0:00:02 > 0:00:03The world of writing is an incredible place
0:00:03 > 0:00:06where you can create excitement, emotion, magic,
0:00:06 > 0:00:08exhilaration, and endless pleasure.
0:00:08 > 0:00:11We're getting all creative as we find out
0:00:11 > 0:00:14what life as an author is really like.
0:00:14 > 0:00:15What skills do you need
0:00:15 > 0:00:17to be a superhero in the comic book industry,
0:00:17 > 0:00:20a prolific publisher, or a dab hand at design?
0:00:20 > 0:00:22And we'll meet Cressida Cowell,
0:00:22 > 0:00:24author of the incredibly successful series
0:00:24 > 0:00:26of How To Train Your Dragon books.
0:00:46 > 0:00:50Today, our two rookies want to be as massive as JK Rowling
0:00:50 > 0:00:52or as awesome as Anthony Horowitz.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55I have before me a pen and a sword.
0:00:55 > 0:00:57But which is mightier?
0:00:57 > 0:00:59Well, if you're tackling a sword-wielding ninja,
0:00:59 > 0:01:01then it's got to be the sword.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04But a pen - well, it can inspire people.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07It can even change the way they think.
0:01:07 > 0:01:09And actually, some pens are rather sharp.
0:01:09 > 0:01:10Ow!
0:01:12 > 0:01:14Just to be clear, they want to be writers,
0:01:14 > 0:01:16and not sword-wielding ninjas.
0:01:16 > 0:01:18Hi, I'm Megan. I'm 12.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20I'm from Cardiff and I want to be an author.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23I started writing when I was really young.
0:01:23 > 0:01:25I had a teacher who really encouraged me to write.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28I used to bring in stories and she'd read them out to the class,
0:01:28 > 0:01:31and I think that just gave me the confidence I needed to continue,
0:01:31 > 0:01:34and since then I've just really enjoyed writing.
0:01:34 > 0:01:36Hi, I'm Jack. I'm 12,
0:01:36 > 0:01:38and I want to be an author, and I'm from Scarborough.
0:01:38 > 0:01:40You can't be forced to write a book,
0:01:40 > 0:01:42cos otherwise there's no point in doing it.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45I've read the Hobbit, and that was an amazing book.
0:01:45 > 0:01:47It just blew my mind.
0:01:47 > 0:01:48That's what makes me want to,
0:01:48 > 0:01:50like, do all of these things
0:01:50 > 0:01:53that JRR Tolkien, JK Rowling do.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55Jack and Megan are going to explore the wide, varied
0:01:55 > 0:01:58and sometimes unpredictable world of writing,
0:01:58 > 0:02:00from magazines to novels,
0:02:00 > 0:02:03from book jackets to comic book characters,
0:02:03 > 0:02:06when we go All Over The Workplace with a pen.
0:02:07 > 0:02:09Jack and Meg have travelled from their home towns
0:02:09 > 0:02:13of Scarborough and Cardiff to join Alex in Tunbridge Wells.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18- Now, you guys want to be writers, don't you?- Yeah.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21OK. So what is it about being a writer that appeals to you?
0:02:21 > 0:02:24I love the way you can create entirely different worlds
0:02:24 > 0:02:27and there's no right or wrong, and you can make something that
0:02:27 > 0:02:30people get really lost in and really enjoy and find really gripping.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33All right. So, Jack, why do you love writing so much?
0:02:33 > 0:02:37I think you can just let your imagination flow free.
0:02:37 > 0:02:38You can be really creative
0:02:38 > 0:02:41- and no-one can tell you what to do or anything.- Great.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44It's very interesting to hear what Jack and Meg think,
0:02:44 > 0:02:46but what about the people who know them best -
0:02:46 > 0:02:47their mum and dad, for example?
0:02:47 > 0:02:49I think he's got a picture in his mind
0:02:49 > 0:02:51of him sat down with his cups of tea at the side of him
0:02:51 > 0:02:54in a conservatory or somewhere, just writing away.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57He's got a guitar, electric guitar,
0:02:57 > 0:02:59and it's got three switches on it -
0:02:59 > 0:03:01quiet, loud and very loud.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04And he'll never put it on anything else
0:03:04 > 0:03:05apart from very loud.
0:03:05 > 0:03:07Megan's been writing
0:03:07 > 0:03:09ever since she could hold a pencil.
0:03:09 > 0:03:10She writes all the time.
0:03:10 > 0:03:12It's her favourite thing to do.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15She had one teacher that kept one of the books that Megan wrote.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17She said she was going to keep that
0:03:17 > 0:03:19cos she knew she'd be an author one day,
0:03:19 > 0:03:20and it's her pension.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22- That was all very positive, wasn't it?- Yeah.
0:03:22 > 0:03:24Come on, then. It's time to get cracking.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29So why Tunbridge Wells, I hear you ask?
0:03:29 > 0:03:33Well, we're at the offices of Italian company Panini.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36They publish loads of weekly magazines and comics.
0:03:36 > 0:03:38Lots of famous authors start writing for magazines,
0:03:38 > 0:03:41so this is a great place for our rookies to find out
0:03:41 > 0:03:43what it's really like to be a professional writer.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48Time to meet our first mentor, Jason Quinn.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51Jason learnt to read with comic books,
0:03:51 > 0:03:53and now he's the editor of Doctor Who Adventures.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57Interestingly, Jason used to be a kid superhero in Leeds,
0:03:57 > 0:03:59patrolling the streets in his go-kart
0:03:59 > 0:04:01dressed as The Mighty Sockstick.
0:04:02 > 0:04:06He retired from crime-fighting after crashing his go-kart into a tree.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08Just as well his comic career took off!
0:04:09 > 0:04:13The rookies are just about to get stuck in to their first assignment.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15But first, they need some hero shots.
0:04:22 > 0:04:23Yeah, perfect.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27- OK, guys, this is Caroline. - Hi, guys.- Hi!
0:04:27 > 0:04:31She's our designer, and she's got all the photos here.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33You're going to be doing the cover together.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36I'm going to be back in half an hour. I'll leave you to it.
0:04:36 > 0:04:38Let's choose an image for this cover.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41Jack and Meg have got only half an hour to create a mock-up cover
0:04:41 > 0:04:44for a brand-new All Over The Workplace magazine.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46The rookies' task is to tell the story
0:04:46 > 0:04:48of what's in the magazine at a glance.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51- We need a colour in the background, though.- Maybe a blue?
0:04:51 > 0:04:53- Nice bright blue? What do you think?- Yeah,
0:04:53 > 0:04:55- it looks like a kind of comic. - We have the logo.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58All Over The Workplace. That needs to go in there,
0:04:58 > 0:05:00so this is where things start to get a bit tricky,
0:05:00 > 0:05:02- cos we need to start fitting things in.- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:05:02 > 0:05:04Jack and Meg's content ideas include
0:05:04 > 0:05:06help to find your dream job,
0:05:06 > 0:05:08interview skills,
0:05:08 > 0:05:10and creative ideas and tips.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12- Are you happy with it? - Yeah, I think it's all right.
0:05:12 > 0:05:13I think it looks really cool.
0:05:13 > 0:05:15OK, so how are we getting on?
0:05:15 > 0:05:18- I think we've finished. - I think we're done.- Yeah? Brilliant.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20It's all really to the point.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23How did you find working to that deadline?
0:05:23 > 0:05:26- Did it put you under pressure? Did it make you tense?- It did a bit.
0:05:26 > 0:05:28We were really struggling time-wise.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31Getting close to the end of the deadline is stressful,
0:05:31 > 0:05:33cos you want to make sure you've got everything on there.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35It can be quite tough and stressful,
0:05:35 > 0:05:38but I think you've done a really good job on it.
0:05:44 > 0:05:45Over 4,000 years ago,
0:05:45 > 0:05:47the Egyptians were writing on papyrus,
0:05:47 > 0:05:49a really early form of paper.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51And these days, writing can really pay off.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54We spend about £440 million
0:05:54 > 0:05:56on children's books every year.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00JK Rowling, famous for the Harry Potter novels,
0:06:00 > 0:06:03went from living on welfare to becoming a multimillionaire
0:06:03 > 0:06:05in five short years.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07Roald Dahl, writer of Charlie And The Chocolate Factory,
0:06:07 > 0:06:10used to be a taster for a major chocolate company.
0:06:10 > 0:06:11Coincidence?
0:06:12 > 0:06:15You'll need to be persistent as an author.
0:06:15 > 0:06:16Even novelist Marlon James,
0:06:16 > 0:06:19winner of 2015's Man Booker Prize,
0:06:19 > 0:06:21was rejected no less than 78 times
0:06:21 > 0:06:23before finally having a book published.
0:06:23 > 0:06:25Good job he stuck at it, eh?
0:06:27 > 0:06:29For the next part of the assignment, we want our rookies
0:06:29 > 0:06:32to come up with some characters for their very own comic strip.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35And who's the man to set them their challenge?
0:06:35 > 0:06:39Meet Russ Leach, top UK comic strip artist,
0:06:39 > 0:06:41resident artist on Doctor Who Adventures.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44Russ has worked with top comic book writers like James Peaty
0:06:44 > 0:06:46of Batman and Supergirl fame
0:06:46 > 0:06:50and Tommy Donbavand of Scream Street, Beano and Doctor Who.
0:06:50 > 0:06:51We're on a schedule.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54You've got half an hour to do it. So off you go.
0:06:56 > 0:06:58I'm going to draw a superhero.
0:06:58 > 0:07:00If yours wore a suit, I could also...
0:07:00 > 0:07:02We could have two, both wearing suits,
0:07:02 > 0:07:05and when they feel their helmets, they could be me and you.
0:07:05 > 0:07:07- Yeah.- OK, so...- All right.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27Hello. My name's Danny Wallace and I am an author.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29Here are my three top tips for being an author.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32If you would like to be an author, tip one -
0:07:32 > 0:07:34you can be, right? Loads of people think,
0:07:34 > 0:07:36"Oh, I can't be." It's like saying
0:07:36 > 0:07:38you've got to be invited to be an author somehow.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40You can do it. All you have to do
0:07:40 > 0:07:42is have the idea that excites you.
0:07:42 > 0:07:43That's tip two.
0:07:43 > 0:07:45Think about something that excites you,
0:07:45 > 0:07:48that you think, "I would love to write about that."
0:07:48 > 0:07:51And then tip three is as simple as - do it.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54The only way to do something is to do it.
0:07:54 > 0:07:56If you've just got a blank page and you do nothing to it,
0:07:56 > 0:07:57it will remain blank.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00So think about tip two, the thing that excites you,
0:08:00 > 0:08:02and turn it into something, tip three.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04And don't stop.
0:08:04 > 0:08:06If you have a problem, if you think you're not going to be able
0:08:06 > 0:08:09to complete it, if you just want to throw it away, don't.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12The only way to do it is to do it.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17OK, time's up, everyone, I'm afraid.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19How have you got on?
0:08:19 > 0:08:20- Good.- OK, I think.
0:08:20 > 0:08:22Let's have a look at Spring Hero.
0:08:22 > 0:08:23So he bounces?
0:08:23 > 0:08:26He uses springs to get around, and he shoots springs.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29That's my character. That's the hero.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32- Flame Hero.- Yeah.- OK. - And then this is the...
0:08:32 > 0:08:36Magazines have always proved a fertile nursery for writers
0:08:36 > 0:08:38such as Charles Dickens and George Orwell,
0:08:38 > 0:08:40both of whom wrote for newspapers and magazines.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43- I can see...- Doctor Darkness, you need to write.- Oh, yeah.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46- Yeah, that'd be a good name, I think.- Doctor Darkness?- Yeah.
0:08:46 > 0:08:48We've got the characters. You've got the stories in your head.
0:08:48 > 0:08:50We'll take them out to the board and start, OK?
0:08:50 > 0:08:52- All right, yeah.- Brilliant.
0:08:52 > 0:08:54Now that our rookies have developed their characters,
0:08:54 > 0:08:56it's up to resident artist Russ
0:08:56 > 0:08:59to turn their rough sketches into a reality.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01He's got spiky hair.
0:09:01 > 0:09:03- Great big glasses.- I'll nip off and I'll come back later.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06- But remember, you've only got half an hour. See you later.- See you.
0:09:06 > 0:09:10This assignment is all about telling a story visually.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13Russ truly believes that a picture can tell a thousand words.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15Let's hope our rookies have learnt that there's more to writing
0:09:15 > 0:09:18than just tapping away on a keyboard.
0:09:18 > 0:09:21OK, so we've got that mid-ground and foreground going on, yeah?
0:09:21 > 0:09:24All right, then we start drawing in the robots.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27So how are we getting on? Gosh, this has changed quite a bit
0:09:27 > 0:09:29since I was here last. Wow!
0:09:29 > 0:09:30How important is the story?
0:09:30 > 0:09:32The story's the most important thing.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35Getting the script and the story in the right place so that everybody
0:09:35 > 0:09:39is doing the same thing, everybody is going in the same direction.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42So your editor, your writer and your artist all know what's expected.
0:09:42 > 0:09:46I've always liked illustrating things as well,
0:09:46 > 0:09:49but I've never really thought about how much goes into it.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52- I'll be back in about five minutes, then.- OK.- Cheers.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55Another one there. OK, so that's our page finished, OK?
0:09:55 > 0:09:57We've got an idea about where everything is,
0:09:57 > 0:09:59we've decided on the composition of the page
0:09:59 > 0:10:02and the action of the story. We can now take this away,
0:10:02 > 0:10:04now that you're happy with it, and we'll take it to ink,
0:10:04 > 0:10:07and then the text will be laid on over the top
0:10:07 > 0:10:09and you've got your finished story page.
0:10:09 > 0:10:11A steep learning curve for our rookies.
0:10:11 > 0:10:13They've gained experience in visual thinking.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16All things considered, they've done pretty well.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18How did they enjoy their first taste of the industry?
0:10:18 > 0:10:22I think the best thing about this task was making the comic strip.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24I really enjoyed coming up with the ideas
0:10:24 > 0:10:27and the storyline with Jack, and getting really creative.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29The hardest thing was the deadlines,
0:10:29 > 0:10:33because it was really hard to get everything done in 30 minutes.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36You've both been really, really good.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39Just don't be afraid to come out with as many ideas as possible.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42Forget whether they're rubbish or not,
0:10:42 > 0:10:43but just spout them out.
0:10:43 > 0:10:47Deadlines are the key. Yes, you must entertain,
0:10:47 > 0:10:49yes, it must be creative,
0:10:49 > 0:10:51yes, you must fit the brief.
0:10:51 > 0:10:53But it has to go out on time.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57The writing business is incredibly diverse,
0:10:57 > 0:11:00and includes working for newspapers and magazines,
0:11:00 > 0:11:02writing for websites, advertising,
0:11:02 > 0:11:04film and television scripts,
0:11:04 > 0:11:06even writing lyrics for songs.
0:11:06 > 0:11:10Writing can include factual books like biographies of famous people.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13Even dictionaries have to be written.
0:11:13 > 0:11:15How about ghost-writing for a profession?
0:11:15 > 0:11:19You write it and then someone else takes all the credit for it!
0:11:19 > 0:11:22There are also travel writers. Imagine getting paid
0:11:22 > 0:11:24to go on holiday and writing about it afterwards!
0:11:24 > 0:11:27Actually, that's kind of what I do.
0:11:27 > 0:11:32Probably best to pre-book taxis in this area.
0:11:34 > 0:11:36What about journalism, with all its deadlines,
0:11:36 > 0:11:38word limits and lots of pressure?
0:11:38 > 0:11:41Imagine interviewing One Direction
0:11:41 > 0:11:43and having a tight deadline and a strict word limit
0:11:43 > 0:11:45to keep your editor happy.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48So, Harry, if you were a biscuit,
0:11:48 > 0:11:49what kind of biscuit would you be?
0:11:51 > 0:11:53Budding authors Jack and Meg
0:11:53 > 0:11:55are each going to focus on one of their own stories
0:11:55 > 0:11:57during the next assignment.
0:11:57 > 0:11:59Jack's story is about Alex Spring,
0:11:59 > 0:12:02a young boy who gets sucked into another dimension
0:12:02 > 0:12:04through a gap between his bedroom floorboards.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07Meg's story follows young girls Ashleigh and Olivia,
0:12:07 > 0:12:09who are stranded on a desert island.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11We've taken our rookies along with their stories
0:12:11 > 0:12:13into the centre of London,
0:12:13 > 0:12:15where they're about to be thrown in at the deep end
0:12:15 > 0:12:16in the publishing industry.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19What will the experts think of their work?
0:12:22 > 0:12:25Ann-Janine Murtagh is the executive children's producer
0:12:25 > 0:12:27at publisher HarperCollins UK.
0:12:27 > 0:12:29Having worked with some of the UK's biggest publishers,
0:12:29 > 0:12:31Ann-Janine is widely recognised
0:12:31 > 0:12:34as one of the top people working in children's books.
0:12:34 > 0:12:35Our rookies better listen closely
0:12:35 > 0:12:37if they want to get their stories published,
0:12:37 > 0:12:40as you don't meet experts like Ann-Janine every day.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42What we're looking for in a writer is an original voice.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45If you've got something original to say and in a unique way,
0:12:45 > 0:12:47that's what we want.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49The other thing is, you've got to have a brilliant story.
0:12:49 > 0:12:51So it's really, really important
0:12:51 > 0:12:54that you've got a really good sense of how it's going to end
0:12:54 > 0:12:56and the drama of it.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59And it takes probably between 18 months
0:12:59 > 0:13:01- and two years to get a book out into the market.- Wow.- Wow.
0:13:01 > 0:13:03It's a long haul.
0:13:03 > 0:13:04And you've got to believe in it.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07So Ann-Janine's top tips for getting published are...
0:13:07 > 0:13:10Original voice - you've got to have something unique to say.
0:13:10 > 0:13:12Brilliant story.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14It's not just about content - the structure is also critical
0:13:14 > 0:13:16to telling your tale.
0:13:16 > 0:13:18And patience.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20Getting a book published doesn't happen overnight,
0:13:20 > 0:13:23so you've got to be in it for the long haul.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26I know that you've written some stories, and in fact,
0:13:26 > 0:13:29my head of editorial, Rachel, has looked at them.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32She feels there's a little bit of work to do
0:13:32 > 0:13:35before you can actually present them back to me
0:13:35 > 0:13:37to see whether they might be publishable.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40Rachel Denwood is a publishing and creative director.
0:13:40 > 0:13:44She reads about 100 books and manuscripts every year,
0:13:44 > 0:13:47so she's the perfect expert to assess our rookies' work.
0:13:47 > 0:13:49Jack, Megan, I've read both of your stories.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52I wanted to start by saying, they're brilliant!
0:13:52 > 0:13:55- Thank you!- Thank you!- So you're both genuinely really, really talented,
0:13:55 > 0:13:59and I wanted to read more of both of your stories, which is really good.
0:13:59 > 0:14:01There's still work to be done on both of your books.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03But I'm hoping I can give you some feedback.
0:14:03 > 0:14:07So, Jack, rather than just saying that Alex felt scared,
0:14:07 > 0:14:10you might describe something that happens to him.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13- Maybe his palms started to sweat, or...- Yeah.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16Rather than telling the reader what the characters are feeling,
0:14:16 > 0:14:18you're actually showing them.
0:14:18 > 0:14:20I think that'd be a great thing for you both to focus on,
0:14:20 > 0:14:23because that character and that hero is so important
0:14:23 > 0:14:24to bring the reader in.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27And then maybe those title ideas that you've come up with...
0:14:27 > 0:14:29Well, I think my favourites -
0:14:29 > 0:14:32The Underworld Adventure,
0:14:32 > 0:14:34Alex Spring's Trial,
0:14:34 > 0:14:36and How To Survive The Underworld.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39There's one there that I think could work really well.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42The last one there, How To Survive The Underworld.
0:14:42 > 0:14:44Megan, do you want to show me your title options?
0:14:44 > 0:14:46I had Rivalry Island,
0:14:46 > 0:14:47Secrets Of Her Island,
0:14:47 > 0:14:49or just Ashleigh's Island.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51What one do you think could work?
0:14:51 > 0:14:53Er, I quite liked Rivalry Island.
0:14:53 > 0:14:57- Rivalry Island!- Rivalry Island, I love that. Lots of tension.
0:14:57 > 0:14:59So now we're going to move onto something else
0:14:59 > 0:15:02that's really important, which is the blurb.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05The blurb is stage one of the marketing process.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07It's not just about a great story.
0:15:07 > 0:15:09A book has to grab your attention straight away
0:15:09 > 0:15:11so that they fly off the shelves.
0:15:11 > 0:15:14Publishing director Alice will give our rookies
0:15:14 > 0:15:15some tricks of the trade.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17We don't want to summarise the whole plot
0:15:17 > 0:15:19and give away everything. So only a few cliff-hangers,
0:15:19 > 0:15:21just something to really hook in the reader.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24Really short and snappy, really concise.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28So our rookies are really up against it.
0:15:28 > 0:15:30Alice has given them only 15 minutes
0:15:30 > 0:15:32and a limit of 50 to 60 words for the blurb.
0:15:32 > 0:15:34They're getting a true taste
0:15:34 > 0:15:36of the high-pressure publishing environment.
0:15:36 > 0:15:38Can their nerves take it?
0:15:39 > 0:15:41Right, Jack, that's it. Your time is up.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43- All right.- How did you get on?
0:15:43 > 0:15:47I did all the things that I wanted to, like included the character.
0:15:47 > 0:15:49Got some rhetorical questions.
0:15:49 > 0:15:50Let's have a read.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54I think you've done a really good job there.
0:15:54 > 0:15:56I love the way that you've asked those questions.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59- RACHEL:- You get across the sense of fun and adventure
0:15:59 > 0:16:01- in the book as well.- I like the bit about the knack for trouble.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03- Yes, absolutely. - That makes me like him already.
0:16:03 > 0:16:05One thing probably I would look at, Jack,
0:16:05 > 0:16:07- is just this repetition of "enjoy." - Yeah.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10And just tightening that up a little bit.
0:16:10 > 0:16:11But really great attempt at a blurb.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14- I think it's going to look fantastic on the back cover.- Thank you.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17So Jack seems to have pleased the experts. But how about Meg?
0:16:17 > 0:16:19How are you getting on, Megan?
0:16:19 > 0:16:22- I think I did OK. - Well, let's have a read.
0:16:22 > 0:16:24- RACHEL:- I think that's a really great job.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27Really pleased with the way that you've used intrigue.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30- I think that's really clever. I like that a lot.- Thank you.
0:16:30 > 0:16:32And your opening line about Ashleigh and Olivia -
0:16:32 > 0:16:35that's a very good way to hook in the reader.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38And when you sit down with the designers to look at the blurb,
0:16:38 > 0:16:40the way you've highlighted some of those key words
0:16:40 > 0:16:42I think will really help them with the design of the back cover.
0:16:42 > 0:16:44So great job.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52I loved drawing, and I went to art college
0:16:52 > 0:16:56and I was illustrating other people's stories to begin with.
0:16:56 > 0:17:00I suddenly thought, "Well, maybe I could write my own stories."
0:17:00 > 0:17:03So I started to have a go at writing my own picture books.
0:17:03 > 0:17:07Tom Gates, the character that most people know me for now -
0:17:07 > 0:17:09that actually started off as a picture book,
0:17:09 > 0:17:12and it slowly morphed into a book for older children.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15The thought never crossed my mind that this was ever something
0:17:15 > 0:17:17that I was going to do.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19And also because I'm dyslexic as well.
0:17:19 > 0:17:21But I always say,
0:17:21 > 0:17:23don't let it stop you.
0:17:23 > 0:17:25If you have stories to tell,
0:17:25 > 0:17:27find a way of getting them
0:17:27 > 0:17:30out of your head and onto a piece of paper.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33With title and blurb under their belts,
0:17:33 > 0:17:36it's time for our rookies to meet art director Nia.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38Ever heard the phrase, "Don't judge a book by its cover"?
0:17:38 > 0:17:40I'm not sure Nia would agree.
0:17:40 > 0:17:43This is what makes people grab your book,
0:17:43 > 0:17:45pick it up and go,
0:17:45 > 0:17:48"Wow! I want to read that!"
0:17:48 > 0:17:50For a ten-year-old,
0:17:50 > 0:17:52I don't want to make it look too babyish.
0:17:52 > 0:17:54I want to make it maybe look a bit cool.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57- Not too old, either. - But not too old.
0:17:57 > 0:17:58So let's pack these up,
0:17:58 > 0:18:01- and why don't we have a go on our own?- All right.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04After Nia's tips, Jack and Meg are brimming with ideas.
0:18:04 > 0:18:07Now it's up to our rookies to work on their book covers
0:18:07 > 0:18:10with designers Kate and Elizabetta.
0:18:10 > 0:18:12- Shall we have a look at your ideas?- Yes.
0:18:12 > 0:18:16I've got a couple, and I think these are my favourites out of them.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19Got some great ideas. I think we should start with the island.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21It'd be nice to capture the atmosphere of the book.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24- I like that one.- And get a real sense for the setting.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27- Oh, wow.- Ooh.- And then I think, personally,
0:18:27 > 0:18:30that we definitely want to see Olivia and Ashleigh
0:18:30 > 0:18:32- on the cover.- Yeah.
0:18:32 > 0:18:34What about something like this?
0:18:34 > 0:18:36I quite like that, because I'm trying to keep the characters
0:18:36 > 0:18:40quite mysterious, actually. Things change further into the book.
0:18:40 > 0:18:44We ask an illustrator to draw a quick sketch.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47- Oh, wow!- Do you like it?- Yeah!
0:18:47 > 0:18:48With a background.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51It's nice, but I think it's too colourful.
0:18:51 > 0:18:53- I think this works really well. - Yeah, I kind of like that one.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56- So what about some flowers? - OK, yeah. Oh, I like that.
0:18:56 > 0:18:58- It makes it a bit girlier as well, doesn't it?- Yeah.
0:18:58 > 0:18:59You can see the target audience.
0:18:59 > 0:19:01All right, Jack, how you getting on?
0:19:01 > 0:19:05Yeah, I'm doing OK. We've just done the boy first.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08Wow, he looks like he's falling down into some sort of
0:19:08 > 0:19:11- crazy different dimension, doesn't he, on that?- Mm, yeah.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13It's so exciting and sort of vibrant.
0:19:13 > 0:19:15I think you're doing all right. I'll leave you to it.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18- Are you happy with that, Megan? - Yeah, thank you, it looks amazing.
0:19:18 > 0:19:20- OK, great. I'll get it ready to print.- OK, thank you.
0:19:20 > 0:19:23So I'm going to carry on doing the spine and back cover,
0:19:23 > 0:19:26- and then it's going to be ready to print.- OK.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31I'm really impressed with how the design came out for my cover.
0:19:31 > 0:19:33The character actually looks like me a bit.
0:19:33 > 0:19:37I'm really pleased with how my cover and my blurb turned out,
0:19:37 > 0:19:40and it's kind of inspiring me to finish the book.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42I can't wait to get it done.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44I didn't realise that there are so many stages
0:19:44 > 0:19:46that you have to go through
0:19:46 > 0:19:48and so many people that you need to meet.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51I think that the tasks so far have made me
0:19:51 > 0:19:52want to be an author even more,
0:19:52 > 0:19:55and it just shows me just how much I love writing.
0:19:55 > 0:19:57Jack and Meg, you've done so well today.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00Really, really impressed with the work that you've done
0:20:00 > 0:20:02on the blurbs and on the covers. Great job.
0:20:02 > 0:20:04I think if you pick up on those points that we talked about
0:20:04 > 0:20:07around the stories, you're going to end up with some
0:20:07 > 0:20:09really, really strong story ideas,
0:20:09 > 0:20:10really great books there.
0:20:10 > 0:20:12So do keep working hard on them,
0:20:12 > 0:20:14and I'm really looking forward
0:20:14 > 0:20:16to seeing what your final versions are.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19Well, that was a fantastic experience
0:20:19 > 0:20:22at the publishing company, and finding out
0:20:22 > 0:20:23about all the different elements
0:20:23 > 0:20:26involved in getting a book onto the bookshelves.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29So for the final task we've got something very special lined up.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32You're going to be meeting the world-famous children's author
0:20:32 > 0:20:35Cressida Cowell, who wrote the How To Train Your Dragon books.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37- No way!- That's so cool.
0:20:38 > 0:20:39Cressida Cowell,
0:20:39 > 0:20:42award-winning author of How To Train Your Dragon,
0:20:42 > 0:20:44has been writing books since she was nine.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47But it took her 24 years to get her first book published.
0:20:47 > 0:20:50Authors really do need patience.
0:20:50 > 0:20:51Her books have sold millions,
0:20:51 > 0:20:53and have even been made into films.
0:20:53 > 0:20:57One of them was nominated for a Bafta and an Oscar.
0:20:57 > 0:21:00Cressida writes her stories in a den at the bottom of her garden.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03- Here it is!- Oh, wow.- Wow.
0:21:03 > 0:21:07I surround it with lots of pictures and photos,
0:21:07 > 0:21:09and it becomes a place of inspiration,
0:21:09 > 0:21:11and somewhere I don't get interrupted.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14Where do you get your inspiration from?
0:21:14 > 0:21:17I think a great place to start a story is with a map.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20And lots of classic children's books start with maps,
0:21:20 > 0:21:22like Pooh, like Wind In The Willows,
0:21:22 > 0:21:25Hobbit, Lord Of The Rings - all of these start with a map.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27I wanted to show you this one in particular,
0:21:27 > 0:21:30- which is Treasure Island. Fantastic book.- Oh, wow.
0:21:30 > 0:21:34This was the actual map that Robert Louis Stevenson drew.
0:21:34 > 0:21:38- Gosh.- And he drew the map before he thought of the idea for the story.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41And he said, as he drew the map,
0:21:41 > 0:21:44the pirates came creeping out of the map at him.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47Long John Silver with his cutlass between his teeth.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50And so it was the drawing of the map
0:21:50 > 0:21:52that gave him the idea for the story.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55So that's why I want you to go to a local park near me,
0:21:55 > 0:21:58where I often go to get inspired,
0:21:58 > 0:22:01to see whether you can find inspiration
0:22:01 > 0:22:03in those ordinary places.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06Our rookies must make their own fantasy map
0:22:06 > 0:22:08to help them visualise their stories.
0:22:08 > 0:22:12Cressida has taken them to one of her own inspirational hotspots.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15This is a park right in the centre of London,
0:22:15 > 0:22:19with this extraordinary circle of trees
0:22:19 > 0:22:22that is almost like a question in itself.
0:22:22 > 0:22:24What happens here?
0:22:24 > 0:22:27This is an amazing place anyway,
0:22:27 > 0:22:30but make your own fantasy map out of it,
0:22:30 > 0:22:33and then come back and we'll look at it and see what you've done
0:22:33 > 0:22:36- and how you've been inspired. - OK.- All right.- Brilliant.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39- Thank you.- See you later. - See you.- Bye!- Bye!
0:22:40 > 0:22:43- Oh! Have you seen this here? - The mystical side of everything.
0:22:43 > 0:22:44Oh, wow!
0:22:44 > 0:22:46You see that down there?
0:22:46 > 0:22:48That could be the magical...
0:22:48 > 0:22:50corridor of doom!
0:22:50 > 0:22:52THUNDERCLAP
0:22:52 > 0:22:54This could be like the...
0:22:54 > 0:22:56entrance where goblins go.
0:22:56 > 0:22:57It kind of looks like a portal.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00Or something could live in this tall tree.
0:23:00 > 0:23:04- HE LAUGHS - That is creepy!
0:23:04 > 0:23:06Oh, look at this bridge! Something could be underneath it.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09What's amazing is that you come into a park and you think,
0:23:09 > 0:23:10"Well, it's just a park."
0:23:10 > 0:23:14But as soon as you start to think of it as somewhere else,
0:23:14 > 0:23:16a place to inspire your creativity,
0:23:16 > 0:23:20it becomes a magical place where absolutely anything can happen.
0:23:20 > 0:23:21And just look at Meg and Jack.
0:23:21 > 0:23:26They're writing, they're drawing, they're fizzing with ideas.
0:23:28 > 0:23:30Oh, hi! Hi! How did you get on?
0:23:30 > 0:23:34Oh, right, loving your maps. OK.
0:23:34 > 0:23:35The Forsaken Marshlands.
0:23:35 > 0:23:37I wonder why they've been forsaken.
0:23:37 > 0:23:38And here, this is the portal.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41Oh, is this the ring of trees that we were in?
0:23:41 > 0:23:44And so what happens here? This is a portal.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47It's a door, almost, into another world, is it?
0:23:47 > 0:23:48Yeah, to the nether... Like, hell, kind of.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51Ah! Ooh!
0:23:51 > 0:23:53Let's see yours, darling.
0:23:53 > 0:23:54So, this is an island.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56Yeah. So, it's got an explored side
0:23:56 > 0:23:59where people have inhabited
0:23:59 > 0:24:00and then there's a dark side.
0:24:00 > 0:24:05Ah. So this is the uninhabited, this is the unexplored.
0:24:05 > 0:24:06Yeah, kind of the evil side.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09And there's a doorway behind a waterfall
0:24:09 > 0:24:11- and so you have to find that. - Oh, I love the idea.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14You've got your world, and you begin to think of the quest
0:24:14 > 0:24:16that your characters might be going on.
0:24:16 > 0:24:20Because all stories start with a quest, like, for instance, Peter Pan
0:24:20 > 0:24:22might start with how are you going
0:24:22 > 0:24:24to get those children back from the Neverland?
0:24:24 > 0:24:27You then have to put characters into these extraordinary worlds
0:24:27 > 0:24:31that you really mind about, that you care about what happens to them.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34Maps complete, Cressida will now give Jack
0:24:34 > 0:24:36and Meg some feedback on their stories.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39You both are great writers,
0:24:39 > 0:24:42but you need to start thinking about your plots, your quest.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44- Yeah.- Yeah.- Where is it going?
0:24:44 > 0:24:47Something that your readers really care about.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49You need to start thinking about that
0:24:49 > 0:24:51if you're going to write a longer story
0:24:51 > 0:24:54because you need to plan a longer story quite carefully.
0:24:54 > 0:24:55- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58Keep writing, keep trying, keep persevering.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01Everything was just amazing that she told me
0:25:01 > 0:25:03and everything about the map
0:25:03 > 0:25:04was really important,
0:25:04 > 0:25:06to her advice on the story
0:25:06 > 0:25:07and what she thought of it.
0:25:07 > 0:25:09I think my favourite thing
0:25:09 > 0:25:11about the final task was
0:25:11 > 0:25:13probably making the map because it
0:25:13 > 0:25:15amazed me how quickly you could find
0:25:15 > 0:25:17inspiration and how so many things
0:25:17 > 0:25:19could come together so quickly.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27What's the future of publishing?
0:25:27 > 0:25:30Are real books going the way of the dodo?
0:25:30 > 0:25:33Are e-books beginning to rule the roost?
0:25:33 > 0:25:35The fact is that e-books currently account for a third of all
0:25:35 > 0:25:37book sales and most of that is fiction.
0:25:39 > 0:25:42Books with lots of pictures, like recipe and children's books,
0:25:42 > 0:25:44are still more popular in print.
0:25:44 > 0:25:48These days, there are even colouring books for grown-ups.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51Some books can now be personalised and you can be the main character,
0:25:51 > 0:25:54meeting weird animals and going on crazy adventures.
0:25:54 > 0:25:56And if you're an inspiring author,
0:25:56 > 0:25:59one of the best places to start writing is on the internet.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02Writing a blog about your experiences, food,
0:26:02 > 0:26:07animals or sport, for example, can be a great way to get noticed.
0:26:07 > 0:26:09So, overall, how have Jack and Meg fared?
0:26:09 > 0:26:12What are their chances of making it in their dream jobs?
0:26:14 > 0:26:18You're both really so enthusiastic and that makes all the difference
0:26:18 > 0:26:20because it's a fun job and I can tell
0:26:20 > 0:26:23that you guys really like writing.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25I think if you pick up on those points we talked about
0:26:25 > 0:26:28around the stories, you're going to end up with
0:26:28 > 0:26:30some really strong story ideas,
0:26:30 > 0:26:33really great books there, so do keep working hard on them.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36Maybe look out for courses, creative writing courses.
0:26:36 > 0:26:38Maybe go to art school,
0:26:38 > 0:26:40but do something that will train you as writers.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42Keep persevering and who knows?
0:26:42 > 0:26:44One day you two could be writers.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47I have changed my mind on, like, if it's going to be easy or not.
0:26:47 > 0:26:51It will be really hard because you need a deadline and you need to
0:26:51 > 0:26:55do a map, you need to illustrate it, and all these things!
0:26:55 > 0:26:57But it's been amazing. I've loved it.
0:26:57 > 0:27:02I think the thing I'll definitely take away from this experience
0:27:02 > 0:27:06the most is just how many different types of writing you can do
0:27:06 > 0:27:08and how creative you can be,
0:27:08 > 0:27:13and I don't think I'll ever look at a book or comic the same way again.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19What a wonderful insight into the world of writing.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22Who knew there were so many jobs involved in getting words
0:27:22 > 0:27:24and pictures out to the public?
0:27:24 > 0:27:28Hi, can you just sign it for me, please?
0:27:28 > 0:27:29Do you mind if I have a selfie?
0:27:29 > 0:27:30Oh, great!
0:27:35 > 0:27:38- Thanks a lot! Cheers.- Thank you. - Bye.- Bye.
0:27:40 > 0:27:41- BOTH:- Next!