My 3 Tips On Presenting To A Kid Audience – Tristan Bancks

Tristan Bancks is one of Australia’s favourite children’s and teen authors.  His books include the My Life series, Mac Slater (Australia and US) and Two Wolves (On the Run in the US), a crime-mystery novel for middle-graders.

In 2015, Two Wolves won Honour Book in the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Awards and was shortlisted for the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards. It also won the YABBA and KOALA Children’s Choice Awards. His most recent book is My Life & Other Exploding Chickens, a fourth book of weird-funny-gross, semi-autobiographical short stories. 

Before embarking on writing, Tristan enjoyed a successful career in acting and filmmaking – a handy skill when it comes to presenting to an audience. His regular posts on Youtube are testament to Tristan’s talent and enthusiasm in engaging with his audience.

I first met Tristan in 2014 when Your Bookshop accompanied him on a 2-day visit to Western Sydney schools. Since then, YB has been the bookseller at various events where Tristan has been a presenter. Impressed by Tristan’s genuine interest in the kids, and their reaction to him, I decided to ask Tristan his tips tips on presenting to a kid audience.

Here are Tristan’s 3 tips.

Three Tips on Presenting to a Kid Audience.

Make it Personal

Tell stories from your own life and how they relate to the book you’re speaking about. What’s your personal connection to the story? Did you write it in an interesting way? Did you get to meet or speak to fascinating people when researching your subject?

Share stories of your personal journey.

Make it Authentic

Kids know right away when someone is talking down to them or being inauthentic. They get that all the time from adults. So dig down into what truly fascinated you when writing the story. Share your genuine enthusiasm for it and that tends to get other people excited, too.

Make it Funny!

The fastest way to break down barriers between you and a child audience is to make it funny. Kids love it when adults are self-deprecating, too. Share a time when everything went wrong for you and, looking back, it seems humorous. Any funny stories from childhood that show that you understand what it feels like to be young?

Interested in learning more about Tristan Bankcks? Connect with him on the following platforms.

Blog / Site:    www.tristanbancks.com

Twitter:      www.twitter.com/tristanbancks

Instagram: www.instagram/tristanbancksbooks

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/tristanbancks

YouTube:    www.youtube.com/tristanbancks

What did you think? Did you find this segment useful?

Do you have any suggestions for future topics?

I love to hear your thoughts. Leave your comments – praise, criticism or suggestions below.

As always, thank you for stopping by.

Banafsheh

This blog first appeared on

Banafshehserov.com

My 3 Tips On Writing Historical YA – Frances Watts

Three tips on writing historical YA

Frances Watts’ bestselling picture books include Goodnight Mice! (illustrated by Judy Watson), the winner of the 2012 Prime Minister’s Award for Children’s Fiction; Kisses for Daddy (ill. David Legge); and 2008 Children’s Book Council of Australia award-winner Parsley Rabbit’s Book about Books (ill. David Legge). Frances is also the author of the fantasy/adventure series, the Gerander Trilogy, and the medieval Sword Girl series (ill. Gregory Rogers). Most recently she has written two YA novels: The Raven’s Wing, set in Ancient Rome (read a review by Read3R’z Re-Vu here) , and The Peony Lantern, set in nineteenth-century Japan.

Tip 1: Be prepared to develop an obsession!

I didn’t know much about the world of the samurai before I started researching The Peony Lantern, which is set in nineteenth-century Japan. The idea for the book grew out of an interest in ukiyo-e, Japanese woodblock prints. I became curious about the culture that created them. And the more I read about Japan’s Edo period—the history, the society, the culture—the more my interest was aroused. My fascination is not just with the big significant events (though that’s an important backdrop) but for the details of daily life: omens and superstitions, culture, food, fashion, furnishings…I spent months reading—and then I travelled in Japan for several weeks. I stayed a couple of weeks in Tokyo (formerly Edo), visiting museums and gardens, taking an ikebana class and going to the kabuki. From there I travelled into the countryside, visiting the mountain village where the book opens and walking the path through the forest that Kasumi, the main protagonist, followed on her way to Edo. The shrouds of mists covering the valley, the rattle of the wind in the trees, the number of steps to the shrine all found their way into the book. And now, having immersed myself in the world of 1857 Edo for the year it took me to write the book, I have a full-blown obsession with Japan and Japanese history and culture. I have already returned once since I finished writing, and I am already dreaming of my next trip. The whole experience of writing and researching the book has proved extraordinarily enriching.

Tip 2: Always remember that the story comes first.

I love the research process, but I soon realised when I began writing historical YA that the most important thing I had to get right was the story. It’s easy to get carried away by the research, to want to pour all my new knowledge into the manuscript—but that’s not what the book is about: it has to work as a story first and foremost, with a compelling plot, engaging characters, a vivid setting. It is not a history lesson.

Tip 3: Find fulfilment in the process

This is a general tip about writing—and probably the most important thing I have learned in my years as a writer…There are so many aspects to writing and publishing that are beyond your control: whether a publisher will love your manuscript, whether readers and critics will love your book. So focus on what you can control. Write and rewrite, edit and refine and polish, until you know that you have done the very best work you are capable of doing. Then: be proud of the result. And take your pleasure and satisfaction in writing from the act of creation itself.

You can find out more about our guest blogger this month by visiting www.franceswatts.com

Did you find this blog helpful? Do you have suggestions for future blogs? Would you like to contribute to our '3 Tips?

We love to hear from you. Add your comments and suggestions below.

Happy Reading

Banafsheh Serov

This blog first appeared on www.banafshehserov.com

Your Bookshop Newsletter - March 2016

Your Bookshop Event with Sheyne Rowley & Indie Book Awards Shortlist 2016

The best in Australian writing has been announced – The Indie Book Awards Shortlist 2016. Have a glimpse below for the titles which will go on to be some of the year’s bestsellers! Your Bookshop will also be hosting an author event with Australia’s Baby Whisperer Sheyne Rowley. Become informed on how to soothe and communicate with your baby  with Rowley’s “Sleep Dream Baby Guide”.  FICTION SHORTLIST

Guide to Berlin Gail Jones $32.99 Other Side of the World Stephanie Bishop $29.99 Secret Chord  Geraldine Brooks $39.99 NON-FICTION SHORTLIST         Flesh Wounds Richard Glover $29.99 One Life My Mothers Story Kate Grenville $29.99 Reckoning A Memoir Magda Szubanski $49.99 DEBUT FICTION SHORTLIST     Relativity Antonia Hayes $32.99   Salt Creek Lucy Treloar $29.99 The Anchoress Robyn Cadwallader $32.99 YOUNG ADULT SHORTLIST     Cloudwish  Fiona Wood  $19.99  Prince of Afghanistan Louis Nowra $16.99 Tournament at Gorlan John Flanagan $19.99 CHILDREN’S SHORTLIST    65 Storey Treehouse Terry Denton  $12.99   Bad Guys Episode One Aaron Blabey  $9.99 Singing Bones Inspired  Shaun Tan  $35.00

Copyright © 2015, Your Bookshop, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you selected to subscribe to Your Bookshop's newsletter in store or online.  If you wish to stop receiving this please unsubscribe from this selection.  Contact Us info@yourbookshop.net.au