The Wow Factor

Into the last few weeks of term now, and I bet you're all sitting there worrying about how you're ever going to fill the long summer holidays with meaningful activity once English Language revision no longer fills your every waking moment. Well, fear not! Because here's your chance to earn 2.8 million quid. Think I'm joking? Well, that's what one writer of children's books has recently been paid to turn "Wolf Brother" into a six book series. And isn't J.K. Rowling now richer than the Queen?

The reason this has made the news is because a competition has been launched to find the next children's bestseller writer. Think this is only for older people? Well, you're wrong, because the entry details clearly state that writers should be aged 16 and over. So, that means you guys, right? The competition is called "The Wow Factor"; you get the application forms from Waterstones, the bookshop.

Linkyloved below is a good piece in The Times, which includes discussion with 3 top children's fiction writers. Whether you fancy having a crack at the prize money or not, they usefully explore some key issues in writing for children: about the drafting process, the pitfalls of using youth sociolect, the value of getting feedback from the intended audience, and the importance of really solid research. But best of all is a golden nugget of advice from the 2.8 million quid writer that every aspiring writer would do well to bear in mind (and especially when submitting pieces for exams/coursework!!):

"if you think your first draft is marvellous, you are probably not as talented as you need to be"

Think about it... And if you win the Wow Factor prize, I want a mention in the foreword for telling you about it! (and a share of the cash....)

Think you can write a children's bestseller?