Budding young writers to "speed date" authors

For Immediate Release, Tuesday 8 February 2010

Budding young writers will take the fast lane to New Zealand’s top creative talent when they get to “speed date” a room of authors next week.

Over 50 intermediate-level children will get the benefit of years of accumulated writing experience at the New Zealand Book Council’s Speed Date and Author event in Palmerston North on Wednesday 16 June.

Six of New Zealand’s top writers for children will speak with small groups of the students for 20 minutes each on a key aspect of writing. Fifi Colston, Janice Marriott, Fleur Beale, David Hill, Diana Neild and Judith Holloway will cover characterisation, keeping your story moving, rhythm in writing, choosing a topic, strengthening writing, and writing dialogue in their speed dating sessions with the children. A further session on the importance of self-editing, led by local writer Janet Slater Bottin, will finish up the morning’s crash course in writing technique.

Ross Intermediate in Palmerston North sent five children to the Book Council’s inaugural Speed Date and Author event when it was held in Wellington last year, and jumped at the chance to host it this time around. Principal Wayne Codyre says:

‘Ross Intermediate is proud to be hosting and supporting the 2010 Speed Date an Author Event. Encouraging positive literacy experiences and fostering partnerships with like-minded organisations is important to us. We greatly value the importance of literacy and as a school aim to pursue excellence in all aspects of the New Zealand Curriculum. We hope everyone coming along enjoys their day as much as we know we will.’

The students are being asked to use what they have learned to write a 500-word story in their own time, and can enter their finished work in the Speed Date an Author story competition. Prizes will include books by the writer-tutors and publication on the Book Council’s website www.bookcouncil.org.nz.

Students from schools throughout Manawatu and Horowhenua will be taking part in the event.

The Speed Date an Author event is in association with REALM (Reading and Literacy in the Manawatu), and all visiting authors will also spending time in classrooms in the area on Thursday 17 June as part of the Book Council’s Writers in Schools programme.

ENDS

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