/MINDMAP.JPG.
Practice: Create your book's mindmap on a separate piece of paper
Practice: Create one chapter's mindmap on a separate piece of paper now.
Wow! You are up to speed. You have your thesis--what challenge your book
will solve, your chapter working titles, your rough draft evolving with a Table of Contents, and you have questions to answer in each chapter.
Mindmapping is an excellent way to start, organize, and finish your book.”
Judy Cullins ©2004 All Rights Reserved.
Judy Cullins, 20-year book and Internet Marketing Coach, Author of 10 eBooks including "Write your eBook Fast," and "How to Market your Business on the Internet," she offers free help through her 2 monthly ezines, The Book Coach Says...and Business Tip of the Month
at http://www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtml and over 140 free
articles. Email her at mailto:Judy@bookcoaching.com
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