Events, Opportunities, and Resources happening now and coming soon for the Tri-Regions and beyond

OPEN NOW
Make sure you register for the in-person 2025 SCBWI Winter Conference in New York City and book your stay soon! “Special rates of $215 per night (plus tax) are available for attendees on single and double rooms. A limited number of rooms are available at this rate up until January 6, 2025.” Click here to learn more! For those who are unable to attend the in-person conference in New York City, the Virtual Winter Conference 2025 will be taking place February 21–22, 2025.

OPEN NOW
Join us at the beautiful Laguna College of Art & Design on March 15, 2025 for 2025 Art Day: Illustrators and Writers Connect, SCBWI SoCal! This “one day hand-so workshop for illustrators, picture book writers, graphic novelists and author-illustrators” will include “presentations, interactive activities and off-site written critiques.” Registration is now open so click here to sign up!

OPEN NOW
Register for the 2025 SCBWI SoCal Tahquitz MG-YA Writers Retreat! This “four-day small-group intensive writer retreat” will take place from May 1, 2025 to May 4, 2025 in Idyllwild-Pine Cove. “You’ll be able to hone your craft and polish your manuscript with the guidance of industry professionals.” Spots are going very quickly so sign up today!

JANUARY 7
Register for StoryStorm 2025 by January 7, 2025! StoryStorm is an annual challenge for writers who are “interested in brainstorming new story ideas in January.” The goal is to write down one or more story ideas daily so that by the end of the month, participants will walk away with at least 30 new story ideas. Registration is free. Click here to learn more.

JANUARY 9
The 2025 12×12 Challenge opens on January 9, 2025! “12 x 12 is an inclusive and supportive learning community of picture book authors and illustrators at all experience levels” in which participants are encouraged to write 12 picture books in 12 months. Membership for the whole year starts at $197 and is only open for a limited time.

JANUARY 11
Get some feedback on your manuscripts, dummies, or illustrations at the SCBWI-LA Critique Day 2025! This free event will place take place Saturday, January 11, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. over Zoom and is a great way to make new friends and find critique partners! Registration will close on January 8, 2025, at 8:00 p.m.

JANUARY 13
Registration for the 2025 Highlights Foundation Scholarship period opens on January 13, 2025! Highlights Foundation offers a variety of general and special scholarships that are based on several criteria, such as “seriousness of purpose,” writing or art samples, and financial need. Applications close on February 10, 2025.

JANUARY 14
Get ready to look at your writing in a whole new way with the SCBWI 2025 Theater Camp for Writers: A 2-Part Workshop! Part 1 of the workshop will take place via Zoom, and Part 2 will take place in-person. “Sessions will include lecture, writing exercises, and most distinctly, scene work for your stories in progress, with volunteer actors from the group taking part in live readings (for our initial online meeting) and ‘play rehearsal’ style staging.” Sign up today!

JANUARY 17
Submit your proposal to be on an SCWBI-Sponsored National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Panel in Denver, Colorado, from November 20–23, 2025! The theme of this year’s event is “Dream Boldly.” Proposals must be submitted by SCBWI PAL Members by Friday, January 17, 2025.

JANUARY 17
Registration to sell and sign your work in the shared SCBWI-LA and SCBWI SoCal Los Angeles Times Festival of Books Signing Booth 2025 opens on Friday, January 17, 2025 at 9:00 a.m.! As this is an SCBWI PAL members-only signing event, registration is limited to 19 signing slots. To learn more about the registration fees or to sign up as a volunteer, click the link here.

JANUARY 18
Calling all SCBWI-LA PAL members! Help guide an unpublished author, illustrator, or author/illustrator through the SCBWI-LA PAL Mentorship 2025 program! The official mentorship will last from July 1, 2025, through December 31, 2025. Selected PAL members will receive a $500 honorarium, contest publicity, and “the gratitude of at least one new fan and friend within the SCBWI-Los Angeles membership.” Please submit the two-part proposal by January 18, 2025, to scbwilacontests@gmail.com.

JANUARY 24–26
Register today for SCBWI CenCal’s 2025 Writers Retreat – Focus & Flourish! Back by popular demand, the retreat will take place at the Cavalier Inn in San Simeon from January 24–26, 2025. Seats are selling quickly, so grab your spot soon!

JANUARY 26
The upcoming SCBWI SoCal January Meet-Up will be on Scenecraft: What It Is and How It’ll Blow Your Writing Open, featuring guest speaker Henry Lien! “Scenecraft includes elements such as blocking, visual tableaux, power dynamics, use of negative space, and strategic deletions of sight, sound, ability, or knowledge…This workshop uses examples from various mediums, including painting, film/tv, and video games. Writers will leave the workshop with a practical list of tools to make their scenecraft more memorable.” The online event will take place on Sunday, January 26 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. The zoom link to attend is provided in the bi-monthly SCBWI SoCal email. If you’d like to added to the email list, please contact Bev Plass at SoCal-RA@scbwi.org. To learn more about Henry Lien and his work, check out his website: www.henrylien.com

FEBRUARY 1
Kite Tales: A Blog Published for the SCBWI Tri-Regions of Southern California is open for news! If you have something professionally noteworthy to share for our “Great News” column or would like to talk about a recent book that has been published on “Toot Your Horn,” let us know at the link here by February 1. You must be a member of the SCBWI CenCal, Los Angeles, or SoCal chapter to submit.

FEBRUARY 14
Enter your book for the 2025 Next Generation Indie Book Awards by February 14, 2025! “The 2025 Next Generation Indie Book Awards is open to all indie book authors and publishers . . . who have a book, a manuscript, or a galley proof written in English and published in 2023, 2024 or 2025 or with a 2023, 2024 or 2025 copyright date.” Detailed entry guidelines can be found here.

FEBRUARY 28
Apply to be an artist at the 2025 Comic Orange Artist Alley by February 28, 2025! “The goal of Comic Orange is to celebrate comics, graphic novels, gaming, and popular culture by inviting the community to enjoy a family friendly event.” The event will take place at the Tustin Library on May 10, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

MARCH 7–8
Join over 200 educators and librarians for the 28th Annual Charlotte Huck Festival on March 7–8, 2025! “Each year, the festival brings together educators, librarians, parents, students, authors, illustrators, editors, and those interested in children’s literature for a unique combination of full conference and small group sessions.” The event will take place at the University of Redlands Orton Center. Registration closes on Friday, February 21, 2025, at 5:00 p.m.

MARCH 29
Registration to attend the SCBWI-LA Illustration Masterclass at the LA Zoo will be opening soon! This masterclass will be hosted by Alexander Vidal on March 29, 2025. Be sure to check back in to Kite Tales or the SCBWI-LA website for more information.

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For more fantastic content, community, events, and other professional development opportunities, become a member today! Not sure if there is a chapter in your area? Check here.