Bonjour a tous (and welcome Rodger!),

 Bonjour a tous, SCBWI France Spring Atelier 

High Concept Ambitions 

Master Class with agent Mary Kole

Saturday, March 10 from 10:00-1:00pm

Location: Paris

Cost: 70 Euros

Register: Please contact ARA Dana Carey at dcarey_ap@yahoo.fr

More information: www.scbwifrance.com

The market is veering more and more toward "high concept" and not every writer and illustrator understands just what that means. Most of the stories I see are just too...small in their scope and in their thinking.

 

Mary Kole, agent with the legendary Andrea Brown Literary agency, founder of the award-winning blog Kidlit and author of THE KIDLIT WRITER'S GUIDEBOOK, will give a presentation as well as lead us through exercises and a discussion on what high concept means and what it means for your work. 

 

Join us for this small group, master class and gain insight to enlarge the scope of your projects and think big, in ways that will exceed the expectations of your readers. Bring your work in progress or your ideas for a new project to use during the exercises.

 

Mary will be available afterward for a limited number of private critiques. Her interests include young adult and middle grade novels and truly exceptional, funny, quirky and character-driven picture books (she especially loves working with author/illustrators). 

 

• If you want to know if your book will spark the interest of agents and editors, then this event is for you. 

• If you want to know the how-to’s of writing a book that will grip the reader and never let them go, then this event is for you.

• If you want to have a chance to pitch your work to an agent at the legendary Andrea Brown Literary Agency, then this event is for you.

Professional Series via Video

Thursdays in March from 9:00-10:00pm

Location: any computer with a good internet connection

Cost: 115 Euros

Register: Please contact ARA Dana Carey at dcarey_ap@yahoo.fr

DEADLINE: February 27

Note: since space is limited, this event is for SCBWI Members Only

 

For our first video professional series, we’ve chosen some of the best thinkers in publishing to share their knowledge in an online shoptalk, exclusively for SCBWI members. The conversations will go beyond what you can find on the web or general information and get down to the specifics of how they work and how you can improve your work:

 

• Their process
• Elements they consider crucial
• Shortcuts they’ve discovered
• Insights they’ve gained

 

This series makes a wide range of experts available to you and you won’t even have to leave home. Have you heard of NY librarian Betsy Bird, editor Tamson Weson, plotting strategist Martha Alderson and brand expert Dan Blank??? They’ll all be joining us! Each of our pros will spend an hour showing you how to use their years of experience to improve your skills.  

 

Join us for these thoughtful discussions. All participants are invited to submit questions and raise specific concerns (by February 27) to ensure that conversations are as rich as possible.

 

This is a four-part series, so registration is for all four sessions. Space is limited to 10 participants. Priority will be given to SCBWI Europe members, but all are welcome.

 

For more details, please visit: wwww.scbwifrance.com

To register, please contact: Dana Carey <dcarey_ap@yahoo.fr>

 

Technical Requirements: If you’ve never participated in a video conference before, it’s as easy as registering, receiving your password and link for the designated website on February 28. Joining us for a technical rehearsal at 8:30pm on March 1 and then jumping into the discussion. No special equipment required other than a computer with a good internet connection. 

 

Dress code: Pajamas are totally acceptable. 

 

Deadline: Register by February 27. If you have specific questions about something you’re working on, please submit them by February 27 as well.  

 

Critiques: If you want to participate in peer-to-peer critiques after the Professional Series session, we can set aside time from 10:00-10:30 each week to look at manuscripts (a maximum of 10 pages), illustrations or dummies sent in advance as word documents or PDFs. You can schedule your critique when your register.

 

Schedule:

  8:50-  9:00 pm Tech Check Available

  9:00-10:00 pm Professional Conference Video Conference 

10:00-10:30 pm Peer-to-Peer Critique Session

 

 

March 1 What Makes a Contemporary Classic

Librarian Betsy Bird

 

March 8 Switching Hats: Transitioning from writing to editing (your work)

Editor Tamson Weston

March 15 Plotting Strategies

Expert Martha Alder

 

(MARCH 19-23 BOLOGNA BOOK FAIR)

 

March 29 Create Your Best Brand

Expert Dan Blank

 

Bonjour a tous!  A few weeks ago, we warned you to save December 2-3 for the SCBWI France Conference. I hope you’ve kept the dates free because we have some wonderful editors and a top-notch artistic director joining us. Our conference has grown over the years and this time we’ve invited more speakers, added more workshops and set aside more time for you to mingle.  Registration is now officially open and you have until October 31 to take advantage of the early registration discount: 145 euros for SCBWI members, 195 euros for nonmembers. On November 1 the full conference rate goes into affect. To register, contact ARA and Conference Coordinator, Dana Carey at: dcarey_ap@yahoo.fr.  There are a limited number of one-on-one critiques with the faculty available. These twenty-minute sessions are 40 euros and a great opportunity to get feedback from a publishing professional. Most will be scheduled throughout the day on Saturday, December 3 with a few happening in the early evening on Friday, December 2. We will consider special scheduling requests when possible. Dummies and portfolios should be brought to the conference. Only manuscripts (10 pages maximum or two picture books) received by November 19 are sure to be reviewed in advance.  We will be holding the Friday evening (6-8:30pm) and Saturday (9:30-6pm) events at Parsons Paris, located a few block away from the Eiffel Tower. For our friends coming from out of town, there are several nearby hotels that we can suggest.  Attendees are invited to meet at 10am on Monday, December 5 for the day set aside for professionals at the Salon du Livre Jeunesse, the annual French children’s literature book fair. Entrance is free if you RSVP when you register for the SCBWI France conference. The lunchtime rendez-vouz on Monday will be at 12:30 at a nearby restaurant. RSVP required.  SCHEDULE  Friday, December 2, 6:00-8:30pm Workshops for Illustrators and Writers Parsons Paris Dinner at a nearby Lebanese restaurant. Vegetarian menu available. Approximately 20euros. Drinks not included.  Saturday, December 3, 9:15-6:00pm Conference Parsons Paris 9:15-9:30 Registration 9:30-6:00 Conference (panel, presentations, lunch, workshops and book sale)  Monday, December 5, 10:00am Children’s Book Fair Montreuil 10:00-12:20 Montreuil Salon Visit Lunch, from 12:30-2:00pm, at a nearby restaurant. Vegetarian menu available. Approximately 15-20euros. Drinks not included.  FACULTY (Partial List, stay tuned for last minute additions):  Victoria Wells Arms is editor-at-large at Bloomsbury Children’s Books. In 2001 she started the American children’s list. She is the editor for Newbery-Honoree Shannon Hale (Princess Academy, the Rapunzel’s Revenge graphic novels, and Hale’s adult books); E. D. Baker (Tales of the Frog Princess); Susan Vaught, Nikki Grimes, Kirsten Miller, Renee Watson, Rozanne Gold, Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Annie Barrows and others. Upcoming projects include a debut YA novel about a soldier who returns from Afghanistan and finds unexpected romance, the third book in the Kiki Strike series, and a bilingual picture book from Susan Middleton Elya and Dan Santat. She takes on a few new authors/projects a year and is always looking for something funny and unusual.  Val Brathwaite is the Design Director of Bloomsbury Children's Books. She has a wealth of publishing experience, having worked at Belitha Press, HarperCollins, Kingfisher, Orchard Books, and Scholastic. Before moving into children's books, Val started her career at Allen and Unwin adult publishers in London where she worked on fiction, life style books, fantasy fiction including Tolkien and graphic novels. Her experience ranges from young pre-school novelty books, board books, picture books, young fiction, teenage fiction and non-fiction.  Imogen Cooper has a degree in Theatre and an MA in European Culture, and initially wanted to direct for the stage. She landed in children’s publishing after working on regional arts’ education projects. She began her publishing career editing Gervase Phinn, working on the acclaimed Storysack project and creating award-winning books for babies. After that, she turned her hand to editing longer fiction and this was when she discovered her love for directing for the page rather than the stage! Since being at the Chicken House she has helped many debut authors achieve their potential and, in 2010, received the prestigious Branford Boase Award. Imogen thoroughly enjoys acquiring new manuscripts for Chicken House and managing the eclectic list.  Lisa Yoskowitz is an editor at Disney-Hyperion Books for Children. She works on fiction for the full range of ages and her current projects include a picture book about a spunky group of kids who form a rock band, a middle grade action-adventure trilogy, and a time travel romance for teens. Prior to joining the Hyperion team, Lisa spent a number of years at Dutton Children's Books, where she had the pleasure of working with many talented authors and illustrators, including Lee Bennett Hopkins, Lauren Myracle, and Heather Hepler. Lisa is looking to acquire fresh, exciting, and fabulously-voiced picture books and novels. She is most interested in short-texted, character-driven picture books that speak to children and wink at adults; humorous or action/adventure boy-oriented chapter books and middle grade; all genres of girl-oriented chapter books and middle grade; and all genres of literary YA, from historical to contemporary, angst-ridden to snarky.  Venues:  Parsons Paris (for Friday evening and Saturday)-- 14 Rue Letellier, 75015 Paris  Lebanese Restaurant near Parsons Paris (for Friday at 8:45pm) -- El Fares, 16 rue Fremicourt, 75015 Paris  Montreuil Salon du Livre Jeunesse (for Monday at 10am) -- Espace Paris-Est-Montreuil, 128, rue de Paris 93100 Montreuil  Montreuil Restaurant near book fair (for Monday at 12:30pm) -- L'Amourette, 54 rue Robespierre, 93100 Montreuil  This promises to be a great conference. We are looking forward to welcoming members from SCBWI France and from all the other regions around the EU. Again, to register, please contact ARA and Conference Coordinator, Dana Carey at: dcarey_ap@yahoo.fr.  Warm regards,  Tioka Tokedira  Regional Advisor SCBWI France

This might be the biggest conference we've organized in a few years.



Beginning on Friday, December 2 we'll have two workshops from 6-9pm, one for illustrators and the other for writers. Both will focus on finding markets for your work.



Then on Saturday we'll spend the day with top publishing pros from Disney-Hyperion, Bloomsbury and Chicken House to find out What It Takes To Get Published. From 9am to 6pm there will be presentations and a series of small workshops.



You'll have plenty of opportunities to talk with editors and the art director. You can also sign up for a one-on-one critique.



Early registration will open soon. The cost for members is 145Euros for the conference and 40Euros for a critique. The conference rate will increase after October 23. 



Hope to see you there,

Tioka Tokedira, RA

Dana Carey, ARA

During the month of February, learn from the best consultants in the publishing industry without leaving your home. This month long video conference series will take place every Thursday evening from 9-10pm. 



We'll be having discussions with branding expert Dan Blank, plot whisperer Martha Alderson, freelance editor Tamson Weston and librarian extrordinaire Elizabeth Bird. 



More details to come. Space is limited. Registration opens October 1. 

 Join us December 2-3 at our annual conference in Paris and hear what editors Victoria Wells Arms (Bloomsbury US) and Lisa Yoskowitz (Disney-Hyperion) have to say about what it takes to get published in today's market.



More details to come. Registration opens October 1.

It's been a while since we posted our Who's Who list. After our recent Board meeting, here's how things stand:

As of April 15, 2011

 

 

Board Position	Name
Regional Advisor	Tioka Tokedira
Assistant Regional Advisor	Dana Carey
Illustrator Coordinator	Position open
Webmaster & Designer-at-Large	rheadesign.com
New Members Coordinator and Yahoo! Group Moderator	Jennifer Chevais
Critique Groups Coordinator	Gudrun Cramdrach
Young Authors’ Fiction Festival Coordinator	Sarah Towle
Show & Tell Coordinator	Position open
Board Member-at-Large	Erzsi Deak
Board Member-at-Large	Ann Jacobus
SCBWI International Illustration Liaison	Bridget Strevens-Marzo
SCBWI International Regional Advisor Chairperson	Kathleen Ahrens
SCBWI International Assistant Regional Advisor	Angela Cerrito

 

 On Friday 1^st April, SCBWI France organised a cocktail party/literary discussion and pitch session with literary agent at New York's Scott Triemel agency, John Cusick and debut author of the book Girl Parts.

We started off discussing the difference between the hook and the heart of the story. Mr. Cusick described it as something that is important to YOU as the writer. It isn't conscious and is usually buried in the first draft, but as you revise and redraft, it's something that will come up again and again and will eventually, as you hone the words on the page, drive the novel. 



Now for the hook... eh, my notes are a little vague here and I'm no longer sure if this refers to the hook, but this is what made sense to me. He explained it by using the picture book Caps for sale as an example. He says that the plot should be something surprising but inevitable so in this book, monkeys steal the hat seller's hats and try as he might to get the hats back all that happens is that the monkeys in the trees copy what he does time and time again. Eventually he gets so fed up he takes his own cap of his head and throws it on the floor and the monkeys ... see inevitable. 



And lastly for the pitch. Well Mr. Cusick felt that while the heart drives the story, it's not generally included in the pitch. He says you can use the elevator style pitch that script sellers use: x + z + that certain special je ne sais quoi, because literary agents do watch a wee bit of TV in between reading. Otherwise just sell the best bits.



So, I'm going to assess my own pitch. Well, (Ooks, I hope Mr. Cusick isn't reading this) I didn't practise all of it. The beginning bit was a bit of an adlib where I blurted through who I am and why I wrote the book I wrote and then did my pitch that was full of mystery and intrigue (I thought), introduced the key elements of the plot, without giving too much away and... The first thing Mr. Cusick retorted with was: "Spoil it for me. Tell me exactly what happens?"

Good things is that Mr. Cusick told me that my subject was currently 'hot', but he hasn't read mine, so I don't know if I'm really hot! He also told me to think about my MC and make sure that my readers knew why she was the MC and no one else and why this was her story and not one of the other characters. There needed to be a public reason, but also a private reason that drove her.

 

I think in future if I ever get to pitch personally to an agent I will have a better idea. Then again I think it's WAY to nerve racking and I may just stick to boring old query letters. Also, I won't wear noisy necklaces that I fiddle with, or tops with dangly ties that can caught up EVERYWHERE!

 

Michele Helene