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

Check out more resources at the end of the post!

MAY 10
“Create a website that works for you, that can grow with your career, and that you are genuinely proud to share” with Abby Feder through SCBWI LA Website Build 101! Abby will be going over “how to build a strong online presence that connects with readers and parents, impresses industry professionals, and serves your unique goals.” This online class will take place on Saturday, May 10, 2025, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. PST. The cost to attend for premium members is $20, while preview members is $40. “Attendees will receive the Zoom link by email about two days before the event. This webinar will be recorded and available to participants for 30 days after the event (barring technical difficulties).”

MAY 10
Come by the Tustin Library on May 10, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. for Comic Orange 2025! “Comic Orange promotes literacy in our community by highlighting our graphic novel collections, celebrating comics, and engaging the community by offering an annual family-friendly event.” The event is free to attend, so swing by for a fun-filled day with your favorite authors and illustrators!

MAY 17
“Celebrate the diversity of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities in Los Angeles” at AAPI Joy: Narratives, Storytelling, and History! This free festival will feature various organizations, author talks, storytelling events, and workshops that explore the city’s rich AAPI heritage. AAPI Joy will take place on Saturday, May 17, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Los Angeles Public Library Central Library.

MAY 31
The SCBWI Crystal Kite Member Choice Awards 2025 is now open! The Crystal Kite Awards is a “peer-given award to recognize great books from fifteen SCBWI regional divisions around the world. You must be a current member to nominate your book and at the time the award announcement is made. This award is open to SCBWI authors, illustrators, and translators. Nominated books must be a PAL book first published within the previous calendar year. This award is for PAL books; independently published books cannot be nominated.” Click the link here to read more about submission guidelines.

MAY 31
Submit your unpublished middle grade or YA manuscript for the SCBWI A. Orr Fantasy Grant! “The A. Orr Grant is a new award for middle grade and YA fantasy and science fiction authors.” The selected winner will receive free tuition to attend the SCBWI Summer Conference, along with $600 cash. “Applicants should submit a completed novel for middle grade or young adult readers, in the speculative fiction genre. The speculative fiction umbrella covers high fantasy as well as sci-fi, magical realism, fabulism, folklore, horror, alternate history, and other related categories.” For more information on how to submit, click here.

MAY 31
Save the date for Tía Chucha’s Celebrating Words Arts & Literacy Festival! This free event will take place on Saturday, May 31, 2025, from 2:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at 11200 Herrick Ave, Pacoima, California 91331. Event details will be released soon, but there will be live music, a toddler storytime, free creative arts workshops, food mercadito, and a book giveaway! Follow Tía Chucha’s Instagram page to stay up to date or check out their website under “Upcoming Events.”

JUNE 22
Do you want your illustration to be used as the website banner for SCBWI SoCal Fall Harvest 2025? The selected winner will get attributed on the SCBWI SoCal website and receive free registration to attend the event. Submit your illustration to Bev Plass at socal-ra@scbwi.org by June 22, 2025, and mention “SCBWI SoCal Fall Harvest 2025.” You must be an SCBWI member who lives in the SoCal region to be considered (Long Beach or counties of Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside). Click the image to the right to learn more about submission requirements, or contact Bev Plass. To check out last year’s event page, click the link here.

JUNE 25
Not sure how to start writing children’s books? Sign up for Introduction to Picture Books through UCLA Extension with April Halprin Wayland on June 25, 2025, from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Pacific Time! This free class will go over practical tools to help you “jumpstart your picture book writing” and provide “practical advice from award-winning authors who were once beginners themselves.” Click here to learn more!

JUNE 30
Calling all writers of Hispanic/Latinx/Ibero-American heritage! The SCBWI Volemos Grant is “open to authors of Hispanic/Latinx/Ibero-American heritage who are early in their career (1-3 traditionally published books) or not yet traditionally published. The winner will receive $500 along with a one-year SCBWI membership, and a coaching session to further their creative career.” Manuscripts written in English or Spanish will be accepted. For more information on submission details, click the link here.

CHECK OUT THESE RESOURCES!
Announcing a new initiative exclusively for SCBWI Premium members! SCBWI University “empowers you to hone your craft, build meaningful connections, and gain the confidence to bring your stories to life” through deep dives into writing or illustrating children’s books. Sign up for Drawn to the Story: Unlock the Power of Visual Narrative, a “3-part online course is designed for children’s book illustrators ready to refine their work with an eye toward publication!” To read more and register for the course, click the link here.

Take a look at this new YouTube Channel, Coffee with the Authors, featuring SCBWI-CenCal members Wendelin Van Draanen and Mark Parsons! Their free and friendly channel seeks to “give emerging writers useful information about the craft and business of writing” along with “some real-world insights.” New episodes will be posted every Wednesday. “We’ll also be fielding questions viewers leave in the comments, and hopefully begin conducting interviews.”

Hear all about the illustration side of picture books firsthand from SCBWI SoCal member Shiho Pate! Shiho talks about her illustration process and explores how her past and current portfolios influence her publishing career through her new blog. Click here to read more!

Are you looking for a specific picture book course? Highlights Foundation might just have what you’re looking for! Highlights Foundation offers a variety of picture book workshops throughout the year. While some classes may be free to attend, others will have a tuition cost. Find something that fits you!

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