‘When you write for kids and teenagers, it is imperative you remember that your characters are on the edge of the rest of their lives, experiencing firsts, making mistakes, and discovering the world and how they want to walk through it. It’s less about teaching lessons and exploring themes, and more about letting your characters exist in the world as it is, and be moved by it.’

‘Remember, children are curious and capable of exploring challenging concepts – trust their intelligence and don’t talk down to them. Difficult information shared in a caring, thoughtful and supportive way, especially with an attuned and attentive adult, can actually help children develop the emotional intelligence and resilience they need to manage difficult feelings.’

The Writing NSW 2025 Kids & YA Festival on Saturday 9 August 2025 was a wonderful celebration of children’s and young adult literature, attended by over 150 enthusiastic writers at the Rozelle Campus of the University of Tasmania.

‘I hope that my readers either feel validated and empowered by seeing themselves in my stories; or feel curious about their own assumptions and experiences, to better understand the world of my characters, and feel more connected to them.’

Jodie Wells-Slowgrove is an author and teacher-librarian. A huge fan of fantasy fiction, her long-term goal has been to write a quest fantasy novel for younger readers. The first two books in the ‘Wilderness Fairies’ series were published by Penguin in February 2014, with the next two due out in August. Jodie will be joining […]