Your SCBWI 2026 Virtual Summer Conference "TEAM BLOG" is Jolie Stekly, Justin Campbell, and Jaime Temairik. Check in here and on socials at #scbwiSummer26 for updates, countdowns, and LIVE BLOGGING from the conference!
On behalf of all the team bloggers for this conference, Debbie Ohi, Lakita Wilson, Don Tate, Jolie Stekly, Jaime Temairik, and myself, Lee Wind, thanks for following along!
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| awesome graphic by Debbie Ohi - thanks, Debbie! |
And save the dates for the SCBWI Summer 2021 conference. It's going to be virtual. And it's going to be an incredible celebration of 50 years of SCBWI!
Until then, stay safe, and Illustrate, Translate, and Write On!
Lee
Amid Lin's conference wrap-up, she invites the entire staff of SCBWI to come onscreen for introductions and a rousing round of virtual applause!
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| top row, left to right: Brian Truitt, sign language interpreter, Sarah Baker, and Lin Oliver 2nd row, left to right: April Powers, Bonnie Bader, Kiana Martin 3rd Row: Avery Silverberg, Steve Mooser, Sarah Diamond Lower row: Kim Turrisi, Julian Petri, and Tammy Brown |
Click here to learn more about applying for any of the awards, scholarships, and grants listed below!
Scholarship for Emerging Voices winners announced:
Becky Albertalli is the author of William C. Morris Award winner and National Book Award longlist title, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda (now a major motion picture, Love, Simon); the acclaimed The Upside of Unrequited; and the New York Times bestsellers Leah on the Offbeat, What If It’s Us (co-written with Adam Silvera), Yes No Maybe So (co-written with Aisha Saeed), and Love, Creekwood. You can visit her online at www.beckyalbertalli.com.
Adam Silvera is the New York Times bestselling author of Infinity Son, They Both Die at the End, More Happy Than Not, History Is All You Left Me, and What If It’s Us with Becky Albertalli. All his novels have received multiple starred reviews. He worked in the publishing industry as a children’s bookseller, community manager at a content development company, and book reviewer of children’s and young adult novels.
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| Becky Albertalli (lower left) and Adam Silvera (lower right) are introduced by SCBWI Director of Special Projects Kim Turrisi (upper left), with sign language interpretation by Brian Truitt (upper right). |
Prior to agenting, Kirby Kim had been considering a career as a lawyer, but found he didn't have a passion for the law the way his fellow classmates did. Then 'literary agent' popped up on his radar as a possible job that could use his degree but with more creativity and advocacy than found in courtroom roles. He interned with an agency in California briefly before moving to New York and working with various agencies there (including his NY start with superstar agent Charlotte Sheedy) before joining Janklow & Nesbit.
What is Kirby looking for?
He likes high concept, high stakes, mostly contemporary fiction and does do a fair amount of crossover for adult/YA.
What's a good example book or client from his list?
Kirby also shares Peter Bognanni's This Book Is Not Yet Rated, which Kirby was drawn to initially because it occupies that 'indie movie sad/funny space'. Kirby wants to represent books that make him feel moved or changed or surprised in some way.
How many clients?
He currently represents 50-60 clients. Active projects balanced with natural lulls in production cycles mean not all clients are needing the same type or level of attention at the same time.
Kirby's career advice:
There're a lot of different roads to the same place. Comparing yourself to fellow writers is not helpful. Kirby shares a client's Edgar award winner who started writing in his 50s. There's an unhealthy obsession with youth, go by your compass not your clock. And be gentle on yourselves and try to define success by what you can control—the quality of your work and the people you work with.
One of the silver linings of a virtual conference: more time to browse attendee art between sessions! Agents, art directors and editors are already doing this, but I also encourage the rest of you to check out the amazing art in the SCBWI Virtual Portfolio Showcase.
Another advantage of the virtual conference: you can browse at your leisure through March 19th. During an in-person conference, we generally only have a couple of hours, and it can get super-crowded:
Browse the Virtual Portfolio Showcase any way you'd like, but my advice is to do it gradually over the next few weeks. And don't feel like you have to start from the top of the gallery! Why not start with the illustrators whose last name begin with Z, and then work your way backwards? Or scroll through and sample randomly.
This is also a great chance for you to show your support for your fellow kidlit creators. If you find an illustrator whose work you admire, for example, give them a shoutout on social media along with a link to their website; all portfolios have a link. Also include the #NY21SCBWI hashtag to help encourage fellow attendees. Caution: Never share an illustrator's art online unless you have their permission, especially if the image you're sharing does not have their info included.
A social media tip for illustrators who are sharing their art in social media: always make sure your name and (ideally) copyright info is embedded in art you share online. Some people may scoop and share your image without attribution, sometimes innocently, and then your art may be re-shared multiple times. You don't need a fancy watermark app to do this; you can just write your name and website URL somewhere, or include a scrap of paper with this info in your photo.
Speaking of fabulous art being created by illustrators during the SCBWI Winter Conference, I've been loving the illustrated notes and portraits that some of you have been posting! Here are just a few from Twitter. (Note: These are embedded tweets, so if you can't see the image, click through to see the original tweet)
A peek inside Simon & Schuster at #ny21scbwi courtesy of @LaurentLinn. #scbwi #rmcscbwi #kidlitart pic.twitter.com/v9itOEzQqj
— Stan Yan - Graphic Novelist (@stan_yan) February 20, 2021
#NY21SCBWI
— Jinjer Markley (@JinjerMarkley) February 20, 2021
Wow, I just watched mind-blowing conversation with Jean Feiwel @FeiwelFriends. She mentioned a big push towards acquiring books by diverse creators. Instead of feeling less relevant, I feel excited, because I believe abundance is generated when diversity is honored. pic.twitter.com/ED2o3QJ6gi
#NY21SCBWI My version of sketch-note-taking while listening, a session from earlier :) #scbwi #SCBWIArtists #SCBWIBIRD pic.twitter.com/GMQpSdU6Vp
— Maritza Ruiz-Kim (@marzkim) February 20, 2021
Congratulation to all of the #goldenkiteawards winners! #ny21scbwi #SCBWIArtists #scbwi #rmcscbwi pic.twitter.com/3E0P0GDEeQ
— Stan Yan - Graphic Novelist (@stan_yan) February 20, 2021
Thank you Joanna Cardenas, Elizabeth Bicknell, and Andrea Welch for a great discussion and advice session! #NY21SCBWI #SCBWIArtists @scbwi #PictureBooks pic.twitter.com/PF8BktBdcV
— Melanie Cordan (@CartoonCatalyst) February 20, 2021
These are just a few of the many wonderful illustrated notes being posted during the SCBWI Winter Conference.
If you post illustrated notes during the conference or afterward as you're watching session video replays, be sure to use the #NY21SCBWI hashtag so others can see. Another way to share: after the conference, include your image in a blog post summarizing your own takeaways from the conference, then post in social media with a link (and again, don't forget to use the hashtag).
Enjoy the rest of the conference, and happy note-taking!
Tami Charles, the bestselling author, of LIKE VANESSA, and MUTED, began her keynote address with these profound words:
Life is like an arrow. Sometimes you get pulled back only to be launched into something beautiful.
Tami was born in the 1980's in Newark, Jersey in what she describes as a sea of Black and Brown and blooming dreams. Tammy says she was the kid that--as many of us can relate-- drowned herself in stories. However, Tammy never saw herself, her family or her community in some of her favorites, including the popular Sweet Valley Twins series and others.
Although Tami loved stories, she never considered becoming a writer. Tami assumed to be an author, you had to be old or rich. She was neither. So, Tami chose the safer path. She was the daughter of a former teacher turned principal, so she became a teacher as well.
MUTED, just released Feb 2, 2021, is a novel in verse about seventeen year old, aspiring singer, Denver, who experiences the dark side of the music industry, where she will either break the code of silence--or become broken.
As a classroom teacher, Tami had the opportunity to share her love of stories with her students. They read Jacqueline Woodson, Meg Medina and Carol Boston Weatherford. It was in these moments, with these stories, that a spark ignited with Tami's twelve year old self.
Tami finally saw herself in the books she was sharing with her students, and it was this representation that inspired Tami to finally dabble with writing. Her students became her first readers, offering honest critiques, but encouraging her to follow her dreams and continue on her writing journey.
Tami joined the New Jersey regional SCBWI chapter. For the first few years, Tami attended SCBWI conferences, but quietly hid in the shadows. She left the conferences intimidated by the successful authors and illustrators--unsure if she would ever reach their level of success. Tami's imposter syndrome was real. But the statistical data attached to writer's of color in the publishing industry was also very real. Would Tami ever become one of the 7% of author's of color with traditionally published books?
Despite her fear, Tami pressed on--joining critique groups and working on her writing craft. According to Tami,
The writing got better. The rejections became nicer.
Six years after Tami began seriously writing, she landed an agent. Two years after that, she became traditionally published.
LIKE VANESSA, published by Charles Bridge Publishing, is a middle grade story about a shy girl from New York who participates in a beauty pageant, despite her own issues of self-confidence.
Tami's first novel ended up becoming an award winning book. Tami, and her book LIKE VANESSA won the SCBWI Book Launch Award. The award allowed Tami to donate much needed funds back into her alma mater university high school and other community literacy programs.
By sharing her writing journey, Tami showed us how doubt can be overcome by hope. According to Tami, the word no holds power. But the word yes holds beauty. And it's the hope that the No will someday become a Yes, according to Tami, that keeps us going.
I kept going, and you can do it too.
With this message of hope, Tami leads us to her newest project, a picture book titled, ALL BECAUSE YOU MATTER.
In the picture book that Tami describes as the book of her heart, she tells you children: reads to us lines like:
...strength, power, and beauty lie within you
Inspired by her son. Christopher getting older and beginning to ask questions like "Why was Dr.King assassinated?" and "Who is George Floyd?" Tami wanted to write a book that fostered meaningful conversations, while reinforcing her son's value and worth.
What better way than to write a love letter to remind him of all the reasons why he matters to me and to the world.
Tami doesn't want her book to be the only one out in the world with this message. Before ending her keynote, she assigned conference attendee's a task.
The world need our stories, funny, adventurous, the call to action and everything in between. They need your art, and your words to know that hope and kindness still exist. We write and we create to show how we live, how we love, and the color of our hearts. I want you to remember why is it that you do this work, who you're creating for.
Tami reminds every writer to celebrate the yes's and learn from the no's.
Allow them both to launch you to personal greatness. Along the way, remembering the wings that hope provides.
Our usual gala festivities may be online this year due to quarantine. But that did not stop the book world from shining bright online! The good-natured jokes were plentiful last night.
Illustrator Debbi Ohi led us into the fun with a "sketchy" joke about what she planned to wear to the virtual Golden Kites versus what she had on at the moment.
Here, I'll start. Here's MY #GoldenKiteOutfit. What's yours? pic.twitter.com/AsCUdCatDa
— Debbie Ridpath Ohi (@inkyelbows) February 19, 2021
The Golden Kite Gala may not be in person, but I never pass up an opportunity to dress up! #Goldenkiteoutfit #NY21SCBWI pic.twitter.com/LF8tXKMYfA
— Iris Imaginoria (@IrisImaginoria) February 20, 2021
Writer/Illustrator Erin Rew threw yoga pants to the wind, opting for a more festive look, slipping into a pre-pandemic golden gown. Even the cat behind her is clamoring for a closer look.
Finally had a reason to wear my fancy gold dress... let’s just pretend it zipped up in back.
— Erin Rew (@rew_erin) February 20, 2021
Anyone else dress-up for the Golden Kite Awards gala or just me? #NY21SCBWI #SCBWIBIRD pic.twitter.com/rkYrJwWfht
Illustrator Alicia Schwab gave a wink to the Perseverance rover landing on Mars this week with her show stopping intergalactic golden look.
I’m either dressed up for the Mars landing or a children’s book conference #ny21scbwi Golden Kite Gala pic.twitter.com/Hz26oJzFz9
— ASchwabIllustration (@aschwabart) February 20, 2021
And, children's writer and copyeditor, Becky Noelle shined bright in her elegant golden earrings
I've got my gold on for the #NY21SCBWI Golden Kite Gala! #SCBWIBIRD #SCBWICanadaWest pic.twitter.com/vqdndIMkka
— Becky Noelle Editing (@BeckyEditing) February 20, 2021
These, and many other glittering tweets led us straight to the nearest Zoom link to attend the first ever virtual Golden Kite Awards. Here are my top three golden moments during the awards segment.
3. Jennifer Garner, dressed in an on-theme amber colored cardigan, confessing that she can barely get through Charlotte's Web without tearing up (neither can we, Jen!)
We loved having the lovely Jennifer Garner open the SCBWI Golden Kite Awards. She does so much to support good children's books. #NY21SCBWI https://t.co/OMJQCY9Oqs
— Lin Oliver (@linoliver) February 20, 2021
So honored that #WaysToMakeSunshine received the SCBWI Golden Kite Award for Middle Grade/Young Readers Fiction. Thank you to the committee. And thank you to my Goddaughter, the real Ryan Hart, for inspiring this series...you are my sunshine. @scbwi pic.twitter.com/aU3SdL8f6z
— Renée Watson (@reneewauthor) February 20, 2021
And so we begin...#ny21scbwi pic.twitter.com/aaB8BvohUW
— Teri Drobnick (@TeriDrobnick) February 20, 2021
Lin starts by asking about Jean's career trajectory:
Jean started at Avon Books right out of college spending 7 years there, meeting many of her most influential career role models, before moving onto Scholastic. She helped create Baby-sitters Club, Goosebumps, and many other beloved series. Series books that were published monthly, not seasonally(!), as Scholastic Book Club's voracious members demanded and devoured. Jean reminds us that at that time, these series were paperback originals that did not get reviewed or even carried by some bookstores! Jean never saw them as fluff, but as serious books—Baby-Sitters Club has Jean and Ann and other editors' life experiences within those pages, one reason they ring so true and remain so beloved. In February 2006 Jean joined Macmillan as Senior Vice President and Publisher, founding her own imprint, Feiwel and Friends. Jean also started the imprints Square Fish and Swoon Reads, in addition to being named publisher of Henry Holt in 2016. Currently Jean is surrounded by 12 inches of snow in Massachusetts.
Her publishing ethos remains rooted in wanting to expose children to all types of literature, and she's demonstrated that in her commitment to publishing in all genres, categories and formats, from those early paperback original series to the crowd-sourced stories of Swoon. She credits Raina Telgemeier's graphic novel work for changing the face of American publishing and the emergence of the still burgeoning younger comics market. Illustration is incredibly varied and sophisticated and has no boundary for age range unless we force it to, says Jean, and comics are real books. Jean wants educators and the book industry to be ambassadors not gatekeepers to children's books, expose not shield kids from different points of view and types of books.
Lin asks if we are on solid footing in the children's book industry?
Jean thinks the great irony is that 2020 is one of the best years in MacMillan's history, with the backlist having a higher return thanks to comfort reading during the pandemic, in addition to an expansion in digital sales. Except for YA, digital sales are usually not a big sales number for children's books, but all did better in 2020.
Has the pandemic put a crunch on acquisitions?
Jean says it hasn't! MacMillan is selling more books on Amazon than ever and it is their largest account. Barnes & Noble is going through a seachange, any brick and mortar stores are going through a change right now, but they are still a voice. Target and other big box stores, which were not as much a part of MacMillan's distribution 10 years ago, are now a significant source of business, especially in 2020 as shopping in person for fun was replaced by shopping only in person for necessity. And indie bookstores are still a significant voice in making books happen, Jean says, even as they are grappling with the pandemic closures, and points out the Winter Institute is happening this weekend, too.
Jean says the market is crying out for diversity and expansion. Integrating diversity into mainstream publishing, not just specific imprints, should be the goal. Representation is #1 on the agenda at MacMillan at all levels from acquisitions to hiring. The younger professionals coming up are showing publishing the way, Jean doesn't want people that look like her to be the only one who is dominating the conversation.
Jean believes we need innovators and disrupters in our publishing industry, and from her experience it's really hard to make that happen, but it's going to happen. Though traditional publishers need more innovation and they need it faster. You can look to self-published authors and illustrators who've led in the innovation department and see how that has impacted and disrupted traditional publishing.
Jean's advice to authors and illustrators: Stop looking over your shoulder, be yourself. If you have something to say, say it. And yes, look at the marketplace, but look for new ways of telling stories.
Lin asks for words to focus on in 2021 and Jean's are: Expect the unexpected and be comfortable with the uncomfortable.
She leaves us with an excerpt from a forthcoming Feiwel & Friends picture book by Cleo Wade, WHAT THE ROAD SAYS.
Matt de la Peña:
If you're feeling anxiety about the pandemic, resist the urge to write explicitly about the pandemic. Find a way to translate how you're feeling in other ways via your story. Focus on your world view rather than a message, and that will come across in your work.
You may think you're boring, but Matt says that every person has a fascinating story. You just need to find a way to share it in an interesting way.
Matt talked about the importance of illustrations in his picture books. "Sometimes I don't know what my book's about until it's illustrated."
He says that writing is all about revision, and revision is like solving a puzzle. The final result may not be the one correct solution - you need to find the solution that is right for you.
One final piece of writing advice fro Matt: Do not write what you see. Write about what will be seen.
Christian Robinson:
Christian says he's an anxious person, spends a lot of time in his own head. From childhood, Christian found that drawing became a way to make space for himself and to create the kind of world he wanted to see.
Once he receives a new picture book manuscript and has pored over it, Christian says he always starts small first, using post-it notes so he's not distracted by details.
Christian talked about his journey to picture books, his work in animation and Pixar, plus other types of employment. Through it all, he kept creating. He encourages artists to create for themselves but also to share with others. "Share stuff," says Christian. "You never know who's watching."
Another tip from Christian: Know your strengths. These are things that come to you naturally, without anyone telling you to do something, things you are excited about. Christian says that for him, it's simplicity in art, as well as design. "For you, it might be something else."
Another tip: play well with others. Christian gave an example of how Simon & Schuster editor Justin Chanda helped Christian discover what he really wanted his story to be about. Christian says that making a picture book is a team effort, so it's important to learn how to work with others on your team, including your art director.
On the collaborative process:
Matt says that in a good collaboration, each person gives the other a lot of freedom. Matt says he does what he can to help support the illustrator....and that includes trusting the artist, giving them a lot of room.
Christian says he appreciates the freedom, and says that it's also important to leave space for the reader.
Sometimes the reader is smarter than the book creator, adds Matt. He loves it when a young reader will tell him what the book is really about.
Final words:
Matt: "Be daring. Don't try to fit into what's there. Don't write to the market. Follow your energy."
Christian: "The more specific you are with your artistry, the more universal it becomes. Don't forget to be vulnerable and honest."
Related links and additional resources:
You can buy Milo Imagines The World by Matt de la Pena and Christian Robinson in the SCBWI bookshop (via Bookshop.org)
It's virtual, but it's still a warm welcome to the SCBWI Winter Conference.
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| Lin Oliver, co-founder and Executive Director of SCBWI welcomes us all (lower box), with sign language interpreter Susannah Jaffe pictured in the higher box. |
Welcome to #NY21SCBWI!
There are over 4,700 of us attending (both live and asynchronously). Over 1,000 of us are already published, and we're from all over the world!
Over 2,000 of attendee writers have manuscripts in the gallery where for the next two weeks, over 200 editors and agents will be exploring those.
And "hundreds and hundreds" of attendee artists have submitted art to the portfolio showcase - the Grand Prize winners will be announced tomorrow. That's available for all of us to peruse here.
There's a bookstore where you can purchase the books of the conference faculty - and it supports independent bookstores! - https://bookshop.org/shop/SCBWI
Lin sets the tone of the conference, suggesting we imagine we're all sitting around a table, artists and authors, with common goals, wanting to be both vulnerable and safe, and committed to creating great books for kids.
And with that, we're off to the first keynote, Matt de la Peña and Christian Robinson, "The Picture Book as a Perfect Marriage Between Author and Illustrator"!
For best illustrated book for older readers, the nominees were:
As part of his award, Mike has donated to the nonprofit Trevor Project.
And the winner is Uri Shilevitz, for "Chance"!
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| Uri Shilevitz (lower) accepting the Golden Kite Award for best illustrated book for older readers. |
As part of his award, Uri has donated to the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art.
Uri has a message for the writers who didn't win...
One: don't give up. Two: Keep Writing. Three: You will be the next winner.
Lisa Yee introduces the five finalists for Middle Grade/Young Reader Fiction:
The honor winner is Kimberly Brubaker Bradley for "Fighting Words"
And the winner of the Golden Kite award for best middle grade/young reader fiction is Renée Watson, winner for Ways to Make Sunshine!
Renee addresses her god-daughter Ryan (and all of us), saying
"I wrote this book for you and girls like you, because you deserve to see Black girls on the cover of books... Your story matters."
Renée has selected World Stage Theater for the charitable contribution connected with her award.
Next is the picture book text category. Meg Medina (lower right) introduces the finalists:
The honor winner is Carole Lindstrom, for "We Are Water Protectors."
And the winner of the Golden Kite Award for best picture book text is Tami Charles, "All Because You Matter."
Tami remember "stars in my eyes" at last year's Golden Kite Awards... Never imagining she'd be accepting this award this year - in her basement! Telling her illustrator Bryan Collier, "your art is a gift I will pass onto my family for generations."
next is the Golden Kite Award for Nonfiction text for Younger Readers, and Lesa Cline-Ransome introduces the five finalists:
The honor award goes to Meeg Pincus for "Winged Wonders: Solving the Monarch Migration Mystery"
The winner of the Golden Kite Award for Nonfiction text for younger readers is Don Tate for "William Still and His Freedom Stories: The Father of the Underground Railroad"!
Don shares in his acceptance speech about being part of SCBWI from the late 1980s! He appreciates especially being recognized for the book's text, admitting "I have not always been confident in my words" and saying how much this means for him.Speaking as a Black creator of works for children, in an industry where he's often felt invisible, Don tells us, "please know that tonight... I feel seen. Thank you for seeing me and recognizing me."
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| Don Tate (lower) accepts his Golden Kite Award |
Catia tells us about her first SCBWI conference ten years ago, "for me, to win this Golden Kite award today, is just icing on the SCBWI cake."
Christina says, "All Thirteen" is, at its heart about community and being there for each other. She thanks the SCBWI Austin community especially. She tells us about visiting Thailand to do research and interviews. She speaks of not finding any books that reflected her Thai heritage when she was a child, not to mention any by Thai creators. And she tells us, "One of my most essential tools in writing... was my Thai heritage." She calls for more support of #ownvoices creators and nonfiction work for kids and teens.
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| Sherri L. Smith (at right) accepting the SCBWI Golden Kite Award |
Sherri tells us writing her book "was an attempt to understand both sides of the conflict." And of visiting Japan and the research and kindness and help she experienced there. She calls SCBWI "my first literary home." and says, "The Blossom and the Firefly is dedicated to peace..."
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| Donna Barba Higuera (lower) accepts the Sid Fleischman Award for Humor |
