Nebraska 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.
Writing From the Inside Out - Picture Books
Sep 26, 2026 - Feb 20, 2027
1 event
Online event
Available seats -1
WRITING FROM THE INSIDE OUT - PICTURE BOOKS - You’ve asked for it. We listened. Join us as we level up your picture books. Award-winning author Marcie Colleen is teaming up with SCBWI Nebraska for a virtual 6-month workshop meant to take your picture books to the next level. Targeted for authors who have written a minimum of three picture books and have an established, basic understanding of picture book writing, this workshop is intended to take your projects from good to extraordinary. Offered by the Nebraska region starting September 2026.
Picture Book Study Group
Oct 07, 2026 - May 05, 2027
1 event
Available seats 12
Chapters Books & Gifts, 548 Seward St., Seward, NE 68434
Picture Book Study Group for adult readers and writers who want to stay current on new picture books and use picture books as mentor texts for their own writing. Meets the first Wednesday of each month at 10 am at Chapters Books & Gifts in Seward.
Nebraska Fall Retreat
Oct 16, 2026 - Oct 18, 2026
1 event
Available seats 3
Hotel Garber in Red Cloud, Nebraska
FALL RETREAT - If you’re looking for dedicated writing time surrounded by other creatives passionate about their craft, set in a venue dedicated to the heritage of literature, look no further. Join us as we spend a weekend away from the distractions of everyday life and put words on the page. Targeted for authors and illustrators who want to gift their projects what is needed most: TIME. October 16 - 18, 2026 at Hotel Garber in Red Cloud, Nebraska.
Creative Connections with Christa Heschke
Oct 27, 2026
1 event
Online event
Unlimited seats
WRITING AN ENGAGING MYSTERY: ATMOSPHERE, TENSION, PACING AND PREMISE - An engaging mystery successfully melds together a creepy or foreboding atmosphere, swift pacing, mounting tension to an exciting conclusion, and a killer premise. Join us as literary agent Christa Heschke provides tips on making sure your premise stands out. She’ll address how to add surprising twists to keep your reader in suspense as they eagerly turn pages, and how to create a captivating cast of characters. **Many tips can apply to any genre!** Christa will offer a limited number of paid written critiques and will be open to submissions by attendees. Offered by SCBWI Nebraska as part of their Creative Connections series. Tuesday, October 27th, from 12:00-1:00 pm (CDT) on Zoom.
Creative Connections with Jessica Khoury
Nov 03, 2026
1 event
Online event
Unlimited seats
WORLD BUILDING - Join us as the Skyborn series author, Jessica Khoury, shares six practical principles on how to incorporate, strengthen, and perfect worldbuilding on the scene, page, and even sentence level (which she calls "Micro-worldbuilding"). Whether you are writing an epic fantasy or a contemporary tale, these simple yet highly effective techniques will help you transform your settings from dull, flat backdrops to dynamic, unforgettable locations that will resonate with your readers! Offered by SCBWI Nebraska as part of their Creative Connections series. Tuesday, November 3, from 7:00-8:00 pm (CDT) on Zoom.
Tips on Illustrator Portfolio Curation with Optional Portfolio Review
Nov 08, 2026
2 event
Online event
Unlimited seats
Calling all illustrators! Curious what art directors are looking for in a portfolio geared toward the children's publishing industry? Join us as Tracy Shaw, art director at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (LBYR), shares advice on best practices for organizing/curating your portfolio. Apply learned techniques to your portfolio, and assess the effectiveness of those changes by signing up for an optional 15-minute virtual portfolio review. Portfolio reviews participants are invited to a Virtual Happy Hour to debrief with other attendees and build community. The webinar will be on Sunday, November 8, 2026, at 1pm CST. Portfolio Reviews will be on Sunday, December 13, starting at 1pm CST.