SCBWI Annual Winter Conference in New York: A Roundup of Roundups

I think I've finally recovered from my eight days in New York for Digital Book World and the 2011 SCBWI Annual Winter Conference. After sleeping in beds in two different hotels, toting a 47-pound suitcase and a heavy laptop, tons of tweeting, boatloads of blogging, a few too many cocktails and conversations, and so not enough sleep I needed a chiropractic adjustment, a massage, a manicure, a facial, two yoga classes and a few days not involving alarm clocks.

Now that that's all taken care of, I've been enjoying clicking around reading blog posts about the Winter Conference. It's enlightening to hear other people's perspectives and learn what they take away from events. After all, a conference is a different experience for each and every one the attendees--and with 1100-ish people in the audience for the NYC event, there are a lot of perspective to be shared.

Below is a roundup of Winter Conference roundups--including recaps, a tweet roundup, takeaway lists, and even some photos. Whether you attended the event or not, there's plenty to learn from these bloggers.


I've included a snippet of each post. Click on the titles to read the full reports.  

And if you haven't checked it out, please be sure to visit the Official SCBWI Conference Blog and read through the complete coverage of the event courtesy of TEAM BLOG. (While you're there, check out the video interviews with conference goers to hear even more perspectives.)


Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Conference (PW)
The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Winter Conference in New York City is one of my favorite writerly events of the year. After all, what writer could resist the opportunity to hear legends of the children’s book world speak about writing? And then there’s the energy. When you fill a room with over one thousand writers, illustrators and industry professionals who are passionate about children’s books, you can feel the sizzle and excitement in the air. Here are some of the highlights.

SCBWI 2011, Part II: Beyond Picture Books, to New Media! (Walking in Public blog)
Everyone – and I mean, EVERYONE (that’s right, NPR) – is talking about e-books and new media. While adult e-readers are already a major part of consumer culture, childrens’ apps and e-books are still in their infancy (pun intended). People seem to have a special concern and defensiveness reserved for the future of kids’ books – after all, who wants their kids’ future reduced to bedtime stories curled up with an IPad?

SCBWI winter conference, NY (Tina Burke's blog)
I've just returned from a fantastic trip to New York, where I finally made it to the SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) annual winter conference. I'd been wanting to attend one of these since we moved to Toronto.
This one enticed me for three main reasons:
A) The Friday, full-day Illustrator's Intensive focused on "Books and Beyond" (particularly ebooks and apps); something that's of interest to all of us. (I know there's info and discussions all over the internet about this stuff, but sometimes it's more fun to be told in person.)
B) Mo Willems was speaking
C) I ♡ NY
So I booked my ticket.

Gems from the SCBWI Winter Conference 2011 (Amy Writes...) (A Tweet Roundup!)
Huge discovery this weekend: Twitter isn’t only for organizing revolutions. It’s also good for keeping tabs on what’s happening at that awesome conference across the country you weren’t able to attend.
Who knew?
OK, in all honesty, I did know that. But the coolness of Twitter hit home this weekend while I was here in Arizona and a slew of my writer friends were cavorting at the SCBWI conference in New York.

A Conference in Pictures: SCBWI NY 2011 (Suzanne Young's blog)
Another excellent SCBWI conference has finished, but if you missed any of the action, hop on over to the TEAM BLOG official conference blog to catch up on EVERYTHING!! It was a great time, it was crazy weather, and there were even some shenanigans. Here are my pics from behind the scenes!

Notable moments from SCBWI's Winter Conference (Red Room)
Recently, I attended the 2011 SCBWI Winter Conference in NYC. It's always interesting to hear about trends, publishing shifts, new editors and art directors, and learn from the veterans, such as illustrator and writer, Jules Fieffer, and editor, Patricia Lee Gauch. I love running into other writers I know, as well as meeting new ones. Since I tend to remember things in bullet points, I created a list. I hope some of these will amuse and inspire you too.

#NY11SCBWI: My Top 16 Things (Lee Wind's blog)
Okay, I tried to make this a "Top 10" list about my take-aways from the 2011 SCBWI Winter Conference, but there was just too much good stuff to share!

SCBWI TEAM BLOG Pre-Conference Interview: Editors & Agents on Interacting With Them

 

SCBWI's Annual Winter Conference in New York is just few days away! I fly to York today to attend Digital Book World previous to the SCBWI event. Look for my tweets with the #DBW hashtag. And, starting Friday, follow the conference live via SCBWI TEAM BLOG's post on The Official SCBWI Conference Blog and on twitter via #NY11SCBWI. 

 

Since I've finished over-packing, I have time to bring you one last pre-conference interview roundup with a group of editors and agents.

 

Today's topic: INTERACTING

Editors KRISTA MARINO (Delacorte), FRANCESCO SEDITA (Penguin), and KATE SULLIVAN (Little, Brown); and agents KERRY SPARKS (Levine/Greenberg) and MARY KOLE (Andrea Brown) are participating in the Writers' Intensive that kicks off the weekend of conferencing.

I asked this group to offer some advice on interacting with them in a conference setting. We've all heard stories about manuscripts being thrust under bathroom stalls and other inappropriate behavior. Below, our publishing professionals talk about what makes a good impression--including being yourself, not being too aggressive, and being memorable (in a good way). I also asked them why they attend conferences.

What's your advice on interacting with editors and agents during a conference?

KRISTA MARINO: Conferences can be overwhelming for everyone, even editors. At this conference we’re here prepared to critique not acquire. Cornering an editor and pitching your book idea will only make them less eager to work with you. They can’t lug home manuscripts and they can’t really have a spur-of-the-moment conversation about your work with you.

FRANCESCO SEDITA: When you go on "Wheel of Fortune," you are super-psyched to meet Pat and Vanna. You want to make the most of your letter choices. But Pat and Vanna have nothing to do with whether or not there's an "L" in the puzzle. Think of the editors like Pat and Ms. White. Yes, they may love your project, they may help you with it, they may even want to publish it someday but that doesn't mean you're going to say "L" when that's what their publishing puzzle requires. You spin the wheel and you hope for the best...I'll take a D, Pat. (P.S. My friends and I are obsessed with the BEFORE AND AFTER puzzles. We text them to one another all the time. Please stop me if you see me and give me a few good ones. Tina Turner Movie Classics. White House Music All Night Long. Jimmy Cagney and Lacey. Facts of Life Cereal.)

KATE SULLIVAN: Be memorable. But of course, be memorable for a good thing. You want an editor, if they ever see your stuff down the line, to say, “Oh, that’s the woman who had everyone cracking up at her honesty” or “I remember this guy. He gave the most thoughtful and constructive comments.” Obviously, this can backfire if we remember you for forgetting your please and thank yous, dressing in a costume made of foam, or sending increasingly large giftbaskets every time you ask for a status update on your submission.

KERRY SPARKS: Be your natural self--we are just people like everyone else! And remember that we really want your work to be great and we need writers in order to do our jobs. So it’s not an Us against Them sort of situation. Don’t bombard us with your pitch, but rather kindly ask is we are open to receiving submissions.

MARY KOLE: Be relaxed and try to smile when you're approaching an agent or just seeing one in the elevator. Don't come and aggressively start pitching. Read the situation. If people are hanging out and chatting, go with the flow of the situation and make normal conversation with an agent or editor. If the moment feels right, you can pitch (keep it really brief, though), or you can just make a strong connection and offer to send the agent a writing sample and query later. Not every agent encounter at a conference has to be a pitch...it's often enough to have a great conversation and then remind the agent later that you met them!

>>> For a little more on the topic, check out this helpful post from Dystel & Goderich VP/Agent Michael Bourret, who offered some advice after attending an SCBWI regional conference. 

What do you get out of attending conferences? 

KRISTA: At this particular conference I not only get to see new work, but I get to actually meet the author and see how he/she accepts criticism. Editorial direction and criticism is such an big part of the publishing process and it’s invaluable to an editor to actually get to participate in it in person. Aggressive, abrasive behavior will turn me away from even the most promising manuscript.

FRANCESCO: Laughs. A good time. And a chance to like go to a high school reunion sorta, without all those pesky gym class memories. And, really, a chance to bat my eyelashes at Lin. Love that lady. Steve's pretty cute, too.

KATE: Reconnecting with the beginning of the process, more than anything: It gives me perspective. I’ve also made great friends, and often learned something from those I’m there to teach.

KERRY: Hopefully, I get some new talented clients with great projects! And I also get to see editors and meet new editors which is a big part of my job.

MARY:  I love interacting with writers, hearing ideas, and getting a chance to give a talk or address a crowd on a panel. I'm a teacher at heart, so I really do enjoy being helpful, whether it's with feedback on a pitch or answering a question during Q&A. Conferences are also great places to interact with SCBWI RA's and volunteers, authors, other agents, and editors. Not only do we meet writers, but we can network and have lots of fun with the faculty! Some of my best friendships, with writers and other kidlit professionals, have been forged at conferences!

SCBWI TEAM BLOG Pre-Conference Interview: Advice on Critiques From Editors & Agents

SCBWI's Annual Winter Conference in New York is just eleven days away! If you're attending, you may be planning your outfits and your evening activities in the city (which you certainly should), but you should also be thinking about how to make the most of the event. So I checked in with a few of the editors and agents participating in the conference to ask for some advice to pass on to you.

Today's topic: CRITIQUES

Editors Krista Marino (Delacorte), Franceso Sedita (Penguin) and Jennifer Rees (Scholastic) and agents Kerry Sparks (Levine/Greenberg) and Kary Kole (Andrea Brown) are participating in the Writers' Intensive that kicks off the weekend of conferencing. At this day-long event, writers have the opportunity to get feedback on a manuscript from a several editors and agents, and writers offer feedback to one another.  

Intensives have limited space for writers and this year's Writers' Intensive (as usual) sold out super fast. But even if you aren't attending it, you probably have been or will be in a critique situation, whether at a conference with an editor or agent, one-on-one with a critique partner, or in a critique group setting. Here are some things to keep in mind offered by our group of industry insiders.

What's your best advice for writers regarding making the most of a manuscript critique?

KRISTA MARINO: I think that sometimes writers use critique time to “defend” their work or pitch their idea instead of to hear what people took away when they read the piece. Writers need to remember that they won’t be standing next to a reader as their book is being read to defend a decision. And we don’t need you to tell us the market or how your work has a readership. It’s our job to know these things. Always keep in mind that editors and agents want to work with writers who are open to suggestions, not writers who think their work is already done. Act appropriately.

FRANCESCO SEDITA: Do it because you love it. Go in with an open mind and just take it all in. Don't worry about what is said; it's all for you to take in and digest. It's very hard to hear criticism when the pressure is high. It's hard to keep the "Wait, I didn't win the Oscar face?" on when some bonehead is telling you that your project isn't right for whatever reason. Breathe.

JENNIFER REES: I encourage writers to really listen to what everyone is saying--whether you agree with it or not. For a moment, set aside what you think you know about your story and listen to what others tell you. And take lots of notes! Then you can go home, sort through everything with an open mind, and choose what you want to listen to and what is best to dismiss.

KERRY SPARKS: I think coming prepared to hear criticism is key and being open to really hear what people are saying. But also being strong enough in your work to knowwhat you can and can’t change.

MARY KOLE: Try not to be overwhelmed or respond emotionally. If you're in a critique situation, take the feedback that's being offered to you and make sure to ask specific questions or for clarification. Critiques often feel like they fly by...don't pass up a chance to really nail down your personal feedback with the person who read your sample. You should also ask for ideas on next steps: What should you do next? How can you grow and evolve from this point forward?


What's your best advice for writers regarding offering criticism of other writers' work?

KRISTA: Always remember to treat people the way you would like to be treated. If you have criticism, offer a compliment as well. And make your criticism constructive. “That’s horrible” or “I hate horses” isn’t helpful to anyone.

FRANCESCO: Don't speak because everyone else has. Um, that's sort of my advice in life. But it's really important here because then you just say something dumb and dumb sometimes leads to inadvertent mean and mean leads to someone crying and crying just brings everyone down, people.   Nobody needs that. Speak from your heart--as a reader, a writer, and a person who is just as crazy about and committed to their craft as the person you're addressing.

JENNIFER: My advice is to speak up! Some writers clam up because there is an editor sitting there and they don’t want to look foolish, but if you can be generous enough to share your insights into another writer’s work with the whole group, then chances are that they’ll do the same for you when your time arrives!

 

KERRY: Offer criticism by first finding a way to compliment the work. There is almost always at least a few good aspects to any work, so starting off with that and then leading into what might not quite work will soften the blow. Also, really offering a solid suggestion of an action step the writer can take to improve it is really helpful.

MARY: It is crucial to learn how to critique the work of others. That keen editorial eye that you develop when you're critiquing will, one day, filter down to how you look at your own work. When you're critiquing, avoid emotional and unhelpful reactions to material, like "I didn't like it" or "that sucked." If you have something like this on the tip of your tongue, try and think why you may be having an issue with the piece. It's much more helpful for a fellow writer to hear something like, "The pacing of this scene is slow, so I found myself skimming. Maybe there's too much description going on between dialogue exchanges," or whatever. Also, you can throw out ideas and suggestions, but don't take the wheel and prescribe what a writer should do. Just give them feedback. Addressing it is their job.

You'll hear from this generous group of editors and agents again soon. In the meantime, you can still register for the Annual Winter Conference. Click here for information.

And remember, check out the Official SCBWI Conference Blog for live coverage of the event by SCBWI TEAM BLOG.

SCBWI TEAM BLOG Pre-Conference Interview: Award Wining Author Lois Lowry

Blogger Lee Wind (whose birthday is today--Happy Birthday Lee!) posted the latest SCBWI TEAM BLOG interview with Annual Winter Conference faculty. Lee spoke with award-winning author Lois Lowry, who will be delivering the keynote speech to open the conference.

Below is a bit from Lee's interview with Lois. Click here to read the full interview on Lee's blog, I'm Here. I'm Queer. What the Hell Do I Read? 

One of the super-exciting things about the upcoming SCBWI Winter Conference in New York City, January 28-30, 2011 is that Lois Lowry will be speaking there. (And YES, you can still register!)

Born in Hawaii, Lois Lowry has lived all over the world and now divides her time between Cambridge, Massachusetts and a 1768 farmhouse in Maine. Her list of fiction includes 36 books for young people. Twice the recipient of the Newbery Medal - in 1990 and 1994 (for the Middle Grade novels "Number The Stars" and "The Giver")

Lois has received countless other honors for her work. In recent years she has traveled extensively, speaking to children in Spain, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia about the importance of literature and imagination in their lives. She is a mother and grandmother and has worked as a photojournalist as well as a writer of fiction. She even has a blog!

As Lee mentioned above, you can still register for the event--it starts January 28th--and get a chance to see Lois Lowry in person, as well as the terrific faculty of industry insiders amassed for the event.

Click here to access the registration page. Hope to see you there!

SCBWI TEAM BLOG Pre-Conference Interview: Author-Illustrator Mo Willems

SCBWI TEAM BLOG continues our pre-Annual Winter Conference coverage with TEAM BLOGger Lee Wind's interview with faculty member Mo Willems, posted a few days ago on Lee's blog, I'm Here, I'm Queer. What the Hell Do I Read.

Below is a snippet from Lee's interview with Mo, who will no doubt have us rolling in the aisles. Click here to read the full interview.

Mo Willems’ work in children’s books, animation, television, theater, and bubble gum card painting has garnered him 3 Caldecott Honors, 2 Geisel Medals, 2 Carnegie Medals, 6 Emmys, and multiple bubble gum cards. Upcoming non-bubble gum card projects include Hooray for Amanda and Her Alligator, a portrait of the relationship between a girl and her stuffed alligator told in 6-1/2 stories. More information about Mo’s past, present, and future can be gleamed at www.mowillems.com. Mo will be part of an incredible panel on Sunday January 30th, "Look Who's Laughing: How To Do Funny For Young Readers and Why" that's sure to have us all cracking up... and thinking!

It's not to late to register for the event and enjoy the panel on humor featuring Mo Willems in person, as well as the rest of the great lineup. But the days are dwindling--the festivities begin on January 28th--click here to visit the conference registration page. 

And whether you attend or not, visit the Official SCBWI Conference Blog for live coverage of the event. Bookmark or follow today!

2011 Tomie dePaola Award Winner Announced!

SCBWI received more than 150 entries from illustrators for the 2011 Tomie dePaola Award. This year's contest asked illustrators to create an original piece interpreting the opening of Johanna Spyri’s HEIDI. "I want to see an image, a style, a vision that I’ve never seen before!" Tomie said. "I want to be surprised, excited and--VERY jealous that I didn’t think of that way to illustrate it."

The winner, chosen by Tomie dePaola himself, is Katia Wish. Katia wins a $1,000 gift certificate for art supplies, plus full tuition, transportation and accommodations to the SCBWI Annual Winter Conference. Her winning piece will be featured at the exhibition in New York.

"The composition of Katia's piece is very striking, as is the point of view," said Tomie. "I like her painting style and the figure of Heidi is full of life. I also like the way she placed Heidi's face against the black skirt of the adult figure. The vertical shape of the illustration gives the viewer a real sense of the mountains and I love the way Heidi is being 'pulled' into the picture."

Congratulatins, Katia Wish! Here is her winning entry.

Here are three other entries that Tomie dePaola found noteworthy with commentary from him. They are the work of Julie Phillipps, Bradley Cooper, and Nancy Davis.

The piece submitted by Julie Phillipps stands
out because of her fabric collage technique,
incorporating the landscape into the coat. Very nice.

Bradley Cooper's piece is more realistic. Very nice
rendering of Heidi's face, full of emotion.
This style would be very suitable for an older
child or even an adult book.

Nancy Davis used a cut paper technique,
but it is her very simple stylized interpretation
that caught my eye. Very child-like and perky.

The illustration challenge for next year's Tomie dePaolo Award has not yet been announced--check SCBWI.org for updates.

SCBWI TEAM BLOG Pre-Conference Interivews: ADs Denise Cronin & Lucy Ruth Cummins

Happy New Year, dear readers! I've missed you. I hope you missed me back.

And--fingers crossed--I'll get to see many of you at the 12th Annual SCBWI Winter Conference that's coming up in mere weeks (January 28-30) in New York City. There's still time to register!

While I was busy shopping, wrapping, making ravioli and assuring the boy that Santa exists, SCBWI TEAM BLOGger Jaime Temarik was busy posting some year-end interviews with art directors on her blog CocoaStomp (and I'm fairly cerain she also baked some cookies).


First Jaime talked to Lucy Ruth Cummins, Associate Art Director at Simon & Schuster. Below is a bit from her interview. Click here to read the full post. 

Jaime: Okay, help is on the way. In the meantime, I'm having my people send Justin [Chanda] a bunch of emails so he'll be distracted and hopefully you'll be able to answer a few more questions. Illustrators will definitely want to know if you are currently acquiring?

Lucy: We are always acquiring new talent. I'm always keeping my eyes peeled. Even if I can't place someone on a project immediately (and it is true that some parts of publisher's lists are shrinking!) I'll often keep them on hand waiting for the right project. An example of this is the debut book from illustrator Jon Klassen, CATS' NIGHT OUT by Caroline Stutson - Jon just received the Governor General's Award for this project, and I had had his work on hand for several years before I was able to pair him with the perfect project. Although we may not always be able to immediately put the rubber to the road with new folks, good artwork makes a strong impression and the quest for a winning collaboration is always on my mind.

As for what I'm looking for - there's never anything specific. I love such a range of things, but I'm mainly looking for things I'm touched by. I love cute. I love simple. But I also love creepy and detailed! There's no one thing I'm looking for and I'm always happy to be surprised.

Next Jaime talked with Denise Cronin, Vice President in the Penguin Young Readers Group and the Art Director for Viking Children’s Books. There's a snippet below. Click here to read the full post.

Jaime: Denise, did you know not only are you an Art Director, you're a flipping Vice President? What is your average day like?

Denise: If you count time spent on the train, checking files and reading manuscripts, my day is about 9 hours. We are usually juggling about 60 books at various points of development. I work very closely with the editors and the designers in my department from start to finish. Making books is very collaborative. Rarely do I work alone.

Be sure to check out both the interviews for insights from these terrific art directors and to see if they had the same answers to Kill, kiss or marry: Helvetica, Baskerville or Comic Sans? If you attend the conference, you can meet each of them during their breakout workshops. And--attention illustrators--there's still space in the Illustrators' Intensive, Beyond Books: Picture Books and the New Media.

And remember, whether you join us in New York or not, SCBWI TEAM BLOG will offer full coverage of the conference and intensives, live blogging throughout. Bookmark or follow the Official SCBIW  Conference Blog today!

 

SCBWI TEAM BLOG Pre-Conference Interview: Agent Jim McCarthy

Author and blogger Suzanne Young bring us the latest in our series of SCBWI TEAM BLOG interviews with Annual Winter Conference Faculty. Suzanne talked with agent Jim McCarthy. (We hope our interviews get you excited for the event!)

Here's a bit from Suzanne's interview with Jim.

In a Team Blog pre-conference exclusive, I'm chatting with fabulous agent (who also happens to be my agent) Jim McCarthy. Jim is vice president at Dystel & Goderich Literary Management and he will be speaking at the SCBWI Annual Winter Conference in NYC being held January 28^th-30^th. Check out the lineup HERE.

Jim, thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions. To start, I was wondering if you could tell us what your talk at the conference will focus on? 

This one’s easy! I’m doing the same break-out session three times, and it’s What Makes Your Work Publishable: Today’s Market in Children’s Books. I was asked to present on what our agency accepts, what my taste is, what makes something stand out as something I want to represent, how I perceive the marketplace now, and where I see it going.

Click here to read the full interview with Jim McCarthy.

And click here for Annual Winter Conference registration where you can attend insightful What Makes Your Work Publishable sessions with Jim, other agents, editors, and art directors!

And be sure to visit my blog tomorrow for my IN THE NEWS THIS WEEK feature one day late.

SCBWI TEAM BLOG Pre-conference interview: Linda Sue Park

The latest in our series of SCBWI TEAM BLOG interviews with Annual Winter Conference faculty is courtesy of Jolie Stekly who blogs at Cuppa Jolie. She interviewed Newbery Award-winning author Linda Sue Park.

Here's a bit from the interview with Linda Sue, which Jolie likened to a short writer's therapy session:

I've had the immense pleasure of hearing Linda Sue Park speak at a couple of SCBWI conferences. Not only that, but I've also had the opportunity to sit and talk with her, and let me tell you, the words that come out of her mouth are so great, so helpful, so smart that you won't want to dare miss them when she's gives her keynote presentation at the upcoming SCBWI Winter Conference.

Linda Sue Park is the award-winning author of many books for children, including A SINGLE SHARD which won the Newbery Medal in 2002. The list of awards Linda Sue has won is as long as my arm, and sure to keep growing. Linda Sue also serves on the SCBWI Board of Advisors.

Click here to read the full interview with Linda Sue Park.

Click here to register for the SCBWI Annual Winter Conference where you can take in the wisdom of Linda Sue, and the rest of the awesome faculty, in person. 

SCBWI TEAM BLOG Pre-conference Interview: Author Sara Zarr

When I found out Sara Zarr was on the faculty for the SCBWI Annual Winter Conference, I called dibs on doing her pre-conference interview right away. (There was a quiet throwdown, but I'm captain of TEAM BLOG so I won.)

There were several reasons I wanted an excuse to talk to Sara. I first met her several years ago at a Kidlitcon and heard her speak from the heart about her first foray into blogging. I immediately liked her and immediately devoured STORY OF A GIRL, her debut novel and a National Book Award Finalist.

A couple years later she stopped here in the Nati on a book tour and I attended both her events, one at a Barnes & Noble and one at Joseph-Beth. The B&N event, for some reason, was not well attended. (It was pretty much just me, the store events person, and a teen and her father who stopped by.) Still Sara spoke to us as if it was a packed house, and I was moved by the story behind her writing SWEETHEARTS, her second YA novel (a Cybil Award Finalist). I bought a copy, read it on a plane a few weeks later, and wept.

And in 2009 I got to edit Sara Zarr (!) when she wrote a piece for me for CWIM. Her topic was revising books. "Not the craft of that, the technique," she explained, "but the emotional complications of engaging deeply with your work and accepting, even embracing, failure and humility as part of the process." (See the 2010 CWIM, page 52.)

Sara is a deep thinker, a terrific and interesting human being, and an amazing writer. Her third book, ONCE WAS LOST was a Kirkus Best Book of 2009. She's a three-time finalist for the Utah Book Award. She's had short fiction and essays published in print and online and is working on a fourth novel. And she's a keynote speaker at the SCBWI Annual Winter Conference!

Click here to register for the event and hear Sara Zarr--and the rest of the terrific faculty--offer insights and advice in person.

And in the meantime, enjoy my interview with Sara, in which we talk about writing, public speaking and attending conferences.

You recently served as a judge for the National Book Awards (for which you were once a finalist). What was it like being on the other side? How did it feel attending the event as a judge?

The judging process was challenging and sort of took over my life for six months of 2010, but ultimately I found the experience extremely rewarding. It gave me the chance to read widely and deeply, and consider what a book really is and what we are trying to do as writers.

I also enjoyed working with the other four judges on the Young People's Literature panel, finding common ground as well as passionate disagreements, and coming away with a ton of respect for each other. Attending as a judge was way more fun than attending as a finalist! I could actually relax and enjoy the whole night without it feeling surreal or panic-inducing.

You're delivering a keynote at the SCBWI Annual Winter Conference. What's the theme? Can you give us a teaser?

I'm going to talk about crafting a satisfying writing life. I think it's easy--especially when you're starting out--to get caught up in and stressed out by the business end of things. It is important to understand that part of the job, and of course it's something you must navigate to become a traditionally published author.

But I see so many people forgetting the joy that first led them to write, neglecting the care and feeding of their creative selves, getting anxious and burned out before they even get out of the gate. (And I'm talking about myself here, too.)

I want to talk about habits of thought and action that help sustain a writing life at all phases of one's career--how to persevere in looking for that balance between smart career management and care of the creative self.

Your bio on your sarazarr.com says you majored in Speech in college. (For me, that would be right up there with swimming in shark-infested waters or contracting Ebola.) Lots of newer authors suddenly find themselves having to give speeches and presentations. Could you offer a few pieces of advice to the nervous ones?

Well, my emphasis in the Speech & Communications major was Organizational Communication, so it wasn't so much about public speaking. That said, I've always been comfortable talking in front of people. And when I say "comfortable," I don't mean I don't get nervous or scared. But I usually come out of it feeling energized and glad I did it, especially if I feel like I made a real connection with the audience. That doesn't always happen, and it's definitely a sinking feeling when you realize you've failed to get the audience on board with you.

As for advice: When I first started talking in front of audiences as an author, I would get very stressed out and spend weeks taking notes and organizing thoughts and writing stuff on index cards. Then I realized: I'm an expert on me and my books. That freed me up to take a more extemporaneous approach with my talks. So if at all possible, only agree to speak about things that fall in your area of expertise, then remind yourself that you are an expert. You talk about this stuff with friends and family and colleagues all the time in casual conversation, and there's no reason to think talking in front of an audience needs to be that different or super formal.
 
An off-the-cuff approach also tends to lead to better connection with the audience. I try to see every talk as a conversation, even if the audience may not be talking back. (But I am nervous about my SCBWI talk. It will be by far my largest audience ever. So I will have notes!)

Can you tell us anything about your next novel?

I'm excited about it! There are two narrators with very different lives, whose worlds collide around an open adoption by one of the narrator's mothers. The title hasn't been finalized yet, but it should be out sometime in fall 2011.

Had you attended any SCBWI events before you found your agent and got published? Why would you recommend writers working toward publication attend conferences?

I came to SCBWI NY twice before I was published. I believe the years were 2001 and 2005. For me, conferences during that time were all about inspiration and feeling like a writer. It can be hard for non-writer friends and family to understand what it is we're doing, and why, and being around other people pursuing the same goal and talking about that goal is a relief from the isolation (and, possibly, frustration) of working toward publication. "Finally, people talking my language!"

I was never great at the networking part of conferences--small talk and cocktail parties scare me--but I listened and observed well, and all of that information helped me out in some way down the line. Also, investing the time and the money in coming to a conference demonstrates to yourself and to others that you take writing seriously, and there is a lot of value in that.

SCBWI TEAM BLOG Pre-conference Interview: Patricia Lee Gauch

The latest Annual Winter Conference faculty member featured in our SCBWI TEAM BLOG pre-conference interview series is Patricia Lee Gauch. Patti talked with TEAM BLOGger Martha Brockenbrough. (I'm a day late in alerting you--I just got back from a family trip to Washington D.C.)

Here's a bit from the interview:

My SCBWI chapter invited Patricia Lee Gauch to Washington state for a retreat a couple of years ago, and I got to see first-hand what a fine teacher she is: gentle but demanding, and full of information distilled from a phenomenal career in children's literature.

Patti is not only a published author herself (Christina Katerina and the Box, Thunder at Gettysburg, and The Knitting of Elizabeth Amelia), she has edited some of the finest writers in the business: Brian Jacques, T.A. Barron, Andrew Clements, Jane Yolen, Janet Lisle, Katherine Erkskine, and Barbara Joosse.

She's worked with artists Eric Carle, David Small, Ed Young, Loren Long. Three books she edited have won Caldecott Medals: Owl Moon, Lon Po Po, and So You Want to Be President. 

Click here to read the full interview with Patti on Martha's blog.

Click here to register for the Annual Winter Conference and learn from outstanding faculty like Patricia Lee Gauch!

SCBWI TEAM BLOG Pre-conference Interview: Jane Yolen

Martha Brockenbrough offers the first in our series of SCBWI TEAM BLOG pre-conference faculty interviews starting us out with the terrific Jane Yolen!

Here's a bit from Martha's interview with Jane (in which, Martha says, "she debuts the new BIC.")

Without the mighty badge of the SCBWI national blog team to hide behind, I'd never have the guts to approach Jane Yolen for an interview.

She's Jane Yolen! Author of more than 300 books! A Caldecott Medalist and Golden Kite winner! Likened unto Hans Christian Anderson! Also, as far as I can tell, she is bionic. There is otherwise no way to explain how she writes so many fabulous books.

You might already know these things about Jane, though.

But did you know that she coined the acronym B.I.C. for "butt in chair"? Did you further know she was the second author ever to join the SCBWI? And that she was the organization's first regional adviser? She founded and for a decade ran the New England region.

Click here to read the full interview with Jane Yolen.

Click here to register for the Annual Winter Conference and see Jane--and a number of other equally wonderful faculty--in person.

New Agent Interview: John Rudolph, Dystel & Goderich Literary Management

 

John Rudolph recently joined Dystel & Goderich as an agent after a dozen years working as an acquiring children’s book editor, first at Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, then Penguin imprint G. P. Putnam’s Sons, where he was Executive Editor. At Putnam, John worked on a wide range of young adult, middle-grade, nonfiction, and picture book titles. Among the authors and illustrators he's worked with are Pete Seeger, Jack Higgins, Padma Venkatraman, Brenda Woods, Pete Hautman, Royce Buckingham, Phil Bildner, Richard Michelson, S.D. Schindler, Barry Moser, and Mary Azarian. Here he talks about his move, what he's interested in, his agenting style, more.

If you'd like to meet him, John will be among the agents and editors critiquing manuscripts at the SCBWI Annual Winter Conference Writers Intensive. Click here to register.

Why the move from editing to agenting? And will you be a hand-on agent when it comes to working with your clients' manuscripts?

Well, as much as I loved being an editor, after 12 years in that role I felt like I needed a new challenge. But, as I cast my net around in the job market, I realized pretty quickly that I wasn’t qualified to do much else! So agenting seemed like a way to gain some new skills and perspective in the book business, while still being involved with authors and artists, which was always my favorite part of editing anyway. And I was very attracted to the personal stake agents have in their clients’ careers—working at a large company, I sometimes found myself losing sight of that.

As for being hands-on, certainly my natural inclination is to work closely with clients on their manuscripts. That said, I’m leery of over-editing, because ultimately that’s not my job. But we’ll see how it goes—I’m sure there’s a balance in there somewhere.

Tell us about the types of books you worked out at Putnam and what you liked most about editorial work.

I was very lucky at Putnam to have the freedom to edit more or less whatever interested me. Hence, I worked the full range of children’s literature—young picture books, older nonfiction storybooks, middle-grade and YA novels and even some adult book adaptations. And as I said, the author/illustrator/editor relationship was always my favorite part of the job.

Since you just joined DGLM you certainly must be actively building your list. What types of submissions interest you most?

Right now, I’m open to pretty much anything and everything, though I will say that I’m not actively looking for picture book manuscripts unless they’re by author/illustrators.

What do you want in client? What don't you want? Could you describe your agenting style?

I trust that whomever I work with will have reasonable expectations about the marketplace, as well as a professional attitude toward their work—I’ve never had much patience for the "artistes" who need a lot of hand-holding and ego-stroking. As for my agenting style… as soon as I figure it out, I’ll let you know!

Do you have any conferences or events coming up where writers could get a chance to meet you?

I’ll be doing a panel and critiques at the SCBWI New York conference on January 28th. And if anyone would like to invite me to other conferences, I’m game…

Can you offer some general advice on making a good impression on an agent? On writing a good query?

Again, professionalism goes a long way—with the volume of submissions I’m getting, it’s hard to spend time with someone who doesn’t take their own work seriously. And for writing queries, it always bears repeating: follow the submission guidelines!