Good Things To Know If You're Attending #NY15SCBWI (and even if you're not...)

The 2015 SCBWI Winter Conference starts tomorrow with a full day of intensives, and then on to the weekend's main two days! Having been to this rodeo before (warning - city boy using cowboy language!) here's a handful of tips:

1. When you meet Kwame Alexander, you might want to congratulate him on winning the Newbery Award for his novel in poems, THE CROSSOVER. It just happened on Monday of this week, and it's a pretty big deal. Congratulations, Kwame!

2. Wear your conference nametag all the time. It's how you'll know other attendees are part of the same tribe you are - even if you're getting pizza in the Grand Central Station food court! And when you meet that person in line ahead of you for pizza,  and they're wearing their conference nametag (because they read this, too), be extra-gracious. Share about you and what you're working on. Ask questions about them. They might be an agent. They might be a future Newbery- or Caldecott-winner themselves. Most exciting? They might be a future friend.

3. Even if you don't have a twitter handle yourself, check out the #NY15SCBWI feed. You can do that by the twitter-searching on that hashtag here:

https://twitter.com/search?q=%23NY15SCBWI&src=tyah

It's like one of those rolling tickers of stock numbers, but all about things kid lit and conference. There will be great quotes and information tid-bits, and even photos to give you a sense of being there. (And if you are at the conference, it's fun to contribute to! Just add the #NY15SCBWI to your tweets.)

4. Keep another tab open for updates on The Official SCBWI Conference Blog (here!) That's where myself, Martha Brockenbrough, Jolie Stekly, Jaime Temairik and Don Tate (who'll be joining Team Blog for this conference) will be posting live updates throughout the conference Saturday and Sunday. While not a transcript, it's a real taste of the conference keynotes and sessions.

5. Be Social. Go to the Gala on Saturday night from 6:15pm - 8pm. And then, check out one of the four socials that run from 8pm - 9pm:

First Time Attendees

Illustrator's Social

International Social

LGBTQ Chat



Most of all have fun, stay open to inspiration and opportunity, learn more about the business and craft of writing and illustrating for children and teens, and revel in being with your community!

Do you have more advice for conference-goers? Add yours in comments!

Illustrate and Write -- and Conference -- On!
Lee


(Cross-posted at SCBWI: The blog.)