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
Register for the annual SCBWI Los Angeles Working Writers Retreat 2025 today! This space-limited event will take place from Friday, October 31, 2025, to Sunday, November 2, 2025, at the Holy Spirit Retreat Center in Encino, CA. Throughout the weekend, there will be opportunities to learn from our on-site and remote faculty members: Editor Adam Blackman, Assistant Literary Agent Analía Cabello, Editor Matt Phipps, and Agent Moe Ferrara. Registration spots to stay on-site or commute are very limited so sign up now to avoid disappointment. We hope to see you there!

OPEN NOW
Registration for SCBWI CenCal’s 2025 Writers & Illustrators Day – CATCHING THE CREATIVE WAVE is still open! Join us at the Pleasant Valley Recreation and Park District Auditorium in Camarillo on Saturday, September 20, 2025, for a wonderful opportunity to connect with writers, illustrators, and agents! This two-day event will take place in-person on Day 1 and will feature an optional online Pitchfest over Zoom on Day 2. To learn more about what’s in store, click the link here.

SEPTEMBER 6
The SCBWI SoCal Illustrators group will be having their monthly meetup on Saturday, September 6, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. in Long Beach to support local, debut author Kimberly Tso! She will be doing a storytime and book signing event at Bel Canto Books at KUBO LB for her debut book Tic-Tac-Toe Chicken. Afterwards, there will be time to catch up, sketch, and share any artwork you’d like feedback on!

SEPTEMBER 6
After the SCBWI SoCal Illustrators group meetup, make your way over to the Barnes & Noble Victorville Mall for a meet & greet with local children’s book authors! Kathleen Troy, Carlene Griffith, Susie Schaefer, Marie Chan, Christine Alemshah, and Melissa Bent are super excited to meet folks and talk about their beautiful books!

SEPTEMBER 7
The Los Angeles Kids’ Book Festival returns to West Hollywood Park on September 7, 2025, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This free event will feature a variety of exhibitors, meet and greet opportunities, and chances to take photos with some of your favorite authors and illustrators! Don’t miss out!

SEPTEMBER 13
Stop by the Los Angeles Public Library Central Library on Saturday, September 13, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. for the Los Angeles Libros Festival! This free, bilingual book festival “will offer a full day of entertainment featuring Spanish-language and bilingual storytelling, musical performances, authors, workshops, books, and community.”

SEPTEMBER 20
“Jump into reading season” at the Nikkei Children’s Book Festival on Saturday, September 20, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. “Celebrate the breadth and diversity of children’s literature across the Japanese American community” at the Japanese American National Museum Democracy Center! Cost to attend the event is $10 for adults and is free for youth under age 18. There will be lots of author storytimes, Q&As for adults, and a special pop-up bookstore—so don’t miss out!

SEPTEMBER 20
Celebrate the coming of Fall at Fall Into Books Fest 2025 on September 20, 2025, at the Hyatt Regency Orange County! This “one-day fall-themed book festival” celebrates “inclusivity & accessibility in YA & Adult Romance & SFF!” For more information about the schedule, ticket costs, and author lineups, click the link here.

OCTOBER 4–5
Rare Books LA returns to the historic Ticket Concourse at Los Angeles’ Union Station! This year celebrates the release of “Rare Books LA friend and patron Guillermo Del Toro’s new film Frankenstein on Netflix this November.” 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
“Step into a magical world of books” on Saturday, October 11, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Enchanted Realms Book Festival! Browse new titles and explore the marketplace while cosplaying as your favorite fantasy character at the Autry Museum of the American West. This family-friendly event 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.

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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.