10 Wednesday Jun 2020
Posted in Great News!
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!
Continue reading20 Wednesday May 2020
Posted in Toot Your Horn!
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!
15 Wednesday Apr 2020
Posted in Tips and Tools
Photo by Prateek Katyal on Pexels.com
Times are strange. Staying inside and shifting to work from home might be new for some, but for those of us used to camping out at our computers for long hours writing and editing on sunny weekends it can feel like an extension of the routine. Both of these realities can be jarring, and sometimes alienating. Especially when it seems like the world is falling apart. Here at Kite Tales we want to let you know: you’re not alone; we’ll get through this; and take some time for healing, whether it be writing or just watching your favorite movie.
In that spirit, we wanted to help provide you with some resources that you can access online. From webinars to virtual meetups, there is a great community of kidlit writers and illustrators sharing thoughts and inspiration.
04 Wednesday Mar 2020
Posted in Toot Your Horn!
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!
26 Wednesday Feb 2020
Posted in Down The Rabbit Hole
by Dawne Knobbe
We’re excited to announce that Down the Rabbit Hole, an SCBWI Los Angeles field trip, is back and will be held on May 17, 2020! This Sunday field trip began in 2005 with SCBWI-LA offering members a new experience – an adventure designed to help participants discover a deep and truthful essence of their characters while bonding with other creative souls.
Since 2005, our character-focused adventures have explored many Southern California settings. We’ve ventured by train to both Carpinteria and San Juan Capistrano and then by ferry to Santa Catalina. We’ve boarded the Queen Mary, and explored the Huntington Gardens and The Getty.
If you’d like to know more about what’s in store for you Down the Rabbit Hole this year, keep reading!
12 Wednesday Feb 2020
Posted in Contests & Grants, Mentorship Contest
by Cheryl Manning
The SCBWI Los Angeles region offers a plethora of events and contests for writers and illustrators throughout the year. I’ve been inspired and enlightened by many of them, but the Mentorship Contest stands out. Here are six reasons why my mentorship was so meaningful.
1. Favorite New Author
I was writing a middle grade novel and therefore reading mostly books in that genre. When I found out that YA author Catherine Linka had chosen to mentor me, I purchased her novels A Girl Called Fearless and A Girl Undone. Instead of prepping my manuscript to send off, I began reading Catherine’s first book and was sucked into Avie’s story of survival in search of freedom. Within one chapter, Catherine’s storytelling skills and authentic dialog had me hooked. By the end of her second book, I knew that I was the luckiest mentee on the planet. When I found out that her newest novel, What I Want You to See, was about to launch, I knew I’d be the first in line.
2. Memorable First Words
05 Wednesday Feb 2020
Posted in Great News!
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!
25 Wednesday Dec 2019
Posted in Los Angeles
20 Friday Dec 2019
Posted in Central Coast
Image by Laura-Susan Thomas.
11 Wednesday Dec 2019
Posted in Contests & Grants, Writers Days
Tags
awards, contests, middle grade, picture books, published, SCBWI community, SCBWI events, young adult
by Karol Ruth Silverstein, SCBWI-L.A. Contest Coordinator
2019 Picture Book category winner Sue Schmitt. (Photo by India Schmitt)
The SCBWI-L.A. annual Writers Day will be held March 28, 2020 and, as usual, there will be a manuscript contest open to all who register for the event. Whether you’ll be attending the event for the first time or you’ve been to so many Writers Days you’ve lost count, entering the contest is a fun and valuable part of the experience.
Submissions will be accepted in four categories—Picture Book, Middle Grade novel, Young Adult novel and Other (which includes non-fiction and poetry). Instructions for entering will be included on the 2020 Writers Day event information page. The contest opens as soon as registration goes live, which will be sometime in December. Winners receive a free written critique from one of the Writers Day faculty members PLUS free tuition to Writers Day 2021 (or equivalent).
In recent years, the Writers Day contest has been particularly prescient when it comes to recognizing promising work. Continue reading
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