Kansas, Missouri (KS/MO) Regional events
Serious about improving your craft? SCBWI's regional events provide opportunities for professional growth and help you connect with a supportive, creative community.
Style: An Illustrator's Tool with Charlie Mylie
Feb 28, 2026
2 event
Online event
Unlimited seats
"Stick to one style!" "Only show one style in your portfolio, otherwise art directors and editors won't know what they're going to get." Like many illustrators, you may have heard this advice ad verbatim. But is it really true? In this talk, which will take place in-person and on Zoom, children's book illustrator Charlie Mylie will dive deep into visual "style". Mylie will share a theory of how style is created, what it means, and what we can do with it as artists. Also, he will pop the hood on some of his books to show in practical detail how style is functioning as a tool for meaning making. Mylie believes that we define style; style does not define us. Bio: Charlie Mylie is an author and illustrator of several children's books. He makes his art in many styles from his singular home in Kansas City, KS. Charlie's wife and son are his first critics and biggest advocates. This event will take place on Saturday, February 28, 2026 from 1-2 pm. It will be in-person at the Plaza Library Branch in Kansas City and also be broadcasted on Zoom. A recording will be made available for viewing for 30 days after the event.
The Business of Children's Books and First Pages with Brent Taylor
Mar 28, 2026
2 event
Available seats 34
Kansas City, MO
Join us for a half-day event with literary agent Brent Taylor from Triada US! In the morning Brent will give us an overview of the business basics in children's publishing, covering everything from the moment you sign with an agent to when you sign a contract with a publisher. We will break for lunch and then reconvene in the afternoon for a First Pages session. To guarantee that your First Page will be read, please purchase the $45 ticket. If you would like to sit in on the First Pages but not have yours read please purchase the $25 ticket. This event will be in-person in the Kansas City metro area. Location will be emailed to attendees.
Recharge Your Writing Retreat at Conception Abbey
Apr 17, 2026 - Apr 19, 2026
5 event
Available seats 12
Conception Abbey 37174 State Hwy VV, Conception, MO 64433
Who’s ready to take a step back from everyday life and focus on their writing for 2 solid days! Who wants to fill their creative soul with nature and children’s book talk? If I’m describing you, take time for yourself to dive into a manuscript or two in the bucolic setting of Conception Abbey (37174 State Hwy VV, Conception, MO 64433). This year we are excited to announce that Ruqayyah Daud of Little Brown Books for Young Readers will be our guest editor. Come get feedback from both a seasoned editor and fellow writers. Join us Friday, April 17 to Sunday, April 19, 2026 for 2 full days of digging deeper into your works in progress! KSMO-SCBWI offers this retreat for all writing levels. About the faculty: Ruqayyah Daud is a senior editor at LBYR. She began her career in 2018 assisting editor-in-chief Alvina Ling and editor-at-large, Susan Rich. She is currently building her own list and is drawn to commercial books with a strong hook, emotional core, and vibrant cast of characters. Her titles include the critically acclaimed As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh and the #1 New York Times bestselling Immortal Dark by Tigest Girma, and the New York Times bestselling Bitten by Jordan Stephanie Gray. When she isn’t editing she can be found working as a part-time bookseller at her local independent bookstore, Fonts Books & Gifts, where she also leads the Fantasy Book Club.