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

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Banafshehserov.com

Sydney Writers' Festival - Children's Festival of Moving Stories, November 2015

Sydney Writers' Festival - Children's Festival of Moving Stories

2015 was another busy year for Your Bookshop with regular monthly events at various venues. We finished off the year with a flurry of events with The Sydney Writers' Festival. Between the 16th to 27th of November, Your Bookshop team travelled to various libraries and venues throughout Western Sydney. From Penrith to Parramatta, and Blacktown to Bankstown, we were the bookseller to over 14 events.

During the two week festival school kids participated in workshops held by some of Australia's most popular authors and illustrators. Below are some of the highlights of the festival's events

Brother and sister writing team Alison and Nicholas Lochel

#Zarkora's author Nicholas Lochel with primary school kids

Tristan Bancks, Sally Rippin, Robert Hoge & Gus Gordon at Penrith School Day

Popular children's and teen author, Tristan Bancks was the MC at a special School Day Event at Penrith. A hugely popular day, students from participating schools enjoyed sessions with writers and illustrators, and had the opportunity to ask the storytellers questions about their craft.

Robert Hoge

Jacqueline Harvey enjoying work-shopping writing ideas with Primary school kids

kids lining up to get their copies of Alice Miranda books signed

Melissa Keil, Clare Atkins, Claire Zorn and Catherine Jinks

Melissa Keil and Clare Atkins with young fans

Catherine Jinks talking to High School Kids on using music as inspiration for creating characters.

Alison Tate talking to Primary School Kids about her kids series #Mapmaker 

Alison Tate, David Legge, Jacqueline Harvey & Nicholas Lochel

At a special evening event, popular children's author, Mem Fox teamed up with her long time friend and illustrator, Judy Horacek to celebrate the ten year anniversary of Where Is The Green Sheep and the launch of their latest collaberation, This And That. 

Sally Rippin talking about her bestselling Billie B Brown series

Tristan Bancks and the MY LIFE illustrator, Gus Gordon

Store Display at #Yourbookshop

From us at Your Bookshop, We'd like to thank the hard work of everyone involved in organising and running the events. We especially like to thank the talented authors, without whom there'd be no festival.

At Your Bookshop we're committed to giving back to our community by organising and sourcing authors for library, school and in-store events. 2015 was jam-packed with over 60 events. We hope to continue into 2016 with even more events. If interested in organising an event with us, please contact us via info@yourbookshop.net.au

Happy Reading!

Banafsheh Serov

Sydney Writers' Festival 2015 - Banafsheh Serov

Sydney Writers' Festival

I love writers' festivals. It's the coming together of like-minded people; a chance for writers - a solitary profession - to meet readers and others in the publishing world. 

SWF - Walsh Bay

Sydney Writers' Festival is no different. With an array of authors and events, the hardest part is deciding which event to go to. More than once this year, I wished I owned Hermione's Time Turner (or Dr Who's Tardis), so I could attend simultaneous talks.

For me, the Writers' Festival have the additional bonus of adding to my collection of 'signed copy' books. There's something magical in meeting the authors of books I've read and loved, and having them sign my copy. The highlight this year was meeting, David Mitchell (the author, not the comedian) whose latest book, The Bone Clocks, was one of my faves of 2014.

Meeting David Mitchell - SWF 2015

Your Bookshop has always been committed to bringing authors and readers together, whether at our monthly library talks, school events, or our conferences or Expos. 2015 was no exception. This year we were asked to be the booksellers for the combined Random House and Sydney Writers' Festival "James Patterson Live" school event. Best-selling author James Patterson took the stage with Aussie compatriots Tristan Bancks and Martin Chatterton at Parramatta's Riverside Theater. 

It was wonderful seeing the kids enjoy the interactive event. Afterwards, everyone had the chance to meet the authors and have their books signed.

Your Bookshop's stand at "James Patterson Live" school event,
Parramatta Riverside Theatre

Middle School books

Fans meeting Tristan Bancks

School kids meeting Martin Chatterton

Our second event with Sydney Writers' Festival was with author David Hill at Ryde Library.
Over 100 people gathered to hear David's fascinating talk on his book, The Making of Australia.

Setting up for David Hill's event at Ryde Library

David Hill on The Making of Australia

Full house at Ryde Library - SWF 2015                                                              

Our final event was another kids' one, this time with Oliver Phommevanh. Oliver wowed the children at Sydney's Haymarket Library with his workshop, "How to Write Funny Stuff". The kids got first-hand experience on writing funny stories and finding comedy in any situation.

All in all, 2015 Sydney Writers' Festival was the best one yet, with record ticket sales and attendance. I'm already impatient for next year's lineup.

Happy reading,

Banafsheh Serov