Editing Workshop, 2007
Editing Workshop, Ramallah, Palestine, October 2007
The importance of this editing workshop, (was supported by IBBY Yamada Program), is that it is the first in the Arab countries. Thus acknowledging the importance of editing for a better quality of children books.
The editing workshop was led by the French expert Marie Lallouet was very successful. It covered all the process of publishing a book and not only the pure editing of the text: the choice of the text, any need to request changes by the author, text editing, and the choice of illustrations in addition to the contract, promotion and marketing etc.
The final program for this workshop included the following points:
From past to present, what are children books today
The different professions necessary to make children books.
Who makes what ?
Who begins ?
Who decides what ? (with examples)
From the project to the book : the picture book
Three examples (from the first project to the finished book)
From the writer to the reader : the chapter book
What is a children chapter book ?
About rights and contracts
Working on text
How to help children and parents or teacher to choose your book.
Finish a book (a good front cover, back cover text, the best title)
and then promote it
Other sorts of books
non fiction books,
magazines for children,
activity books,
comic books
Lallouet gave many practical examples on editing text. The group discussed the text submitted by each participant before and after editing.
The interaction of the participants was excellent.
