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Kerrie
Registered User
(4/10/01 2:55:11 pm)
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SCBWI Conference in May
members.aol.com/nescbwi/springconf.html
For those who like to get a head start, there's a conference in May in Sturbridge, MA for the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (you may need to be a member, I'm not sure). The list of workshops sounds great and I'm having a difficult time choosing. One that relates more to our board theme:
6. Folktales: The Soul of a Culture
Book and magazine publishers have always been interested in stories from other cultures. Today their standards for authenticity and literary quality are very high. Edna Ledgard, author of The Snake Prince and Other Stories: Burmese Folk Tales, explores how to research and retell folktales with respect.
A few that could relate:
15. Poetry Anthologies: How They Come Together
If you write poetry for children or teenagers, anthologies are a prime market. Poet and anthologist Michael R. Strickland describes how these books are conceived, assembled, and published, sharing ideas on both what makes a poem powerful and what editors look for as they create anthologies.
27. Writing for Themed Magazines
Children's magazines that assemble each issue around a theme, such as Hopscotch and Odyssey, are a growing market. Barbara Burt, Co-Editor of AppleSeeds, leads us through the making of one of these issues: how the editors choose themes and select the best mix of material from their proposals.
Yes, these are more aimed at children's writers and illustrators, but there seems to be a growing number of those who create in the YA realm, which I think is getting a stronger recognition these days. An which I think some of us are finding a good bridge to be on. Hope to see some of you there!
Kerrie
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Heidi
Anne Heiner
ezOP
(4/10/01 3:03:39 pm)
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Re: SCBWI Conference in May
A SCBWI conference is always a great way to spend a day or two getting inspired to write more or again. I believe you don't have to be a member to attend the conference, it's just that the conference fee is higher for nonmembers. Many well-respected authors are members of SCBWI, including our own beloved Jane Yolen.
Membership also includes a publication that arrives every other month with tips, leads and the reminder to keep writing.
The national conference is usually held in August in LA although I haven't checked the location or dates yet for this year. If my brother's wedding doesn't interfere, I plan to be there.
Heidi
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Laura
McCaffrey
Registered User
(4/10/01 3:58:24 pm)
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Re: SCBWI Conference in May
Heidi is right. You may attend SCBWI conferences if you are not a current member, but the price is a bit higher - I believe $10 or so.
Anyone who writes for children or young adults should seriously consider becoming a member, especially if you don't have an agent. The newsletter and publishing news you get is very helpful - which editors in closed houses are accepting unsolicited submissions, which editors have moved where, articles about the craft of writing, etc. Mentioning that you're a SCBWI member is always impressive on a cover letter, and SCBWI also gives out grants in a variety of categories each year.
Unfortunately I won't be at the NE conference - maybe when my kids get a little bigger, I'll have the chance. I believe I have a friend or two going from my area but if someone from this board goes, I'd love to hear about the "Folktales: Soul of a Culture" workshop among others. Laura Mc
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tlchang
Registered User
(4/10/01 8:31:28 pm)
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Re: SCBWI Conference in May
I just attended our local, annual SCBWI conference here in Seattle last Saturday.
No membership required for attendance - though there are advantages to belonging. They do have a good website that will fill you in on all the info on the Society (I believe it is just www.SCBWI.org). SCBWI is also broken down by region and has chapters all over North America and in other parts of the world. One advantage to looking up your local chapter is that they can hook you up with other like-minded people for networking, training, information and critique groups. I've been a member of an SCBWI critique group for over 8 years and it has been invaluable for input and moral support if nothing else. :-)
The conferences can also be very good, as has been mentioned and some areas also have retreats. I attended one a few years ago in the Pocanos (where Jane Yolen was the key note speaker :-) She gets around! Hi, Jane)
It's a very informative, supportive, professional organization.
Tara
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cianalouise
Registered User
(4/11/01 7:26:54 am)
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Re: SCBWI Conference in May
Tara -
I'd like to know more about your experiences as an illustrator and how the SCBWI has helped you, if you don't mind me asking.
Please let me know how the conference goes - I won't be able to attend. I was at the mid-year conference in NYC in February and it was all right. As an illustrator, I have found the SCBWI to be not quite as useful as it is for writers and there are not nearly enough conference topics pertaining to illustrators' issues. But I still plan on being a member - I hope to get more involved in writing.
As an illustrator, I find myself drawn towards children's books, but then my stories seem more geared towards YA and I am not sure where to go. I like the freedom of fairy tales, in terms of the subject matter. But I also want to address more adult issues, which is difficult and sometimes awkward with children's picture books. Ah well - that's my 2 cents for now.
Luciana
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tlchang
Registered User
(4/11/01 9:04:19 am)
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Re: SCBWI and illustrators
Luciana,
I agree that SCBWI is more geared to writers - however, there is alot of illustrative support as well (some of this can be regional).
The conferences have been helpful for me, not so much the classes and lectures (though those are usually enjoyable), but because of the networking. I've gotten illustrative jobs from the majority of conferences I have attended. A lot of these are in the magazine market, rather than the book market - but that's a good place for me right now. (Magazine work is relatively quick and cost effective, while getting exposure and experience. Plus some of the larger mags have book imprints now - the Cricket Magazine group publishes about 10 different mags monthly or bi-monthly and has added their own line of books. "Highlights" is put out by the group the publishes Boyds Mills Press, etc... Connections are helpful - even if they don't publish what you are producing, if you have a relationship there, many times you can be lead to who does).
If you are writing and illustrating your own books, hearing the talks given by the book editors and art directors can let you know if they are the right ones to submit to - and most of the conferences I have attended have had illustrator critiques by these people. I don't really need the critique so much anymore - but you get your work seen by national publishers. Also, many of them will let you indicate on submissions that you heard/talked to them at an SCBWI function - which puts you closer to the top of the pile. If you attend a retreat (more days, smaller attendance), you can have personalized conversations with nearly anyone you wish to.
The monthly newsletter - both national and my regional one, have up-to-date marketing info - while my Children's Writers and Illustrators Market is quickly outdated. My regional chapter also puts out a booklet of all of the local writers and illustrators who do 'school visits' (a much more lucrative endeavor than illustrating in the children's genre) which they distribute to all of the regional PTA's.
The biggest help it has been for me however has been in establishing and attending critique groups. Your regional rep can hook you up with an already existing one, or you can get names of people in your area and start one of your own. I've done both. The group I'm in now is all illustrators - many of whom write as well. We are all (with one exception) published and working at this part to full time. Many of us have been published in a number of different genres/venues and bring very diverse background and experience to the table (a lot of what we discuss isn't 'children' related). We'll share marketing info and tips - and have gotten each other jobs. We help critique current projects, share advise on contracts and negotiating and pricing, attend classes together, go on 'field trips' to local galleries, events or museums, share experiences with materials, vendors, websites, etc... It is a terrific resource and I credit my group with alot of my success. You can do this without SCBWI, of course. It just made it easier for me to make good contacts (I went to the illustrators critique at the first conference I attended after moving here, and hand-picked who I wanted to 'invite' to be in my group. :-)
In response to your reference to age group: SCBWI does address YA stuff - though that is almost entirely from a writers point of view. I do think you can get at least a little more 'adult' in picture book fairy tales. Trina Schart Hyman went back to the original tales in some of her retellings: Rapunzel got pregnant, Snow White's evil stepmother had to dance in red-hot iron shoes until she died, etc... I have also seen illustrated YA novelizations of some tales - I read a really good one on Beauty and the Beast some years ago illustrated with wood cuts. If what you are producing is 'good', it is just a matter of finding the right market for it. (And when you are ready to start writing your own stuff, SCBWI will be helpful for that as well)
Sorry to ramble on so much! Good luck! Let us know when your web site is up (mine is in the works as well).
Tara
Edited by: tlchang at: 4/11/01
9:05:20 am
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Terri
Registered User
(4/12/01 7:05:15 am)
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Re: SCBWI and illustrators
Tara and Luciana: It's frustrating listening to you talk about your art without getting to see it! Please, please post it on the web somewhere. I imagine I'm not the only one eager to see it here.
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tlchang
Registered User
(4/12/01 7:57:11 am)
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Re: Posting art...
Terri,
Hmmmmm.... I'd be happy to post something - does anyone have a place to recommend posting some graphics files TO?
Tara
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Kerrie
Registered User
(4/12/01 8:02:14 am)
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Re: Posting art...
We could try to set up a group with Yahoo Groups specifically for anyone here who'd like to do so (or does EZ Board have anything?). I know you can have a group that's restricted, and post images in files to be shared only in that group.
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Terri
Registered User
(4/13/01 7:02:06 am)
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Re: Posting art...
It would be nice to have an art-sharing forum to go alongside the fiction-sharing forum. Heidi, suggestions?
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Heidi
Anne Heiner
ezOP
(4/16/01 6:00:06 pm)
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Re: Posting art...
Let me think about this one. I am not sure what I can do with that one, but I am interested. I am also considering upgrading this EZBoard account so that all of the pop-ups will go away. I just got back from a trip, so give me a few days to investigate my/our options.
: )
Heidi
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