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Tag Archives: SCBWI events

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

14 Friday Jun 2019

Posted by Farrha Khan in PAL, Tips and Tools

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

networking, PAL events, promotions, published, SCBWI events, tips

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 →

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

12 Wednesday Jun 2019

Posted by Erlina Vasconcellos in Critique Day

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

critique groups, critiquing, editing, SCBWI community, SCBWI events, writing

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 →

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

17 Wednesday Apr 2019

Posted by Sarah Parker-Lee in Contests & Grants, SAG, Writers' Retreat

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agents, critiques, critiquing, Julia Edwards, published, publishing, SAG, SCBWI community, SCBWI events

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 →

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Writers Day 2019: Tenacity, Writing with Respect, and Other Takeaways

12 Friday Apr 2019

Posted by Erlina Vasconcellos in Author's Perspective, Writers Days

≈ 1 Comment

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Abigail Samoun, Cornelia Funke, Frances Gilbert, Lee Wind, SCBWI community, SCBWI events, Steve Mooser

By Charlotte Offsay

On March 9, writers swarmed the Skirball Cultural Center for SCBWI’s annual L.A. Writers Day conference. The day was packed with wisdom, tips, and motivation. Here are some of my favorite takeaways from the event.

The publishing industry is subjective, do your research and don’t give up!

Doubleday Books Editor Frances Gilbert cited being bored, an overly complicated plot, or an over-published topic among her reasons for rejecting manuscripts. She shared her own journey as an author and highlighted the subjective nature of this business – one of her manuscripts was called too specific by one publisher and too vague by another. She encouraged authors to do their research before submitting to find the right home and champion for their manuscript.

Continue reading →

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Break In with Work-For-Hire Webinar

05 Friday Apr 2019

Posted by Sarah Parker-Lee in Central Coast, Tips and Tools, Tri-Regional News

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Christine Peterson, educational writing, literacy support, nonfiction, SCBWI events, SCBWI members, webinar, work-for-hire, write for hire

By Ann Rousseau Smith, SCBWI CenCal News Liaison

Wouldn’t it be nice if editors approached you, asking if you’re available to write a book? That’s the reality of the work-for-hire market, for fiction, nonfiction, or illustration. If you’d like to learn the secret to breaking in through work-for-hire, what to send and how to be successful, SCBWI-CenCal and Capstone Senior Managing Editor, Curriculum Strategy Christine Peterson have a webinar made just for you!

Capstone is a publisher of K-8 children’s books and digital solutions for libraries, classrooms, and consumers headquartered in Mankato, Minnesota. Christine has been with Capstone for 16 years, and has specialized in nonfiction content for K-5 students, including supplemental nonfiction texts, guided reading and literacy support materials, and curriculum instruction. They need writers and illustrators for their projects, but what are the benefits to you? Continue reading →

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Los Angeles SCBWI Writers Day 2019 Manuscript Contest: And The Winners Are…

13 Wednesday Mar 2019

Posted by Sarah Parker-Lee in Contests & Grants, Writers Days

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

middle grade, nonfiction, picture book, SCBWI community, SCBWI events, SCBWI members, young adult

By Karol Ruth Silverstein, Contest Coordinator

It was another year of very strong entries in the SCBWI L.A. Writers Day Contest. As usual, manuscripts were submitted in four categories: Young Adult, Middle Grade, Picture Book, and Other (which includes poetry and non-fiction). First place winners in each category receive free tuition to next year’s Writer’s Day, as well as a manuscript critique from one of this year’s faculty members. If you’d like to contact any of the winners to request their manuscript or discuss publication, please let us know!

Our much-appreciated anonymous judges selected the following 10 honorees: Continue reading →

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SCBWI Webinars: Query Letter Help, Professional Manuscript Critiques, and More!

30 Wednesday Jan 2019

Posted by Sarah Parker-Lee in Tips and Tools

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critiques, query letter, SCBWI events, SCBWI members, webinars

By Kim Wildman, SCBWI-L.A. Assistant Regional Advisor

One of the things I love about being a writer is that I’m constantly learning. Yes, I’m writing, but I’m also reading books, studying other writers’ sentences, and listening to authors talk about their craft or their challenges. Learning together is one way SCBWI is a community to me.

Recently, I’ve taken advantage of SCBWI webinars, a resource that helps me learn in a relaxed and easy way. How easy? Bathrobe-at-my-kitchen-table easy. Continue reading →

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Authors Lee Wind and Alexis O’Neill on Meeting Your Readers and Writing the Hard Stuff

23 Wednesday Jan 2019

Posted by Sarah Parker-Lee in Author's Perspective, Writers Days

≈ 1 Comment

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Alexis O'Neill, Lee Wind, Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill, SCBWI community, SCBWI events, SCBWI members, The Recess Queen

Alexis at a school visit.

This year’s SCBWI-L.A. WritersDay boasts some fantastic faculty members, all dedicated to helping attendees get to know the kids, editors, and others who make up their target audience. Two of those faculty members are former SCBWI Regional Advisors and current authors, Alexis O’Neill and Lee Wind. Alexis is a veteran teacher, author, and popular school visit presenter. Her books include The Recess Queen, Loud Emily, The Kite That Bridged Two Nations, and more. Lee is the author of the young adult novel, Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill, named a BookLife Prize Semi-Finalist, one of Publishers Weekly’s Top Five Independently Published Middle Grade and Young Adult Books of 2018, and is the founding blogger and publisher of I’m Here. I’m Queer. What The Hell Do I Read?, an award-winning website about books, culture, and empowerment for Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans, Questioning and Queer youth, and their Allies. And it’s our lucky day because both of them agreed let us pick their beautiful brains leading up to Writers Day!

SARAH PARKER-LEE: We’re so excited to have you both as faculty this year! Alexis, whose column for the SCBWI Bulletin, “The Truth About School Visits,” has been helping members since 2006,is doing a breakout session about new research on school visits. Interacting with readers is a universal experience for kid lit authors. Can you both tell us about one of your most meaningful ones? Or one of your early blunders, so we can learn from your mistakes?  Continue reading →

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Story Coach and SCBWI-CenCal Workshop Leader Lisa Cron on Plot vs. Story and Why Backstory is Crucial to Both

04 Friday Jan 2019

Posted by Sarah Parker-Lee in Author's Perspective, Central Coast, Tips and Tools, Tri-Regional News

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Lisa Cron, SCBWI events, Story Genius, Wired for Story, workshop, writing workshop

By Ann Rousseau Smith, SCBWI CenCal News Liaison

Lisa Cron, story analyst, speaker, UCLA Extension Writers’ Program instructor, faculty member of the School of Visual Arts MFA program in New York City, and author of Wired for Story and Story Genius, will be leading a workshop, Wired for Story: Becoming a Story Genius with Story Coach Lisa Cron, on Saturday, February 16, 2019, in Santa Barbara.

Lisa has worked as a story consultant for Warner Brothers and the William Morris Agency. As a story coach, she has helped writers, nonprofits, educators, and organizations master the power of story.

Lisa agreed to answer some questions ahead of her February workshop.

ANN ROUSSEAU SMITH: We are looking forward to your visit to the SCBWI CenCal region. What is a story coach? Continue reading →

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Calling All SCBWI-L.A. PAL Illustrators: Be a Mentor In 2019!

12 Wednesday Dec 2018

Posted by Sarah Parker-Lee in Contests & Grants, Mentorship Contest

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Andrea J. Loney, Catherine Linka, Kathy Kottaras, mentoring, mentors, mentorship, SCBWI events, SCBWI members, Wade Bradford

By Karol Ruth Silverstein, SCBWI-L.A. Contest Coordinator

For the past four years, SCBWI-L.A. has been offering mentorships to pre-published members, switching between writers and illustrators. It will be illustrators’ turn again in 2019, and that’s where out PAL illustrators come in!

As past mentors can tell you, the experience is incredibly rewarding. We asked some of them to share about why they decided to throw their hats in the ring and how they’ve benefitted themselves from being mentors.

Here’s what they had to say: Continue reading →

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What is SCBWI?

Founded in 1971 by a group of Los Angeles-based children's writers, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators is a non-profit, 501 (c)3 organization. There are currently more than 22,000 members worldwide, in over 70 regional chapters writing and illustrating in all genres for young readers, making it the largest children's writing organization in the world.

Member Benefits

Members of SCBWI receive exclusive access to tools, information, and industry professionals as well conferences, workshops, and critiques. Click HERE to find out more. Join us and take your writing to the next level!

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