Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators
Featured Artist:
Leeza Hernandez
Desperately seeking inspiration?
To submit an event contact RA@britishscbwi.org
SCBWI BI events
19 July 2008 Birmingham Critique-nique 
SCBWI Central West is holding a Critique-nique on Saturday 19 July in Birmingham. Venue: Waterstones New Street, rear of second floor. A chance to get some expert critique on your latest manuscript! Bring 5 extra copies of either a picture book text or no more than 10 double-spaced pages of a longer ms. Illustrators, bring your current portfolio. 10 am start, ending around 2:30 pm. (Bring or buy your own lunch). For more info email Clare or Donna at CentralWest@britishscbwi.org
3 September 2008 Agents' Party: Hobnob with the gatekeepers. Your exclusive opportunity to meet literary and artists' agents! Get up really, really close. One-to-one meetings with the participating agents will be raffled off at the end of the evening. Members only, by invitation. Very limited places so book as soon as you get your invite.
18 September 2008 Professional Series: The Qualities of Commercial Transatlantic Fiction . David Ford is a children's publishing veteran (formerly Little, Brown Books for Young Readers Publisher, M.D. Walker Books UK, and founder of Candlewick Press). Brett Brubaker is a marketing specialist whose clients have included Bertelsmann Book Group, Time Warner Book Group and Condé Nast. See details and booking info in Word or PDF.
20 November 2008 Professional Series: Panel of New Voices in Children's Literature. Three newly published children's writers will discuss their journey from slush pile to bookshelf. Chris Bradford (Young Samurai), Bridget Collins (The Traitor Game) and Gemma Malley (The Declaration) share their
experiences of having their first novels published. What have they learned? What do they wish they knew? What would they do differently?See details and booking info in Word or PDF..
22-23 November 2008 SCBWI's First Writer's and Illustrator's Conference Ooh la la a TWO DAY CONFERENCE! Barry Cunningham (Chicken House), Geraldine McCaughrean (White Darkness, Peter Pan in Scarlet), Lee Weatherly (Child X, Glitterwings), Tim Bowler (River Boy, Bloodchild), Ben Sharpe (DFC Comics), Chris Wormell (The Big Ugly Monster and the Little Stone Rabbit), editors and art directors from major publishers plus, night-before critique event, workshops and many more! Details tba very ver soon!
SCBWI AT LARGE
1-4 August 2008 Los Angeles: SCBWI Summer Conference. more>>
OTHER CHILDREN'S writing EVENTS & workshops
29 August to 31 August 2008. Children's Writers and Illustrators Group Conference 2008. Speakers at the 2008 Society of Authors conference in Cambridge will include: David Almond, Laurence Anholt, Anthony Browne, Julia Eccleshare, Nicolette Jones, Graham Marks, William Nicholson and the Children's Laureate Michael Rosen. We will hold debates on the perils of reviewing; a frank look at the current state of the book market; the interaction between children's publishing and other art forms (e.g. Hollywood). Workshops will include: how to cope with school visits, taboos, finance, from picture book to cartoon film, how to establish yourself as a poet, the view from a young illustrator, a literary agent, pop-ups, innovative non-fiction, and much more.
Details
EVENTS ARCHIVE
3 July 2008 Professional Series: Evening with Editor from Puffin . Lindsay Heaven, Puffin Picture Editor, will offer her insights into children's book publishingSee details and booking info in Word or PDF.
24 April 2008 Professional Series: Having a Diverse Career . Join author, script writer, journalist and writing coach Ruth Louise Symes to explore ways to diversify your career. See details and booking info in Word or PDF.
10 May 2008 Writing for Children: Finding Your Own Special Voice. Featuring Hodder Editor and Author Beverley Birch. At the Lincoln Book Festival. Worth the trip! Details
22 May 2008 Professional Series: Master Class in Editing. Learn techniques for editing your novel at a macro and mirco level from writer, critic and curator Pamela Johnson (Deep Blue Silence). See details and booking info in Word or PDF.
16-19 May 2008 SCBWI Writer's Retreat. With Julia Golding and Shoo Rayner as writers-in-residence and a talk by Tessa Strickland, co-founder/publisher of Barefoot Books. Pendrell Hall, near Wolverhampton.
Download the booking form in Word or PDF
6 March 2008 Professional Series: Picture Book Intensive . Featuring Jude Evans, associate publisher of Little Tiger Press. See details and booking info in Word or PDF.
22 August 2007. Deadline for entries to first SCBWI BI Anthology. For publication in 2008. Guidelines>> Author Agreement>>
20 September 2007 Sally Gardner : Building a Career the author of I, Coriander, The Glass Heart and The Fairy Catalogue talks about how to build and maintain a successful career
Read the details>> Download booking form>>
21 June 2007 Emma Layfield : From Submission to Sale Hodder's commissioning editor for Picture Books will explain Hodder's editorial and commissioning process Read the details>> Download booking form>>
16 June 2007 Canterbury chats. Drop in and chat. 10.30 to 12.00 upstairs in Costa Coffee, 11, High Street, Canterbury. Contact: Jane Clarke
16 June 2007 Donna Vann: Your Journey from Idea to Publication. How to develop story ideas, how to structure a story, getting your manuscript ready for submission. SCBWI CentralWest Event. Download form.
26 April 2007 Cliff McNish on School Visits and Self Promotion author of the Doomspell Trilogy, The Silver Sequence and the forthcoming Angel. Claire Field of the Roald Dahl Museum will be coming along to talk about the museum's work with authors/illustrators Read the details>> Download booking form>>
6 May 2007 York SCBWI This new group meets for coffee and book chat on the first Sunday of every month. Northern(AT)britishscbwi.org. Information
12 May 2007 Lincoln Book Festival event. Author Michael Lawrence is confirmed for two SCBWI events during the day - meeting the fans and crafting funny stories for 8-12. There will be a SCBWI info table at the festival on Saturday 19th May. For more info please e-mail Addy Farmer or Alan Gidney at Northern(AT)britishscbwi.org
19 May 2007 Illustrators' Day 2007: Stories in Pictures . Finding inspiration, approaching publishers, working with an art director and a hands-on storyboard masterclass. Flyer. Details >>
24 May 2007 Lee Weatherly: Author Insights and Inspiration author of Kat Got Your Tongue, Missing Abby and Child X and a gifted writing coach. How to transform ideas into novels and how to rise from the slush pile Read the details>> Download booking
17 March 2007 Writing Fiction for Older Children. A workshop with John Singleton (Creative Writing Handbook, Angel Blood, Star) - pictured left. In Canterbury.
Details
1 March 2007 Agents' Party in London - Back by popular demand! Join us for an exclusive opportunity to hear from a panel of five top children's book writers' agents and illustrators' representatives. STRICTLY SCBWI MEMBERS ONLY. Respond to your invite - no ticket sales at the door!!!
3 March, 1 April, 6 May Canterbury Drop-in and Chat Bring your work more >>
10 February 2007 Crafting a Picture Book: a workshop with Jane Clarke. Hosted by SCBWI Central West in Birmingham. See Details
24 February 2007 A Workshop with Novelist Karen Hayes. Plotting, Characterisation and Hooking the Reader. In Exeter. See Details
Saturday, 3rd February 2007Illustrator's Day, Scotland!. Author and illustrator John Fardell; legendary artist Cam Kennedy and writer Alan Grant; Head of Illustration at Edinburgh College of Art Jonathon Gibbs and award-winning young illustrator Catherine Rayner. Details>>
Saturday, 3rd February 2007Critique meeting for the Lincoln SCBWI group. Meeting on the top floor of Ottakar's Bookshop, High St Lincoln.
25 November 2006 Writing for the Education Market features Lynn Huggins-Cooper at the Seven Stories Centre for Children's Books more >>
Download the flyer
11 November 2006 AT LAST! Writers' Day 2006 British SCBWI's fourth annual Writers' Day featuring speakers and seminars with the pros. Award-winning authors Zizou Corder, Debi Gliori, Rachel Anderson, Steve Cole, Sandy Watson, Andrew Melrose & Beverley Birch. Individual manuscript critiques will be offered. Meet the editors of Little Tiger Press, Macmillan, Hodder, Walker Books and OUP!
26 October 2006 Professional Series: Writing a picture book Vivian French, former actor and now author of hundreds of children's books, shares her experience of writing for young children. more >>
14 October Critique-nique sponsored by SCBWI Central West more >>
1 October 2006 SCBWI Drop-in at Border's Bookshop, York s more >>
30 September 2006 SCBWI North's Crit and Coffee at Ottakar's Network, share your work, talk books more >>14 October 2006 Critique-nique in Birmingham! Sponsored by SCBWI Central West more >>
14 September 2006
Professional Series: What makes a children's book great? Book reviewers and teachers talk about their "best reads" in contemporary children's fiction more >>
9 September 2006
Canterbury Drop-in and Chat Bring your work more >>
22 July 2006
Picture Books: From Conception to Birth Award-winning illustrator Carol Thompson and author Jana Novotny Hunter more >>
6 July 2006 Professional Series: Evening with an Editor Mara Bergman, senior commissioning editor at Walker Books, will provide insight and discuss her experience in children's book publishing. more >>
16-19 June 2006
SCBWI BI Retreat: A chance to work on your writing or illustrating in the company of like-minded people. In Somerset. more >>
25 May 2006
Sold out event – Professional Series: Hooking the Reader An editor explains how to grab an editor's and a reader's attention on the first page. Attendees will be asked to submit the first page of a novel or short fiction in advance. more >>
13 May 2006
SCBWI North presents Linda Newbery The Carnegie Medal nominee will discuss her work at the Lincoln Book Festival. more >>
6 May 2006
Illustrator's Day 2006: The Art of the Picture Book: Not just for illustrators! Jan Ormerod, Satoshi Kitamura, Louise Power, Zoe Tucker more >>
7 April 2006
SCBWI in Deal presents Natascha Biebow, SCBWI British Isles Regional Advisor and Senior Commissioning Editor at Random House, speak about 'What a picture book editor wants' more >>
11 March 2006
Scotland SCBWI's Writers Day with keynote by Alison Prince more >>
2 March 2006
Agents' Party, London. Back by popular demand! Join us for an exclusive opportunity to hear from a panel of five top children's book writers' agents and illustrators' representatives. more >>
9 February 2006
Professional Series: The Art of Illustrating Children's Books An evening looking at the making of picture books from an Illustrators' perspective.more >>
4 February 2006
Scotland: Illustrators Day Featuring publisher Louise Power and illustrators Ross Collins and Patrick Benson: Publishers and how to approach them; knowing your audience and developing style plus portfolio critiques more >>
18 November 2005. SCBWI BI Professional Series: Diana Kimpton on websites How important are websites to children's authors and illustrators? How do you go about setting one up?
22 September 2005 SCBWI BI Professional Series: Writing short fiction featuring author Tony Bradman. The importance of plot and character to your story
19 September 2005 Illustrator Bridget Strevens Marzo on character design . Crossing continents in illustration. Masks, mothers, mice.
30 June 2005 Marketing and Publicity: Building a Buzz. Puffin head of marketing Kirsten Grant and head of publicity Adele Minchin describe a revolution in children's publishing
the pros
What is essential to a good plot?
Things must get worse.
At the end of the day, no matter how much hype you make, a book has got to stand up on its own
The truth is that if you do get taken by an agent, you will get read by editors!