Presentations Available:

Keynote Presentations

What I Wish I'd Learnt in School

How NOT to Write a Novel

The Sporting Chance

Workshops / Concurrent Sessions

Seven Steps to Writing Success
(see also For Teachers, Teacher Inservices for more details of Jen's main Teacher Professional Development seminar)

Creating Creative Kids

Summary of Keynotes for 2001 - 2002

'Jen has an amazing ability to educate, stimulate and entertain simultaneously.'

Jen McVeity is the Australian head of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and a 2003 Churchill Fellow.  She has published over 20 books for children and young adults in five countries.  A mad sportswoman, she lists as her hobbies circus trapeze, rock climbing and she has just won bronze in World Masters beach volleyball.

About Jen's books:-

Dreamcatcher (the story of a girl who starts a Green Guerrilla gang to rebel against her politician father) was short-listed for the Environment Award and won the Family Award.

It is also on the New York Library's Best Books List - and is Hawaii Library's Most Stolen book!

Dreamcatcher is set as a Year 7/8 text in many schools around Australia.

Shadow Seeker the sequel took 22 months to create, and was bid for by the top four publishers in Australia. Released in 2002, the first print run sold out in a week.

Jen has over 16 chapter books published in Australia, Canada and the USA.

Her trademark style is fast moving plots which hook kids into her books – while the underlying family and social explorations bring kids back to read again and again.

'A very exciting part of the program.  Can we have more achievers like Jen please?'

Jen has spoken to audiences from twenty to two thousand and passionately believes in the power of words to take people from where they are - to where they want to be. 

'…an approachable and knowledgeable speaker with a uniquely refreshing style.'

A trained speaker with an ASM rating with National Speakers, Jen has presented keynotes at conferences throughout Australia, Asia and the USA.

'…a great speaker, dynamic, informative, self-effacing humour, wonderful at keeping the audience involved.'

Jen's sense of life and vitality has audiences laughing, learning and above allremembering, as they take up the challenges of nurturing creativity!

Keynote Presentations

1.  What I Wish I'd Learnt in School

For the last twenty years, international author Jen McVeity has held an unbroken record in her school - no, not for academic achievement or brilliance in English. Her record stands for the most number of books (7) confiscated in one day. 

So many students don't fit into the mould.  It is estimated that nearly 40% of our especially talented students, drop out, rebel or passively withdraw.  So how can we really challenge and support them? 

Entertaining, thought provoking and passionate, Jen takes you through an author's wish list and reveals what is necessary to succeed in the creative world.  She argues that creative kids don't want more English or Art, they need hard hitting editing skills, real life speaking practice, leadership training and even body language training! 

Jen also demonstrates clearly that kids following a different path need to develop strong personal qualities: courage, flexibility, optimism - and above all resilience. 

Talented students need a far more differentiated curriculum in order to survive. But can schools nurture creativity in kids without totally wrecking the timetable? Yes!  Join Jen for a compelling and inspiring session on how schools can negotiate with kids, mentor them and continually think outside the square.

Feedback: Qld Gifted and Talented Conference

• 'Your great wit, humour and intellect shone out like a beacon helping us to find new energy and enthusiasm…'  (Judith Hewton,  President, Queensland Association of Gifted and Talented Children)
• 'Wonderful, enlightening, inspiring, entertaining, a breath of fresh air.'  (Sue Bennink, G&T co-ordinator, Corinda)
• 'Jen, you are magical, contagious, engaging – you drew me into your vision and your world and challenged me to see beyond where I am.  Thank you!!'  (Dr Anne Flood, Director, Tall Poppies)

 Feedback: National Primary Principals Conference

• 'You are a motivating person and the message makes our path a simple one – believe passionately and go down that road to make things good for our kids.'  (Brain Rolfe, Principal, Auckland, New Zealand)
• 'Inspiring. Especially your last words re children in our schools now who will need to learn how to cope with, live with and lead change.' (Graeme Dixon, Miami SS QLD)

2. How NOT to Write a Novel

Using hilarious examples from her own worst writing, expert suggestions to improve techniques and inspirational quotations from famous writers, Jen McVeity outlines the top six traps of writing  - and how to avoid them.  

1. Topics:  Writing is easy; all you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of paper until the drops of blood form on your forehead.  (Gene Fowler)

2. Dialogue:  Dialogue... is the most effective way of all of revealing character.  (Eleanor Nilsson)

3.  Body Language:  'Well, hello there...'  There was a smug smile on his face and his hands were in his belt, pointing exactly where he was thinking.

4.  Starts: Beware the information dump at the beginning of the story - where information is simply given to the reader instead of teased out in scenes and dialogue and action.  (Jane Yolen, author of 235 books)

5.  Tension: No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader.  No surprise for the writer, no surprise for the reader.  (Robert Frost)

6.  Editing: And back you go to rewrite, to rework.  That's if the task is more important than the fragile ego.  (Michael Brindley, scriptwriter)

The Final Say: There are three rules for writing the novel.  Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.  (Somerset Maugham)

Jen teaches master-classes to writers in Australia, Asia and the USA. 

Feedback: Arizona Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrator, 2002

• 'Excellent, excellent presentation by Jen McVeity. What a joy. Gracious, knowledgeable, gutsy, confident lady.' (Lynn Murray)
•  'Excellent!  Love your presentation style!  Lots of energy!'   (Cindy)
• 'Presented effortlessly and with a real sense of enjoyment.'  (Diane Staley)
•  'Wow! I am so glad I came. Jen peeled away lots of garbage (or wrappings) and made it not only understandable, but useable. Ordinarily, when a workshop is this long – I reach a point of super-saturation. When I get home I am numb, confused, and frustrated. NOT today!'   (Cornelia Kazel.  Functions and Program Chair, Society of South Western Authors) 
• 'Your presentation was professional, humorous, hard-hitting, informative and extremely educational.  It was gratifying to see that everyone, from novices to well-published authors came away feeling enthusiastic, inspired and able to face their writing with confidence.  Your graciousness in sharing valuable insights into the craft and the heart of writing was a gift that will influence and elevate the writings of everyone who attended.'  (Dawn Dixon, conference convenor, SCBWI Arizona)

3. The Sporting Chance

There are over 5,000 manuscripts submitted each year to HarperCollins publishers – and two books are published from that pile – at the most.  That's roughly a 1:2500 chance of getting a book in print.

And Jen McVeity still wanted to be a writer.

Or a ski bum.

'Jen, you are magical, contagious, engaging…'

Now, with over 20 books published in five countries, Jen McVeity is a Churchill Fellow and heads the Australian Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.

She is also an ex-ski instructor, a state league swimmer, a bronze medallist in beach volleyball (World Masters) - and she's still trying to nail a back 'sault on the circus trapeze.

'Love your spirit, your honesty and your sharing of your own life.'

Audiences all over Australia, Asia and America have laughed and learnt as Jen contrasts the courage and teamwork demanded by the sporting world against the creativity and risk taking needed in the bunny-eat-bunny world of fiction writing. 

And demonstrates clearly the resilience needed to survive in both!

 Keynote and workshop sessions together are often possible for a reduced fee. Please consult Jen to negotiate your particular requirements.

Workshops / Concurrent Sessions

W1. Seven Steps to Writing Success

(see also For Teachers, Teacher Inservices for more details of Jen's main Teacher Professional Development seminar)

Jen McVeity has over 20 books in print in five countries.  She is also the Australian head of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, a 2003 Churchill Fellow, and a teacher of masterclasses to writers in Australia, Asia and the USA.

What are the seven base skills of writing? How can students eliminate mistakes before they write? What activities practise the skills in just five minutes a day?

Using her unique 'Before and After' examples, Jen McVeity breaks down the seven key elements of writing into easy and practical steps. Teachers are shown techniques so kids can:-

• plan work to follow a dynamic story structure
• eliminate 'warm-up' writing  (no more boring breakfasts and bus trips)
• create edge-of-the-seat tension scenes
• start with a bang (not 'I woke up that morning…')
• write endings that are truly powerful
• plus a simple exercise with a paperclip will show the path to creative 'flow'!

The dramatic improvement in students' work is almost instantaneous.  All of the 'after' samples of writing shown are done just 15 minutes after the student's original piece!

Every participant gets the license to copy Jen's terrific handouts:  Seven Steps To Writing Success .  Clear, fun and easy to follow, kids love these. 

Titles include:

Powerful, practical and warmly entertaining.  Your own writing will improve lots too!

Feedback from Teachers:

• '...absolutely relevant to the English profession.  So much of importance to take away.' 
• 'Excellent, great fun and very informative.  It's amazing just how simple editing kid's work is when You have an amazing ability to educate, stimulate & entertain simultaneously.'
• 'The best, most practical workshop to help children with their writing.'

W2.  Creating Creative Kids

'Back then I was called a day dreamer. Now I am called a writer.' (Paula Danziger.)

Why do the best ideas always come to you in the shower?  Should kids edit as they write or just 'go with the flow'?  And how can you tell if that child really is working when they are staring out the art room window?

Jen gives a unique insight into how creative people actually work – and the findings are surprising. Writers, dramatists, musicians and illustrators need both the conscious (logical) and the subconscious (creative) parts of their brain to compose great work. 

Sharing manuscripts, drafts of plans and warm insights into her own creative process, Jen shows how teachers can use practical strategies to actually enhance creativity.  For instance, scheduling set times to create actually gives you more inspiration - as the brain is expecting to work.  If the more critical and logical side of the brain becomes too strong, writer's block often happens - so you should just 'blurt it all out' in the first draft.  Plus, an experiment with a paper clip and piece of cotton will show how easy it is to call up the 'flow' needed to tap into the creative subconscious.

Powerful and dynamic (no airy-fairy theory here) this gives teachers not only the knowledge – but also the practical tools - to enhance the creativity and talents of every student in their class.

Noted for her warmth, humour and liveliness, Jen spends much of her time on the speaker's circuit.  In 2001-2, her keynote and panel presentations included:- 

National Primary Principal's conference, Australia and NZ

Queensland Association Gifted and Talented

Arizona - Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators

Manila Society of Writers

National SCBWI conference, Los Angeles

Hawaii - SCBWI Writer's conference  (It's a tough life…) 

Keynote and workshop sessions together are often possible for a reduced fee. Please consult Jen's office to negotiate your particular requirements.

Click here for Contact Details & Booking Information

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