Five Tips for Event Promotion from SCBWI-L.A. PAL Makers Mixer

14 Friday Jun 2019

Posted by in PAL, Tips and Tools

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , ,

by E. L. Tenenbaum

makers-mixer-e-l-tenenbaum1 Last month, SCBWI-L.A. held its first Makers Mixer, which gave SCBWI PAL members — agented or not — a chance to pitch intellectual property to film and TV representatives. However, a major highlight of the evening came in-between pitches, when writers and illustrators chatted with fellow authors, sharing ideas, experiences, and encouragement. Here are five takeaways from the night to help promote you and your work at events.

  1. Be Display Ready

Of course, your book is coming with you to events, but can you make it stand out in the limited space you have? Continue reading →

Peer2Peer Critique Day 2019: Leave Your First-Timer Worries Behind

12 Wednesday Jun 2019

Posted by in Critique Day

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , , ,

By Amber June Davis

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I walked into the Skirball Cultural Center on June 2, for my first Peer2Peer Critique Day. I’d been to critique groups and workshops over the years, but none with a professional reputation like SCBWI’s. My hands shook a little. Who would be there? Would they all be vastly more experienced than me? But I knew I was ready to take this step, and had six copies of a picture book manuscript I was proud of tucked under my arm. I pushed through the courtyard door.

Continue reading →

Illustrator Joie Foster on How to Stop Rushing Towards “Next” and Steamrolling Your Achievements

05 Wednesday Jun 2019

Posted by in Illustrator's Perspective, Tips and Tools

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , ,

By Joie Foster

You work toward a goal for ages, but when you finally achieve it, it feels like nothing more than a checkbox to be crossed off on your way to the next thing. Your sweet victory suddenly tastes so bland. Sound familiar? You’re not alone. Today I’m going to share three tips to help you stop moving your creative goalposts and celebrate wins! Continue reading →

Interview with Seth Fishman, Nonfiction Picture Book Author

29 Wednesday May 2019

Posted by in Author's Perspective

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

Maybe you’ve come across SETH FISHMAN’s award-winning book A Hundred Billion Trillion Stars. Or, perhaps you attended his Keynote Presentation at SCBWI LA’s 2018 Writers Day event. His books are rocking the nonfiction picture book world

CHRISTINE VAN ZANDT: Welcome to Kite Tales! It’s great to see a local writer doing so well. Let’s talk a bit about nonfiction picture books. In your latest book, Power Up: Your Incredible, Spectacular, Supercharged Body, you shift the focus from the amazing universe around us to the fascinating world inside our bodies. Power Up has an engaging story line and is loaded with cool facts. Do you have any advice for aspiring children’s nonfiction picture book writers? Continue reading →

Author Catherine Linka on Getting an Agent: It’s All About Fit

22 Wednesday May 2019

Posted by in Author's Perspective

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , ,

By Catherine Linka, author

Getting an agent is about finding the right fit, because the agent who will sell your work successfully is the person who loves to sell what you love to write. 

Agents champion books they believe in. They work unpaid until they get you a book contract.

And they are also human beings. They may love rom coms, but not horror. If you write rom coms and they love to read rom coms, they’ll be more likely to read your submission. They’ll be more likely to have sold rom coms and to know which editors are fans of rom coms. They will be more aware of the other rom coms in the marketplace.

Continue reading →

Toot Your Horn!

17 Friday May 2019

Posted by in Toot Your Horn!

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,

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 hi-fives welcome in the comments!

 

Continue reading →

2019 Mentor Bethany Barton Has Selected Her Mentee!

15 Wednesday May 2019

Posted by in Contests & Grants, Mentorship Contest

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,

By Bethany Barton, author/illustrator

Have you ever gotten a restaurant menu where everything looks so delicious, it’s nearly impossible to decide? That’s what it felt like going through the applications for SCBWI’s 2019 Mentorship contest! Too much good stuff!

First of all, I want to thank everyone who applied. It’s not always easy to share our artwork with the world, and so many of you were willing. I feel privileged to have gotten my eyes on what you create. I was blown away by the talent on display in every one of this year’s mentorship applicants. The passion for the craft of visual storytelling for children could be seen (and often felt!) in every image that popped into my inbox and I was oh-so-inspired to see the gifts you have to offer young readers. Please keep drawing, please keep painting, please keep telling stories with your images. You must. We didn’t work together this time, but I look forward to seeing your books on shelves, hearing about your successes, and high-fiving you at SCBWI events.

And now, without further ado, I’d love to introduce the world to my mentee: Continue reading →

Seven Things I Learned After Publishing My First Book

08 Wednesday May 2019

Posted by in Author's Perspective, Tips and Tools

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , ,

by Helena Ku Rhee, Author

Helena with her muse Sherwin

EDITOR’S NOTE: Helena Ku Rhee grew up in Los Angeles, but has also lived in various parts of the U.S., Asia and Europe. Currently, Helena works at a movie studio by day and as a writer by night and weekends. Her debut picture book, The Turtle Ship (Lee and Low), is available now! Today, she shares seven things she learned after publishing her book and you’re going to want to learn them, too!

I’ve always loved learning about a writer’s journey — especially about the path of a debut author, with his or her very first book out in the world. Now that almost a year has gone by since the release of my debut picture book, I wanted to share seven learnings to help writers who are journeying towards their own exhilarating debut.

  1. Your dream will keep expanding and evolving.

During what I refer to as the “Rejection Years,” I used to think I’d be so happy to get just one book published. Continue reading →

#KT250 Winning Entries, 2nd Quarter 2019

24 Wednesday Apr 2019

Posted by in #KT250, Contests & Grants

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

, ,

#KT250 is a Kite Tales quarterly community contest! We’re proud to announce this quarter’s winners and share the first 250 words of their unpublished manuscripts. We encourage agents, publishers, and mentors to reach out to any they find intriguing!

To find out how YOU can enter for next quarter, check out contest info here. Entries are now being accepted for next quarter!

GRAND PRIZE WINNER: Continue reading →

Sue Alexander Grant is Open for Submissions! Here’s Why You Should Apply!

17 Wednesday Apr 2019

Posted by in Contests & Grants, SAG, Writers' Retreat

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

By Julia Edwards 

If you are thinking about applying to SCBWI-LA’s Sue Alexander Grant, JUST DO IT! It was the best thing I could have done for my middle grade manuscript — twice! In 2017, I applied with a very early draft of Anno Catti: In the Year of Our Catand was lucky to be the first runner-up. Then, in 2018, after major rewrites, I applied again and received top honors and a free ride (!) to the coveted Working Writers Retreat weekend.

For those who have never been to WWR, here’s the deal: Continue reading →