Rhys Tate, one of my creative writing ex-students has written a short novel for boys that had me laughing aloud.

This short chapter book for children (mostly boys) aged 8-11 is a guide to Aussie Rules football and Australian slang. With plenty of humour, sport and action, it is written to appeal to reluctant readers.

In the first week of Grade 6, average schoolkid Davey Grant has to deal with one furious teacher, two new nicknames, three psycho chickens and his Mum nearly going into full-on, please-run-screaming-from-the-building meltdown mode – all in time to beat the invincible Port Blue in the first game of the Aussie Rules football season. Can he make it? A book about nicknames and Aussie Rules. And chickens.

A small percentage of my students have managed to hang in long enough to get published. Good on them, I always say because they had the gumption to keep on trying.  As any artist,musician, or actor will tell you, it takes more than talent to succeed. Timing is important and for writers, careful editing. So if you are feeling downhearted because you have just had another rejection, put that work away and start something new. Sometimes a ‘novel’ idea for a novel takes time for it to jell to submission editors. Sometimes even a decade. I also suggest that you write the word PERSEVERANCE in large letters above your desk or where wherever you work.