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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!
LAST CALL—MAY 27
Entries for the SCBWI LA Mentorship Contest 2026 are due at 11:59 p.m. on May 27, 2026! This six-month mentorship with author-educator Rebecca Langston-George “is open to authors in the earlier stage of their career. Rebecca is equally comfortable with fiction or nonfiction writers and happy to help with picture books, middle grade, or young adult. While Rebecca is open to most genres, she is not the best fit for rhyme (internal rhyme is okay), romance, or high fantasy.” To learn more about the contest, click the link here. Submissions must be emailed to scbwilacontests@gmail.com.
LAST CALL—MAY 31
If you haven’t already bought your ticket for the SCBWI-LA Writers and Illustrators Day: The Pen and the Palette, register today! “Join us for Writers and Illustrators Day as we celebrate the art of storytelling to children through both word and image. We’re offering a day of marvelous industry speakers, networking with friends (old and new), and playful opportunities to build community. We hope you’ll leave inspired and empowered to craft stories that reflect the beauty, complexity, and wonder of childhood.” Speakers will include Andrea Brown Literary Agency senior agent Jamie Weiss Chilton, Delacorte Press/Penguin Random House executive editor Kelsey Horton, Donald Maass Literary Agency literary agent Kiana (Kiki) Nguyen, and painter, designer, writer, and illustrator Eugene Yelchin. For more information on registration, dates, times, and location, click the link here.
SAVE THE DATE—JUNE 6
Add the annual SCBWI-LA Critique Day to your calendars on June 6, 2026! Critique Day is a free event on Zoom where you can “share your words or illustrations with a supportive small group who will give you feedback on your efforts.” Once the event page is listed, make sure to register so that we can send you the free Zoom link! “PLEASE NOTE: You are not registered until you press the green BOOK A SEAT button at the bottom of the registration page. You may need to scroll to the bottom or reduce the size of your screen if you haven’t found it.”
OPEN NOW
Submissions for the SCBWI Crystal Kite Member Choice Awards are open until midnight PST May 31, 2026! “You must be a current member to nominate your book and at the time the award announcement is made. This award is open to SCBWI authors, illustrators, and translators.” Round 1 of the voting process will take place from June 1, 2026, through June 22, 2026, midnight PST. Click the link here to submit today!
SAVE THE DATE—JULY 30–AUGUST 2
Take your children’s book career to the next level at the Virtual SCBWI Summer Conference 2026! “Dive into every aspect of the children’s book world, from writing and illustrating to translating, marketing, and self-publishing. Put your art in front of industry pros in the career-launching Portfolio Showcase. And get inspired by sessions tailored for illustrators, picture book authors, nonfiction writers, graphic novel creators, and more—no matter your path or publishing background. Best of all? You’ll have access to all sessions through September 13th, so you can learn and grow at your own pace. Join us and invest in your passion. It’s time to bring your stories to life!” Registration for this fabulous online conference will be open in early June so stay tuned!
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.
Kite Tales 