The storytellers’ secrets

Find out how writers and artists create their exciting works.

Great stories don’t just happen. Sometimes they can require years of work and effort. For example, J. K. Rowling first had the idea for the Harry Potter series while stuck on a train in 1990—and the first book didn’t come out until 1997. If you have ever wondered how great story tellers come up with their ideas, now you can find out. From September 24 to September 26, the Stories Festival will bring together lots of interesting people to talk about their work at Picturehouse Central, in London.

One of those, will be the author and illustrator (插画家), Rob Biddulph, who will discuss his new book Peanut Jones and the illustrated City. He says the key to making the most of a story idea is to jot it down. “I find that ideas leave my head almost as quickly as they enter,” says Biddulph. “So I have to make a note of them immediately, otherwise they will be gone forever.”

Some storytellers at the event—such as Holly Smale, Elle McNicoll (she won the Waterstones’ Children’s Book Prize) and the author and illustrator Abigail Balfe—are sharing their thoughts on why it’s important that people with disabilities are represented in fiction. “Every child deserves (应该) to see themselves reflected positively in stories,” says McNicoll.

Finally, if you find it hard to come up with ideas by yourself, you might want to listen to Christ Smith, the bestselling author of the Kid normal series, discussing his new book The Great Dream Robbery. “I love being silly and coming up with ideas together,” he says, “So it is a complete joy to get to write them into a story that will outlive us.”

To find out more about the festival, go to tinyurl. com/TWJ-stories2021.

【小题1】What is the purpose of giving the example of J. K. Rowling in the first paragraph?

A．To introduce the world-famous book—the Harry Potter series.

B．To explain that how great writers come up with their ideas.

C．To tell the readers that it is not easy to create great stories.

D．To show the readers how long it took J. K. Rowling to finish the book.

【小题2】Which of the following is Christ Smith’s newest book?

A．The Kid Normal series.	B．Peanut Jones.
C．The Great Dream Robbery.	D．The illustrated City.

【小题3】Who might be very interested in the passage?

A．Book sellers.

B．Art teachers.

C．Writing beginners.

D．Famous directors.