I can't believe I forgot.
A couple of years ago, I attended Continuum 11, where the GoH was R.J(Rebecca)Anderson. Such a nice lady, and I got to do a panel with her, so when I wrote a con report and mentioned I'd missed the GoH speech, due to family commitments, she wrote a comment with a link to her web site, where she had done a transcript of the speech. It was a wonderful speech too, on the theme of why she loves children's and YA books. I so agree with her that kids won't take nonsense from their books and aren't impressed by how many awards they have won. All that matters is story. As far as I'm concerned, if it doesn't have an amazing story and characters you can care about, I don't care if it has "beautiful writing."
It's a lovely speech/article and I won't go into detail, because you should absolutely go and read it, right here! I unearthed my post with her comment this morning while browsing through, as you go, and checked it was still there. So go, read, enjoy, and let me know what you think!
A couple of years ago, I attended Continuum 11, where the GoH was R.J(Rebecca)Anderson. Such a nice lady, and I got to do a panel with her, so when I wrote a con report and mentioned I'd missed the GoH speech, due to family commitments, she wrote a comment with a link to her web site, where she had done a transcript of the speech. It was a wonderful speech too, on the theme of why she loves children's and YA books. I so agree with her that kids won't take nonsense from their books and aren't impressed by how many awards they have won. All that matters is story. As far as I'm concerned, if it doesn't have an amazing story and characters you can care about, I don't care if it has "beautiful writing."
It's a lovely speech/article and I won't go into detail, because you should absolutely go and read it, right here! I unearthed my post with her comment this morning while browsing through, as you go, and checked it was still there. So go, read, enjoy, and let me know what you think!
Hi Sue - no wonder you wanted us to read her speech - I haven't fully read it ... as I have some rather major things going on - but what she said was a great expose of life as we grow up ... and those transition phases ... I think I went too quickly into serious more adult reading ... one day I'll go back and catch up ... thanks for this - cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteRebecca said she started reading adult books early, because she'd run out of books she could enjoy. I started early too, but kept reading children's books as well. At one point I was reading Enid Blyton and Arthur Koestler's The Gladiators. If a book looked interesting, I just read it.
ReplyDeleteRebecca is right, though, there is so much great stuff for kids to read now, I hope you will go back. I sometimes think you enjoy kids' books even more when you grow up! ;-)
Great point. Story is so important.
ReplyDeleteYes, though you can get away without much story in an adult book, even win an award, as long as the writing is "beautiful", but not in a children's book.
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