BLOG TOUR (10) There Was an Old Sailor

There Was an Old Sailor

Written by Claire Saxby

Illustrated by Cassandra Allen

Published by Walker Books Australia 2010

Today I am talking to Claire Saxby, author, about her newly released picture book, There Was an Old Sailor. Our discussion focuses on Rhyme, Rhythm and Reason.

.  .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   . ‘With a wish and a swish
.   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .he swallowed a fish’

Mabel: Hello Claire. Welcome to my blogspot.

Claire: Hello Mabel. Thanks for hosting me

Mabel: Do you find it fascinating that children begin with rhyme and rhythm; even before they can talk ... as though our ears and brains are hard-wired from birth to sound and repetition?

Claire: Children's language development is nothing short of astounding. It's such a treat to watch as they play with sounds and shape words. I watched a program that looked at children all around the world learning to speak. One comment was that they experiment with their own grammar, rather than just learn by parroting what they hear. eg my ....is betterer than... using grammar forms that don't exist. That's stuck with me, that idea that they have some innate sense of language, not just copying.

Mabel: Would you like to comment on the connections between rhyme and rhythm (poetry, if you like) and magic; poetry and magic?

Claire: Yes, poetry is magic! I like that it can say more with less, that it can open up images in fresh new ways, can paint pictures with words. Rhythm is essential in poetry, as it is in any writing really. The best rhythm allows any reader to read without stumbling.

Mabel: Rhyme has been called a kind of musical punctuation. Is that how you see it?

Claire: Rhyming is hard. Hard to do really well. So generally I avoid it! But the structure was already there for 'There Was an Old Sailor', and I enjoyed the playing with rhyme. Musical punctuation? I joined a choir about a year ago and have been challenged by reading music and reading the breaks. I'd not thought of rhyme that way. I like the idea though.

Mabel: Is rhyme important for pre-readers and beginning readers?

Claire: Rhyme is a great tool for learning. It can help pre- and beginning readers to access language by linking the familiar to the unfamiliar, or just by making words fun.

Mabel: The dictionary defines rhythm as ‘a movement with uniform occurrence of a beat or accent’ - or if you like a pulse that provides a distinct beat and gives shape. Did you feel that as you were writing this book?

Claire: I am very aware of rhythm when I write. I read my work out loud and also get others to read it out loud. This helps me to refine the text and improve the rhythm. Early drafts are about shaping story and working out beginning, middle and end, but later ones are about tweaking and rearranging the words to make them sing.

Mabel: Do you agree that rhyme, rhythm and reason are the three great ‘R’s of storytelling that help maintain the connection with an audience or reader?

Claire: I don't pretend to be a skilled oral storyteller, but I do have a close friend who is mesmerising to listen to. I've learned a lot about reading my stories aloud, and about writing them from listening to her tell stories. She shares stories from all over the world, and all contain the elements you mention. I certainly aspire to pull in the reader and keep them there!

Mabel: Tell me a little about the role of humour in this story. Is it more than a celebration of rhyme and tomfoolery?

Claire: It's an absurd story! Very silly really. But it still makes a silly-sense. When I use the story as a workshop frame in classrooms I talk about the need to use 'silly-sense'. The story must keep moving forward and build to a climax. So there are logical elements e.g., in that each sea creature is larger than the previous one.

Mabel: And that bigger and bigger surely creates a wonderful picture book! Thankyou, Claire for sharing your insights. I’ve really enjoyed being part of this book’s blog tour. Where are you off to tomorrow?

Claire: I’ll be with Sandy Fussell at . Hope to see you there.

For readers who wish to visit or revisit them, the schedule of all the stops is listed below!

Mon 8 February: Sally Murphy's Writing for Children http://www.sallymurphy.blogspot.com/

Tues 9 February: Dee White's Tuesday Writing Tips http://deescribewriting.wordpress.com/
Wed 10 February: Dale Harcombe's Read and Write with Dale http://www.livejournal.com/users/orangedale/
Thurs 11 February: Robyn Opie's Writing Children's books http://www.robynopie.blogspot.com/
Fri 12 February: Lorraine Marwood's Words into Writing http://lorrainemarwoodwordsintowriting.blogspot.com/
Sat 13 February: Mabel Kaplan's Tales I Tell http://belka37.blogspot.com/  [You are here!]
Sun 14 February: Sandy Fussell's Stories are Light http://sandyfussell.blogspot.com/

BLOG TOUR (7) SHEEP, GOAT AND THE CREAKING GATE

Sheep, Goat and the Creaking Gate

Written by Claire Saxby Illustrated by Judith Rossell

Published by Windy Hollow

Today I am talking with Claire Saxby about Picture Books and the role illustrations play. I’ve heard the role of the illustrator described in terms of creating a companion story inspired by the author’s text but reaching beyond what is actually written.

Author and SCBWI President Stephen Mooser, president of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and an author of more than 60 books, defines a picture book as: ‘One in which the pictures and the text play equal roles.’

Welcome Claire!

I'd like to begin by asking you about the integration of text and illustrations in a Picture Book and comment on the extent to which they require a particular style of writing.

Picture books are a category all of their own. The story has to work on its own, but then the illustrations have to add another story. The author has to leave enough 'room' for the illustrator to move. I seldom include any illustration notes unless it's to convey something that's not directly in the text but that is integral to the story. It's a tricky balance to include enough details but not to hog-tie the illustrator.

Could you briefly outline the distinctive roles played by illustrations in a Picture Book compared to a Picture Story Book or early reader?

I'm not quite sure what you mean by the distinction between Picture Book and Picture Story Book as I use the terms interchangeably. But if you mean PSB to be a longer story with fewer illustration, then the balance changes between text and illustration. As with early readers, the illustrations then tend to illuminate the text rather that carry their own story.

As an author, although not responsible for the illustrations, do you create a story board or find yourself visualising pictures to accompany the text as you write?

No. I seldom have any idea what my characters look like and only very vague ideas about the appearance of the setting. I look through my characters eyes out into their world, and my focus is on their behaviours and personality. I'm always surprised by how someone interprets my characters...it's one of the magic surprises when I see the first images.

I'm wondering whether you have ever found it difficult to let go of your ideas for the illustration and trust the illustrator and publisher to bring the final product together?

No, for the reasons mentioned above. The only time I've really had a discussion about how something has been illustrated was in 'Deepwater Blues' a chapter book. The main character overcomes a fear of really deep water (and what's in it) when his mate says he should take a look at an octopus he's found. The illustrator drew a 'giant of the deep' octopus, several times bigger than the boy! No swimmer in their right mind WOULDN'T be scared of something that big! I'd imagined a tiny little octopus, looking almost too small to be real. Not only did the illustration remain, the image was reproduced on the front cover!

On looking at some of your picture books, I note you have been matched up with various illustrators. What do you think you have you learned from having a number of different illustrators illustrate your picture books?

What talented people illustrators are! Of course I was already aware of that, but seeing them bring my story to life while bringing their own ideas to the project is awe-inspiring. It's also interesting having the same person work on two projects and seeing how different their work can be.

In creating the text for a picture book one writer suggested it was a matter of deciding what to leave in (plot) and what to leave out (description)! In ‘Sheep, Goat and the Creaking Goat’ can you offer an example or two of what the illustrations tell the reader that the text does not?

Picture book writing is definitely about what to leave out! When you have so few words to play with, there is no room for any word that's not pulling its weight. In my first picture book, 'Ebi's Boat' I met with illustrator Anne Spudvilas and we talked about what to leave out. 'Ebi's Boat' was already short, but when Anne showed me how she could illustrate a certain part without the words, I slashed more, until the final text has just under 300 words. In 'Sheep, Goat and the Creaking Gate', I had used more description than I usually do, perhaps as a way to explain each animal and their physical relationship to each other. I wanted their movements to be logical. But they didn't belong in the final version and many of them are now gone. Judith Rossell, the illustrator has positioned both Sheep and Goat beautifully.

During workshops and critique groups I have encountered a number of writers who express reluctance to submit a Picture Book manuscript to a publisher because they don’t want to ‘let go’ of their own ideas about the illustrations. What comments/reassurances can you offer?

More, perhaps, than any other writing form, picture books are a collaboration. The writer brings the story, the editor/publisher sees the potential and the place in the market, and the illustrator brings the story off the page. Each brings their own special magic to a project. Sometimes three brains aren't better than one, but in the case of a picture book, they certainly are! I couldn't possibly have the same understanding of all the different aspects of picture book production, and it's wonderful to have professionals on board who are experts in their own field.

There appears to be a popular misconception among beginning children’s writers that Picture Books are easier to write than other forms of children’s books. I am reminded of a quote from Mark Twain “I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.”
How could I argue with Mark Twain? My mother asked me why I didn't write poems in her birthday cards. I said it was because I'm usually writing the card on the day of her birthday and have no time to draft. To write poetry and picture books, there are so many elements that have to be contained in the few words. Plot, character, setting, all the things that belong in any story. But in picture books, there's no time to drop in little bits here and there that build up over chapters. Everything has to happen in less than 32 pages. That means drafting, redrafting and then redrafting again, until every word is working properly. No waffle, no ambiguity, nothing but distilled story. It's hard, but very rewarding.

And rewarding, Claire has been this visit. I look foward with great interest to joining the rest of your tour as I hope will other readers. So, from me, happy touring!

Thanks Mabel, some very thought-provoking questions!

The Tour Schedule:
Monday 17August: Dee White http://tips4youngwriters.wordpress.com/
Tuesday 18 August: Rebecca Newman http://www.soupblog.wordpress.com/
Wednesday 19 August: Mabel Kaplan: http://belka37.blogspot.com/
Thursday 20 August: Sandy Fussell: http://www.sandyfussell.blogspot.com/
Friday 21 August Dale: Harcombe http://orangedale.livejournal.com/
Saturday 22 August: Sally Murphy http://sallymurphy.blogspot.com/
Sunday 23 August: Robyn Opie http://robynopie.blogspot.com/
Monday 24 August: Sally Odgers: http://spinningpearls.blogspot.com/

ABOUT PICTURE BOOKS AND BLOG TOURS

Picture books are not just for children! They are one of my favourite kinds of books to browse and enjoy. Each time I come across a new picture book, I rediscover their joy - revisit concepts and topics approached in fresh and unexpected ways - reminding me of the song from Peter Pan: "I won't grow up . . . not me!"
I'd lilke to believe it's the job of children's writers to find the fairy dust magic in the seemingly mundane - to leave children entranced and to keep the rest of us sane.
A recent visit to a bookstore brought me face to face with book after weary book of endless diets and weight watching.
Imagine my delight (and relief) when, upon reaching shelves in the children's section, I came upon Dutch writer, Sylvia Van Ommen’s picture book, The Surprise. Yes! Another book on weight watching - but this time covered in the kind of magic dust that fills me with inner joy.
A sheep finds a way to get rid of too much weight. The book shows the sheep on the scales, looking at herself in a mirror, recording her weight on a chart, visiting a pharmacy and getting rid of her excess weight in a shearing shed, spinning it into skeins and knitting a jumper for a giraffe! (But then, I am a farmer's daughter!)
And there's another reason why I am talking sheep today! Children's writer, Claire Saxby of Victoria begins her blog tour of Sheep, Goat and the Creaking Gate tomorrow, Monday 17August. She'll be talking with Dee White at http://tips4youngwriters.wordpress.com/
On Wednesday she’ll be here on TALE I TELL to share with me some of her thoughts on the role of illustrations in picture books and specifically in her soon to be released picture book: Sheep, Goat and the Creaking Gate. Can’t you hear them already? I can hardly wait to see the way magic dust will spread this time.

The Tour Schedule:
Monday 17August: Dee White http://tips4youngwriters.wordpress.com/
Tuesday 18 August: Rebecca Newman http://www.soupblog.wordpress.com/
Wednesday 19 August: Mabel Kaplan: http://belka37.blogspot.com/
Thursday 20 August: Sandy Fussell: http://www.sandyfussell.blogspot.com/
Friday 21 August Dale: Harcombe http://orangedale.livejournal.com/
Saturday 22 August: Sally Murphy http://sallymurphy.blogspot.com/
Sunday 23 August: Robyn Opie http://robynopie.blogspot.com/
Monday 24 August: Sally Odgers: http://spinningpearls.blogspot.com/