| The journey to having my first novel for
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| | five rejections, rewrite. Never
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| children published has been riddled with
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| | surrender.Over the course of several
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| road blocks and shonky bridges. The good
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| | months, I sent my manuscript to every
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| news? At every rickety stage I've picked
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| | agent in the country. They all rejected
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| up tips (and anti-tips) which I'm happy
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| | until I was dejected. So I directly
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| to share with everyone...ReadFor me, this
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| | targeted publishers instead. I almost
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| was the easy stage! Aspiring writers need
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| | fell out of my computer chair when the
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| to read like maniacs to be aware of other
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| | second one immediately replied. The
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| writers' work, both locally and
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| | wonderful Ibis Publishing of Melbourne
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| internationally. There is no point
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| | liked my story so much, they asked me to
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| writing a killer story if it resembles
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| | commit to writing two more in the same
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| something already published. Sadly, that
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| | series. Truth is, to be published, I
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| means no scar-faced teen wizards named
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| | would have committed to writing a sequel
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| Barry.WriteHere's a simple equation: the
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| | naked in a bubble in the middle of Pitt
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| more you write, the better you become at
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| | Street. Luckily, they didn't. But I still
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| writing. By the time I was ready to be
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| | have my bubble.Pre-publicationOver a year
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| born I'd already completed my first three
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| | has gone by since my book was accepted.
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| manuscripts (spent most of the time
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| | My patient editor Belinda Bolliger has
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| looking around for somewhere to plug in
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| | driven me through two more rewrites to
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| my laptop). When the doctor smacked me on
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| | add backstory, cull my ellipsis fever and
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| the backside I squinted at him and went,
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| | tone down my more extreme jokes. My major
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| 'Waaah!' Which of course meant, 'Ah, you
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| | character has become less obnoxious and
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| must be my agent!' I went on to scrawl
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| | had a sex change from girl to boy. Why?
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| home-made comics throughout my childhood
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| | Apparently, girls will read about boys;
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| before I began writing for surf magazines
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| | but boys aren't happy reading about
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| at age 17. Since then, I've had thousands
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| | girls.I originally named my book after
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| of articles and pieces of fiction
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| | the planet of talking horses and mutant
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| published. A lot were 'hack' stories; a
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| | chooks at the centre of my story.
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| few won me awards and contests. All
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| | However, Uponia (too strange) was changed
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| helped build my writing skills and
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| | to Planet Horse Fart (too rude) to ZAPP
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| voice.FeedbackA local teacher read my
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| | to Planet Horse (too horsey) to Raz James
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| first manuscript to his class (thank you,
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| | and The Amazing ZAPP Discovery (too
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| Bob Swoope). The feedback was terrific.
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| | vague) to Erasmus James and the Galactic
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| One kid enthused, "It's just like Harry
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| | ZAPP Machine (too... wait, that's
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| Potter, only funnier!" I dined off that
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| | it!).The cover art has changed almost as
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| compliment for a month.I'm lucky ten year
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| | many times while the date of publication
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| olds believe payment in Paddle Pops is
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| | has been put back from last Christmas to
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| the industry standard for editors, else
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| | May to June to September. Fingers crossed
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| I'd be broke by now (well, actually I am
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| | on that last one!It is vital to remain
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| broke). I read all my stories to my
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| | flexible and positive through such
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| daughter, her friends, and any young
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| | changes and delays. Yoga helps. Better to
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| relatives I can bail up. Whenever my
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| | get everything right than to rush out an
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| juvenile focus groups wander off to the
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| | inferior product. The extra time has also
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| nearest TV, I know the chapter I'm
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| | given me time to set up a website, work
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| reading needs major reconstruction.
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| | out a battle plan with the Ibis marketing
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| Whenever the kids sit glued to their
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| | team Anthony and Paola and watch my hair
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| chairs and demand more, I know my story
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| | turn even more grey. Meanwhile, my bank
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| is heading in the right direction (and
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| | account has nose-dived, but who really
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| I've bought the right glue and Paddle
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| | needs fancy mod-cons like electricity and
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| Pops).It's useful to let adults rip into
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| | food?On the roadLast month I drove to
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| your story as well. Adult writers, that
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| | Sydney to psyche up the Pan Macmillan
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| is. I've learned it's best to avoid
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| | sales team. I delivered a ten minute
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| family members and friends, unless you
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| | standup comedy routine and was as
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| enjoy making these people flee whenever
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| | surprised as anyone when the friendly
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| they see you. Join a local or online
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| | team laughed at my feeble jokes and
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| critique group instead. Growing
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| | seemed enthused about selling my book. On
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| elephant-thick skin will also help you
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| | the long drive home, I realised this
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| through this stage.RewriteFinally, you
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| | would be but the first of many such
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| think your book is ready. It isn't. Time
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| | promotional trips: to schools, book
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| to let the manuscript breathe for a
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| | signings, anything and everything that
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| month, before revising it with fresh
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| | will help me sell a few more copies and
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| eyes. Be ruthless. Hack those excess
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| | keep doing what I love so much. Then the
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| adjectives that editors loathe. Delete
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| | rain began to bucket and my front tyre
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| every scene that does not sparkle,
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| | blew out. As I bounced into the bush, I
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| advance the plot on multiple levels and
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| | realised I was about to experience
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| compel the reader to keep reading.Rewrite
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| | another first on the scenic detour known
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| againAs a writer for children, you're not
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| | as Publication Road.DC GREEN BIODC Green
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| only competing against the mutant slush
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| | is the author of the soon-to-be-published
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| pile from Hell and other kid's books, but
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| | 'Erasmus James and the Galactic ZAPP
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| against the internet, computer games and
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| | Machine', a funny and action-packed tale
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| 24 hour cartoon networks. Remember: the
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| | of friendship, intergalactic zapping,
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| modern kid is smarter, more savvy and
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| | flatulent horses, environmental havoc and
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| easily bored than any generation
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| | bus-sized chooks. An award-winning
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| before.SubmittingCrunch time. When you
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| | fiction and non-fiction writer, DC used
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| submit your first manuscript, get stuck
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| | to travel the world for surf magazines,
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| straight into writing the second. When
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| | mainly because he couldn't afford his own
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| your manuscript returns unloved, send
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| | air tickets. He lives on the NSW South
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| another submission out on the same day
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| | Coast of Australia with one slightly
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| (or even better, send two). For every
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| | crazy daughter and three very crazy cats.
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