Katrina Harries Award for Children's Book Illustrations

The Katrina Harries Award for Children's Book Illustrations honours the work of a South African illustrator for a book published in the preceeding two years. The illustrator must be a permanent South African citizen. The prize is named after the well-known South African artist who won the first two awards in 1974 and 1976. Since 1998 the award has been managed by Unisa's Children's Literature Research Unit (CLRU). The award consists of a gold medal and is awarded biennially.

At a ceremony held at the University of Pretoria on 5 March 2008, the following awards were announced:
The 1999-2001, 2002-2003 and 2004-5 awards went to Piet Grobler for Doctor Me Di Cin / Dokter Me Di syn Human & Rousseau (2001), Toepa-toepa towery Protea (2003), Net een slukkie, padda! / Please Frog, just one sip! Human & Rousseau (2002), Die spree met foete Human & Rousseau (2002), Het Vogeljes ABC Lemniscaat (2005), Makwelane en die krokodil Human & Rousseau (2004) and Mia se ma / Mia's mom Human & Rousseau (2005) respectively.

The 2007 award went to Emily Bornoff for Prinses van die Afrikavlaktes Lapa (2006).

Local Language Publishing Program Writing Competition 2008 Room to Read

Local Language Publishing Program Writing Competition Room to Read is currently promoting its first Local Language Publishing Writing Competition that is open to all writers over the age of 18. There are cash prizes of R10 000 each for the best five stories. Independent judges, who will be looking for such qualities as originality, imagination and flair, will read the entries. Most importantly, they will consider how the story will appeal to children from a range of South African backgounds. The purpose of this competition is to encourage the writing and production of children's literature in South Africa, especially in indigenous languages. We plan to publish the best of these works in 2008.

Competition rules The competition is not open to Room to Read South Africa staff and their immediate families and the judges of the competition. Authors must be 18 and over. No entries will be returned and Room to Read South Africa will not be accountable for any entries that do not reach our office. Room to Read South Africa will publish the winning manuscripts only if they meet our publishing requirements. Non-winning entries may also qualify for publication. Room to Read South Africa has the right to edit and revise the manuscripts according to their requirements. The judges' decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. There is no restriction on the number of entries made by any one person; however, an official entry form must accompany each separate entry.

Requirements/Criteria

The manuscripts must be original and previously unpublished. Manuscripts must be suitable for children aged 6 -14 years, and can be written in any of the 11 official languages of South Africa. Stories will be adapted/ translated into all 11official languages. The stories should be enjoyable and age appropriate and suitable for children in rural and urban environments. Length: around 600 words for Foundation Phase (6-9 years). Around 1200 words for 10-14 years. CLOSING DATE: 30 June 2008 PLEASE NOTE:

Copyright in text will remain with the author. No royalties will be paid . Manuscripts must be sent to: Local Language Publishing Program Writing Competition Room to Read South Africa Postnet Suite 172 Private Bag X 15 MENLOPARK 0102 OR Corner Hilda and Arcadia Street Hatfield Gardens, Unit F1 HATFIELD 3

NOTE: Please ensure that you have a tracking number which will enable you to follow up whether your post was received. A copy of the entered manuscript should be kept as no entries will be returned. Only winners and authors of publishable manuscripts will be contacted.

Centre for the Book

Nombulelo Baba has taken over as Project Co-ordinator for the Children's Literature Programme at the Centre for the Book from Colleen Higgs who resigned at the end of February. She is a teacher by profession who taught in the Foundation Phase for 9 years before joining READ Educational as a Teacher Trainer. For another 9 years with READ she conducted in-service training for teachers. She has also conducted workshops for the WCED's 100 Books project. She joined the Centre for the Book in May 2007. She says she's passionate about reading and Children's Literature in general. She will be circulating mail related to Children's Literature to the CLN e-group which is a free service offered by the Centre for the Book. Welcome, Nombulelo.

http://www.nlsa.ac.za/NLSA/centreforthebook

Cape Town Book Fair

Cape Town Book Fair, 2008

The Publishers Association of South Africa (PASA), and the organisers of the Frankfurt (European) Book Fair will be organising the Third International Book Fair in Cape Town, (June 14-17, 2008).

SCBWI SA has already been allocated a stand and we are working with the organisers to plan their “Kids Zone” and the Pin Board area as in 2007. We plan to provide the opportunity for children’s book writers and illustrators (SCBWI SA members only) to display their work and to make contact at our stand with representatives from the international and local publishers who will be coming to the Fair.

SCBWI will have a critique session a week before the Book Fair to help our writers and illustrators prepare for the Fair and a Get-together after the Book Fair for feedback and general book talk.

Dates will be confirmed and posted on www.scbwi-za-capetown.blogspot.com/ closer to the time.

For more on the Cape Town Book Fair, e-mail them at: info@capetownbookfair.co.za
or visit their website at: http://www.capetownbookfair.com/ or phone: +27 (0)21 418 5493

Illustrators' Rates

Have you ever wondered what you should be charging for illustrating? SAFREA (Southern African Freelancers' Association) suggests some minimum rates. These can be accessed at: http://www.safrea.co.za/. The following rates were suggested in 2007/2008.

RATES
SAFREA suggested Minimum Rates 2007/2008
DESIGN AND ARTWORK 2007/8

Artwork: Black and white per piece
Filler R150.00
A5 half page R250.00 - R450.00
A5 complex R300.00 - R500.00
A5 three quarter page R300.00 - R500.00
Narrow Crown to A4 (simple) R485.00 - R550.00
NC to A4 (complex) R600.00 - R750.00
NC to A4 double spread (simple) R800.00 - R1200.00
Nc to A4 double spread (complex) R1100.00 - R2000.00

Artwork full colour per piece
Filler R175.00
A6 or quarter page R225.00
A5 or half page R300.00
A5 complex full page R600.00
A4 three quarter page 600 - R750.00
Narrow Crown to A4 (simple) R600.00 - R800.00
NC to A4 (complex) R800.00 - R1100.00
NC to A4 double spread (simple) R1500.00 - 2000.00
Nc to A4 double spread (complex) R1750.00 - 2500.00

Artwork DTP/Technical per piece
DTP/computer generated a/w (including maths) (simple) R 75.00 - R300.00
DTP/computer generated a/w (including maths) (complex) R300.00 - R550.00
Technical drawings R390.00 R250 - R550.00
Medical illustrations R300.00 - R1500.00
Graphs R200

Maps per piece
B&W Narrow Crown - A4 (simple) R400.00 - R550.00
B&W NC - A4 (detailed) R750.00 - R1500.00
B&W NC - A4 double page (simple) R1000.00 - R1500.00
B&W NC - A4 double page (detailed) R1750.00 - R2500.00
Full Colour Narrow Crown - A4 (simple) R550.00 - R750.00
F/C NC - A4 (detailed) R1000.00 - R2000.00
F/C NC - A4 double page (simple) R1000.00 - R2500.00
F/C NC - A4 double page (detailed) R1750.00 - R2800.00

Cover Artwork per piece
Learners book/Reader NC - A4 (simple) R1500.00
LB/Reader NC - A4 (complex) R1750.00 - R 2750.00
Cover designed in Photoshop (no scanning cost) R2500.00 - 3 000.00
Studio photograph for Cover including fees and props (per photo) R1950.00 - R 2500.00

Cover design
Design requires no adjustment to artwork R1565.00
Design requires some adjustment to artwork R1816.00
Artwork on front cover only (complex design work) R2300.00
Artwork on front and back cover (complex design work) R2550.00
Makeup from existing design R900.00
Makeup from existing design with new image R1250.00
Teachers guide converted from Learners book R1200.00
New design with artwork R2000.00
Design for new series per title R2750.00
Complex design using artwork and photographs R2900.00

Book design and layout
Concept design R2550.00
cover design R2550.00
Layout per page (simple � run in text through to school science and maths ) R50.00 - 90.00
Layout per page (complex with design work) R220.00 - 260.00

Magazine design and layout
cover design R2500
Layout per pageR230

Web design
Concept design R3500 - R5500
Layout of pages this is easier quoted as an hourly rateR250 - R300 per hour

Margot Finke's Monthly "Musings"

Margo Finke's articles provide guidance to people getting started in the children's publishing world and answer many typical questions on PUBLISHING, WRITING, AGENTS etc.etc. These materials are posted on this site for free individual and non-commercial use. They are provided as a public service. Out of respect for their creators, please follow the copyright guidelines.

To go to Margot's site, click http://www.underdown.org.finke-htm/

Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Retreat

See full programme and costs at -

http://sa-writers-illustrators.blogspot.com/

SCBWI SA

Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Retreat

Goudini Spa
May 5-9, 2008

All children’s book writers, illustrators, publishers, librarians, teachers (not only members of the SCBWI)…

THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY YOU MUST NOT MISS.

READ ON!

We are lucky to have enticed the chief editor from a children’s magazine and two established international children’s book agents to participate in our retreat: Christine Clark from the Highlights Magazine, USA, and Rosemary Canter from United Agents, London, UK, and Susanne Koppe from Auserlesen Ausgezeichnet Agency, Hamburg, Germany, and an editor from Macmillan (Trade Books), London, UK. (Name TBC)

Christine Clark: “I'm delighted that my first trip to South Africa will be centred on making and encouraging new friends who share my passion for creating high-quality literature for children. I hope I can spark in many of you a greater awareness of and appreciation for children's magazines--one of my great loves--and I look forward to learning from all of you, as well.”

Rosemary Canter: “I am thrilled to be invited, intrigued to find out more about South African publishing, and, like all agents, hungry to find talented writers and illustrators. So I’m looking forward very much to meeting all the participants.”

Susanne Koppe: “...that's all very, very exciting and I feel so honoured you wish to invite me. I really hope I can meet your expectations and make my participation worthwhile. Years ago I translated a South African exile-author, Norman Silver, and since then I wanted to travel to the country.”

Resources for Writers in SA compiled by Colleen Higgs

Colleen Higgs left the Centre for the Book at the end of February 2008. She developed a Resource list over her years working there and shared this with the e-group. Thank you Colleen and best wishes in your new position at Modjaji Books.

RESOURCES FOR WRITERS IN SA compiled by Colleen Higgs

WHAT OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE FOR WRITERS IN SOUTH AFRICA?

*Competitions for writers to enter (Books e-group)

*Writing workshops, writing teachers (Books e-group, Centre for the Book website)

*Literary magazines (Rough guide, Centre for the Book website)

*Online zines (

www.litnet.co.za and http://book.co.za

)

*National Arts Council grants to give you time to write

*Join organisations that support you - IBBYSA, Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), Bhala - national organisation for those who write in isiXhosa, most towns and cities in regions that have large groups of Xhosa speakers have local groups of Bhala

*Join the Books e-group books@nlsa.ac.za (You will receive up-to-the-minute information about workshops, events, conferences, competitions, opportunities for publications, readings, writers groups, etc)

*Go to bookish conferences, symposia, festivals (Books e-group)

*If you are on Facebook or MySpace on the Internet - check out the writers’ groups and bookish events that are happening in your area

*Get onto the mailing lists of bookstores - like Exclusive Books, Wordsworths, The Book Lounge (CT), Die Boekehuis (Jhb)

HOW DO I KNOW IF MY WRITING IS ANY GOOD?

*Send it off to literary magazines, both online and print. See the list at the back of the Rough guide to small-scale and self publishing or on the Writers Network website. If your writing is rejected this is feedback of a sort. Don’t give up.

*Join a writing group or start a writing group. (CfB pamphlet on this topic).

*Come to Out to Lunch at the Centre for the Book on Wednesdays between 1 and 2. (CT) *Do the Masters in Creative Writing at UCT or at Wits. Other universities around the country also offer creative writing - check out their websites to see what they have to offer.

*Join a Writing workshop. There are some excellent writing teachers around, check out the Centre for the Book website for a list of writing teachers. One of the best in Cape Town is Anne Schuster. See her website at

www.anneschuster.co.za

*You could send a completed manuscript off to a publisher. Before you do this, though, you need to research the market.

*Go to bookshops and look carefully at which local publishers are publishing books in a similar genre to yours. Make a shortlist of three or four publishers, including some small publishers. Before you submit a manuscript, go to each publisher’s website and find out what their submission requirements are. Normally publishers do not want to see a whole manuscript, but rather want a package of:

(1) A one paragraph synopsis of the book

(2) A one paragraph bio-note about author

(3) A one to two page synopsis of your book

(4) A chapter by chapter synopsis (3-5 line per chapter)

(5) Two sample chapters.

*You could get your manuscript read by an "expert" reader for a small fee at

www.livewriting.co.za

(available after April 2008) or email mairefisher@gmail.com

HOW CAN I IMPROVE MY WRITING?

*Information pamphlet series for writers published by the Centre for the Book - ten pamphlets are available on topics of interest to writers written by experienced writers, publishers, and editors.

*Find a writers’ course or workshop that you can attend

*Register for a creative writing course at university. The SA Writers’ College is an online writing college based in Cape Town; you don’t have to live in the city to do a course.

*You could get your manuscript read by an "expert" reader for a small fee at

www.livewriting.co.za

(available after April 2008) or by emailing mairefisher@gmail.com

*Send stories, poems, articles, essays etc to literary magazines and popular magazines where relevant.

*Go to a local book store or library and find books that give advice and suggestions about how to write better

*Read widely and frequently - you have to be an avid reader if you want to be a good writer.

If I have a book that I want to publish, what should I do?

If you want a commercial publisher to consider your work*

*Look at the PASA Directory, it is updated each year or check out the PASA website at

www.publishsa.co.za

*You need to identify which publishers do the kind of book you are wanting to get published.

*Basil van Rooyen’s book - How to get published in SA (Penguin) is useful, especially for non-fiction authors - but it is quite gloomy, so don’t get discouraged by the tone.

*You should also go to bookstores and see who is publishing similar books and see what is being published so they don’t reinvent the wheel

*A new website offers reader’s reports for a small fee and some at a reduced fee (bursaries). Check out

www.livewriting.co.za

(available after April 2008) or contact Maire Fisher at mairefisher@gmail.com

*Poets should read the attached page about getting your poetry published. You shouldn’t think of starting with getting a book published. Get individual poems published first.

*Look at the CfB pamphlet on Publishing Opportunities for new writers

YOU COULD CONSIDER SELF OR INDEPENDENT PUBLISHING Sometimes you can’t get published straight away, because you are a new writer, or you write in a genre that has limited appeal --- have you considered independent publishing or self-publishing?

*Let’s push the boundaries of publishing - pamphlets, chapbooks, simple cheap books, digital printing, zines, reading to each other

*Get a copy of A Rough Guide to small-scale and self publishing published by the Centre for the Book - it is full of practical and useful advice. Available in English, Afrikaans, Sesotho, isiXhosa and isiZulu.

*Community Publishing Project grants, small grants for writers to publish their own work are on offer twice a year: deadlines: Usually in about March & September (Check the CB website for deadlines and to download the application form)

*Gary Cummiskey’s Blog --- he is a veteran independent publisher

http://dyehard-press.blogspot.com/

*Consider a small print run and going the digital printing/ print on demand option

RESEARCH SA BOOKS AND PUBLISHING

*Go to a bookshop or a library and look at who is publishing what and whom? If you join the Exclusive Books fanatics club and the Wordsworth’s Loyalty Club, not only will you get discounts, you will be invited to launches of books, where you will hear successful writers speak, read and launch their books. There is a whole collection of wonderful bookshops in Long Street, the most famous and worth a visit is Clarke’s.

*The Book Lounge corner of Buitenkant and Roeland Streets in Cape Town city - has regular events and Kalk Bay Books in Main Road, Kalk Bay does too

*Baobab Books in Long Street has regular literary events on Wednesday evenings.

*Boekehuis in Auckland Park in Jozi - has a great selection of Africana and has regular bookish events

*Xarra Books in Newtown is a wonderful Jozi bookstore

*Read the books pages of newspapers and magazines - good ones are Rapport, Die Burger, Cape Times, The Weekender, The Mail and Guardian and the Sunday Independent, O Magazine, Real Simple - but there are lots of others!

*Check out the Publishers’ Association website

www.publishsa.co.za

or buy a copy of the annual PASA directory, which gives a breakdown of all publishers in South Africa who are members of PASA, what their publishing interests are, and contact details.

*Most publishers have their own websites and often tell you how they like to receive submissions. If they don’t tell you, give them a ring and ask.

*Listen to SAFM Literature on Sundays 1- 4pm , and keep an ear out for what is happening on "Otherwise" on SAFM at 1pm, they often have slots of interest to writers.

HANG OUT WITH/ MEET AND/OR LISTEN TO PUBLISHED WRITERS AT VARIOUS EVENTS AND FESTIVALS AROUND THE COUNTRY

*For Afrikaans speaking writers - Woordfees at Stellenbosch in March is a must

*The Cape Town International Book Fair in June each year - what more can I say?

*The Franschoek Literary Festival in May is a feast of literary activity

*Spier Poetry Exchange at the end of January, early February each year - a chance to see local and international poets in action

*Poetry Africa is held at the University of KZN in Durban in October each year -a fantastic opportunity to listen to local and international poets reading and performing their work

*Time of the Writers is held at UKZN in March each year

*Wordfest is the bookish/ writerly part of the Grahamstown Arts Festival at the end of June/July each year

WHAT IS AVAILABLE FOR CHILDREN'S WRITERS AND PICTURE BOOK ILLUSTRATORS?

*Join Society for Book Writers and Illustrators --- SCBWI SCBWI.ZA@gmail.com

*Join IBBYSA, for more information check out their website ---

www.ibbysa.org.za

*Join the Children’s Literature Network (CLN) e-group - cln@nlsa.ac.za

*Find courses and workshops for the writers of children’s books - SCBWI and IBBY SA often advertise such course

*Read lots of children’s books - to yourself and to children

*Tell stories to children - either your own or volunteer at a school or library

*Go to the Children’s Zone at the Cape Town International Book Fair

*Some cities and towns have specialist children’s bookstores - eg A is for Apple in Cape Town. Most decent bookstores have a children’s section and some are better than others. Look out for books that have won prizes or other recognition.

WHAT OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE FOR WRITERS IN CAPE TOWN?

(other regions should figure this out and find a place to share this information)

*Out to Lunch at the Centre for the Book on Wednesday’s between 1 and 2, there is a free open writing practice session.

*Watch out for the Cape Town International Bookfair in 2008. (www.capetownbookfair.com)

*Off the Wall at A Touch of Madness in Observatory has poetry sessions on Monday nights. Usually there is a guest poet, and then an open mic. Contact: Hugh Hodge hahodge@gmail.com

*Gus Ferguson’s mailing list, you can subscribe to Carapace & get onto it that way (Invitations to launches, readings and other events) email: snail@pulsar.co.za

*The Central Library has a monthly poetry group that meets on Saturday afternoons.

*Keith Gottschalk convenes a writers group called the Landsdowne Local which meets last Saturday of the month, contact kgottschalk@uwc.ac.za

NOTES ON PUBLISHING YOUR POETRY

(by Robert Berold)

It is almost impossible to get a first book published. The route to go is to try to publish your work bit by bit in poetry magazines (see the Centre for the Book website). You will be able to find copies of these magazines in a large library, like a university library. Read them first to see which magazines suit your style of poetry. Reading these magazines will also give you an idea of what is going on in South African poetry in general, which is a very diverse field.

Publishing through small magazines is a slow process, but that is the way all poets do it. Some editors give criticism and feedback, others don’t.

Do not send the same poems to more than one magazine, and do not send more than 3 to 5, it just irritates the editor to be flooded. You sometimes have to wait a long time for a reply, up to 6 months or more.

After that time it is fair to write and ask the editor to make a decision so that you can send those particular poems somewhere else.

The slowness of this process is no reason to stop writing poetry, or sharing it with others, starting a poetry reading group, or even publishing a small book of your own.

READ, READ, READ

*As well as whatever else you read, you must also read what other South African writers have written and are writing. You need to know where you fit into the ongoing conversation that is South African literature, South African writing.

*Buy South African books and subscribe to our local literary magazines. For a list see the Centre for the Book website and the Rough guide to small scale & self publishing

*Read South African and African books from the library closest to you. South African writing and publishing is flourishing --- and there are some wonderful reads.

*You may find books about writing useful too. See a selected bibliography at the end of handout.

USEFUL WEBSITES

www.publishsa.co.za (Publishers Association of SA) www.nac.org.za (National Arts Council) www.litnet.co.za (Litnet - online magazine about arts and culture - strong Afrikaans focus) http://book.co.za

Book SA -- Southern Africa Lit Daily - mostly in English

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF BOOKS ON WRITING Natalie Goldberg’s books (1986) Writing Down the Bones Boston &

London: Shambhala and (1990) Wild Mind" New York: Bantam Books

Anne Lamott (1994) Bird by bird - Some instructions on writing and life. New York: Anchor Books, Doubleday.

Dorothea Brande (1934 first published, republished 1996) Becoming a writer. London: Macmillan.

Julia Cameron (2000) The Right to Write. London: Macmillan

Peter Elbow (1973) Writing without teachers. New York: Oxford University Press.

Judy Reeves (1999) A Writer’s Book of Days - A spirited companion and lively muse for the writing life. Novato, California: New World Library.

Stephen King (2000) On Writing: a memoir London: Hodder & Stoughton

Anne Schuster’s novel (2006) Foolish Delusions - has separate mini-sections which are helpful in writing memoir/ autobiography. Johannesburg: Jacana Media