I led a workshop on the other side of town on Monday, at Glen Waverley library (thanks Lisa). There were 20 well-prepared young writers/illustrators there, raring to go.
Together we created characters, wrote them and drew them.
Then we developed plot outlines. An hour isn't very long to construct a story and do illustrations, so we focused on transforming ideas into outlines, encouraging characters starting to show their 'colours'.
This young writer (above) has a diary full of stories, ideas and images.
They were a attentive and imaginative group. The same character name generated character sketches of pigs and pencils, females and males. And the plot lines? Wow. They were stratospheric! Literally, with action moving to the moon and beyond.
If this group of young people is any indication - and there's no reason to expect it's not - imagination and creativity is alive and thriving. Thanks for supporting and encouraging them must go to their parents, family, teachers and librarians around them.
And that pic I'm holding? That's me, as sketched by Sneha. Fabulous!