March 6, 2010
Hong Kong
8th Fl Prince's Bldg, 11.30-12.45/14.45-17.45
SCBWI Hong Kong presents:
Writers’ Day with Holly Thompson
Author and educator, Holly Thompson, will be joining SCBWI HK on March 6th for two inspiring events. In the first presentation, she will give advice and techniques on how to tackle the sometimes overwhelming task of revising a novel draft. After lunch, she will run an interactive workshop on writing intercultural fiction – relevant for any writer who wants to write about cross-cultural situations and characters.
Date: Saturday, 6th March 2010.
Time: Session 1: 11.30-12.45; Session 2: 14.45-17.45 (inc a 15 min break in middle)
Location: KPMG, 8th Floor Prince’s Building, Central.
Price: Session 1 only - $200 SCBWI members; $250 non-members
Session 2 only - $350 SCBWI members; $400 non-members
BOTH session 1 and session 2 - $470 SCBWI members; $550 non-members
Registration: eventHKSCBWI@gmail.com
Enquiries: scbwihk@gmail.com
Session 1: Novel Revision: Techniques and Tips
The first draft of your novel is done; now to revise. But how do authors create order from first draft chaos? How can you keep the big picture in mind while tackling the details and the problems presented in each particular chapter? How can you keep track of all the various essential story elements while attempting to deepen the overarching theme? How can you assess character development? How can you monitor the pace of the story and check overall structure? This session will offer helpful tips for tackling novel revision. Charting, flagging and color-coding techniques will be demonstrated and various exercises will be introduced. Helpful resources and websites will be shared, and there will be plenty of time for Q&A.
13:00-14:30 Lunch time. Option to join other participants for lunch at Habibi Egyptian restaurant (at additional cost). Please preregister for lunch.
Session 2: Plotting Across Cultures: A Workshop on Writing Intercultural Fiction
This workshop, which is suitable for beginners and experienced writers alike, will focus on writing fiction across cultures. Using examples of intercultural fiction from around the globe, the workshop will include detailed discussion of the following:
l development of bilingual, bicultural characters
l development of characters from outside the writer’s native culture
l challenges concerning perspective and setting
l portrayal of different languages in English-language fiction/bilingual dialogue
l use of non-English words in English-language fiction
l methods for effectively conveying culturally specific customs
l clichéd plot lines and other traps to avoid
l matters of audience to address
During the workshop, participants will complete at least one writing exercise, which will then be shared with the group. Depending on time and interests of participants, exercises may include outlining a unique plot line that involves two cultures, creating intercultural character encounters, finding intercultural critical moments to mine. The goal of the workshop will be to increase participants’ appreciation of the challenges in crafting intercultural fiction and to give them some of the essential tools for creating compelling stories and novels.
Holly Thompson earned her M.A. in fiction writing from New York University and teaches creative writing at Yokohama City University. Her fiction is often set in Japan and explores issues of biculturalism and identity. Author of the YA verse novel Orchards (Delacorte, 2011), the novel Ash (Stone Bridge Press), and the picture book The Wakame Gatherers (Shen’s Books), she is Regional Advisor of the Tokyo chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (www.scbwi.jp). Her short stories and articles appear in magazines in the U.S. and Japan. Visit her website at www.hatbooks.com.