SCBWI Oregon: The Great Critique - Summer 2025
Jun 28, 2025
Beaverton Library - 12375 SW 5th St, Beaverton, OR or VIRTUAL
SCBWI Oregon’s Great Critique is an event that happens twice a year. Each session is an awesome opportunity for writers and illustrators to be critiqued by a professional and their peers. 📝 Never been in a critique group? Wish you could be critiqued by someone who is ahead of you in the publishing game? Want to strengthen your work? Need a fresh set of eyes and ears on that oft-revised piece? This is your chance. A published author or illustrator will lead each small group and critique your manuscript or art. You’ll also hear/see others’ work and get feedback from those writers and illustrators too. Plus, you’ll learn from the comments by the critique leader about the work of others. ⭐So join us for a morning of perfecting your craft. And, who knows, you might make a few new like-minded friends to start a new critique group, too.⭐ Registration opens Saturday, May 3rd and closes Saturday, June 14th.
The Great Critique - Summer 2025
Registration – You Must Pre-Register For This Event
- REGISTRATION opens on May 3rd, 2024 and closes on June 14th, 2024
- SCBWI Members: $35
- Non-Members: $40
- Registration opens at approximately 8:00 a.m.
- Cancellations before June 1st will have a $15 administration fee deducted from the refund.
- No refunds given after June 1st (except emergency).
***Manuscripts and/or images are due June 7th (or as soon as possible if registering between June 7th and 14th) – this is 3 weeks before the event! ***
IMPORTANT! Please review the In-Person and Virtual Great Critique Guidelines.
How It Works
- Please review the Great Critique Faculty Bios below before selecting your faculty member.
- The Great Critique – Summer 2025 is a hybrid event. Half of the faculty will be in person and half will be virtual.
- Select your IN-PERSON or VIRTUAL faculty member when you register by scrolling down to choose the faculty member.
- No refunds given for missing the submission deadline.
Questions about this event? Contact Lia Upton at [email protected].
If you are having trouble registering, contact Becky at [email protected]
The Great Critique - Summer 2025 - FACULTY
Lisa Gerlits - MG & YA (VIRTUAL)
Lisa Gerlits (she/her) is the author of three middle grade novels: A MANY FEATHERED THING, an Oregon Spirit Book Award winner; REWILDING (Red Chair Press, September 2025); and THE CHILDREN’S OPERA (Apples & Honey Press, Fall 2026). She lives in her hometown of Silverton, Oregon with her Dutch husband, three kids, one cat, and a shifting number of chickens. Lisa enjoys gorging on berries, walking behind waterfalls, and painting murals.
Ruth A Musgrave - Non-Fiction (VIRTUAL)
RUTH A. MUSGRAVE is a proud animal-science nerd and an award-winning nonfiction children's writer. Between dog walks in the snow, Musgrave shares her love of wild animals, nature, and scientific exploration through her freelance work. Ruth has hundreds of published articles, is the contributing writer for National Geographic Little Kids Magazine, a frequent contributor to National Geographic Kids Magazine, and the author of 65-plus nonfiction children’s books including CHOMP! BIG TEETH (DK), AFRICAN ANIMALS (National Geographic Children's Books), MISSION SHARK RESCUE (National Geographic Children's Books), and BBC EARTH’S LOOKING AFTER THE OCEAN (Ladybird).
Carrie Tillotson - Picture Book (VIRTUAL)
Carrie Tillotson is a children’s picture book author. Her newest title is ALPACAS HERE, ALPACAS THERE. Her previous books, COUNTING TO BANANAS and B IS FOR BANANAS, have received starred reviews, appeared on states lists, and won awards, including the 2023 Good Housekeeping Kids’ book Award and SCBWI Crystal Kite Honor Award. After getting a master’s degree in public health, Carrie worked as a biostatistician for more than ten years and now sculpts her interests in science into playful picture books. Carrie lives in Oregon with her husband, son, and two dogs.
Kerilynn Wilson - Illustration (in-person)
Kerilynn Wilson is the award winning author and illustrator of the graphic novel THE FAINT OF HEART, and the acclaimed picture book ONE FOGGY CHRISTMAS EVE. Her forthcoming book A MONSTROUS BEDTIME releases August 2025. She lives in Oregon City, Oregon, but her mind tends to wander to made up places in her head filled with flying jellyfish and birds that eat the stars. When she is not drawing she enjoys making bagels, crafting paper insect sculptures, and going on walks in the park with her two daughters and husband.
Michelle Sumovich - Picture Book (in-person)
Michelle Sumovich is the author of three picture books, ONE MORE JAR OF JAM (ill. Gracey Zhang), EVERYTHING IS FINE (ill. Sarah Jacoby), and I HAVE THREE CATS (ill. Laura Park). She is also the author of forthcoming graphic novel PEST CONTROL (2027). Michelle has worked in bookstores and libraries, where she first fell in love with children's literature. She's written music for kids and adults, and loves a good art project, from textiles to marbling to sculpture. Look for her in Portland, Oregon where she lives with her cute little family and a clowder of cats.
Katie Lee Reinert - Picture Book (in-person)
Katie Lee Reinert is a picture book author who loves writing books about the magic of imagination that will inspire kids and make them laugh. She is the author of READY TO SMILE AGAIN (2025), as well as the forthcoming titles, SLOTHS AND THEIR MOTHS (2026), and EMMA WASN’T READY (2026). She lives outside of Portland, Oregon with her family where she loves exploring new hiking trails in the summer and trying to stay dry in the winter.