Wednesday 11 February 2009

School Visits: My Head Hurts!


There's a wonderfully healthy amount of school bookings coming in this year: particularly good news when we're all a little worried about how The Credit Crunch will affect book commissions.

There's always loads of interest around World Book Day, but this year I am booked solid for almost every day next month, which means a delicious number of invoices to type up!

The flip side, is the outrageous pile of admin created. It's no problem when visits are spread out, but just keeping track of whether I've had all the information off the schools, sent all their book orders, bought all my train tickets, got accommodation details, mobile numbers for people collecting me etc etc etc... I
'm getting so I don't know which way is up!

To make sure I don't turn up at the wrong school one day (I very nearly did that this time last year) I now print myself detailed info sheets for each day's visit, and I
've spent all day today trying to bash it all into shape.

So, I'll hope you'll understand if I leave you now, to go in search of some comfort food...


7 comments:

Damian Harvey said...

Yes, it's quite a hectic time isn't it. It can also be tricky getting the balance between visiting schools and libraries and getting time to write (or draw). Those distant deadlines suddenly get on top of you if you're not careful.

x

Jess said...

You work incredibly hard, I hope you get a chance for some time off after this book frenzy!x

Suzanne McDermott said...

Delightful that you have the PERFECT illustrations for your post. After touring as solo singer-songwriter all over US and Europe for the better part of a decade, I feel your pain!! Unless you do it yourself, no one has a clue about the detailed project management involved. But fabulous about the solid bookings. Congratulations!

quiltcat said...

Having to do all that paperwork and arrangements is a pain...but lovely because it means that you've got a lot of good "gigs" coming in! Sounds like the only time for drawing you're going to have is in your faithful sketchbook companion. The pudgy little comfort food mouse is delightful, down to the bits of jam stuck in his/her whiskers.

Lelia Sorokina said...

funny illustrations :)
I think if you look at our life as a children's book with illustrations, it will be much easier to accept :)

Tomás Serrano said...

These are fantastic! I love your fat mouse eating the toast...

Lynne the Pencil said...

Yes, perhaps we are all part of one big picture book story...

Glad you like my fat gerbil!