A tiny thing, but still so pleased.

SilverLinings · February 2010

Today, aside from being my birthday, was D-Day for me.
Reading my six hundred and some word story poem thingy to a class of thirty children no older than five. I am told these are the worst critics!

They joined in, they were captivated, I was so nervous. The kids loved it and sat so very still, the school has asked me back to read to older children!

I'm stunned, shocked, and so very pleased and I am going out to celebrate.
What a lovely lovely birthday present.
Tomorrow the hunt for the agent begins...

Liz · February 2010

Well done!

I don't think you have a chance of getting an agent without more than a short story and a poem under your belt though. Short stories don't sell, and you need to show you have great promise before they'll even look at you, including, unless maybe you have written a genius novel, ideas for further stories in the same genre.

Oh, and happy birthday!

Rosalie · February 2010

Well done, SL. So nice to have your work appreciated by its intended audience.

You're on your way!

Mutley · February 2010

Well done and a very happy birthday to you.

Carol · February 2010

Well done, and a very Happy Birthday SL. :)

Wordy · February 2010

A stern audience indeed. Well done.

St Force · February 2010

Oh my. Well done! I couldn't read to children. You must be the bravest talkbacker in the world!

Daisy · February 2010

Happy birthday! Glad the story telling went well.

Phots Moll · February 2010

Excellent!

Kangaroo · February 2010

Well done and Happy Birthday!

Stan2 · February 2010

Happy birthday - late I know - and well done with reading the poem.

Betsie · February 2010

Belated happy birthday - the reading must have been a wonderful experience for you - well done

Dwight · February 2010

It sounds like you had a Happy Birthday, SL, and with children too. Your own party. It's great to see youngsters enjoying what you've written - I'm able to read regularly to 11-16-year-olds - and guess what, StF, they're a model audience and love being read to.

Liz · February 2010

11-16 year olds Dwight? I've never tried them...

HisanoXelax · February 2010

Well done, hun! And happy (belated) birthday. What a wonderful way to spend it, captivating children with your own words!

Dwight · February 2010

Yes, Liz. I'd say any Head of English in a secondary school would love to have a writer visiting a class to do a reading with a bit of discussion or Q and A. (As long as they were CRB checked!) Getting used to being in the classroom should make a YA or children's author a better proposition for an agent or editor too. I was reading about William Golding recently and how he used to write "Lord of the Flies" in class, and read different drafts to his classes to guage the effect. I do it a bit more directly and tell the pupils beforehand that I need their help and ciriticism, and then ask them where I lost them, which parts were slow and if I could have used better teen-speak (really helpful, that bit). They can be very useful editors.

Liz · February 2010

I am CRB checked, had to be for the exhibition. Although actually you don't need to be if you only make occasional visits.

I think for poetry it's a bit different, I'm always reading teenage poets saying that they are a very critical audience.