19 Wednesday Jul 2023
Posted in Ask an Editor, Tips and Tools
Tags
#AskanEditor, authors, Christine Van Zandt, editor, middle grade, novel, picture book, publishing, writing tips, YA
“Ask an Editor” is a quarterly forum wherein SCBWI members submit questions that are answered as part of our Kite Tales blog.
Hi Christine–When I queried my YA novel to a few agents, one sent me an “R&R” (revise and resubmit) request. Should I do this?—Effie, Los Angeles
07 Wednesday Jun 2023
Posted in Toot Your Horn!
Tags
board book, Graphic Novels, middle grade, nonfiction, picture book, published, publishing, SCBWI community, SCBWI members, young adult
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!
17 Wednesday May 2023
Posted in Ask an Editor, Tips and Tools
“Ask an Editor” is a forum wherein SCBWI members submit questions that are answered quarterly as part of our Kite Tales blog.
Hi Christine–Since you write nonfiction, are you an expert on those topics? How much does an author need to know to write nonfiction and get it published?—Gen, Pasadena
22 Wednesday Mar 2023
Posted in Contests & Grants, Mentorship Contest
by Cara J. Stevens
Note: In January, we invited picture book authors to apply for a six-month mentorship with one of our Published and Listed members. This year’s mentor, Cara J. Stevens, joins us to announce the winner and share some of the submission highlights.
I was blown away by the submissions I received for this year’s mentorship contest. Each story showed promise, and each author’s interview responses showed just how ready they all are to take their picture book writing to the next level.
Continue reading01 Wednesday Mar 2023
Posted in Toot Your Horn!
Tags
board book, middle grade, nonfiction, nonfiction anthology, picture book, published, publishing, SCBWI community, SCBWI members, young adult
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!
22 Wednesday Feb 2023
Posted in Author's Perspective, Illustrator's Perspective
Tags
authors, illustrator tips, illustrators, Molly Ruttan, picture book, publishing, SCBWI members, Something Wild, writing tips
Molly Ruttan’s gorgeously illustrated, award-winning picture books often feature gently humorous, fantastical happenings cast within real-life settings. This unique perspective is at the forefront in the forthcoming Something Wild, which publishes next week (2023, Nancy Paulsen Books / Penguin Random House). Something Wild is the recipient of a Kirkus starred review.
Judy Faulkner: Welcome back to Kite Tales, Molly! You’ve been super busy since your appearance in 2019, when your illustrator debut, I Am a Thief!, came out. Now your fourth book is about to launch—your second as author-illustrator. Tell us about it!
Molly Ruttan: Thank you so much for having me back! It’s always such a pleasure to connect with my SCBWI family.
Continue reading25 Wednesday Jan 2023
Posted in Ask an Editor, Tips and Tools
Tags
agency, authors, character development, Henry Cole, Jacqueline Woodson, Leo Espinosa, main character, MC, MG, picture book, writing tips, YA
“Ask an Editor” is a forum wherein SCBWI members submit questions that are answered as part of our quarterly Kite Tales blog.
Hi Christine–The feedback I received from an agent on my picture book was that my main character “lacks agency.” What does this mean and how can I fix it?—Michelle, Burbank
04 Wednesday Jan 2023
Posted in Author's Perspective, Contests & Grants, Mentorship Contest
Tags
contests, illustrators, Joseph Taylor, mentorship, picture book, Sarah Gottlieb, SCBWI members, writer
by Sarah Gottlieb
About this time last year, I was drowning in “champagne rejections.” I had a wonderful but complicated idea and had spent a lot of time working on a manuscript and query letter. What was causing agents to write complimentary emails but not take the plunge? Or worse, to say, “Call me if someone makes you an offer!” I knew I had a great idea—the agents said as much—but I didn’t know why they wouldn’t bite.
I thought of all of the writers I’d met and wondered if a mentor could help. I checked SCBWI-L.A. to see if they had any information on mentorships and, to my delight, this very mentorship contest was open for submission. AND the mentor was Joseph Taylor, the editor of MUSE, the children’s science magazine. I couldn’t believe my luck.
Continue reading23 Wednesday Nov 2022
Posted in Toot Your Horn!
Tags
biography, middle grade, picture book, published, publishing, SCBWI community, SCBWI members, young adult
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!
02 Wednesday Nov 2022
Posted in Contests & Grants, Writers Days
Tags
authors, Laurie L. Young, middle grade, Nicholas Ponticello, Patricia Toht, picture book, Ronna Mandel, SCBWI events, Vincent X. Kirsch, young adult
by Brenda Scott Royce, Contest Coordinator
A highlight of Writers Day every year is the announcement of the winners of the writing contest. It’s not only exciting for the lucky ones called to the stage—hearing what the judges had to say about the stand-out manuscripts can also be instructive and inspiring for the rest of us. While cheering on our fellow writers, we just may hear something that sparks an idea for a revision or a whole new story.
Please join us in celebrating the 2022 Writers Day Contest runners-up and winners, who were announced at the SCBWI-L.A./CenCal Writers Day event on Saturday, October 23. Excerpts from the judges’ comments are included in the list of honorees below. If you’d like to contact any of the winners to request their manuscript or discuss publication, please let us know!
Continue reading
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