Serious about improving your craft? SCBWI's regional events provide opportunities for professional growth and help you connect with a supportive, creative community.
A discussion with three creatives who’ve faced the challenges head-on. More than 4,200 book titles were targeted for censorship in 2023 in the United States alone. Special interest groups have taken aim at limiting access to books in public and school libraries. The number of titles targeted for censorship at public libraries increased by 92 percent over the previous year. What happens when you, as an author or illustrator, have a book that’s been challenged or banned? How does it affect your career? Your future creative endeavors? Your responsibility to push back and challenge the challenges? Join these KidLit creators – whose books have been challenged or banned – for an insightful discussion about their experiences: Dori Hillestad Butler (My Mom’s Having a Baby! and the King & Kayla series) Yangsook Choi (The Name Jar) Kirby Larson (Dash) Knowledge is power. Let’s gather to discuss how we can best respond to the current wave of censorship.
The creative process—especially when writing or illustrating for young people—is all about crossing thresholds to navigate unknown and “in between” territory. These range from the dreamy mindset where ideas spring to life, to stories about characters caught between cultures or identities—to the “not there yet” discomfort of unfinished work. Get more comfortable finding your way through these in-between (or liminal) states and learn to harness their power in this one-of-a-kind, day-plus retreat. We’ll dive into and explore betwixt spaces—literally!—including productive time on a moving train. The event will start with a preboarding webinar at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 5, and then we'll meet in Seattle and spend all day, in person, on Saturday, Oct. 12. REFUND POLICY: Because our costs are all paid up front, refunds for cancellations until Oct. 1 will ONLY be available if we can fill your spot from the waitlist. NO REFUNDS AT ALL after Oct. 1.
Writing a great query letter is an art and a science. This webinar examines the core elements every strong query letter has; you’ll learn how to add the extra pizzazz that will capture the attention of an agent or editor. Real examples from the instructor’s inbox, both good and bad, will be shared, as well as a specific formula workshop attendees can plug their information into in order to generate a great query letter.
We all know how important the first page of a manuscript is. But what do editors look for in this crucial first page, and what makes a first page shine? Editor Kat Brzozowski of Feiwel & Friends at Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group will live-review picture book, middle grade or YA first pages (no graphic novels, please) from attendees, talking about the strengths of the page and areas where the pages can be improved. Even if you don’t submit a page, you’ll come away with valuable advice and insight from a seasoned children’s book editor--and a coveted submission opportunity. This event will be recorded and available for 30 days for those who registered for the live event. Participants who register by October 1, 2024, will receive an email with instructions on where and when to send their first page (12 pt, double-spaced) with a due date of midnight on November 5, 2024, for consideration to possibly be critiqued live. All attendees will be able to submit one polished manuscript to Kat through instructions you will receive post-event. Participants who paid for an additional Gold Form critique will also receive submission instructions for those after the event in a separate email. (Gold Form critiques will be due by midnight EST on November 24, and returned to the participant by the end of the year.)
Novels in verse are incredibly popular with young readers. But while it is a pleasure to read words that sing, it can be daunting to craft a novel that is spare in terms of words yet not sparse in its ability to paint emotionally rich scenes filled with three dimensional characters. Whether you're considering writing a novel in verse or have already plunged in and are ready to polish a manuscript, award-winning author Padma Venkatraman, whose poems have appeared in POETRY magazine, several anthologies and been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, will present tips to help make your work shine. She will also suggest exemplars and resources for further reading, so you can continue to hone your skills and grow as a poet and storyteller.
Do you struggle to finish projects amid a flood of shiny new ideas? Do those ideas all vanish when you’re faced with a blank page or asked: “What else are you working on?” Do you ever wonder whether you’re stuck on this particular story, or burned out on this whole writing and illustrating thing? Learn how to: o Balance getting stuff done with your own personal storytelling R&D. o Separate exploring an idea from market concerns o Find time to learn and grow your craft while still meeting your deadlines.