Kids and Young Adult Literature Festival

Decisions, decisions!

The 2009 Kids and Young Adult Literature Festival is on at the NSW Writers' Centre over two days in July. Saturday the 4th and Sunday the 5th. Unfortunately I can only make it to one day. I'm already in Sydney on Saturday night (taking my son to the wrestling) so it looks like it's going to be Saturday. That's not a problem but the Sunday sessions look a little more personal and, I'd love to hear Libby Gleeson's 'Create Your Picture Book' presentation.

Perhaps, another time.

Now the only problem is picking which Saturday sessions to attend.

Session 1:

Publishers and their authors

How do you get published?


Two of Australia’s most successful authors, James Roy and Deborah Abela, and their award-winning publishers discuss the nitty-gritty of publishing.


Deborah Abela & Zoe Walton, James Roy & Leonie Tyle

Chair: Susan Hayes

or


Publishers reveal the inside story

Publishers from Penguin, New Frontier and Margaret Hamilton Books discuss what they are looking for and the real process towards publication.


Margaret Hamilton, Sophia Whitfield, Laura Harris

Chair: Laurine Croasdale


Session 2


Taking stories into scripts, film and web

Plays, scripts, blogs, novels, animation: open the doors to the power of writing in today’s forms.


Caleb Lewis, William Kostakis, W “Chewie” Chan, Melina Marchetta
Chair: Susanne Gervay

or


How writers can write for awards,
entertainment, education and sales


Three leading crime, romance and history authors reveal their markets, strategies and successes.
Laurine Croasdale, Gabrielle Lord, Chris Cheng Chair: Maire Sheehan




Session 3

X-factor rules for children's writing


Discover the X-factors that get books loved and published – from new idea to inspiring a publisher.

Cathie Tasker, Ursula Dubosarsky, Leonie Tyle, Deborah Abela
Chair: Val Noake

or


Fantasy: creating new worlds to explore our own


Australian fantasy authors expose how they create their stories and capture the imagination of the world.
Garth Nix, Kate Forsyth, Richard Harland, Jenny Hale Chair: Angie Schiavone




Session 4


Stars of picture books reveal their secrets

The inside story to writing and understanding picture books by some of the world’s best.

Tohby Riddle, Ursula Dubosarsky, Libby Gleeson
Chair: Margaret Hamilton


or


Stars of youth literature reveal their secrets

You’re invited to hear the inside story of how some of the world’s best authors create kids and YA literature.

Garth Nix, Gabrielle Lord, James Roy
Chair: Mylee Joseph


(session details obtained from NSW Writer' Centre web site)
http://www.nswwriterscentre.org.au/html/s02_article/article_view.asp?id=643&nav_cat_id=335&nav_top_id=57

So far I'm leaning toward

• Publishers reveal the inside story
• Taking stories into scripts, film and web
• X-factor rules for children's writing
• Stars of picture books reveal their secrets

Those choices may all change on the day. Either way, it should be a great day.