Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators: San Francisco North & East Bay Region and Around.
As the former Co-Regional Advisor and Assistant Regional Advisor for twelve years for this region of the outstanding worldwide organization, check out my tips, suggestions and organization links!
I'm a big proponent of getting away to write. I think I do some of my best work when I can solely focus on writing and take uninterrupted time to work out snarls and inconsistencies. Perhaps you are the same way. For several years, our SCBWI region has done a creative retreat at the Green Gulch Farm Zen Center in…
I find the investment in writing is like developing an athlete. You need to find experts, lay out a training plan, run with others, get advice and help from others, and continue to pace and develop your skills. Writing is like running. The SCBWI conferences, intensives, meetings. and critique groups are my writing marathon training plan. There is an event…
I attended the SCBWI Los Angeles Conference July 31 - August 3rd. I've attended many, many children's writers conferences, intensives and programs. Perhaps the most outstanding program I've attended to date was done by Stephen Fraser, agent with De Chiara Literary Agency -- He conducted a middle grade intensive. He laid out his plan for us - we each were…
Our Oakland Intensives for Picture Book and Novel writers were spot on and sold out. The attendees were terrific and the faculty of authors Bill Konigsberg and Katheryn Otoshi, and associate editors Taylor Norman (Chonicle Books) and Susan Dobinick (FSG), complimented us on the fine work they read in the critiques. We billed the Intensives for developed writers -- and…
Our SCBWI programs are blessed with many devoted volunteers and more join every day to help us put on terrific programs. Our May 16 Intensives sold out in a little over 3 weeks. There might still be room on the waiting lists. Intensives are small group workshops that help writers and writer/illustrators dig deeper into their craft and help diagnose…
Our SCBWI Region ended the year with a terrific Faire and Holiday Mixer on Dec. 6th! Over 85 members and non-members joined us to learn all about our region and the opportunities, plus we had the greatest food brought by all! The Oakland Library was a wonderful midpoint location for our celebration. Everyone loved the time to ask questions, meet…
I have gone to many trade shows and managed many in my professional career, along with board meetings, seminars, conferences and more. It dawned on me that there is no way for SCBWI members to get answers to their questions about the organization -- so how about a trade show - where there is a person for each topic area…
It's true. This can happen. We ran an exhausting Fall Conference and 3 Intensives in October, followed by preparation for our new year's schedule, training of 2 wonderful new volunteers, looking for a new conference site, preparing for our first ever SCBWI Faire scheduled for Dec. 6th, and preparing for our January and May Intensives. The result, between work and…
We have been in a huge whirl of the many, many preparations for this tremendous event. We expanded the conference and added a day of Intensives. So many of our attendees are registered for both days. We didn't know what to expect. Our speaker lineup is really a blockbuster. I find these events exhausting and stimulating at the same time.…
We have been bubbling over with new SCBWI events, new speakers and lots of new volunteers helping out. Children's writers and illustrators are the most kind and welcoming crowd. How could we not be? We write for the best audience in the world - CHILDREN. We have some great meetings coming up with top local speakers on craft and taking…