10 Inspiring Kite Tales Quotes from 2023

27 Wednesday Dec 2023

Posted by in Agent's Perspective, Author's Perspective, Community Corner, Editor's Perspective, Illustrator's Perspective, Tips and Tools

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The high-flying little girl in Laura Hunt’s illustration “Kite Night,” winner of this year’s SCBWI-L.A. Twitter Banner Contest, answered the question of whether it’s ever too late to follow your dreams.

Editing Kite Tales has its perks. One is being among the first to see, hear, and be able to use the many uplifting ideas expressed by the blog’s kidlit guests during the year. Another is being one of the first to look back at year’s end and take inspiration anew. Here are some of my favorite 2023 moments gathered up in KT’s traditional list of 10 inspiring quotes. (Plus some extra inspo via the images.) Scroll through. Click through. Catch a thermal current and be uplifted. Thank you to everyone who brought words, pictures, and stories to the blog this year. Thank you to our readers! May you continue to soar in 2024.

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Holiday Message from the SCBWI-L.A. Regional Team

20 Wednesday Dec 2023

Posted by in Community Corner, Los Angeles

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As 2023 draws to a close, we look back and celebrate our connections with friends and industry professionals, enjoying warm memories of events past. We look forward to future joys found in the myriad ways we and our colleagues bring stories to young people everywhere. And we anticipate the fun of offering programming in the coming year that will inspire, energize, and illuminate your creative path.

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Happy Holidays from SCBWI SoCal!

13 Wednesday Dec 2023

Posted by in Community Corner, SoCal

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Image courtesy of SCBWI SoCal

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.

Happy Holidays from SCBWI CenCal!

06 Wednesday Dec 2023

Posted by in Central Coast, Community Corner

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Image by Maddie Sandell

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.

Ready, Set, Enter: The Writers Day Contest Is Open!

29 Wednesday Nov 2023

Posted by in Contests & Grants, Los Angeles, Writers Days

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by Brenda Scott Royce

SCBWI-L.A.’s signature event, Writers Day, will be back in 2024—and with it comes the Writers Day Contest, an opportunity for all attendees to enter for a chance to win prizes and public recognition of their work.

Why enter writing contests? Prizes are awfully nice, and hearing your name announced as the winner is a definite thrill. A contest win can get you a step closer to publication. And just entering can be a reward in itself, providing the boost you need to polish your manuscript and send it out into the world.

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Happy Thanksgiving from the Kite Tales Team

22 Wednesday Nov 2023

Posted by in Central Coast, Los Angeles, SoCal, Tri-Regional News

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At Kite Tales, we’re thankful for the writers, illustrators, editors, agents, and volunteers who have contributed to the blog this year. And to our readers, thank you for encouraging us with your comments and helping us grow the kidlit community. We couldn’t do it without you! We’ll be back with more content and a big announcement next week.

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.

Illustration by Judy Y Faulkner

Toot Your Horn!

15 Wednesday Nov 2023

Posted by in Toot Your Horn!

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SCBWI members’ publishing news is something to celebrate here at  Kite Tales!  Check out whose book is coming to a platform near you or around the world. Horn-tooting and digital high fives welcome in the comments!

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Great News

08 Wednesday Nov 2023

Posted by in Great News!

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SCBWI loves celebrating our members’ successes and noteworthy news, and there are many! Read on to find out who’s got something to shout about. Digital high-fives welcome in the comments!

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Ask an Editor: Query Letters—When to Start Writing One?

01 Wednesday Nov 2023

Posted by in Ask an Editor, Tips and Tools

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“Ask an Editor” is a quarterly forum wherein SCBWI members submit questions that are answered as part of our Kite Tales blog.

Hi Christine—I’ve finished the first draft of my middle-grade mystery but still have a ways to go before it’s ready for me to submit it to literary agents. When do I start writing my query letter?—Ava, Los Angeles

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­­­Calling All Illustrators: Be a Mentor in 2024! But first, a word from our 2023 mentor…

25 Wednesday Oct 2023

Posted by in Contests & Grants, Los Angeles, Mentorship Contest

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by Cara J. Stevens

I’ve been a member of SCBWI since the late ’90s, when I gave a talk on writing for children via a new platform at the time: the World Wide Web. Since then, I have been involved with SCBWI on and off throughout the years as my career took me in and out of the children’s writing world.

Last year, as I did my annual check-in at the last-100-days-of-the-year mark, I looked back on the amazingly good fortune I’ve had in working with many editors and publishing mentors. As I planned ahead for the coming year, I decided to make 2023 a year of giving back to the children’s writing community. Within the course of the next one hundred days, I embarked on a journey to self-publish a guide to writing picture-perfect picture books, started a picture book writing podcast, and reconnected with SCBWI.

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