Cheryl Klein: Revision

Cheryl Klein is the Executive Editor at Arthur A. Levine Books (Scholastic).

The point of revision is re-visioning, helping it to become the book it wants to be.

Revision in three parts

1. Vision: the big picture, what is your story. Know what the core of it is.
2. Examination: Look at what the book actually is.
3. Action: Get to work.

Cheryl has oodles of advice and techniques to share for revision, reminding the room that if you try them all, you are likely procrastinating. It makes sense then that her first piece of advice is: Know how you work best.

Write the spine of the story in one sentence. This will be useful in elevator pitches and family picnics.

Some important and useful questions when thinking about character:
What is your character's joy?
What is your character's pain?
What does character want?
What would your character do to get it?

Change the font of your book before you read it. The change will make it feel less familiar.

Use a spreadsheet to track information in a manuscript.

Write a synopsis of your book from another character's point-of-view.

Know that you don't have to solve all the problems in your book at once.

Winter Conference Registration Opens Monday!

Registration for the SCBWI 2012 Winter Conference begins Monday, October 17th, 2011 at 10AM PDT. 

Click here for registration.

The Annual Winter Conference features a huge line-up of stars and decision-makers from the world of children's book publishing. Whether you're an illustrator or a writer, whether your genre is picture books, middle grade, or young adult, you can't afford to miss this spectacular chance to meet and network with the major players in publishing for young readers!

Plus we've added a third pre-conference intensive on January 27th-Marketing for Professional Writers--and that, along with our Writers' Roundtable Intensive and Marketing for Illustrators Intensive are sure to fill up fast. We have also added a Gala Cocktail party on January 28th so people can mingle with publishing professionals, regional advisors and other attendees, as well as enjoying a free drink and food.

The conference will take place from January 27th-29th at the Hyatt Regency Grand Central in New York City.

And be sure to watch this conference blog for exciting interviews with faculty members and other 2012 Winter Conference news from SCBWI's terrific TEAM BLOG.

Exclusive SCBWI TEAM BLOG Interview: Laurent Linn

The latest of our SCBWI TEAM BLOG series of pre-conference interviews with Winter Conference speakers and keynoters is up on Lee Wind's blog.

Lee interviewed the delightful and knowledgeable Laurent Linn, Art Director for Simon & Schuster Books for Young Reader, who will be offering three breakout sessions on THE REAL DEAL ABOUT VISUAL STORY TELLING.

Click here to read the interview with Laurent. We'll continue to direct you to more exclusive TEAM BLOG interviews during the coming weeks leading up the conference!

Click here to register for the SCBWI Winter Conference in New York City where you can see Laurent Linn in person.

NY Conference Photos

SCBWI official photog Alan Baker (spouse of Executive Director Lin Oliver) always takes tons of terrific conference pics. I've picked out a few of my favorites. Click here to view the whole lot of them taking during the Friday intensives and VIP party; the Saturday keynotes and breakout sessions; and the Sunday panels, presentations, and autograph party. You'll almost feel like you were there.

(All photos: Alan Baker, Copyright ©2009, SCBWI.)

Writers exchanging work during the Friday intensive.

Illustrators and their glowing laptops during
the Friday intensives.

The crowd takes in an engaging speaker on Friday.

Listening to Jay Asher. (That's Bruce Hale in
the hat, Jarrett Krosoczka to his left.)

SCBWI Illustrator coordinator Priscilla Burris
congratulates portfolio winner Dave Ercolini.

SCBWI staff members manning the table on
Sunday morning.

Agents look to Lin Oliver as she offers a question
during their Sunday morning panel.

Agent Michael Stearns answers (Lin to his
left, Alyssa Eisner Henkin to his right.)

Michael Bourret smiles as Edward Necarsulmer
addresses the audience.

Michael B. talks with a group of writers
following the agents panel.

The multi-talented Bruce Hale sings.


Richard Peck and Lin Oliver happy after the
sneak peek of Peck's Master Class DVD.

SCBWI staff: Sally Crock, Aaron Hartzler, Kim Turrisi,
Liz Brown, Gee Cee Addison, Brandon Clarke.

Conference goers in line to meet Leo and Diane
Dillon during the Sunday autograph party.

Conference Final Thoughts

As I sit and watch door prizes being awarded and get ready to head to the autograph party, I offer you my last conference post of the day. Over then next few days I'll be making them prettier (and probably catching a few typos here and there), so tell you writer friends to pop in and read the wisdom offered by all the great conference presenters--fell free to link here from your own blog.

Signing out...

More Jay Asher

Jay also wrote middle grade, and, like the picture books manuscripts, he felt like what he was writing were the types of books he would have liked to read as a young reader. (He told us that's not the case with Thirteen Reasons Why.

Jay continues his timeline: In 1996, he got a bite from an editor, which gave him a lot of encouragement. In 1998 he was working at a shoe store in a mall. He wrote a story about a kid who works in the mall and has to dress like a cow. In 1999 he joined a critique group and started taking writing classes and started looking into going to conferences. He attened the first New York SCBWI conference and joined SCBWI. He attended and was determined to let the editors know he was there, handing editors laminated bookmarks he'd made for a book he hadn't finished writing (not a practice he recommends).

More Conference Stats

Almost half of the conference-goers are published writers or illustrators.

The Festivities Are About to Begin

In about 15 minutes, SCBWI Executive Director Lin Oliver will welcome the conference goers (which I overheard is about 900 people).

In the meantime, the registration table is abuzz.

SCBWI Conference Posts Kick Off Friday

The SCBWI conference in New York doesn't start until Friday, but this unpopulated blog space looked so sad without any words in it so I'm offering a kick-off post.

Who am I, you say? I'm Alice Pope, long-time editor of Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market and member of SCBWI. I've attended and spoken at countless conferences.

How did I get this gig? I am an experienced blogger and an experienced conference-goer (see above). I've been offering conference reports from the SCBWI LA conference on my own blog for several years. And I also blog for fun on a couple of other blogs (about shopping and about shoes). All of these things make me highly qualified to be the Official SCBWI Conference Blogger. So when they asked me--of course I said yes!

What will you find here? I'll be offering snippets from all sessions and panels I attend to give all of you who weren't able to make the event a chance to experience it from my perspective. I'll be taking photos, too, and popping them up on the blog.

Here's what I ask of you: Bookmark the blog, stop by frequently over the weekend and please leave comments if you are so inclined. I'd love to hear what you think of my udates and any suggestions or questions you have related to the conference.

Thanks for stopping by...