Canyon Inn, McCormick's Creek State Park

451 McCormick Creek Park Road, Spencer, IN 47460

 

Featuring:

Andrew Harwell Associate Editor, HarperCollins

Eve Adler Editor, Grosset & Dunlap

Jessica Garrison Editor, Dial Books for Young Readers

Joann Hill Art Director, Disney•Hyperion Books

Margaret McMullan Award-winning Children’s Novelist

Valiska Gregory Award-winning Poet & Children’s Book Author

 

Download the 6-page Conference Packet

SCHEDULE FRIDAY:

6-6:30 pm Registration

6:30 – 6:45 pm Welcome

6:45 – 7:45 VALISKA GREGORY: “Weaving Stories; Crafting Lives.” With a combination of speaking and storytelling, award-winning poet and children's book author Valiska Gregory will explore the power of stories, the creative process, and what makes memorable fiction.  Gregory is a regular reviewer for Publishers Weekly and the author of over a dozen books for children, including Through the Mickle Woods, Kate's Giants, When Stories Fell Like Shooting Stars, and Shirley's Wonderful Baby.

5 min Spotlight - Meet a published Indiana member

8-9 MARGARET MCMULLAN: “Living in the Past: Researching and Writing Historical Fiction.” The writing process, getting (and maintaining) inspiration, and developing an authentic voice.

 

SCHEDULE SATURDAY:

8 – 8:30 am Registration and coffee (Eat before you come or bring snacks)

8:30 am Welcome

8:45 – 9:45 Keynote – MARGARET MCMULLAN: “Novel Writing: Turning Life into Fiction.” How to use real life elements, characters and details in your work without getting sued!

5 min Spotlight - Meet a published Indiana member

10:05 – 11:05 Breakout 1:

Option A. (beginners) VALISKA GREGORY: “Nuts and Bolts—The Children's Book Marketplace.” Award-winning author Valiska Gregory will present a basic, everything-but-the-kitchen- sink-how-to workshop for beginners—how to submit manuscripts of varying genres and where to go for information about current children's books, publishers, organizations for children's book writers, and conferences.

Option B. (advanced) EVE ADLER: “Developing Character(s): What Your Parents Never Taught You.” What is the secret to hooking your readers? Introducing them to a character they can’t stop reading about, right? But how do you do that? In this workshop, we will use examples from picture books, middle grade novels, and YA literature to deconstruct strong character development. We will also do exercises to help you develop your own characters. Come prepared with pen and paper for a lively discussion!

11:20 – 12:20 Breakout 2:

Option C. EVE ADLER & JOANN HILL: Picture Book First Pages & First Look at Illustrations

Option D. ANDREW HARWELL & JESSICA GARRISON: Novel First Pages

12:20 – 1:30 Buffet lunch

1:30 – 3:30 Breakout 3:

Option E. (novel workshop) ANDREW HARWELL: “Keep Your Eye on the Arc.” In this two hour workshop, we will delve into ways you can keep your novel gripping and moving from beginning to end by focusing on best practices for plot and character arcs. Participants are asked to bring a one-page synopsis of their own novels-in-progress if possible.

Option F. (picture book workshop) JESSICA GARRISON: Part 1: “Thinking Like an Editor: How to Market Your Picture Book Manuscript.” This will be an opportunity for attendees to stretch their marketing brains.  It’ll get them thinking about their own stories the way an editor would at acquisition.  Attendees will create a marketing “tip sheet,” thinking up a sales handle, brainstorming comparative titles to determine where their story fits in the marketplace, generating compelling reasons why their manuscript should be published, and more.  This is what we editors do when bringing a project to our publishers, so think of it like being inside the brain of an editor. Part 2: “Artful Text: Writing that Inspires Illustrations and Conjures Character.” The second hour will explore picture book writing that inspires great visuals.  Whenever editors read a picture book manuscript, we ask ourselves, “Can I see this story?  This character? Is there a lot of room for fun illustrations?”  This talk will get attendees thinking about their own stories as a springboard to successful art, character, and action, using picture books I’ve edited or admire as examples, and taking attendees behind the scenes through some of the editing/revising process to show how we arrived at a successful text.

Option G. (illustration workshop) JOANN HILL: “The Illustrator/Art Director Relationship.” This workshop includes the chance to work with an art director on creating 2 spreads. The first 10 illustrators will receive feedback on their sketches over email and will create final artwork to be critiqued in front of the group at the conference. Additional illustrators may bring final artwork to the conference to be critiqued if time allows. You may listen without doing the homework. See page 3 for details.

3:45 – 4:45 Editors & Art Director: Panel on digital publishing/future of the industry

5 min Spotlight - Meet a published Indiana member

4:50 – 5 Door prizes/wrap-up/evaluations

5 – 6 pm Sweet Tooth Autograph party/mingle with faculty

 

You may pay by credit card or check. No refunds. Checks must be received before the Early Bird cutoff to receive that price. All checks must be RECEIVED by May 15 at PO Box 8211, Evansville, IN 47716. Make checks payable to Indiana SCBWI. Online registration only: www.inscbwiconference2012.ezregister.com

 

SCBWI Members Early Bird (before 4/4): $115

SCBWI Members after 4/4: $135

Non-Member Early Bird (before 4/4): $135

Non-Member after 4/4: $155

Manuscript/Portfolio Critiques: $35

 

April 3: Last day to email sketches to Joann Hill if you are one of the first 10 illustrators to register for her Illustrator’s Workshop.

April 4: Last date manuscripts may be RECEIVED at the PO Box for one-on-one paid manuscript critiques.

April 4: Last day to reserve a hotel room at the conference rate.

April 4: Last day registration and fees may be RECEIVED to get the early bird conference price.

May 13: Last day to register.

May 13: Last day illustrators may submit one jpg illustration sample for First Look.

May 13: Last day illustrators may email jpgs of your final spreads for the Illustrator’s Workshop to Sharon Vargo.

 

If you are a P.A.L. (Published And Listed) member of SCBWI attending the conference, you may send your book titles to Alina Klein at alinabk@tds.net by April 23 and we’ll try to have at least one of your titles available in our conference bookstore.

 

You may bring new or like-new children’s books to be donated to a school, library, or organization. If you would like to nominate a needy place to receive these books, please email Alina Klein at alinabk@tds.net.

 

451 McCormick Creek Park Road, Spencer, IN

877-563-4371, $5 park entry fee.

Conference attendees are offered the special rates below until April 4. Call the hotel to reserve your room and ask for the Indiana SCBWI conference rate: Group Code 0518SC.

One Double Bed: $69

Two Double Beds: $89

One Queen Bed: $79

Two Queen Beds: $99

Studio:Two Queen Beds & One Sofa Bed: $129

 

Writers may submit an anonymous first page of a manuscript to the registration desk by 8:30 am on Saturday. Do not submit the same manuscript as you submit for one-on-one critiques. First pages must have no author name, but should include title and genre (ex. Charlotte’s Web, middle-grade novel). First pages must be in standard format (white paper, 1” margins, 12-point standard type, and double-spaced). Public critiques can be difficult. If you haven’t been to a First Pages session before, you may want to observe this time without submitting.

 

An editor and art director will look at your anonymous art samples and give their opinions. Illustrators may submit one jpg illustration sample to our Illustration Coordinator, Sharon Vargo, at sharonvargo@indy.rr.com by May 13 with “First Look” in the subject line. Do not include your name or any identifying marks on the art. Please be aware that public critiques can be difficult to hear.

 

A limited number of one-on-one manuscript critiques will be available for $35. Most of the manuscript critiques will take place Friday night at the conference. If it’s not possible for you to be there Friday night, let us know when you register (by April 4) and we may be able to schedule your critique Saturday. If you don’t let us know in enough time and you miss your critique Friday, we won’t be able to reschedule it. Manuscripts must be RECEIVED by April 4 at PO Box 8211, Evansville, IN 47716. Submit up to ten pages from one manuscript plus an optional one-page synopsis for longer works in standard format (white paper, 1” margins, 12-point standard type, and double-spaced). You may mark on your registration form whom you would like to critique your manuscript, but we can’t guarantee anything. Critiques sold out last time.

 

A limited number of one-on-one 15-minute portfolio critiques by art director Joann Hill will be available for $35. Bring your portfolio to the conference; do not send it. These sold out early last time. Half of the portfolio critiques will take place Friday night at the conference. If it’s not possible for you to be at the conference Friday night, let us know when you register.

 

The editors and art director will each mark their favorite illustration in every portfolio brought on Saturday for display. No additional charge. No original artwork should be included in your portfolio; have high-quality color copies of your illustrations that are appropriate for children’s books. You may also bring postcards of your art as handouts. When you arrive on Saturday, set your portfolio on the table marked, “Portfolio Display.” It will be viewed by the editors and art director during the keynote speech. We are not responsible for the safety of your porfolio.

 

"The Illustrator/Art Director Relationship"

The first 10 illustrators to register for this workshop will receive feedback on their sketches over email from Joann and will create final artwork that will be critiqued in front of the group at the conference. Additional illustrators may bring final artwork to the conference to be critiqued if time allows. You may register to come and listen without doing the homework.

Each illustrator will choose 1 from 3 traditional picture book texts emailed to you to create 2 spreads. The choices are:

THE GINGERBREAD BOY

THE SWINEHERD

NURSERY RHYMES

-Joann suggested these texts because she loves to see new interpretations of classic subjects. How can you make your piece stand out in the crowd? Please choose the text that will showcase your strengths (whimsical, realistic, landscapes, animals etc). Please note she has suggested partial text on THE GINGERBREAD BOY and THE SWINEHERD manuscripts but you can choose to use a shorter passage. For NURSERY RHYMES you should plan to include at least 3 or 4.

-Please create sketches for 2 spreads with text in position. Please send pdfs of the sketches to Joann along with samples of your final painting style (from your portfolio) by April 3. Sharon Vargo will give Joann’s email address and the text from the 3 picture books to the first 10 illustrators who register.

-Joann will give feedback on each sketch by April 17.

-Each illustrator will revise their illustrations based on the feedback and go on to final painting.

-Joann will review the final illustrations during a group critique at the conference on May 19. Please send jpegs to be included in a powerpoint presentation at the conference to Sharon Vargo at sharonvargo@indy.rr.com by May 13.

 

Originally from Georgia, Andrew Harwell is a graduate of the University of Chicago and an associate editor at HarperCollins Children's Books, where he works with such bestselling authors as Dan Gutman, Tim Green, Veronica Rossi, and Kelley Armstrong. Andrew is looking for middle grade and young adult novels with a subversive sense of humor, a healthy dose of heart, or a unique spin on magic (or some combination of all three!). He does not edit picture books or nonfiction, but has experience with both formats, having previously worked at Dial Books for Young Readers, a division of the Penguin Young Readers Group.

 

Eve Adler is an editor at Grosset & Dunlap and Price Stern Sloan, imprints of the Penguin Young Readers Group. She works on a variety of books, including series, concept books, and licensed properties. She is looking primarily for middle grade series, board/concept books, out-of-the ordinary projects for PSS, and writers-for-hire interested in licensed projects. Prior to joining Grosset & Dunlap, Eve worked at Henry Holt Books for Young Readers, which is part of Macmillan, and G.P. Putnam’s sons, an adult imprint at Penguin. Before entering the publishing world, Eve lived in France, Thailand and Germany.

 

Voted “Most likely to eat the frosting off one too many cupcakes and regret it for the rest of the morning,” Jessica Garrison has been with Dial Books for Young Readers for seven years. Whether acquiring picture books, chapter books, middle grade or YA novels, she looks for a strong voice, fresh and exciting plots, a transporting experience, and a dose of humor. For novels in particular, she’s drawn to survival stories that feature moral ambiguity, mental illness, oddly askew realities, a bit of romance, and/or a ribbon of magic. Recent and forthcoming novels she’s edited include The Books of Elsewhere series by Jacqueline West, The Reinvention of Moxie Roosevelt by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel, My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick, The Treachery of Beautiful Things by Ruth Frances Long, and The Girl with Borrowed Wings by Rinsai Rossetti.  Picture books include Earth to Clunk by Pam Smallcomb and Joe Berger, Where’s My T-R-U-C-K? by Karen Beaumont and David Catrow, What to Do if an Elephant Stands on Your Foot by Michelle Robinson and Peter H. Reynolds, and All of Baby Nose to Toes by Victoria Adler and Hiroe Nakata.

 

Joann Hill is currently Art Director at Disney•Hyperion Books in New York. During her career she has been fortunate to work with some amazing illustrators including David Wiesner, Besty Lewin, Maggie Smith, Andrew Glass and John Rocco, this year's Caldecott Honoree for his picture book BLACKOUT.

 

A recipient of a 2010 NEA Fellowship in literature, a 2010 Fulbright at the University of Pécs in Pécs, Hungary, and the National Author Winner of the 2011 Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana Authors Award, Margaret McMullan is the author of six award-winning novels. Her novels include In My Mother's House, a Pen/Faulkner nominee; Cashay, a Chicago Public Library 2009 Teen Book Selection; and When I Crossed No-Bob, a 2008 Parents' Choice Silver Honor, a 2007 School Library Journal Best Book, an American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults, a Booklist 2009 Best Book For Young Adults, and a 2011 Mississippi Center for the Book selection at the National Book Festival in Washington, D.C. Both When I Crossed No-Bob and How I Found the Strong won the Indiana Best Young Adult Book in 2005 and 2008. Margaret's latest book, Sources of Light is an American Library Association 2011 Best Book for Young Adults, a Best 2011 Book of Indiana, and a Chicago Public Library Teen Selection.

She currently teaches at the University of Evansville in Evansville, Indiana, where she is Professor and Melvin M. Peterson Endowed Chair in Literature and Writing.

Visit Margaret’s website at: www.margaretmcmullan.com

 

Valiska Gregory is an award-winning poet and children's book author whose work has been translated into seven languages, received Parents' Choice Awards, been chosen for the American Booksellers' Pick of the Lists, and been featured on PBS and national television.  Reference source Something About the Author calls her a "star in the children's literature scene." She writes for Publishers Weekly and enjoys speaking at schools, libraries, and conferences across the country. According to reviewers, Ms. Gregory’s work ranges from picture and chapter books full of “kid pleasing humor and plenty of action” to poignant books for all ages that are “told with a contagious sense of wonder.”  Her books have been called “shining and magical” with “language and phrasing . . . as pleasing to the ear as the story is to the heart.”

Visit Valiska’s website at: www.valiskagregory.com

 

For more events, please see our Indiana SCBWI website: www.indianaSCBWI.com