20 Wednesday Jul 2022
Posted in Author's Perspective, PAL, Tips and Tools
Tags
Andy Cohen, cliffhangers, dialogue, middle grade, plotting, reality TV, SCBWI members, scenes, writing tips
by Toni Gallagher
Have you ever wondered why you sometimes can’t turn off a reality show? Sure, they have colorful cast members and outrageous premises, but producers need to craft every episode, scene by scene, to hold a viewer’s interest. So what does it really take to create scenes that satisfy?
Continue reading13 Wednesday Jul 2022
Posted in Contests & Grants, Writers Days
Tags
Christine Van Zandt, contests, Erica Rich, middle grade, Nicholas Ponticello, nonfiction, picture books, poetry, SCBWI events, SCBWI members, Toni Gallagher, Writers Day 2022, young adult
by Brenda Scott Royce
Why do we enter writing contests? Prizes are awfully nice, and hearing your name announced as the winner is a definite thrill. But perhaps even more motivating is the validation that comes with recognition of your work. There’s nothing like learning that the speck of an idea you plucked from thin air and coaxed into shape over weeks, months, or maybe even years, actually has wings and can fly.
Continue reading06 Wednesday Jul 2022
Posted in Author's Perspective, PAL, Tips and Tools
Tags
authors, character development, comedy, humor, improv, plot, SCBWI members, stakes, writing tips
by Jorjeana Marie
I sat next to a somewhat distracted woman on an airplane recently. As she was settling, she asked me why I too was headed into the desert.
For comedy.
“In the desert?”
Yeah. Everyone needs to laugh right now.
Continue reading29 Wednesday Jun 2022
Posted in Community Corner, Great News!, Toot Your Horn!
Have a topic you’d like to share with your fellow kidlit community? Want to share your process and inspire other writers or illustrators? Or maybe you have a list of incredible authors you’d like to interview but no idea where you can publish it? Let Kite Tales be your outlet for creative community and discussion!
Continue reading22 Wednesday Jun 2022
Posted in Author's Perspective, PAL, Tips and Tools
Tags
authors, indie-publishing, marketing, publicity, publishing, reviews, SCBWI community, SCBWI members, self-publishing
by R.S. Mellette
So was it worth it? Hiring a publicist. Spending $20,000 to promote Kiya And The Morian Treasure, from a traditional publisher that’s no bigger than a self-published author? Let’s look at the numbers.
Continue reading15 Wednesday Jun 2022
Posted in Author's Perspective, PAL, Tips and Tools
Tags
editing, kidlit, plot, reality TV, SCBWI members, structure, writing tips
by Toni Gallagher
Reality TV might be a guilty pleasure for many, but believe it or not, there are storytelling secrets in those wild, dramatic, and silly shows that can truly improve your writing. How do I know?
Well, I had two middle grade novels published by Random House while I worked as an Executive Producer on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills! And after working for almost 30 (gulp) years in the business, I have seen how the rules of reality TV can punch up a story in need. Hopefully, the things I’ve learned can help you too.
Continue reading08 Wednesday Jun 2022
Posted in Critique Day, Tips and Tools
This weekend on June 12th, SCBWI-L.A. will be hosting its annual Critique Day which is open to all members of SCBWI. Creatives from all over the tri-regions (and beyond) will have the opportunity to share their work with each other in a safe and structured environment. It is one of the best places to get started when taking those first steps into honing your craft without having to fully commit to a class or pay for a workshop. This event is always free to our members. (Registration for this year’s event is now closed, however, so be sure to check back on the regional page for next time!)
But we’re here to talk about getting the most out of that critique. For first timers it can be nerve-racking just having someone else read your work, but for the seasoned pro it might be a testing ground for an experimental piece. Both need open and honest feedback about the work, but with only a few minutes to read and talk about each piece, how can we best make use of that time?
Continue reading01 Wednesday Jun 2022
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 reading18 Wednesday May 2022
Posted in Author's Perspective, Community Corner, PAL
Tags
authors, Conventions, CoyCast, LA Comic Con, marketing, publicity, publishing, SCBWI members, SciFi.radio, WonderCon, writing tips
by R.S. Mellette
This blog-umentary started out as an analysis of hiring a PR firm for a small-press book, and I promise we’ll get back to that, but to assess that value for the month of April I have to fill you in on some personal backstory.
You might want to get a tissue.
Continue reading11 Wednesday May 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!
Kite Tales 