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AZ Events

May 19, 2023

SCBWI Arizona Upcoming In-Person Panel, Workshops, Webinars, and more.

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The Picture Book Dummy - A Revision Tool For KidLit Creators - Phoenix

Picture book dummies are valuable tools to help you revise and edit your manuscript. These rough mock-ups are used to help you perfect how the story will exist within the picture book format. The team that eventually publishes your manuscript might have a different vision of how the pages will be broken down, but the dummy allows you to ensure that each page of the book is filled with delightful surprises and copious illustration possibilities. The Picture Book Dummy for Dummies: The Foundation For Creating Better Picture Books presented by Michael Hale The Picture Book Dummy: The Writer’s Revision and Editing Friend presented by Tanja Bauerle Hands-On Time - Work on your Dummy

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Crafting Your Unique Angle for Nonfiction Success Webinar - Nancy Castaldo

In this dynamic program, you’ll learn how to discover and refine the unique angle that will make your nonfiction KidLit stand out in a crowded market. Whether you're writing a picture book or a young adult narrative nonfiction title, your story deserves a distinct voice and perspective. We'll dive into techniques to help you identify your book's unique hook, ensuring that your message resonates with your target audience. Through interactive exercises and exploring comp titles, participants will leave with a deeper understanding of how to make their book stand out by finding its unique angle—one that captivates your audience and makes your message unforgettable.

In-Person Workshops

See above for March-May 2025's in-person Workshops

Online Workshops

WHAT: Edelweiss - the Secret Tool to Getting Inside the Industry Mindset with Susan Chang

DESCRIPTION: What’s the first image that comes to mind when someone mentions the word “edelweiss”? If it’s Christopher Plummer strumming his guitar in The Sound of Music or the star-shaped alpine flower, you’re not alone. But what if I were to tell you that Edelweiss is also the name of a free—and shockingly underused—online platform that will give you valuable insight into the mindset of publishing industry insiders? In this webinar, freelance developmental editor Susan Chang (former acquisitions editor at HarperCollins Children’s Books, Disney Publishing Worldwide, and Macmillan/Tor Publishing) will demonstrate how to utilize Edelweiss to reverse engineer your query letter pitch, identify potential comparable titles, stay abreast of market trends, and much more!

DATE: Saturday, April 26, 2025

TIME: 1:00 - 2:30 pm

Register at: https://www.scbwi.org/events/edelweiss-the-secret-tool-to-getting-inside-the-industry-mindset-susan-chang


WHAT: Crafting Your Unique Angle for Non-Fiction Success Webinar with Nancy Castaldo

DESCRIPTION: In this dynamic program, you’ll learn how to discover and refine the unique angle that will make your nonfiction KidLit stand out in a crowded market. Whether you're writing a picture book or a young adult narrative nonfiction title, your story deserves a distinct voice and perspective. We'll dive into techniques to help you identify your book's unique hook, ensuring that your message resonates with your target audience. Through interactive exercises and exploring comp titles, participants will leave with a deeper understanding of how to make their book stand out by finding its unique angle—one that captivates your audience and makes your message unforgettable.

DATE: Saturday, May 31, 2025

TIME: 1:00 - 2:30 pm

Register at: https://www.scbwi.org/events/crafting-your-unique-angle-for-nonfiction-success-webinar


EI Meeting

This is a regularly occurring meet-up activity and is FREE for Members

WHERE:  Tempe Public Library - 3500 S Rural Rd, Tempe, AZ 85282, in Study Room 7

DATE: Sunday, April 27, 2025

TIME: 2:00 - 4:00 pm

WHAT: Write-in and mingle. Bring your laptops and writing supplies; we'll be writing!

RSVP to: Susan at [email protected]

Hosted by: Susan Foss

PAL Events

Next meeting details are TBD.

WHERE: TBD

DATE: TBD

TIME: TBD

RSVP to: Dianne or Kim at [email protected]

Hosted by: Dianne White and Kim Tomsic

Spark Events

This meeting occurs every two months and is a member networking and meet-up activity that is FREE for Members

WHERE: Zoom Meeting platform

DATE: May 5, 2025

TIME: 7:00-8:30 pm

RSVP to: Kathie at [email protected]  

Hosted by: Kathie McMahon

Illustrator Events

This is a regularly occurring member networking and meet-up activity and is FREE for Members

Fourth Thursday: 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm 

WHERE: Zoom Meeting platform

DATE: April 24, 2025

TIME: 6:30-7:30 pm

RSVP to: Michael at [email protected]

Hosted by: Michael Hale – SCBWI-AZ Illustrator Coordinator 

KidLit Mingle Events

These are regularly occurring member networking and meet-up activities and are FREE for Members 


Ask Us Anything

First Saturdays: 8:30 am – 10:00 am 

Date: May 3, 2025

Where: ZOOM Meeting platform

RSVP to: Alison Fraclose at [email protected]

Hosted by: Allison Fraclose 


Book Look

Join fellow writers and illustrators for a dive into Craft and mentor texts. What makes a PB, MG, or YA novel sell? Let's analyze the factors and explore applying them to our own writing.

Second Thursdays: 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Date: May 8, 2025

Where: ZOOM Meeting platform

RSVP to: Patricia at [email protected] or Fawzia at [email protected] 

Hosted by: Patricia Franz and Fawzia Tung


Show and Tell

Second Saturdays: 9:00 am - 11:00 am 

Date: May 10, 2025

Where: In-person at Asante Library - 16755 W. Verde Solana Dr., Surprise, AZ 85387

RSVP to: Angela at [email protected] 

Hosted by: Angela Morrison


Craft Club

Third Saturdays: 9:00 am - 10:30 am

Date: May 17, 2025

Where: ZOOM Meeting platform

RSVP to: Kathie McMahon at [email protected]  

Hosted by: Kathie McMahon


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MINGLES BY LOCATION:

Tucson In-Person KidLit Mingle

Second Saturdays: 10:00 am - 11:30 am

Date: May 10, 2025

Where: Woods Memorial Library - 3455 N. First Ave, Tucson, in the Large Meeting Room

Please RSVP to: Lori at [email protected] or Lucy at [email protected]

Hosted by: Lori Alexander and Lucy Munguia


Northern Arizona In-Person KidLit Mingle

Third Saturdays every other month: 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Date: May 31, 2025

Where: IHOP back room, 2654 E Rte 66, Flagstaff, AZ 86004

RSVP to: Anne at [email protected]

Hosted by: Anne Hanovich


East Valley In-Person KidLit Mingle

DATE: May 31, 2025

TIME: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

LOCATION: Panera Bread - Village Square at Dana Park, 3426 E. Baseline, Ste #113, Mesa, AZ 85204

RSVP to: Kathie at [email protected] 

Hosted by: Kathie McMahon


West Valley In-Person KidLit Mingle

DATE: April 12, 2025

TIME: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

LOCATION: Asante Library, 16755 W. Vereda Solana Dr., Surprise, AZ 85387

RSVP to: Angela at [email protected]

Hosted by: Angela Morrison