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