SCBWI-IL Spring Recordings BY REQUEST

As a writer, portraying trauma in your work allows for the opportunity to reach a large audience with a story that can provide a reader with an important sense of representation and connection. Trauma-driven narratives help survivors of trauma make sense of their experiences. Responsible depiction of trauma is crucial, ensuring ethical and accurate storytelling. In the session, attendees will learn how to depict the emotional and behavioral responses to traumatic stress across the developmental stages—from infancy to early adulthood-—avoiding exploitative language and stereotypes in mental health portrayal. Important topics such as content warnings, systemic and disenfranchised trauma, and author self-care will also be addressed. RECORDED | 60 minutes | AVAILABLE THROUGH 7/31*

Pull out your scissors and glue as we paginate and create the perfect page turns. Together we will take a look at popular picture books, chapter books, and novels to discover what compels the reader to turn the page. What devices can we use as writers to draw readers into the world we are creating? We will explore call and response, alternating points of view, and the rise & fall of action. We will also look at the role art plays in helping the reader become immersed. Feel free to print out your own picture book to paginate or join the group paginating a classic (CUSTARD THE DRAGON.) Recommended Reading List to Come LIVE | Recorded | 60 minutes | Available through 08/11

You don’t have to be a paper engineer to submit a proposal. There are several types of novelty books for children. This presentation will show the basic formats of several novelty books. Participants will be given a 5- page handout with: A. Would your book idea suit a novelty book format? B. Tackling the moving parts/designing a novelty book dummy. C. A list of publishers who print novelty books. D. A list of “classic” novelty books. | Recorded | 60 minutes | Available until 08/11

We each come to this creative journey with unique stories to tell. The goal is to write and illustrate in our own one-of-a-kind way so that our stories invite others in. In this session, Rob will share some of the stories he’s told and what led him to those stories. Then, using his own books as examples, he’ll share the three things he thinks invites readers into a story—entry point, structure, and presentation. Once a reader has felt welcomed in, the story becomes their story. One reader at a time, a story can grow a community. We’ll leave ample time for questions and answers at the end of the session. Rob believes that almost every creative has that one question that they feel they must have answered in order to move forward. So, your questions may be about Rob’s presentation, or be a “burning-issues” question. Recorded | 60 minutes | Available until 08/11