I announced last month on YAtopia that I will be a guest speaker at
The Whitsunday Voices Youth Festival this year - "Words Take
Flight". I must confess I was rather excited to see myself on the
program along side some of Australia's best YA and Children's
writers. Cath Crowley (Graffiti Moon), Steph Bowe (Girl Saves Boy), Andy
Griffith (too many awesome books to pick just one to highlight!) and Kate
Forsyth, with many others.
The festival committee deciding to put me on the program was a definite different direction for the festival. It's the first time that the festival has featured a session on social media and it's proved to be a great move. My two sessions on effective use of social media for aspiring authors and
passionate readers has sold out, so yesterday the festival coordinator asked me if I'd be able to do a third. Last night she told me the third session had nearly sold out too, which inspired a 0.o face from me.
She said there's been a lot on interest from the schools involved, which I think it fantastic. In 45 minutes I'll be squishing in information about how
to engage authors, agents and editors in the various social media platforms
(which will include when
not to engage them as well), the opportunities
available to aspiring writers on social media, navigating online writing
communities and blogging.
It's all rather exciting.
So over to you - what topics would you like to see covered at your local literature festivals?
