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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!

OPEN NOW
The SCBWI Virtual Summer Conference 2025 starts tomorrow! From July 31, 2025, to August 3, 2025, “dive into every aspect of the children’s book world, from writing and illustrating to translating, marketing, and self-publishing.” Attendees will have access to all 50+ sessions up until September 14, 2025. Click here to see the conference schedule and invest in your passion today!

Illustration by Liz Brizzi

OPEN NOW
Registration for SCBWI CenCal’s 2025 Writers & Illustrators Day – CATCHING THE CREATIVE WAVE is now open! On Saturday, September 20, 2025, at the Pleasant Valley Recreation and Park District Auditorium, 1605 E. Burnley St. in Camarillo, attendees will have a wonderful opportunity to connect with writers, illustrators, and agents. The day will be filled with prizes, photo opportunities, a writing contest, and a catered lunch. To learn more about what’s in store, click the link here.

OPEN NOW
Save your seat for the SCBWI SoCal 2025 Fall Harvest Writers and Illustrators Day! “Writers and illustrators are invited to a full day of speaker presentations, written critiques, pitches and mingling with fellow creatives!” This hybrid event will be held on October 4, 2025, at California State University Fullerton, Titan Student Union, AND via Zoom. Attendees will have access to the videos for 30 days following the event and receive submission guidelines from all our faculty.

Illustration by Farnaz Nadim

AUGUST 10
Five scholarships for the SCBWI SoCal Fall Harvest Writers and Illustrators Day 2025 are available for folks whose finances prevent them from attending AND who are “from underserved communities, including but not limited to BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and people with disabilities.” In order to be considered for one of the Equity and Inclusion Scholarships, please provide a statement of intent and a one-page writing or illustration sample. The deadline to submit is August 10, 2025, at 10:00 p.m. You MUST reside in the SCBWI SoCal regional area: Long Beach, Orange County, San Bernardino County, or Riverside County. 

SEPTEMBER 7
Get excited for the Los Angeles Kids’ Book Festival on September 7, 2025, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at West Hollywood Park (647 N San Vicente Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069)! “LA’s first and largest event celebrating early education, bilingualism, and multiculturalism” is free to attend. If you are interested in being a vendor, click here to learn more about registration costs.

OCTOBER 4–5
Rare Books LA returns to the historic Ticket Concourse at Los Angeles’ Union Station for two full days of “antiquarian books, maps, photography and more!” To see the full list of exhibitors at this “transit-friendly book fair,” click the link here! Parking at Union Station is available for the duration of the event starting at $8.

OCTOBER 11
Dress up in your most whimsical attire for the Enchanted Realms Book Festival on Saturday, October 11, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Autry Museum of the American West. “This is an outdoor, family-friendly festival that allows book lovers of all ages to join in on the magic!” This is a wonderful opportunity to meet local authors, explore a magical marketplace, and take photos with characters from your favorite fantasy books! The festival will also have a dedicated children’s activity corner where younger attendees can go on a treasure hunt and get their face painted.

CHECK OUT THESE RESOURCES!

The National Centre for Writing is a “contemporary literature house in the heart of England’s first UNESCO City of Literature” that “offers opportunities to connect, learn and be inspired through innovative collaborations, events, festivals, residencies and activities for writers, literary translators and readers.” Check out their writing resources here and take your work to the next level!

Writer’s Digest offers a plethora of resources on how to write better fiction, nonfiction, and poetry! Their extensive list of articles and interviews go into all aspects of the publishing industry. Take a peek here!

Check out this article from Reedsy on how to write Young Adult fiction, with tips from former Simon & Schuster editor Kate Angelella! She goes over eight main things to keep in mind when writing for books for young adults and how to make them appealing for readers.

SCBWI-LA wants YOU to join our fabulous team of volunteers! Please email losangeles@scbwi.org to ask about applying for any opportunities. Click the link here to learn more about the SCBWI-LA team and scroll to the bottom of the page to see what positions are currently open. You must be an SCBWI member residing within the Los Angeles Region to be an SCBWI-LA volunteer.

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.