Writers & Illustrators Conference, AFCC: Day 4
Day 3 of the conference was a SEMINAR which was really a topic close to heart. It involved many personal stories and experience which I did not want to write about them much.
Shhhh…secrets to keep.
🙂
Day 4, which was yesterday meant a lot too!
I have met writers and illustrators from around the world and specifically loved those from Asian. Their style and way of writing was very dear to me.
Still, I love Maurice Sendak’s book very much. 😉
Well, writers and illustrators conference have brought me to a quiet serious and heavy discussion.
The art of Asian Illustrators, writing for a better world, writing facts in stories for children, marketing and selling rights of your book, the art of picture books, writing books in series and Asean themes in children’s book are among the hot topics I attended yesterday.
I will not share the technicality of the day content, but rather wanted to share views on what I have observed during the day.
- Many thoughts good books are always about illustration. Yes, it does. However, many best books are the combination of good and strong story with an alive illustrations of emotions for each scenes in the story.
- Mainly, the content and the philosophy if the story presented in the right pace, with a right rhythm, smooth page turn and clear environment which appealing feel to children are the books which entered children’s heart.
- Really, the whole book is a story by itself!
Some told me:
“Ah….! Why bother? Just write the book. There will people buy it. At least the government will buy.”
“Eh, children books are easier to write. The illustration does not really to be beautiful!”
“If you want your book to sell, you must find big names as illustrator of your book. If not you can not sell.”
“Of course they write that book. They are somebody. They have ‘name’. Any book they write sells!”
My heart pound fast within. I have totally a different view and feeling deep inside for children’s books. My early childhood life was not rich with books. I remembered, how I finished reading all the storybooks in my primary school library. It was just because the books were very few!
It was still clear in my mind the day I entered storytelling competitions and book cover drawing competition. Those days have left a mark in my life until today.
Children’s books are ‘treasure’ in life, for life. Don’t make it a trash.
Children’s books are the past, current and future. Don’t kill it before its birth.
Children’s books are light and hope for a better world.
Yes, children’s books is a serious business. But…
… the books which wins the children’s heart and life are those who written by a writer, with a mind beyond ‘money’ and the so called as ‘royalty’!
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