Conference Day Is Kicking Off

Steve Mooser and Lin Oliver are welcoming the one thousand-plus conference attendees. The vase majority of people in the audience are first-time SCBWI conference goers.

The 10th New York conference had the largest attendance of any in SCBWI's history.

--POSTED BY ALICE

SCBWI Conference Tip: Try Not To Piss Off The Editors

And here, as a public service announcement, we share with you the inestimable Arthur A. Levine, Vice President of Scholastic Inc. and the Editorial Director of Arthur A. Levine Books, taking a momentary break after a full day at a SCBWI conference:

Starring:

Paula Yoo, as the befuddled what-not-to-do-er

And

Arthur A. Levine, as Arthur A. Levine

Behind the camera "evil" mastermind... Lee Wind

--Posted by Lee Wind

Wendy Loggia On Why SCBWINY10 Critique Day is like American Idol

--Posted by Lee Wind

The Next Step: what to do after a critique

Lin: Do writers need to start on the day that's different?

Ari: Starting on the day that's different is OK. Starting on the moment that's different can be tough because readers don't know enough about the story.

Wendy: Every book is different. It should be organic to the story. And it boils down to the writing, (I can help you with the plot, but I can't help you reshape your writing--it all comes down to that.)

Allyn: The problems I see with beginnings when it comes to picture books, is that they are not the beginnings of picture books, they're the beginning of chapter books. What I'm looking for is one sentence that make me interested, that's a clear beginning. Another common problem--manuscripts written in sing-songy rhyme with lots of alliteration and no narrative arc.

--POSTED BY ALICE

Friday Afternoon Panel: You've Had Your Critique, Now What?

Lin Oliver moderates a panel of (left to right) Wenday Loggia, Ari Lewin, and Allyn Johnston.

Here's a taste:

Allyn: the manuscript that you brought might not be the first manuscript you sell.

Ari: Saw 4 things she'd want to see more of. A lot of action starts but needed to be grounded in world and who character is.

Wendy: The points given to you about your manuscript are not a checklist, but for you to consider - it's your story. See what resonates.

Lots of great advice - and all to a packed house!

-- Posted by Lee Wind

A Look Inside the Writer's Intensive

I just spent the afternoon observing and thoroughly enjoying a writer's intensive. It was led by the amazing Michelle Nagler from Bloomsbury. Each of the 7 authors got to read the first pages of their manuscript and then get a critique--an extremely thorough critique from Michelle. Then the other authors--including me!--got a chance to add our thoughts.

Wow. I had a talented table. A blend of YA, MG and picture books. Authors: Bridget Casey, Priya Ardis, Christina Jespersen, Jane Makuch, Sandy Opheim, Beth Beck and Allison Keeton. Some of my favorite moments were when we'd ask the author "what happens next?" It showed how intriguing their pages were.

After the critiques we had time to all sit and discuss the business. Michelle gave us insight into the industry and helped point out things writers might not think of when they're getting ready to start querying. This was my first intensive, and I'm sure everyone at my table agreed, this face to face time was SO COMPLETLY WORTH IT!!! Thanks, gang.

-Suzanne Young

The Next Step: what to do after a critique

Lin: What mistakes did you see.

Allyn: First-person narratives in picture books, and rhyme that's off. Picture books that are on themes that have been done so many times that they wouldn't be salable. (Read books, buy books, go to bookstores, she advises.)

Ari: Manuscripts that started in the middle of a scene.

Wendy: Pages that seemed crammed with information in the beginning. A lack of awareness of the marketplace and what's working

--POSTED BY ALICE

The Next Step: what to do after a critique

Lin: What did you see today?

Allyn: I didn't ask to buy anything today. I did ask everyone who sat at my table to send me something, but that thing might not be the thing we talked about today. Everyone should go home and think about that.

Ari: I got a lot out of being in a critique group and hearing the comments of the writers who brought up things I didn't think of. It just goes to show that every editor is going to thing a little differently about your work.

Lin: What advice would you offer writers on using the comments they got today?

Wendy: Go home and think about the comments you got today and decide what resonates with you. If you're consistently getting the same feedback, those may be the things you should concentrate on.

Ari: There's always a lot of negotiating between and editor and a writer. Think about the comments you got and if you don't think they'll work for your story, think of another way to solve them.

--POSTED BY ALICE

The Next Step: what to do after a critique

Lin Oliver is moderating the post-intensives panel on what to do post-critique.

Panelists include:

• Allyn Johnston, Beach Lane Books
• Wendy Loggia, Random House
• Ari Lewin, Hyperion

Stay tuned...

--POSTED BY ALICE

Illustrators' Intensive - Spot Your Favorite SCBWI-ers

Ladies Who Lead - Priscilla Burris, Pat Cummings, Cecilia Yung

Surprise drop in by our own superhero, Lin Oliver!

Kevin Hawkes making the rounds

Illustrators' Intensive Getting Crafty

Everybody's now working on Kevin Hawkes's in class assignment. Scissors are flying.

Illustrators' Intensive Post-Lunch with Kevin Hawkes

He's showing off past books and portfolio pieces!
Here he is with his wicked big toddler. Kevin's going to tell us how to stand out from the thousands of other illustrator samples in an art director's flat file.

Posted by Jaime

Illustrators' Intensive Lisa Desimini talks

Lisa Desimini might not be human. I think she might be a sponge. She soaks up EVERYTHING. Lisa's got an amazing background story of how she got to where she is and that includes scanning every material under the sun for use in her collages.

Few of my favorite words and images from Lisa's talk, but you need to check this lady out in person if possible:

After Lisa's first few illustration jobs doing picture books and book covers, her editor asked her if she also wrote and Lisa said, "Nooooo!"
But after being asked that question Lisa went home and started writing and fell in love with it. Now she illustrates her own books, but equally loves illustrating for others still, too.

Lisa stresses "Always do personal work. Don't do it and worry if it is publishable and don't do it because you are trying to practice a new style for your illustration." Just make art to make art and have fun. Lisa promises if you don't force it, "It will always find its way into your professional work."

Lisa showed slides of her many books and how they came to be, my favorite story being the one behind THE SNOWFLAKE SISTERS. Set in New York, the book was done shortly after September 11th and is a love story to her favorite city. The super brilliant part: All of the images of New York in the book are made with stuff from New York. Lisa collected garbage off the street, city maps, New York Times crosswords, matchbooks, and even taxi receipts and turned those into fantastic city scenes:

Lisa's got the Intensive doing a fantastic exercise right now based on our homework. She is very animated in person and the best photo I can get is this:


Posted by Jaime

Illustrators' Intensive Opens with Paul Zelinsky

Paul Zelinsky shares how he gets his work to be unique and distinctive.
Lots of thieving and studying of all types of art work from different eras and regions.

When working on the latest Ogre book, Paul wanted to find a way to bring a messiness to the illustrations and looked to modern art and children's art.


Details of setting help complete the character -- many of which aren't mentioned in the text at all -- details Paul intuited to "get into the core of the story" like in this spread from AWFUL OGRE'S RUNNING WILD




Paul LIVE DRAWS in Photoshop for us! The original character ideas that everyone assumed would be used for the Shivers book, which is very different from the final style and something Paul fought for.


GENIUS! Looking for inspiration in unexpected places, Paul remembered something he'd read as a kid in a magic book:

I kid you not, Paul invented a magic trick inspired, half-mirrored box to project his drawings onto wood veneer for the upcoming sequel to SWAMP ANGEL, DUST DEVIL (which will be out this fall.) He says he didn't patent the box so we are all free to try and make one, but I think we should at least agree to call it The Zelinsky.

Paul's almost last words:

"Let Mo make his pigeons and Tomie make his Strega Nonas... find your own way to simulate uniqueness... There's always ancient Egypt, Mayan walls, Paul Klee..."

Posted by Jaime

The Writers' Intesive...

... just got intense!



--POSTED BY ALICE POPE

Writer's Intensive

Bring on the editors and agents!

The room is packed and tables of anxious writers are waiting for their editor or agent to take their seat.

Here's mine!

We'll be meeting with Arianne Lewin, Senior Editor, Disney Hyperion.

Posted by Jolie Stekly

Listening to Feedback with an Open Mind (continued)

Aaron: Recounting advice from Little, Brown editor Jennifer Hunt. An editor is like that really good friend who things you have a beautiful smile, but you have a little spinach in your teeth.

Nancy: We do want to help make that smile beautiful. Our feedback is always about making your work better. It's helpful to point out things like did the dialog sound authentic, is there a character that grabbed you, etc.

Courtney: Today everybody in the room's job is to see the spinach in your teeth. Use the time to talk about the spinach and figure out how to fix it.

Michelle: Sometimes editors are hardest on the things that we feel have the most potential. Those may be the ones we really pick apart because we want them to be great.

Courtney: Sometimes editors might come to you at an event like and say they see potential in your manuscript but it still needs work. If I see something in your writing and offer to work with you to get it in shape for acquisitions, take advantage of that. At that point, all I can promise you is my time, but I'm not going to take time to work with a writer on something that I don't think has that potential.

--POSTED BY ALICE

Hush now, don't explain

Great piece of advice from this morning's writers intensive panel:

Read Your 500 words.

Listen to the feedback.

Take notes.

It's like the Etta James song, "Hush now, don't explain..."


- Posted by Lee Wind

Listening to Feedback with an Open Mind (continued)

Nancy: We're looking at manuscripts a puzzles and trying to figure out the best way to make everything come together, so we focus on the parts that aren't working so the parts that are can be even better.

Aaron: When you come to something that needs to addressed, what's the best way to go about looking for solutions?

Michelle: That's a take-home. One don't solve things in 12 minutes. Part of my job I love is when I give a note to an author, and they run with it. You have to take notes and figure out how to make it work for you.

Courtney: This might be the first time you're getting professional feedback. Every agent or editor is different and will offer different feedback, but we're all going to point out the problem and things that feel off to us. You're the writer--it's your job to fix it. For us, what we're seeing is a first draft to us.


--POSTED BY ALICE

Listening to Feedback with an Open Mind

SCBWI's own Aaron Hartzler (who looks dashing is his bow-tie) is moderating the kick-off panel of the Annual Winter Conference Writers' Intensive on taking feedback on your work. The editor panelists include:

• Courtney Bangiolatti, Simon & Schuster
• Nancy Conescu, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
  
• Michelle Nagler, Bloomsbury

Aaron: What works and what doesn't?

Courtney: Have a pen in your hand, write down comments, and really consider what both editors and agents have to say as well as your writer peers. Remember, we do this for a living. We want to make your manuscript better.

Aaron: What are you looking for as you start reading and giving feedback?

Nancy: You're looking for those sentences that grab you and good character. Be receptive to the feedback whether you agree with it or not. Really things about what editors and peers are saying. Focus on listening.

Michelle: Write down comments. Try really hard not to be dismissive. Put yourself in your critiquers shoes. We read and evaluate manuscripts constantly, considering not just whether your writing is good, but whether it's salable, has an audience.

--POSTED BY ALICE

Winter Conference Day One About to Begin

The 11th Annual SCBWI Winter Conference is about to begin. The registration table is hopping, the Intensives rooms are abuzz.

Starting today, SCBWI TEAM BLOG will give you live play-by-play of conference sessions and events.

This morning we kick off with a panel on Listening to Feedback with an Open Mind (before the room full of writers hear a day's worth of feedback).

Stay tuned...

--POSTED BY ALICE

Exclusive SCBWI TEAM BLOG Interview: Allyn Johnston

The latest of our SCBWI TEAM BLOG exclusive pre-conference interviews with Winter Conference keynotes and speakers is up on Jaime Temairik's blog.

Jaime interviewed the always awesome Allyn Johnston, Vice President & Publisher of Beach Lane Books, who will be offering three breakout sessions on THE REAL DEAL ABOUT PICTURE BOOKS.

Click here to read the interview with Allyn.

And be sure to tune in *RIGHT HERE* starting Friday, for exclusive live Winter Conference coverage by our crack team of bloggers, Jaime, Jolie, Lee, Suzanne and Alice!

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

Winter Conference Keynote Libba Bray Wins Printz Award!

SCBWI Winter Conference faculty member Libba Bray received the 2010 Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults for her book Going Bovine!

Libba will kick of the conference with a keynote address called WRITING AS AN EXTREME SPORT.

You can still register for the Winter Conference where you can experience the wit and wisdom of award-winning author Libba Bray in person. Click here for the conference registration page.

Exclusive SCBWI Team Blog Interview: Eddie Gamarra

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 Eddie Gamarra, a literary manager/producer at The Gotham Group, specializing in representing works for TV, Film and Dramatic rights. He's offering three breakout sessions on THE REAL DEAL ABOUT TELEVISION AND NEW MEDIA.

Click here to read the interview with Eddie.

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

Conference Tips (Especially for the Less Experience Conference-Goer): A Guest Post by Jane Makuch

Today we offer some some tips for attending conferences from guest blogger and relatively new conference-goer Jane Makuch. Jane will be attending the SCBWI Annual Winter Conference and the pre-conference Writers Intensive. (If you're attending, be sure to say hello to her when you see her in New York.) She's currently revising a YA manuscript.

JANE'S CONFERENCE TIPS
So many of us spend lots of money and want to do the "right" thing at conferences, but we're so often on the outside looking in. I've spent countless hours looking for do's and don't and know I still have so much to learn. Some things I have learned that I think will be helpful are:

• Develop a 30-second pitch. Not just for agents and editors, but also the dozens of times other attendees ask, "What's your book about?"
• Develop a 2-minute pitch for one-on-ones. So many new conference goers seem to think they need to spend the 10 or 15 precious minutes talking instead of interacting, answering questions and listening.
• This might be elementary, but be presentable. Fit the part--show up showered and well dressed. I've been rather surprised by the lack of hygiene, sweatpants, and dirty toenails sticking out of the end of sandals...eewww! Clean and pressed doesn't have to mean expensive, but it does show professionalism.
• No answering cell phones during classes. (Turn them off, or at least mute them.)
  
• No talking to neighbors during a sessions because you're bored or scared or overwhelmed. They paid to be there also.
• Have calling/business cards. Vistaprints.com has very inexpensive cards with quick delivery. Put blog and twitter addresses on them and use a nice size, readable font.
• Ask people you meet at conference for their business cards. (Jot notes on the back so you can remember where/when you met them.)
  
• Research the speakers ahead of time. Do you know of an agent who would be great to meet? If you have a polished manuscript, be ready to ask if you could query them. Then mention in your query that you met them at the conference.
• Don't be bossy or rude. Never ambush an agent or editor. No knocking on bathroom stalls or hotel rooms!
• You can't go wrong with a more formal etiquette. Kindness and respect will most likely get you noticed when presenting yourself with confidence and professionalism.

What's your best advice for getting the most out of a conference? Leave a comment!

And you can still register for the SCBWI Annual Winter Conference. Click here for the SCBWI registration page.