The SCBWI Central-Coastal Region held its in-person Writers and Illustrators Day on Saturday, September 20, at the Pleasant Valley Recreation and Park District Auditorium in Camarillo. A few honors were presented during an inspiring day of speakers and camaraderie, and a fabulous lunch.
Congratulations to all our participants in the writing and illustration contests, including our winners! Each winner receives free entry to next year’s Writers and Illustrators Day.
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 now for the annual SCBWI Los Angeles Working Writers Retreat 2025! 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 faculty members: Editor Adam Blackman, Assistant Literary Agent Analía Cabello, Editor Matt Phipps, and Agent Moe Ferrara. Registration closes on October 12, 2025, at noon!
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!
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!
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.
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 Be sure to grab your spot for the SCBWI Virtual Summer Conference 2025! “Put your art in front of industry pros in the career-launching Portfolio Showcase and get inspired by sessions tailored for” everyone at this four-day-long event! Folks who register will have access to all 50+ sessions up until September 14, 2025. Click here to see the conference schedule and register today!
OPEN NOW Registration for the SCBWI SoCal 2025 Fall Harvest Writers and Illustrators Day is now open! “Writers and illustrators are invited to a full day of speaker presentations, written critiques, pitches and mingling with fellow creatives! We’ll have agents, an editor, an art director, published authors and an illustrator.” This hybrid event will be held on October 4, 2025, at California State University Fullerton, Titan Student Union, AND via Zoom. Click here to get more information and sign up today!
Whether connecting creative dots, harvesting winning marketing techniques, or bringing home new accolades to put into query letters, Tri-Regions members have been crafting a fall season to remember. And we’re only three weeks in! Here are some highlights so far:
Events, Opportunities, and Resources happening now and coming soon for the Tri-Regions and beyond
ONGOING Join the SCBWI Illustration Community in October for 31 days of drawing fun as part of SCBWI Artober 2024! Throughout the month, get inspired with daily prompts to create new art while working in any medium you like. “The goal is to develop a daily practice of creating new art.” Be sure to share your work with the #scbwiArtober2024 hashtag on Instagram and Twitter (X).
Events, Opportunities, and Resources happening now and coming soon for the Tri-Regions and beyond
OPEN NOW Registration for the popular SCBWI Los Angeles Working Writers Retreat is now open! Join fellow writers from September 27–29, 2024, at the Holy Spirit Retreat Center in Encino “for a weekend of immersive writing, critique, revision and camaraderie.” This annual retreat will have plenty of quiet work spaces, social evenings, and even group critique sessions led by four publishing industry professionals! Spots are filling up very quickly!
Events, Opportunities, and Resources happening now and coming soon for the Tri-Regions and beyond
OPEN NOW Registration is open! Learn about craft and book publishing, connect with professionals in the industry, and mingle with creative people at the SCBWI SoCal Fall Harvest Writers and Illustrators Day! This full-day conference will take place in-person at the California State University Fullerton Titan Student Union OR online, on Saturday, October 5, 2024, from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and will include agents, an art director, local authors, and an illustrator. There will be critiques, portfolio reviews, pitches, and contests. Click here to register!
OPEN NOW Join SCBWI in celebrating World Kid Lit Month in September by submitting your book recommendations now! The Official SCBWI Blog is hosting a month-long celebration of “children’s and YA literature from around the world,” and your short book reviews are invited. There will be four blog posts, each focusing on a different continent: the Americas, Africa, Asia & Oceania, and Europe. For more information, click the link here. All submissions should be emailed to World Kit Lit (worldkidlit@gmail.com).
ONGOING Submit your book now for the SCBWI Impact & Legacy Fund (ILF) Russell Freedman Award or apply for a grant from The ILF Encouragement Fund! No SCBWI membership is required. However, you must be traditionally published. Submissions will close on September 15, 2024.
ONGOING Sign up for the SCBWI CenCal’s 2024 Writers and Illustrators Day! Regular pricing registration for SCBWI members is $137 and will remain open until all seats are filled. The event will be held in-person at the Camarillo Community Center on Saturday, September 21, 2024. There will be an additional “optional online Pitchfest via Zoom” on Sunday, September 22, 2024.
Kite Tales 