Peter Lerangis Keynote: Taking the 'Middle out of Middle Grade Fiction'

Peter Lerangis is something else--"nothing short of a human dynamo," as Lin Oliver put it.

More than 5 million copies of his 160 books have sold and translated into 30 different languages. They include the NYT bestseller THE COLOSSUS RISES as well as THE SWORD THIEF, THE VIPER'S NEST, and THE DEAD OF NIGHT. He's also written YA novels including SOMEBODY, PLEASE TELL ME WHO I AM and SMILER'S BONES.

Peter, who started out the morning not wearing pants, did remember to put some on for his keynote. Even so, he confessed to some nerves like he hadn't experience in a while. "The last time I was this nervous was when I had to do a video with Whoopi Goldberg," he said.

He started off by describing a school visit from someone who told all the seventh graders in his school that you couldn't make a living doing something creative--that you couldn't support a family and would always depend on others. He took this seriously, and as the oldest kid in a Greek-immigrant family, he faced a lot of responsibility for entertaining his siblings and cousins. He loved telling them stories.

"My idea of a great time was to shut the door in my bedroom, put a pad of paper on the desk and just let the words fly. My parents didn't understand it but they knew enough to let me do it," he said.

He was a troublemaker in class and used to like to write his books during math class. "I had a little spiral notebook hidden inside and was writing science fiction story." He had for consecutive Us for unsatisfactory in self-control. But one of his teachers predicted he'd be a writer and kept his poetry in her purse because she wanted to remember that she'd taught him. "It petrified the hell out of me."

He talked to us about why he loves writing middle grade best: "Most of us who write middle grade haven't really progressed past farting... part of what makes us good at this is our own lack of maturity."

By the YA-reader age, the audience knows what they like. They made the transition from family centric to peer centric. "Now they demand certain stories that are specific to what they care about."

Also, YA is more subject to fads. Middle Grade, by contrast, is forever.

Voracious middle grade readers will read classics as if they were written yesterday. They're young enough that they don't care about the occasional old-fashioned expressions. "They will buy into any book as long as the story is good."

There are kids this age who don't read. It's like eating vegetables or shaking hands with non-favored relatives (and probably a phase). With these kids, there is an opportunity to be a first taste of "wow." This is an opportunity and a privilege to serve them.

They're interested in right and wrong, where mom and dad end and friends begin. "They are negotiating betrayals and bribes, hypocrisies from adults."

Books can make sense to them. "If we do this right, we sneak inside a kid's head and present a world, a framework, a guided moral and ethical reality. In this reality, things don't have to be logical or fair... But they must make emotional sense."

"A book is a dock of possibilities into which readers sail the ship of their imaginations."

So how do we do this?

There are some rules (and he gave more, but we're just posting a sample):

a) Start with character always. "Populate your stories so the characters will be driving the plot. Not the other way around. You will never be sorry."

"Our job is to understand character. We are actors in the purest sense." 

b) Write a killer first page. A page that makes it impossible for a reader to not want to go on. Kids won't go to page 2 if they don't like page 1. "I'm a pretty fast writer, but it'll take me a week to write that first page." You're finding your voice and your way into the book. If you do, your reader will, too. Keep descriptions of clothes and setting and weather very, very brief.

c) Include romance ... but only a little.

When he visits schools, he tries to make storytelling and creativity palpable. "In every crowd, I am looking for the kid who was me. You see it in their eyes. Chances are they've been encouraged by their teachers. Chances are they've also gotten signals, as I did, that this is not what you can do for a living."

It wasn't until he got into law school that he spent one summer as a singing waiter on Nantucket that there were some things he liked doing more than others. That maybe "smart" was wrong and "stupid" was me. A year after he started trying, he got cast in a Broadway show, and he also worked as a copy editor, and worked his way into the business from there.

It was an incredibly informative and moving keynote--and it's no wonder his books have connected so deeply with so many kids. 

Peter's website: PeterLerangis.com
Follow Peter on Twitter: @PeterLerangis

Mike Jung: Making Fantasy/Sci-Fi Elements Thrive in a Contemporary Setting

Author Mike Jung's workshop on Making Fantasy/Sci-Fi Elements Thrive in a Contemporary Setting was standing room only. The place was packed! Mike is a SCBWI success story, having met his editor, Arthur Levine, at this conference in 2010. His debut novel Geeks, Girls, and Secret Identities was recently released. To start his session, Mike invited Arthur Levine up front and they sang a song while Mike played the ukelele. :)

Once the applause and whistles died down, Mike dove into his workshop. To make a believable story with fantasy and sci-fi elements, the author has to seamlessly integrate those elements into a contemporary setting. He broke it down to two levels: Structural and Personal.

Mike is naturally funny and charming, and he kept the crowd laughing with his jokes and talk of sweating. (Sorry, Mike. Had to throw that in there).

One question he advises authors to ask themselves is about the infrastructure. How does the fantasy affect society on the broadest level? Things like law enforcement, education, or media?

Authors need to see the big picture first--the structure before they can break it down to the personal level. He also stresses that authors need to have rules--and those have to be consistent if the plan is to keep the reader's trust and interest.

Mela Bolinao: Working With An Artist's Rep

Mela Bolinao has spent more than a third of her lifetime as an artist's rep! And since she looks as fresh as a daisy, that must be less than five years or so.

Mela had been a pre-med major before switching to fine art and then after attending her first SCBWI event, she was amazed that children’s book illustration was something people could do for a living and she wanted to be a party in the process. She currently represents about 60 artists, finding them work in the juvenile illustration world primarily in the categories of trade publishing, textbook, stationary, games, editorial and advertising.

What's great about our business of kid's illustration as opposed to adult editorial or advertising? There is still a need for illustration in the world because we provide something unique and special, and how incredible and inspiring to work with and for children.

 

Cover of the mb catalog sent to art directors

Mela delves into the artist/rep relationship:

“Having an agent is basically the same thing as getting married, you are there for the good, the bad, the frustration, the depression, for all of it.”

First thing Mela must have for a good client/agent relationship: open communication.

She wants to know all of her clients’ strengths and weaknesses, "the illustrator must tell the agent what they want, don’t let your agent mold you without your input."

How can you improve and grow? Know your favorite illustrators, those at the top of their game and figure out why you love them and how you can capture some of their moxie... 

OR if you want my advice (not sanctioned by Mela):

Dig a really big pit/camouflage it with leaves/set out some tempting bait on top so you can capture these star illustrators, thus removing the competition? (F Your I: both Marla Frazee and David Wiesner are suckers for CHEEZ-ITs).

Be open to critique from someone (OTHER THAN YOUR MOM) who can make your work better, like your agent, a critique group, or conference critiques (like we have at the summer conference!).

Mela sees part of her job as growing her illustrators’ talents, she loves to see new samples from her artists, she loves it when her clients meet deadlines. Mela shares some of her clients’ work. MB produces a lovely, full-color themed catalog of featuring her artists (like the AWESOME JANNIE HO), everyone gets a page, and she sends these out every three months or so.

 

Jannie Ho's page in the MB catalog

 Final words from this workshop give you a good sense of what it would be like to work with Mela:

 “I’m your protector! I may be very small, but I can be really tough sometimes.”

Deborah Halverson: Setting, Wherefore Art Though? The Surprising Benefits and How to's of Setting in YA/MG Novels

Deborah Halverson is both an independent editor and author of books for kids including a young-adult and middle-grade novel, a picture book, as well as Writing Young Adult Fiction for Dummies.

To often the setting is short changed in preference to getting the action and dialogue in there. We miss the opportunity to deliver a sense of place.

A story without setting is a bit like a movie where the actors only move in front of a blue screen.

Setting and character go hand in hand, and it should be a key in younger middle-grade through older young-adult novels. It enhances character and plot, making the story more satisfying. It engages the senses and gives your character something to react to.

Four Elements of Setting

• Place
• Time
• Social Context
• Setting Props

Each of these elements allows you manipulate your characters and story. Setting can deepen character. Your setting will influence your characters thoughts, words, and actions. 

Deborah encourages all of us to ditch the generic (except when you're drafting). When revising that second, third, forth time...use your creativity. 

An example:

"Hi," he said, pushing his bangs out of his eyes. "You're new here, aren't you?"

versus

"Hi," he said, using his vest pocket to turn the filthy doorknob. "You're new here, aren't you?

The second gives us far more about both setting and character.

Deborah also suggests giving your setting a job. One example is HOLES by Louis Sachar. The setting is used to punish the boys.

Think of ways to make the setting (like schools and bedrooms) seem a little less familiar by:

• Focussing on a different aspect of the familiar
• Doing the unexpected 
• Acting against stereo type
• Using running prop gags

A side note about Deborah Halverson's editorial services:

I sat next to attendee Larry Kay who could not sing Deborah's praises enough. He has used her editorial services (details on Deborah Halverson's website). Larry's number one tip to others interested: Get on her waiting list. 

Laura Purdie Salas' NonFiction Workshop - Writing For the Educational Market: How To Approach a Publisher, Get an Assignment, and Write the Dang Book!

Laura Purdie Salas has written over 100 books for kids and teens, and she's here to give us the scoop on writing for the Educational Market!

Laura Purdie Salas leading her session

Laura starts off saying that educational publishing is kind of a hidden part of publishing - hidden, but huge.

Her goal is for attendees to leave this session with the information to pursue our own assignments.

She's outlining the differences between trade and educational publishing, using her own books as examples.  Copyright, payments, how the book is sold, even how the book is initiated -- it's all different.

Calling publisher catalogs a "goldmine" because they help us figure out which publishers we want to approach, she's walking us through the steps towards getting published in the educational market -- and being successful at it!

She's covering submissions, contracts, working with editors, research... and leads a lively Q&A session at the end.  She even ends with a raffle, giving away her example books to the attendees!

It's a fast and remarkable education in, well, the educational market.  (Goal accomplished!)

Laura is clearly a master, and even has a book for writers, Writing Children's Nonfiction Books for the Educational Market.

A few of Laura's many nonfiction titles:

Ginger Clark: Contracts - 10 Critical Clauses

Ginger Clark is an agent with Curtis Brown LTD. She focuses on middle grade and young adult fiction.

Literary agent Ginger Clark

As a reminder, these Team Blog posts by design don't share everything our faculty tells us for a variety of reasons. But it would be fun to share everything Ginger had to tell us. Her presentation was funny, generous, and really useful.

She's been an agent for 12 years and is a member of a couple of boards dealing with book rights and related issues--she clearly knows a ton.

On rights: 

Don't sell publishers the cow. "Just keep giving them small servings of milk for a high price." Rights break down in a couple of ways. There's World English Rights. Or just North American. Or World Rights, which includes foreign translations.

Only give a publisher world rights if they're paying you a lot of money. "Like, funny money." If they haven't paid you a bunch, they don't have the same investment and incentive to sell your foreign rights.

Hold onto audio, TV, and film rights, too. A good agent will help you sell your book to an audio publisher and will try to get a film option for you. This is really rare (and especially rare when the movies come to pass). 

On royalties: 

She had an interesting point about ebooks. Authors get 25 percent of the net--less than the 40 percent of the profits they get for hardcover sales. This strikes Ginger as being unfair, and as one reason many authors turn to self-publishing which pays 70 percent of net through Kindle.

Ginger looks at royalty statements and when she sees the "high-discount" royalties showing up as 70 percent of sales, she doesn't like it. She would have negotiated differently. (This is the reason writers benefit from having agents--little details like this can make a big difference.)

Follow her on Twitter: @Ginger_Clark

Jon Scieszka: The Importance of Being Subversive in Writing for Kids: Not Every Book Should Put You To Sleep

Jon Scieszka has touched a lot of children, especially boys.

He's our former children's book Ambassador, champion of guys reading. He's probably won some awards. He's definitely got excellent taste in bars.

Jon's first piece of advice for conference goers is to not listen to all of the advice one hears at the conference—after he's done talking, of course—stop listening elsewhere if your brain gets overloaded by all the amazing speakers you are about to hear.

Jon's just remembered the title of his keynote! And will speak on topic, a lovely change. Jon says:

"We are born subversive, kids are nuts, and that's who we are supposed to be writing for."

"You have to find your audience and know for yourself that your work is good."
"Go find some kids to tell your stories to, not just your nieces."

"Learn how to sit down and create."

Jon talks about being subversive all the time, in all professions, reading Kafka to the second graders he was teaching, and the wackier Tomi Ungerer books, Roald Dahl. Reading these books inspired Jon to get a bit nuttier in his own work, which lead to Stinky Cheese Man. Jon reads a rejection letter for The Stinky Cheese Man, a truly subversive book that disturbed a lot of editors before finding one really wacky one, and the book, as we know, went on to stir up loads of kids and win big.

If you haven't read Knucklehead yet, you really should, it's hilarious and gives you excellent insight into what it's like to be Jon and where many of his ideas come from. All proceeds of Knucklehead go to the Scieszka Family Psychiatry Fund. Based on his adolescence, Brother Jim probably uses the fund the most.

Laurie Halse Anderson's Keynote - Born To Be Mild: What It Means To Be A Writer For Children

Laurie Halse Anderson is amazing - she's the New York Times best-selling and multi-award winning (including TWO National Book Award Finalist distinctions) author of -- among many others -- Speak and Chains, historical thrillers, fiction and nonfiction for young readers and teens.

Here be magic woven...

It's not just my camera:  the light and magic pouring out of Laurie Halse Anderson

Laurie weaves a magic spell over us, using her words and amazing energy to transform the large hotel ballroom (with over 1260 of us!) into "our cathedral, our sacred space..."  a fire circle where we can gather around, stay warm, keep the dark at bay and tell our stories.

She tells us her own story (from hating English class in school, to a rejection letter for Speak that she laminated, to having her 30th book coming out in January 2014!), encourages us to be there for each other, and cuts to the core of our insecurities - the ones we as creative people share.  She's funny, and eloquent, and honest.

She lifts us up, assures us that there's a reason we have the urge to be create, that we have this creativity in our hearts, that we have this gift of magic...because we write books for our reader's hearts.

Books that will capture the power of pretend, the glory of love, that protect, defend and celebrate childhood.

She gives us wonderful advice, challenges us to go outside our comfort zones, urges us to

"tell the story that's in your heart."

And she is magic.  And maybe, feeling the truth of what she shared, each of us can trust that we are magic, too.


What a beautiful start to the conference!

Welcome to the 42nd Annual SCBWI Summer Conference!

The legendary Steve Mooser has just welcomed us all to the conference, reminding us how much courage it took to be here.

"Most of you have sacrificed a lot in terms of time and money to be here," he said. "Take the opportunity to reach out to your fellow attendees ... don't be afraid. If you're like thousands of others who've gone before you, you're likely to come away with new friends and maybe even a best friend."

Steve and Lin, who are best friends, met as office mates before they founded this organization. (Lin wants us to know she was in preschool at the time. OK, kidding. She was 23.)

Lin, meanwhile, reminded us that we're like-minded "weirdos"--a word that earned applause because SCBWI conferences, fortunately, aren't middle school.

Lin introduced us to Sara Rutenberg, who organized this conference for us with such grace and warmth. Among other things, she reminded us that the mobile app that we're using for the conference--Guidebook--has been updated. So if you downloaded it before, be sure to update it for the most accurate information.

New Attendees Orientation with Jolie Stekly

Jolie's calm, sure words soothe and energize 400 first time conference attendees

Coming to the conference for the first time?

Got those nervous jitters?

Relax!

Jolie's here.

She's a former Regional Advisor, a founding member of SCBWI's Team Blog, and SCBWI's 2009 Member-of-the-Year.

With charm, grace, and lots of knowledge, Jolie helps first time attendees get calm, focused, and set up for a wonderful conference experience!

Thanks, Jolie!

Find out more about Jolie at her cuppajolie blog!

Welcome to The 42nd Annual SCBWI Summer Conference!

We're SCBWI Team Blog!  From left:  Jaime Temairik, Jolie Stekly, Martha Brockenbrough, Suzanne Young and Lee Wind.

Keep checking back here for blog posts (and on twitter for tweets marked #la13scbwi) for conference highlights, insights and inspirations.

We're so glad you're joining us.

Here's to an amazing conference ahead!

A Baker's Dozen of Conference Tips For Your Travel Day...

13 cookies make a baker's dozen!

To get the most out of your 2013 SCBWI Summer Conference Experience, consider these tips...

1.  When you get it, take the time to read your conference packet.  Don't wait till you're home, because you may miss something great!

2.  First time at the conference?  Attend Jolie Stekly's Friday Morning New Attendees Orientation in Olympic I at 7:45am.  Jolie's a member of Team Blog, a former Regional Advisor, and SCBWI's 2009 Member of the Year.  She knows her stuff, and will help smooth your conference path! 
Here's one gem she's shared at past orientations:

If you're able to be yourself, then you have no competition. So don't feel as though you're in a competition with the people next to you. The SCBWI is a supportive tribe (with more than 22,000 members worldwide).

3.  Challenge yourself to attend one session that's outside your current focus (a plot talk if you're an illustrator, or a session on picture books if you write YA.)  Creativity sparks in mysterious ways.

4.  Don't just attend keynotes and workshops and then retreat to your room.  Hang out in the lobby bar and by the outside tables - even if you don't drink. Talk to your fellow writers and illustrators...  Lots of magical connections and moments happen this way.  Leave yourself open to that magic!

5.  Keep your nametag on.  Even at dinner, or drinks afterwards (see tip #4.)  Your conference name tag helps others know you're part of the tribe, and helps them remember your name, too.  You can even stash some of your own business cards in the back so they're handy.

6. Speaking of business cards, when you get one, or that evening, jot a quick note to yourself about who the person was and what you discussed.  It's not so much for your biographers, but there will be over 1,000 other attendees... and in a couple of months (or years), it will be remarkably useful to have something brief to jog your memory.

7.  Take care of yourself.  If you're feeling overwhelmed, it's okay to take a break.  Chat with a fellow conference-goer by the pool.  Sketch.  Outline that new picture-book idea.  Visit the conference attendee hospitality rooms -  Bel-Air and Malibu (on the California Level) - to recharge and have a snack in a quiet place.  Remember that this is YOUR conference, your time, and you get to make it your own.

8.  Do your homework.  Particularly excited to meet a certain faculty member?  Read a couple of their books first (that they wrote, or illustrated, or agented, or edited), and you'll have something to talk about, and maybe questions to ask to make it a great discussion.

9.  If you're on twitter, tweet conference moments/quotes/shoutouts with the hashtag:

#LA13SCBWI

Even if you're not on twitter, you can follow along at this twitter search.

10.  When tweeting or blogging the conference, remember our Team Blog guidelines...  A taste but not a transcript.  It is not respectful to the presenters to share their material in its entirety, so let's all be respectful.

11.  Don't be afraid to go up and speak to someone - they're people, too! 

12.  Be able to answer the question, "What are you working on?" 

13.  Be professional ...and have an amazing time!


These tips were collected from previous Conference tip posts by Lee Wind, Jane Makuch and Jolie Stekly, as well as commenters including Beth Stilborn.  The cookie image is from this place in Atlanta.  Looks yummy!

Executive Editor Claudia Gabel to step in for Molly O'Neill

Hi Conference attendees,

At the last moment, editor Molly O'Neill is unable to attend, but we have a wonderful editor from the same imprint jumping into our Summer Conference dance.  Add to that, this editor is also an author who has insights from both sides of the creative and publishing process!

Claudia Gabel is an Executive Editor at Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Children’s Books, acquiring and developing middle grade and teen fiction in a variety of genres. Her most recent titles include Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza, Gravediggers: Mountain of Bones by Christopher Krovatin, Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock, Pretty Crooked by Elisa Ludwig, and The Ward by Jordana Frankel. She is also the author of the tween series In or Out, the mash-up novel Romeo & Juliet & Vampires, and coauthor of the forthcoming contemporary sci-fi novel Elusion with Cheryl Klam. She lives in New York City.

Romeo & Juliet & Vampires?  I can't wait to hear her speak!


Claudia will giving a Friday morning workshop, "Inside My List At HarperCollins," A Sunday afternoon workshop, "First Pages, In Reverse: Successful Beginnings (& the Revisions That Got Them There!)" and will be part of our Editor's Panel on Saturday morning, "What Makes an Evergreen, What Makes A Hit."  She'll also be stepping in to do the Monday intensive, "Where Does Voice Come From?”

Welcome, Claudia!

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

The 2013 SCBWI Summer Conference (#LA13SCBWI) Is Officially Sold Out!

If you're joining us in person or just following along virtually, make sure to keep checking back here at the Conference Blog for all the latest updates and live blogging from the conference floor.

You can also search twitter for the #la13scbwi hashtag, even if you don't have a twitter account.

If you are on twitter, you can follow scbwi's team bloggers:

@leewind
@mbrockenbrough
@cuppajolie
@jaimetem
@suzanne_young

The conference begins this Friday, August 2, 2013 - and it's going to be amazing!

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

Art Director Laurent Linn - The Pre-#LA13SCBWI Conference Interview

Check out Team Blogger Jaime Temairik's wide-ranging (and awesome) interview with Simon & Schuster Art Director Laurent Linn!  They talk about what makes a Middle Grade/Young Adult cover work, Laurent's favorite Pantone color, and which Muppet temperaments most closely resemble Lin Oliver and Stephen Mooser (the answers will astonish you...)

To attend Laurent's Saturday afternoon workshop, "Rethinking the Rules of Being an Illustrator," and his Sunday morning workshop with Leeza Hernandez, "The Collaboration Between Art Director and Illustrator," you'll need to join us at the 2013 SCBWI Summer Conference.  There are still a few spaces left... Details and registration information are here.

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

Author Kirby Larson - The Pre-#LA13SCBWI Conference Interview

Team Blogger Jaime Temairik did this wonderful interview with Kirby Larson about blogging (and how Kirby re-invented her own blog), how Kirby's dog helps her write (!), and how a SCBWI conference both inspired her and gave her that first big break into the industry.

To hear Kirby's Saturday morning keynote, "Where's Papa Going with that Ax?  Whispers of the Past in Contemporary Middle Grade Novels" and attend her Sunday workshop, "Get a Life: Using Figurative Language To Create Character," you'll have to join us at the 2013 SCBWI Summer Conference, August 2-5, 2013.

There are still a few spaces left.  You can find details and registration information here.

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

Author Brodi Ashton - The Pre-#LA13SCBWI Conference Interview

Check out this very funny interview with Brodi Ashton by Team Blog's Suzanne Young.

They talk about Brodi's EVERNEATH series, what her world building workshop won't be about (I told you it was funny!) and what a new writer could gain from attending a SCBWI conference. 

If you want to hear Brodi in person, and be part of all the craft, business, opportunity, inspiration and community that the SCBWI Summer Conference offers, you'll have to join us in Los Angeles August 2-5, 2013.

There's only a few spaces left - go here for all the details and to register.

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

Editor Donna Bray - The Pre-#LA13SCBWI Conference Interviews

Team Blogger Suzanne Young interviews Publisher and Editor Donna Bray about what authors can look from editors when attending a SCBWI conference, and we find out about Donna's two workshops, “Inside Balzer + Bray: 5th Anniversary Edition" and “The Top Ten* Things Editors Are Looking for in Authors and their Work (*or More!).”

Join us at the 2013 SCBWI Summer Conference in Los Angeles, August 2-5, 2013, and avail yourself of all the craft, business, inspiration, opportunity and community the SCBWI Summer Conference offers!

There are only a few spaces left - details and registration are here.

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

Sarah Towle - The Pre-#LA13SCBWI Conference Interviews

Sarah Towle’s debut storyapp, Beware Madame La Guillotine, A Revolutionary Tour Of Paris, launched in July 2011 to rave reviews and went on to earn a spot on three Top 10 App lists!  She'll be on faculty at the upcoming 2013 SCBWI Summer Conference, August 2-5, 2013 in Los Angeles.

I caught up with Sarah and in our interview got her to share about her remarkable storyapp, how it evolved into its current form, her take on publishing's digital revolution, and even the coolest French Revolution fact she learned while doing all her research! 

To attend Sarah's workshop (co-led by Julie Hedlund), "Picture Books and Story Book Apps: Same, Same but Quite Different," and partake of all the craft, business, inspiration, opportunity and community the SCBWI Summer Conference offers, you'll have to join us. 

There are only a few spaces left - details and registration are here.

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

Peter Lerangis - the Pre-#LA13SCBWI Conference Interviews

Team Blogger Jolie Stekly interviews award-winning author and conference faculty member Peter Lerangis (over 160 books, 5 million copies sold!) as we gather momentum toward the 2013 SCBWI Summer Conference, coming up this August 2-5, 2013.

Jolie gets Peter to open up about his past, his failed inklingectomy, and of course, the best piece of advice he's ever received about being a writer (which he quite happily didn't follow.)

It's pretty hysterical.  And don't miss the embedded video of Peter at New York ComicCon, surveying the crowd for who knows the seven wonders of the ancient world (which ties in nicely with his latest book, New York Times Bestselling THE COLOSSUS RISES, Book 1 of The Seven Wonders Series!)

Peter will be giving a Friday morning PROtrack workshop on "Genre Switching," a Friday Keynote, "Taking the 'Middle' Out of Middle Grade Fiction: A Writer's Manifesto" and a Saturday morning workshop "Getting Serious With Series."

To see Peter in person and partake of all the craft, business, inspiration, opportunity and community the SCBWI Summer Conference offers, you'll need to join us.  There are only a few spaces left - you can get all the details and still register here.

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

Deborah Freedman: An SCBWI Success Story

Team Blogger Martha Brockenbrough continues her series on children's book writers and illustrators with SCBWI success stories!

 

Here Martha interviews Author/Illustrator Deborah Freedman about how SCBWI made a difference in Deborah's career - including the breakthrough that happened through attending a SCBWI Conference!

There are still a few spots left for this Summer's SCBWI Conference in Los Angeles, August 2-5, 2013.  You can find out all the details and register here.

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

Carolyn Mackler: The Pre-#LA13SCBWI Conference Interviews

Team Blogger Jolie Stekly interviews award-winning author Carolyn Mackler in advance of the upcoming 2013 SCBWI Summer Conference in Los Angeles.

Carolyn shares her favorite part of the writing process (it made me laugh) and even the best piece of advice that was shared with her that she still follows (from Judy Blume!)  It's a great taste of what we're going to hear when Carolyn gives her Saturday August 3rd conference keynote, "Writing, My Life, and Other Insanely Overwhelming Things."

We hope you can join us - the conference is almost sold out and there are only a few spaces left!  You can find out more and register here.

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

SCBWI Success Story: Mike Jung

In the run-up to the summer conference, SCBWI Team Blogger Martha Brockenbrough is interviewing some SCBWI members for their remarkable conference success stories.

Here she interviews Mike Jung on his career turning points at SCBWI conferences, his advice to first-time conference attendees, and what he hopes people will get from his presentations, as it will be his first time on the conference faculty!  (Mike will be presenting two workshops at #LA13SCBWI, "Making Fantasy/Sci-Fi Elements Thrive in a Contemporary Setting" on Friday morning, and "Imagining Ethnicity" with Arthur Levine on Friday afternoon, and he'll also be on the Saturday morning "SCBWI Success Story Panel!")

We hope you can join us at the 2013 SCBWI Summer Conference!

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

Agent Joanna Volpe - The Pre-#LA13SCBWI Conference Interviews

I had the great fortune to interview agent Joanna Volpe, who'll be on faculty at the upcoming SCBWI Summer Conference, August 2-5, 2013 in Los Angeles, CA.

We spoke about what she's looking for in attending a conference, whether the size of an agency is important, and her pro-track session, "Cracking The Mystery of Your Royalty Statements."  We even find out the literary food she'd most like to try!

Check out the whole interview here.

To attend Joanna's session and take part in all the remarkable craft, business, inspiration, community and opportunity the SCBWI Summer Conference offers, you have to be there in person!  Go here for all the details, and to register.

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

SCBWI Success Story: Tracy Clark

As we gather momentum for the upcoming SCBWI Summer Conference (Aug 2-5, 2013) in Los Angeles, Team Blogger Martha Brockenbrough came up with the great idea to highlight some SCBWI (and SCBWI Conference) success stories.

Martha has featured Tracy Clark (whose debut novel, SCINTILLATE, is coming out January 2014 from Entangled Teen) in a piece that's poignant and inspiring.

Here's a taste:

The good things that have happened so far in my career have depended upon putting myself out there and availing myself of the opportunities that SCBWI has to offer by attending both my local SCBWI events and the national SCBWI conferences. If there is any advice I’d give to someone considering one of the national conferences for the first time, it is not to go with the singular goal of getting “discovered” though that can and does happen.


Go! But go to meet fascinating and passionate people. Go to find out that editors, agents, and published authors are approachable, helpful, and open-hearted. Go to learn more about the business so you can navigate the publishing world more easily. Go to learn more about craft so you can continue to grow as an artist. Go to where they understand you. Go to be inspired! If those are your goals, there is no way to leave disappointed. Any other magic that happens is a bonus!

Go read Tracy's whole story (and hear a bit of Martha's SCBWI success story as well!)

And join us at the 2013 SCBWI Summer Conference. We hope to see you there,

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee