Frequently asked questions

Registration for the IN-PERSON conference in NYC will open on October 14, 2026 at 10am PACIFIC time. Registration for the VIRTUAL Winter Conference will open in November (date to be determined).

No. There is no waitlist for consultations. Once they are full, they are full. If you are interested in securing a spot once all spaces are booked, please check the registration page of the conference website periodically to see if spots have opened due to cancellations. These spots will be filled first come, first served.

Go to MEMBER HOME > RESOURCES and click on "Winter In-Person Conference 2026 Coupon Codes, Handouts, and Materials". Registration for the Virtual Winter Conference opens in November.

Make sure you are logged on to the site. Go to the conference landing page and click on the Register button. The registration form will show you everything you are already registered for and allow you to add a consultation, the Illustrators Intensive and the Portfolio Showcase as long as there is space available.

Go to your MEMBER HOME and click on the EVENTS icon. Scroll down to the session you'd like to change. Click the 3 dots in the corner and click on "unregister selection." Return to the conference registration page to make your new selection. Please watch this video for a walkthrough: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuWkkrmEHnc (instructions on changing a breakout are in the middle of the video).

Click on your MEMBER HOME. Click the AWARDS icon at the top and then scroll down to find the box for the scholarship you want to apply for. Click on the SUBMIT button.

Due to the large number of conference attendees, we cannot provide submission guidelines for conference faculty. That said, sometimes agents or editors will provide them during their sessions. The conference is an excellent opportunity to hear from children’s book editors and agents and get clear on the types of books they represent. If you feel an agent or editor is a good match for your manuscript or artwork, you may research their submission guidelines and query them if they are open to unsolicited submissions.

Links to all your virtual sessions will be accessible by clicking the EVENTS icon on your MEMBER HOME page. The links will be under Meeting Info buttons. Please watch this video for a walkthrough: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuWkkrmEHnc

Video recordings will be available to view approximately one week after the virtual conference ends. You can access the recordings under MEMBER HOME > RESOURCES. Attendees will have access to the videos through March 16, 2026.

Full refunds (minus a $70 cancellation fee and a $5 processing fee) are given up until December 19, 2025. To request a refund, please email: [email protected]. No refunds are given after that date. There are no refunds for one-on-one consultations or for the publishing house tours.

Click below to read all of SCBWI's policies.

Email: [email protected]

Please email [email protected] to add the Tomie dePaola Mentorship Award if you have already registered for the Portfolio Showcase.