SCBWI meeting

When our Victorian branch of the SCBWI (Society for Book Writers and Illustrators...known as Squiby) meets, occasionally I lead a little section called 'Just a Minute...' where I ask a question and ask attendees to respond in writing. The aim is to discover or reveal the similarities (or not) in the way we do what we do.

The question this meeting was 'How many times do you submit a manuscript before abandoning it?'

Answers varied, but not really that much. Using the multiple judge principle (but in reverse) if I remove the two extreme responses (1 and 85) then most respondents never abandoned a manuscript if they could still see merit in it. They might rework, or rewrite, or rest it, but never abandon it.

Our speakers on Saturday all took us on their journeys...Goldie Alexander on the changes in the industry across the years she's been writing; Corinne King reported from Bologna and Lauris Pandolfini shared the journey of 'Booked Out' her speakers agency.