Writing for kids: report of a children's writers workshop with Sandhya Rao Organized by Bookworm, Panaji, Goa
Anita Pinto [email protected] I attended the workshop 'Writing for Children' organized by Bookworm on Saturday, June 26, 2010 at XCHR, the Xavier Centre for Historical Research, Porvorim. I have always been impressed by Tulika Publishers' multi lingual books and was happy to meet editor Sandhya Rao who was the resource person. The workshop was from 10 am to 4.30pm but the hours just flew. All the participants, 13 of them, were women and, except for me, all were young mothers who knew all about what young children want to read today and how much they can handle. Sandhya was an excellent resource person. It was a "Let's chat" kind of workshop. Besides certain exercises in writing, she also shared her experiences as writer and editor. One exercise that she gave was for all to have a look at Angelo Fonseca's paintings which were on display in a room there and write anything that came to mind on any painting. The painting I selected was very real. It was a room with an old piano with a frayed cushion, tea set on a table, pipe on the bed, pictures askew on the wall etc.Typical of an old person's room in Goa. We were given a time limit. This is what I wrote: Brother and Sister "Ha! A pipe on the bed, Tea set for two. Leslie! Leslie! Are we having company? Did you remember? Did you remember?" "Did I remember what, Eileen?" "I don't remember Leslie. I don't remember what you should remember. Do you think that this cushion looks frayed Leslie? How long have we had it?" "From the time Mama was a little girl. Where's my pipe Eileen? Have you seen my pipe?" "Pipe? Are you smoking now? I'll tell Mama about you, Leslie" "Mama's been gone 40 years now Eileen." "Gone? Where has she gone?" "She died, Eileen" "Oh, yes, yes and Matthew and Anne and Papa also died. I know. Why are we talking about death Leslie? Am I going to die?" "No, Eileen, I mean Yes; I guess we will both die. We're old aren't we?" "Yes, Leslie. But we had fun times didn't we? When Anne played the piano and our friends came over and we sang and danced?" And don't forget you drank and smoked too Eileen!" "I did, didn't I? But it was fun." "It was Eileen." And you fell in love with Anne. You couldn't take your eyes off her... or your hands!" "You're a great one to talk Eileen... dancing cheek to cheek with Matthew when you were barely sixteen!" "What's this pipe on the bed Leslie? Are you smoking? Tea set on the table? Are we having company Leslie?" Anita Pinto The last exercise was to copy the style of Tulika Thum Thum Books using incidents from our own lives. Sandhya promised that if it met with the simple 9 or 11 page, bi-lingual format and style, Tulika would publish it. Sujata and Elaine of Bookworm were excellent hosts. The workshop was very well organized and there was so much of interaction that Sujata asked if we were willing to meet again. There was a unanimous 'Yes'. Thanks to all the organizers. Contacts for Bookworm: blog: http://goabookworm.wordpress.com Phone 9823222665 or 832-2420146. Bluebelle 2nd Fl, Tamba Colony, St. Inez
