Regional virtual events

June 18, 2026: Agent Julia Churchill is over the children's department at A. M. Heath, the oldest independent literary agency in the UK. Founded in 1919 by Audrey Heath and Alice May Spinks, two women who challenged the conventions of publishing, throughout its history it has represented great writers including Anita Brookner, A.J. Cronin, Katie Fforde, Winston Graham, Radclyffe Hall, Joseph Heller, Patrick Hamilton, Conn Iggulden, Shirley Jackson, Judith Kerr, Hilary Mantel, George R.R. Martin, Flann O’Brien, Maggie O’Farrell, George Orwell and Noel Streatfeild. Based in Holborn, the agency today comprises ten agents working across fiction, nonfiction, children’s, and YA.

June 18, 2026: Feeling lost or unsure about which publishing path is best for your book? In this one-hour webinar, prolific author Janet Fox will discuss the myriad ins and outs, pros and cons of traditional, self, and hybrid publishing. The more you know the easier your publishing journey will be! This webinar will be recorded and available for 30 days.

June 18, 2026: Querying is overwhelming, but a good tracking system can change the game. Learn the systems and tools to track submissions, stay organized, and reduce stress. Walk away with customizable templates and a duplicable plan to query with confidence!

June 18, 2026: DIVING INTO THE CRAFT OF POETRY: Let's spend a poetic hour together focusing on the craft of poetry, including surprising metaphors, word choice, rhythm and rhyme, both in individual poems and in rhyming picture books. Rebecca will discuss examples of both, pointing out what works and offering suggestions and tips. Bring a poem or a few lines from a lyrical or rhyming picture book that you would like to revise (and play) as she suggests how to dive in and polish. Your questions are absolutely welcome if there is time.

June 23, 2026: Bethan Woollvin is an award-winning children’s book author and illustrator, best known for her bold, witty storytelling and empowering fractured fairytales. She launched her career with Little Red, created while studying illustration at the Cambridge School of Art, which won the Macmillan Children’s Book Competition in 2014. Since then, Bethan has continued to reimagine classic tales including Rapunzel and Hansel & Gretel, alongside her own original tales such as Three Little Vikings and Luna and the Sky Dragon. She will talk to us about her career, and the interplay between text and image in picture books, before answering questions.

June 29, 2026: Award-winning UK author Dan Smith will talk us through: i) writing a manuscript, ii) going from there to having a published book and iii) sustaining and building momentum around your book post-publication. Dan is the author of popular books for young readers such as THE WINTERMOOR LIGHTS, THE DEADSOUL PROJECT, THE WALL BETWEEN US, and NISHA'S WAR.

June 29, 2026: Step into the world of professional illustration with confidence in Industry Ready: Best Practices for (beginning) Illustrators—a dynamic webinar designed to help you bridge the gap between passion and paid work. Whether you're refining your portfolio or wondering if you're ready to start querying, this session will give you clear, actionable guidance on what industry professionals actually look for. You’ll learn how to build a portfolio that stands out, discover insider tips for getting noticed and hired, and understand the subtle but critical differences between “good” and “ready.” We’ll also review real portfolios and websites together, breaking down what works, what doesn’t, and how to level up your presentation instantly. If you’re serious about turning your illustration skills into real opportunities, this is the roadmap you’ve been waiting for.

July 1, 2026: A practical, confidence-building workshop for every author & illustrator. Social media is part of being an author or illustrator now, but that does not mean it is intuitive or comfortable. Many creators struggle with knowing what to post, how often to show up, whether what they are doing is actually helping their book, and which platforms they should even be on. There is also a lot of pressure to be everywhere at once, even when certain platforms do not feel natural or sustainable. This free webinar is meant to bring clarity to all of that and make social media feel more manageable.

July 7, 2026: Once you've written a draft, it can be difficult to figure out where to go next. A range of people will provide feedback, but who is right? How do you go about discerning what to edit and what to keep the same? To effectively edit, it’s critical to identify a novel’s underlying argument—it’s heart. In this workshop with author Meg Eden Kuyatt, we’ll discuss the “thesis statement” approach to editing, looking at examples of novels’ “thesis statements,” as well as providing exercises to help you identify and hone in on your novel’s thesis. This webinar will be recorded and available to registered attendees for 30 days following the event.

July 10, 2026: In this webinar, editor and translator María Camila Correa shares an inside look at translating children’s books. Drawing on her bilingual background, María will explore what shapes a successful translation, walk through her own path into the industry, the translation process in children’s book publishing, and touch on why a global outlook and multicultural perspectives are more important than ever. Organized by California: San Francisco/South Translator Coordinator Karin Redclift.

July 11, 2026: Are you afraid of using photo references in your illustration practice for fear that it's "cheating"? Or the opposite: are you too reliant on them, and unable to use your imagination to draw? This webinar is for you then - as well as for everyone else in-between! Meredith Lucius, illustrator of six children's books, will show us how she uses art and photo references to guide her illustration practice. You'll learn how to use references in a way that doesn't feel like cheating and that inspires to create something new, rather than rigidly adhering to your reference. Participants will also get to practice on several photo references of children under Meredith's guidance. This webinar will be recorded and available for 30 days afterwards.

July 12, 2026 (registration closes July 9): Join the Austin SCBWI chapter online for 6 hours of education on revision, self-editing, & critiquing others. Join editors, agents, and authors to understand and decode an “Edit Letter,” embark on your revision journey after you’ve completed that first or fifth draft, understand cross-genre reading, interpret and implement feedback, and fully evaluate your manuscript. Optional: query, pitches, critique, and submission options with agents/editors!

July 13, 2026: Georgia Tournay-Godfrey of the Bright Agency will discuss with us how to get her attention whilst querying, and what she is looking for when reading manuscripts. She will also discuss with us the issue of working class representation in the industry.

August 22, 2026: Voice is a tricky thing, perhaps one of the slipperiest elements to develop in our writing—easy for readers to identify, but tough for writers to develop. Any editor will tell you that she knows a distinct writer’s voice when she hears it, especially when it draws her into a story and keeps her there. In this workshop we will read, study, discuss, and practice technique as we find our writer’s voices and learn how to hone them. Be ready to actively participate in the discussion.

August 27, 2026: Invisible identities shape the lives of countless young readers, yet they often go unrecognized or are portrayed inaccurately in children’s literature. This workshop explores how to authentically represent experiences that aren’t immediately visible—such as bilingualism, chronic conditions like diabetes or epilepsy, and neurological or psychological differences including dyslexia, ADHD, or depression. We’ll discuss how to avoid stereotypes, build fully realized characters, and integrate these identities naturally into story. A limited number of MY, YA, & NIV CRITIQUES available at an additional cost.

Registration closes September 25, 2026: Engaging Stories! Readers must have a compelling reason to start—and continue—engaging with your story. Engaging Stories is designed to provide takeaways and insightful creative strategies and techniques from acclaimed authors, illustrators, author-illustrators, agents, and editors. Join us at the SCBWI Wisconsin 2026 Engaging Stories webinar series and in-person conference. Webinar series dates: Feb.17, March 10, April 14, May 2, June 9, Aug. 9, 2026. In-person conference: October 8-10, 2026