Tag Archives: Critique Day

Treasure Chest: January 2026

07 Wednesday Jan 2026

Posted by in Contests & Grants, Industry Conferences, PAL, Treasure Chest, Tri-Regional News

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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
Last chance to register for the annual SCBWI 2026 Winter Conference in New York City! Join us from Friday, January 16, 2026, to Sunday, January 18, 2026, at the Marriott Marquis Times Square. Upon registering for the in-person conference, you will also get a $20 discount on the Virtual Winter Conference! The cost to attend does not include accommodations. For more information on how to book your room, click the link here.

Illustration by Merrill Rainey

OPEN NOW
If you can’t make it to New York City for the in-person conference, click here to register for the SCBWI 2026 Virtual Winter Conference! From Friday, February 6, 2026, to Saturday, February 7, 2026, “join us online for exclusive industry panels, hands-on sessions focused on the craft of writing and illustrating children’s books, plus valuable networking with fellow creators. Whether you’re looking to sharpen your skills, gain insider knowledge, or connect with other talented authors and illustrators, this event is for you! If you can’t make it to the live sessions, video replays will be available to view through March 15th.”

OPEN NOW
Registration for the 2026 SCBWI SoCal Art Day Story Bloom: A Creative Workshop for Illustrators, Picture Book Writers and Graphic Novelists is now open! “Spend the day exploring guided art exercises, story-building activities, and collaborative play with fellow creators” on Saturday, March 14, 2026 from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM at the Laguna College of Art and Design, Big Bend Campus. Early bird prices are offered until January 31, 2026 so grab your seat today!

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Treasure Chest: January 2025

03 Friday Jan 2025

Posted by in Contests & Grants, Critique Day, Industry Conferences, PAL, SCBWI Mentorship Program, Treasure Chest, Tri-Regional News, Writers Retreat, Writers' Retreat

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Events, Opportunities, and Resources happening now and coming soon for the Tri-Regions and beyond

OPEN NOW
Make sure you register for the in-person 2025 SCBWI Winter Conference in New York City and book your stay soon! “Special rates of $215 per night (plus tax) are available for attendees on single and double rooms. A limited number of rooms are available at this rate up until January 6, 2025.” Click here to learn more! For those who are unable to attend the in-person conference in New York City, the Virtual Winter Conference 2025 will be taking place February 21–22, 2025.

OPEN NOW
Join us at the beautiful Laguna College of Art & Design on March 15, 2025 for 2025 Art Day: Illustrators and Writers Connect, SCBWI SoCal! This “one day hand-so workshop for illustrators, picture book writers, graphic novelists and author-illustrators” will include “presentations, interactive activities and off-site written critiques.” Registration is now open so click here to sign up!

OPEN NOW
Register for the 2025 SCBWI SoCal Tahquitz MG-YA Writers Retreat! This “four-day small-group intensive writer retreat” will take place from May 1, 2025 to May 4, 2025 in Idyllwild-Pine Cove. “You’ll be able to hone your craft and polish your manuscript with the guidance of industry professionals.” Spots are going very quickly so sign up today!

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SCBWI CenCal Save the Dates: Fall and Winter Events 2022

12 Wednesday Oct 2022

Posted by in Central Coast, Critique Day, Tri-Regional News

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by Ann Rousseau Smith, SCBWI CenCal News Liaison

Join us for a couple of fun programs this coming November and December. If you have ever wondered what it would be like to write for a small press, be with us in November for our Small Press Webinar. Also, we will be holding a Critique-a Thon, online, in December. Please see the details below for both events.

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SCBWI-L.A.’s Virtual Critique Day 2020

05 Wednesday Aug 2020

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by W. R. Miller

Like the rest of the world in 2020, COVID-19 had crippled SCBWI events. No longer could we meet, and network, and learn at various LitMingles and conventions. 

Or could we? Thanks to the internet, we could—and did.

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Your 2020 Guide to Book Festivals, Conventions, and SCBWI Events

15 Wednesday Jan 2020

Posted by in Industry Conferences, Industry News, Writers Days

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Need a creative pick me up? How about a new avenue for book promotion? Or maybe you just need some quality time with like-minded writers and illustrators working on their craft. SCBWI has you covered on the craft of kidlit and our region’s list of local book festivals and conventions is sure to broaden your creative perspectives!

SCBWI Sponsored Events for 2020

MARCH 28
Writers Day
Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles
WritersDay_Panel_2019
Dive into craft and “Discover the Words Worth Keeping” with a full day of keynotes, critiques and agent pitch sessions. A special pre-event intensive with Harold Underdown will also give a new perspective on approaching revision to polish your work in progress. Contests, manuscript reviews and scholarships will also be available. Need more insight? Read author Charlotte Offsay’s recap of last year here.

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Critiquenic 2017 offers children’s authors community, feedback on works in progress

28 Wednesday Jun 2017

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By Claire Moore

From left: Sue Ganz-Schmitt, Sue Berger, Claire Moore at Critiquenic 2017.So you’ve written a book – devoted countless hours (hopefully you weren’t actually counting) toward its creation. Bravo! Well done! But wait, how do you know if your book reads as you imagined, or that you’re on the right track? Critique groups, baby.

“They’re necessary,” said Sue Berger, a published author and one of the minds behind The Pen and Ink Blog, a blog devoted to the “wild, wild world of children’s literature.” This is why the Los Angeles chapter of SCBWI hosts a Critiquenic each year. This year’s event took place on Sunday, June 11th at the Skirball Cultural Center.

More than 70 writers – some aspiring, some published but beginning new works – gathered to give and receive feedback on their picture books, chapter books, middle grade, and young adult manuscripts. For longer manuscripts, writers kept their critiques to the first five pages.

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