Los Angeles' Writers Days! #LA14writersdays

I'm excited about our SCBWI Los Angeles' Writer's Days conference this weekend!

It's my local SCBWI chapter's biggest event of the year, and for the third year in a row I'm organizing it along with my co-Regional Advisor, Sarah Laurenson, our Assistant Regional Advisor, Sally Jones Rogan, and our team of fellow volunteers!

We've got Newbery-Winner Katherine Applegate (How much am I loving "The One and Only Ivan!")

Bookseller and YA Author Catherine Linka (Who'll share insights from wearing both hats!)

Editor Heidi Fiedler (An editor hungry for new-to-her writers, both for trade books and work-for-hire projects!)

Literary Agent Danielle Smith (Newly at Red Fox Literary, actively looking to build her list!)

Additional faculty includes Social Media Guru Greg Pincus (who's doing social media consults!) and Literary Agent Jen Rofé (whose Sunday intensives are sold out!)

and Martha Alderson (The famed "Plot Whisperer!")

There's a first-pages panel, contests, the awarding of the Sue Alexander Service and Encouragement Award (to recognize one of our region's hardest-working volunteers) and it wouldn't be "Writer's Days" without lots of writing exercises and the chance to work on our craft!

It will be two days full of inspiration, opportunity, craft, business and community -- I can't wait!

We'll be taking walk-in registrations for Saturday and for Sunday's all-day PLOT intensive with Martha Alderson.

If you're writing for kids and/or teens, consider joining us. Details are here.

And if you're able to attend or not, you can follow the conference buzz on twitter, with the hashtag #la14writersdays

Registration is Open for SCBWI Los Angeles' Writer's Days Conference 2014 (on March 22 and 23)

Visit the conference registration and information page

I'm really excited about this two day conference that I'm running as co-Regional Advisor of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators Los Angeles chapter. (Well, me and my co-RA, Sarah Laurenson, our Assistant RA, Sally Jones Rogan, and a whole team of fellow volunteers.)

It will feature Katherine Applegate (who just won the Newbery Award for "The One And Only Ivan" and writes picture books, chapter books, middle grade and young adult) and Plot Whisperer Martha Alderson (whose presentations on plot are legendary!)

We'll also have young adult Novelist and Book-Buyer Catherine Linka (to tell us what every writer needs to know about retail book buying today) and middle grade Novelist and social media guru Greg Pincus on faculty.

There will be also two agents and an editor on faculty - all interested in finding new-to-them writers. Danielle Smith, Associate Agent at Foreword Literary Agents and Heidi Fiedler, Editor at both Teacher Created Materials (work-for-hire) and at Argosy Press (trade publishing) will present keynotes on Saturday. Jennifer Rofé, Agent at Andrea Brown Literary Agency, will round out our faculty on Sunday.

Speaking of Sunday - we'll have some amazing intensives:

PLOT TRACK with Martha Alderson: Develop a Multi-Layered Plot for your Middle Grade Fiction and Young Adult Novels

EDITOR TRACK with Heidi Fiedler: Work For Hire and Trade Publishing

AGENT PICTURE BOOK TRACK with Danielle Smith and Jennifer Rofé

AGENT NOVEL TRACK with Jennifer Rofé and Danielle Smith


There are contests, a first pages panel, one-one-one plot and social media consultations, and so much more - for all the information and to register visit:

https://losangeles.scbwi.org/events/2014-writers-days/


If you write for kids or teens, I look forward to seeing you there!
Namaste,
Lee

I'm in School Library Journal!

Recently at KidLitCon 2012 at the New York City Public Library, my friend Greg Pincus mentioned me (and this blog) in his talk "Avoiding the Echo."

I knew about it because I saw the tweets, but now a very nice article by Mahnaz Dar, KidLitCon 2012: Expanding the World of KidLit Blogs, has come out in School Library Journal about Greg's lecture,

It reads in part,
 

“Pincus advised bloggers to turn into trustworthy experts in their fields by publishing high-quality content and establishing a reliable online presence. Pincus brought up Lee Wind, whose blog I’m Here, I’m Queer, What the Hell Do I Read, which examines books with LGBTQ themes geared toward young people. Wind often moderates comments for hateful speech and provides a safe space for teens. Since his site is often used as a resource for young adults questioning their sexuality, Pincus also cited him as a blogger who’s succeeded in reaching audiences far beyond fans of children’s literature.”

I'm honored to be mentioned by Greg, and delighted to be featured in the SLJ article!

Just had to share.

Namsate,
Lee

How am I celebrating Mardis Gras? I'm hanging out at Shelli's "Market My Words" ...and I'm even vlogging there!

So all this week Shelli Johannes is running contests (with prizes like literary agent critiques and consultations!) There are daily interviews and lots of great information on marketing yourself and your books... even if you're not yet published.

Today's installment of her Book Marketing Mardis Gras Celebration features 2 great vlogs - one by the amazing Greg Pincus on "The Twitter Golden Rule," and one on blogging for authors by... ahem, well, by ME!

And to make it even more awesome, today's prize package includes winning a free copy of my e-book, "The Zen Of Blogging!" (As well as a copy of "Get Known Before the Book Deal" by Christina Katz!)



So, come on - what are you waiting for?

Throw on some plastic beads and go check it out! Whoo-Hoo! Mardis Gras!!!

Namaste,

Lee