My Listical Introducing Myself for the 2020 SCBWI Online Summer Spectacular #SCBWISummerSpec

As the lead of SCBWI Team Blog, I'll be heading up the live blogging and tweeting from the virtual conference floor for the 2020 SCBWI Online Summer Spectacular, which starts TODAY!!! Here's the post I shared on the official SCBWI Conference Blog, 3 Things About Me (Lee Wind). Well, YOU. Okay, Us. And the 2020 SCBWI Online Summer Spectacular

I don't have a photo of you, but here's one of me from this week.

1. I love this community, of children's book creators. Writers, Illustrators. And the industry folks, editors, agents, art directors, marketing and PR peeps, librarians, booksellers, really, everyone who is passionate about books for children and teens. I love the community because I'm part of the community. And I became part of the community, really, the first time I attended an SCBWI event. I'm a writer by dint of my writing. And I'm a member of this community by dint of claiming a spot in the community. You can claim a spot, too. Just be being here, reading this blog. Attending virtual SCBWI events, like this SCBWI Online Summer Spectacular. And working at your own craft. We've saved a space for you.

2. I have a voice. It took me a long time to find it, in life, and in my art. (Words are my medium.) I started out writing picture books about frogs and princesses and manners. Not that there's anything wrong with that. But it wasn't the story of my heart. (Thank you, Esther Hershenhorn!) And now I'm telling those heart-driven stories. My blog I'M HERE. I'M QUEER. WHAT THE HELL DO I READ? has been a great way to figure out what I want to say and how to best say it. I'm even doing video newsletters! My crowd-funded debut YA Novel, QUEER AS A FIVE-DOLLAR BILL, is about Wyatt, a closeted teen, who triggers a backlash when he outs Abraham Lincoln. (It was a Publishers Weekly Indie Success Story. And Foreword Reviews said it “Will change the way young readers look at history…”) My Middle Grade Nonfiction book is due out from Zest/Lerner in April 2021, and it's called NO WAY, THEY WERE GAY? HIDDEN LIVES AND SECRET LOVES. And I have a picture book (not formally announced yet) coming out in the Fall of 2021 that's an empowering story for kids about social justice. Here's the thing: You have a voice, too. Take the time to develop it. And then share it with the world. We want to hear it. Kids and teens need to hear it.

3. I'm aiming for this long weekend conference to be spectacular. Yes, it's online, and meeting in person is so much more, well... personable. But this virtual incarnation is so much more accessible. Like having 10 team bloggers this time around, everyone doing a little bit so no one gets completely zoomed out. (Shout out here to Jaime, Jolie, Don, Leah, Mike, Susie, Bingham, Olugbemisola, and Gaby! Make sure to check out their introduction posts here at the scbwi conference blog, too.) I get to listen, and learn from some of the giants in our industry, having conversations with each other. LeUyen Pham and Dan Santat talking about visual storytelling? I'm there. A fantasy deep dive with Philip Pullman and Arthur Levine? Can't wait! And of course, the LGBTQIA and Allies Social, happening Monday August 3, 2020 at 5pm Pacific in a safe space zoom that I'll be hosting with special guests! Whether you're following along on twitter and elsewhere with the conference hashtag

#SCBWISummerSpec

or you're jumping into every big zoom conversation live (or watching the recordings later), whether you're grabbing time to be creative in between sessions, or enjoying some of the live virtual yoga "interludes" led by my friend Lori Snyder, you can make this conference experience just what YOU need it to be for you. And that sounds pretty spectacular, doesn't it?

Here's to a wonderful conference ahead, all!

Stay safe,
Lee

An Interview with Sona Charaipotra, SCBWI Guest Team Blogger for the Summer #LA17SCBWI Conference

Filling in for SCBWI Team Blogger Martha Brockenbrough for this 2017 SCBWI Summer Conference, is journalist and author Sona Charaipotra!

Author Sona Charaipotra

Here's our interview:

Lee: Welcome, Sona!

Sona: Thank you! Hello to my SCBWI LA attendees! So pleased to be in your presence this year.

Lee: Please share a bit about you, and what's been your journey as a children's content creator.

Sona: I’m Sona Charaipotra, the co-author of the dance dramas Tiny Pretty Things and Shiny Broken Pieces, co-written with Dhonielle Clayton. Dhonielle and I met in the MFA Writing for Children program at the New School, and bonded over the fact that we rarely saw ourselves represented on the page (or screen!) as kids and teens. To change that, together we co-founded CAKE Literary, a boutique book packager with a decidedly diverse bent – we create fun, delicious, page-turnery books for kids and teens with real, organic diversity to them. Our latest is title is The Gauntlet, by Karuna Riazi.

I also have a Masters in screenwriting from NYU – and my thesis script there was developed for the big screen by MTV Films – so I’m a huge believer in three act structure, in screenplays and in fiction.

Lee: Tell us about your blogging/social media/online background. What do you use, what do you love, and why?

Sona: Before I did the New School program and met Dhonielle, my day job was interviewing celebrities – from Hilary Duff to Priyanka Chopra. I was a writer at People, an editor at the dearly departed TeenPeople, and have since contributed to MSN TV, Vulture.com, TeenVogue, Cosmopolitan, The New York Times and other publications. I frequently write about books for Bustle.com, Parade.com, and the BN Teen blog.

Lee: Now we want to hear about your journey so far with SCBWI!

Sona: I’ve been an SCBWI member for years – and I’ve been to the NYC conference and local events before. But this is my first LA conference. I’ve heard it’s intense, in the best way. Looking forward to meeting so many amazing people. Definitely join us at the WNDB Diversity Social if you can!

Lee: Yes! I'll be there, too. What project(s) are you currently working on?

Sona: The next book Dhonielle and I have coming out is called The Rumor Game – and it’s juicy and delicious! It’s due summer 2019 from Disney. I have a lot of other things cooking (that I’m super-excited about!!!), but I can’t talk about them just yet. As for CAKE, look for our next one, Love Sugar Magic, by Anna Meriano, via Walden/Harper in February 2018.

Lee: Can you tell us about your involvement with #WeNeedDiverseBooks?

Sona: The values of the #WeNeedDiverseBooks movement go hand in hand with those Dhonielle and I promote through CAKE, so we’ve both volunteered with the non-profit organization since 2014. I’m proud to serve as the head of content for WNDB – and we’ll be launching a new initiative to elevate diverse voices this fall. Look for our website relaunch at http://www.diversebooks.org later this summer!

Lee: The top three things you're looking forward to about #LA17SCBWI are:

Sona: LEARNING! I’ve been in publishing now for five years, but I feel like when it comes to writing and publishing, you never stop learning.

CONNECTING! Kids’ book people are the best people. I’m such an introvert (so introduce yourself!), but I can’t wait to meet you guys.

SHARING! Need diverse book recs? I’ve got tons! Ask me what you should read next!

Lee: Thank you so much, Sona! We're delighted you'll be joining us!

Sona: So excited! See you soon!

Find Sona on Twitter @sona_c, and on the web at www.SonaCharaipotra.com

You can find out more about The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators 2017 Summer Conference here.

The LGBTQ Q&A is Back At #NY14SCBWI

One of my favorite things about the SCBWI Winter Conference in New York City is hosting the LGBTQ Q&A session.  This time round it will be held on Saturday February 22, 2014 directly after the gala, from 8-9pm.

It's always a great discussion, with special guests from our conference faculty who weigh in with their answers to all your questions about including lesbian, gay, bi, trans, intersex, asexual and queer characters and themes in books for children and teens.

It's a wonderful opportunity to network with other writers and illustrators, meet professionals who have published LGBTQ-inclusive works, and help make the world of children's and teen literature -- and the world of the books you create -- that much more diverse.

Hope to see you there!

Conference details and registration information are here.

Namaste,
Lee

Publisher Jean Feiwel: Highlights Of The Pre-#NY14SCBWI Interview

The 15th Annual SCBWI Winter Conference in New York City will be February 21-23, 2014.

I was able to connect on the phone with publisher and conference faculty member Jean Feiwel to learn about her newest imprint for Macmillan Children's Division, Swoon Reads. Jean also runs three other imprints there; Henry Holt, Feiwel and Friends and Square Fish. What's unique about Swoon Reads is that it's a crowd-sourced teen romance imprint. (And in some ways, it was inspired by Susan Boyle's breakout moment on Britain's Got Talent.)

Writers submit their teen romance novels to the site, and readers visit the site to read the manuscripts. Readers rate them from One Heart (Not for me) to Five Hearts (Swoon-Worthy.)  The top-rated --Swoon-Worthiest -- manuscripts will be considered by Jean and The Swoon Reads publishing team for publication, and they envision the public staying involved and giving input throughout the publishing process -- including editorial, cover art, marketing and book tours.

At the #NY14SCBWI conference, Jean will be on the must-see panel, THE FUTURE OF AUTHORSHIP, with Paul Aiken, Jane Friedman, Abbi Glines, and Tim Travaglini.

Publisher Jean Feiwel

My full interview with Jean is posted at SCBWI: The Blog, but here are a few highlights:

On why she wanted to create a crowd-sourced teen romance imprint:

Jean: I feel that publishers had started to create so many barriers to entry for publishing. And especially for something as straight-forward as some of the category publishing that was going on in terms of romance, and science fiction/ fantasy or mystery and to watch some of the writers who were coming up strong, like Colleen Hoover and Abbi Glines, I thought – I don’t think that they necessarily would have found their way to a traditional publisher. Because, what publishers look for is more trend-based, so it was dystopic fiction or it was supernatural romance, or whatever. I think that if you’re not agented, I just think, this wasn’t going to happen. So, I thought, How do I source new talent? How do I get to people who are writing and working hard out there but aren’t going to find their way to my door?

On Swoon Reads being open to stories of women falling in love with women and men falling in love with men, not just women falling in love with men and vice-versa:

Jean: I feel that it’s a critical part of our site is to be, again, inclusive. Especially for young people at this age – we’re really concentrating on young adult romance. And I think that as kids go through the various kind of sexual explorations or changes that they go through, it’s important to be broad in what you are offering and there’s not just the traditional, again, romantic setup. We had, in our focus groups, which were small and not extensive, consistently people were interested in different pairings, of male or female and transgender. A lot of interest in that, and so that is definitely an aspect of the site.

On offering writers of YA romance a version of American Idol, The Voice, and Britain's Got Talent... and the chance to be Susan Boyle:

Jean: I always say, be careful what you wish for because it can be overwhelming and amazing. But it’s also… it can be somebody’s dream come true. And that’s really our hope: Is to make somebody’s dream come true.

To hear Jean yourself and take part in all the wonderful offerings of the SCBWI Winter Conference, register here.

Namaste,
Lee

Agent Joanna Volpe - The Exclusive #LA13SCBWI Team Blog Interview

Agent Joanna Volpe

Joanna Volpe (New Leaf Literary) represents picture books to teen novels. Some of her recent titles are See a Heart, Share a Heart by Eric Telchin (Dial), Altered by Jennifer Rush (Little Brown), Chained by Lynne Kelly (Margaret Ferguson Books/FSG), Insurgent by Veronica Roth (Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins), Ever Afters: Of Giants & Ice by Shelby Bach (Simon & Schuster), Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (Henry Holt), and Puzzled by Pink by Sarah Frances Hardy (Viking). She is currently on the lookout for Young Adult horror, dark high fantasy or literary novels; middle grade all genres; picture book art-focused, 200-500 words.

Joanna will be on faculty at the upcoming 2013 SCBWI Summer Conference in Los Angeles, August 2-5, and I connected with her to find out more...

Lee: As an agent, do you head to a conference hoping to connect with new-to-you talent?

Joanna:  Absolutely. I have found most of my illustrators through SCBWI conferences, and 4 authors from conferences as well. They are a great way to connect with authors and illustrators directly, and to get to know them a little, too.

Lee:  What's the best way for an author attending #la13scbwi to approach you? A business card? A pitch? A sense that they know who you are and what you represent?

Joanna:  It's important to have a quickfire pitch ready if I ask for it. Otherwise, it would be great just to say hello and talk about books they're enjoying and whatnot. It would be nice if they have a sense of who I am and what I represent, but I don't expect it. I don't usually ask for business cards, and sometimes when I am handed them, they get misplaced.

Lee:  Is an on-line presence/profile something you look for before signing someone new?

Joanna: It's not mandatory for signing a new client, no. But anyone I'm considering signing needs to be comfortable with creating one soon!

Lee:  There are big agencies, one-person agencies, and agencies like yours (New Leaf Literary has four literary agents.) Is agency size something authors and illustrators should consider when looking at submitting to an agent?

Joanna:  It really depends on the agency. Whether a big agency or small agency, I think your relationship with your agent is what is most important. So make sure you find the agent you connect with, creatively and business-wise.

Lee:  Your Sunday ProTrack workshop at the conference is called "Cracking The Mystery of Your Royalty Statements." Tell us more.

Joanna:  Well, SCBWI asked if I would talk about this and I said "sure!" haha. In truth though, royalty statements can be very intimidating and overwhelming. And I believe that knowledge is power. So what I'm hoping to accomplish with the workshop is for authors to leave there feeling empowered and able to interpret their statements better--and to also know what kinds of questions they should be asking.

Lee: Should people bring a copy of one of their royalty statements to try to decode it in-session?

Joanna: If they feel comfortable sharing their statement with me, then yes.

Lee:  Any advice for authors and illustrators of works for children and teens you could share?

Joanna:  My advice is always: be ready to work hard, and be open to new ideas and paths to take. Things are changing so much right now, but it's not all doom and gloom! There are some exciting opportunities out there for authors and illustrators that weren't available before. We have to adapt to the changes, and that's OK. Also, always keep reading!

Lee:  Speed round!  Your favorite TV show?

Joanna:  Right now? It's a tie between Parks and Recreation and also The Walking Dead.

Lee:  Literary food you'd most like to try?

Joanna:  Crumpets. I don't know why.

Lee: If you were a contestant on 'The Voice' (or a similar reality singing show) what song would you sing?

Joanna: "What's UP?" by Four Non Blondes

Thanks, Joanna!

To attend Joanna's session and take part in all the remarkable craft, business, inspiration, community and opportunity the SCBWI Summer Conference offers, you have to be there in person!  Go here for all the details, and to register.

Ari Lewin, the #NY12SCBWI Team Blog Pre-Conference Interview

Ari Lewin, Executive Editor, G.P. Putnam (Penguin) and #NY12SCBWI Faculty

Arianne Lewin is an executive editor at G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers. She has edited award-winning authors including Cinda Williams Chima; Julie Anne Peters; Michael Rex; Rachel Hawkins, and Jessica Spotswood. She'll be giving three breakout sessions on FANTASY on Saturday January 28, 2012 as part of the Lucky 13th Annual SCBWI Winter Conference in New York City.

Here's our interview - enjoy!

Lee: Hi Ari, thanks so much for taking the time. You’re giving three breakout sessions on FANTASY. Are there any books (that you’ve worked on or otherwise) you’d like to suggest attendees read in advance so they can get the most out of your workshops?

Ari: I can't think of any particular books I'll be referencing yet, but I might do a handout on first pages or chapters of successful fantasy novels. My hope is that anyone interested in publishing into the genre will be able to get something out of the discussion, no matter how much or little they've read.


Lee: For many manuscript critiques and conferences (and it’s true of the Writers roundtable intensives on the Friday before this conference) authors have a chance to share the first few pages of their work with agents and editors. But it’s only the first few pages. Or the first 500 words. Or maybe even just the first page (which starts half-way down!) Often, writers despair at this – how could anyone know if they love it (or not) so soon? How far do you need to read something to know?

Ari: I consider first page sessions an opportunity to decide if I like the premise and the writing enough to want to read more.


Lee: Speaking of beginnings, since you’re talking about fantasy I have to ask: Prologues: Love ‘em or hate ‘em?

Ari: That's not a fair question! I love good prologues that draw me in and tease the rest of the book. I don't love prologues that exist solely for exposition -- that just feels lazy to me.


Lee: How about trends: How much should authors care about vampires being in or out. Or angels, or unicorns, or… the next BIG thing. (And yeah, I just added unicorns in there. But I don’t have a unicorn manuscript, I’m just asking…)

Ari: I suppose it's worth considering the idea that if the market is already glutted with a trend, publishers may not want to buy more. That being said, if someone handed me a dystopic novel that I absolutely LOVED, I wouldn't turn it down. I would never suggest writing to a trend -- authors should write what comes naturally.


Lee: What’s your opinion of the Hollywood-style pitch (“It’s ‘Mad Men’ meets ‘Aliens’… in middle school!”) Useful, or too reductive?

Ari: I vote useful. TV is such a big part of our consciousness that using it as shorthand seems natural. I do realize that there are a lot of books out there that can't be described in those terms, though, and that's okay too! If I were an author I'd spend about twenty seconds thinking about this, then get back to writing my story. NOTE: It’s easy to sound grandiose when using TV/Movie references, so try to stay reasonable...


Lee: Can you tell us what you’re looking for?

Ari: "I'm looking for writers who use words and story in a way that makes me feel something. I like all kinds of stories, but I want something to wake me up!"


Lee: Most of the people working in Children’s literature do it because they (we) love it… but I wonder if there’s a fear that once you make something you love your work, you can’t enjoy it ‘simply’ any more. Can you turn off your editor-brain and just enjoy a good book, or are you always in ‘editor’ mode?

Ari: I can forget myself if the book is good enough. And isn't that what you want every book to do? I’m probably not as patient a reader as I used to be– I don’t try to “push through” books that are not engaging or very flawed. I just put them down and move on.


Lee: To follow up on that, what are you reading for fun?

Ari: I'm trying really hard to read grown-up books, mostly so I'm not a total fail at cocktail parties. I just bought *am the last person on earth to buy* Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.


Lee: Illustrators and writers will be coming to #NY12SCBWI with lots of hopes. Some hope to be discovered and break through to be published. Others, who are published, hope to break out from the mid-list and really soar in their careers. Any many, from those just starting out through best-selling authors and illustrators, hope to immerse themselves in inspiration and community. What are your conference hopes? Do you come ‘shopping’ for new illustrator and writer talent?

Ari: SCBWI is such an amazing community. I always come to conferences hoping to recruit for my list, but I also come because I find it so refreshing and inspiring to spend time with people who are passionate about our business.


Lee: Is a business card something you like to have handed to you when you speak to an author or illustrator at a conference?

Ari: The unfortunate truth is that I don't keep 99% of the business cards that are given to me (does anybody?). If there's a reason for me to get in touch with someone, I'll ask for their information and probably plug it right into my phone.


Lee: Can you share with us your advice for conference-goers?

Ari: Talk to lots of other writers, and don't worry too much about meeting agents and editors -- that will come in time. Pay special attention to any lectures that will help you become a better writer.


Lee: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given that you’ve used in your career in children’s literature?

Ari: Work on what you love.

Thanks so much, Ari!

Now I'm even more excited about her session! You can still register to attend Ari's FANTASY Break Out Workshop yourself and experience the entire Lucky 13th Annual SCBWI Winter Conference in New York City, January 27-29, 2012.

Hope to see you there.

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

Good News! I'm the new Captain of Team Blog and the new official Blogger for SCBWI!

I'm very excited to finally announce that the organization I adore so much, the Society of Children's Books Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), is now an even bigger part of my journey, as I am part of theirs!

As of ten minutes ago my first post as their new official blogger is up at the newly re-designed SCBWI: THE BLOG.

Don't fear - I'll still be blogging here daily Monday through Friday, 50 weeks a year!

Blogging for SCBWI will let me do more and blog more in the world of children's literature, and I'm very grateful for that opportunity!

I hope you continue to share the adventure...

Namaste,
Lee

Harold Underdown: The Exclusive Team Blog Pre-#LA11SCBWI Conference Interview

As part of the fantastic group of kid lit blogging superheroes that make up SCBWI Team Blog, I had the chance to virtually interview Harold Underdown about his being on faculty for the upcoming SCBWI 40th annual summer conference in Los Angeles, August 5-8, 2011.



For more information about the conference and to register, go here.

And don't forget to bookmark The Official SCBWI Conference Blog!



Hope to see you there,
Namaste,
Lee

Katie Davis: The SCBWI Team Blog Pre-Conference #LA11SCBWI Interview

During our podcast interview, I turned the tables and interviewed Katie Davis for SCBWI Team Blog. Here, she gives us the scoop on her ProTrack workshop, "Podcasting Your Way To Success" at SCBWI's upcoming 40th annual summer conference in Los Angeles, August 5-8, 2011.



For more information about the conference and to register, go here.

And don't forget to bookmark The Official SCBWI Conference Blog!



Hope to see you there,
Namaste,
Lee

Emma Dryden: The Exclusive SCBWI Team Blog Pre-Conference #LA11SCBWI Interview

I got to sit down with Emma Dryden, drydenbks founder and SCBWI Board Member, and have her share more details with us about her keynote at the upcoming 40th Anniversary SCBWI Summer Conference!



In addition to her Friday Keynote, Emma will also be leading a Saturday morning workshop, "Independent Editors and new Models for Publishing Our Stories," and a Sunday afternoon pro-track workshop with Harold Underdown, "Social Media for Authors and Illustrators."

The conference will have Emma, over 20 leading editors, art directors and agents, and many of the great children’s book authors and illustrators of our time, including Laurie Halse Anderson, Libba Bray, Bruce Coville, John Green, Norton Juster, Donna Jo Napoli, Mary Pope Osborne, Gary Paulsen, Jerry Pinkney, Jon Scieszka and David Small.



So go check out all the faculty and conference offerings, register, and I hope to see you there!

And remember, you can stay on top of all the pre-conference interviews and news by checking in on our Official SCBWI Conference blog and on Team Blog Captain Alice Pope's indispensable SCBWI Children's Market Blog - bookmark them both!



Namaste,
Lee

Ellen Hopkins: The Exclusive Pre-Conference #LA11SCBWI Interview!

Registration for the 40th Anniversary SCBWI Summer Conference opens today! (And there are some amazing intensive classes that will fill up fast.)

I sat down with New York Times Bestselling Author, SCBWI Board Member and SCBWI Regional Advisor for Nevada Ellen Hopkins and got the scoop:



So go check out the offerings, register, and I hope to see you there!

And remember, you can stay on top of all the pre-conference interviews and news by checking in on our Official SCBWI Conference blog and on Team Blog Captain Alice Pope's indispensable SCBWI Children's Market Blog - bookmark them both!



Namaste,
Lee

Jennifer Besser: The Exclusive SCBWI Team Blog Pre-Conference Interview!

Jennifer Besser

Jennifer Besser is the Publisher of G.P. Putnam’s Sons, an imprint of the Penguin Young Readers Group. Prior to joining Putnam in April 2010, Jennifer was an Executive Editor at Disney Hyperion, and before that, she got her start in publishing at Miramax Books. And her very first job was at age 11, selling popsicles on Venice Beach. She much prefers her current gig.

Jennifer manages a stellar team of editors and also edits children’s books for all ages, from picture books to young adult fiction. She is the editor of Rick Riordan’s #1 New York Times best-selling Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, as well as the Red Pyramid.

Books Jennifer Besser Has Edited Include:

Super Chicken Nugget Boy and the Furious Fry

The Lightning Thief

Karma for Beginners

She has had the great pleasure of working with incredible talent, including Melissa de la Cruz, Ally Carter, Jonathan Stroud, Brian Selznick, Ann Martin, Laura Godwin, John Rocco, Adam Gopnik, and many others.

Jennifer will be doing three breakout sessions on Saturday January 29 on "What Makes Your Work Publishable: Today's Market in Children's Books," and as an editor and publisher, it will be fascinating to hear what she's got to say. I'm excited to hear her at the conference, and delighted she took the time to answer some pre-conference questions here.

Lee: Hi Jennifer! So many not-yet-published writers attend conferences hoping to be "discovered." To make that connection with an editor, or agent, who will fall in love with their writing and get their career rolling. From your perspective, as an editor and publisher, what are your hopes going into the upcoming SCBWI Winter Conference in New York?

Jennifer: My hope going in is that I can in some way make the “publishing world” seem a little less massively impersonal and inscrutable. Of course, it’s the work that gets you there in the end... but sometimes it’s nice to have a conversation about “there” that demystifies things a bit. I hope that conversation is what my sessions will be. And yes, I’m forever on the look out for new talent.


Lee: It's funny how tongue-tied we authors can get when someone finally asks us, "so, what are you writing?" Besides having an answer to that ready to go, are there any specific titles you've edited that we should read, or other preparation you'd suggest for attendees to get the most out of your session in particular and the conference overall?

Jennifer: My general homework advice is always the same -- read as much as you can, especially in the category you want to publish into. Spend some time poking around your local bookstore. Pay attention to how books are categorized and shelved. Notice which titles you gravitate towards and why, and spy on, er, observe, your fellow shoppers. For those attending my sessions, I don’t have any specific titles to assign, but definitely spend some time thinking about any questions I can help answer.


Lee: With the changes in the world of children's publishing, is it more important than ever for writers to have literary agents? Of the deals you made in 2010, what percent of those were agented versus not agented?

Jennifer: Having an agent is very important, and has been for some time now. Of the deals I made in 2010, at least 95% of them were agented, and most years it’s 100%.


Lee: You acquire and edit picture books, middle grade, and young adult novels - do you feel that authors need to focus on one age bracket and genre to better "brand" themselves?

Jennifer: No. Worrying over “branding” yourself is a waste of time, just one more distraction to pull your attention from the real work of writing. While it’s that rare and enviable author who can successfully and ingeniously create work across categories (is there anything Meg Rosoff can’t do?!), as an editor, I’d never dissuade a writer from experimenting in a new genre, as long as it was the story they wanted to tell. Focus on figuring out what you love to write and write to your strengths.

Lee: New York City in January is Winter Wonderland weather. Imagine you have an entire afternoon to yourself to read anything you want - no responsibilities, just a cozy spot by a crackling fire, a view of lights twinkling in central park, a mug of fancy hot chocolate and a book. What will you read?

Jennifer: Ooooh, there are so many good books in my must-read pile right now. Last night, I started a novel I absolutely love already — Karen Russell’s Swamplandia! I’m a huge fan of Melina Marchetta and can’t wait to finally read Finnikin of the Rock. And I have an ARC of Melissa de la Cruz’s new adult novel, Witches of East End, burning a hole in my book bag!

Thanks so much, Jennifer!

I'm excited to hear Jennifer speak at her breakout session during the conference, and looking forward to the entire experience!

If you want to join Jennifer, and Mo Willems, and Lois Lowry, and myself and the rest of SCBWI Team Blog at the Conference, you can still register!

And if you're planning to be there or not, make sure to check out SCBWI Team Blog's Official SCBWI Conference Blog, where we'll be giving a tapas-like sampling of all the great things the conference holds... But there's nothing like being there yourself!




Hope to see you in New York!

Namaste,
Lee

Lois Lowry: An Exclusive SCBWI Team Blog Pre-Conference Interview

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!)

Lois Lowry

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")

"Number The Stars"
Middle Grade Historical Fiction
Winner of the 1990 Newbery Medal

"The Giver"
Middle Grade Dystopian Fantasy
Winner of the 1994 Newbery Medal

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!

Lois Lowry's latest historical fiction middle grade novel,

LIKE THE WILLOW TREE: The Diary of Lydia Amelia Pierce

"Anastasia Krupnik"
(the first in the Middle Grade series)

Lois will be giving the opening Keynote address for the 2011 SCBWI Winter Conference in New York City on Saturday, January 29, 2011. She's a master of so many styles; historical fiction, dystopian fantasy, and amazing, heart-tugging fiction - both as series and as stand-alone novels. She's also a brilliant speaker. Go here to download and read her Newbery Medal acceptance speech for "The Giver" - it's amazing! I can't wait to listen and learn from her at the conference, and I'm especially thrilled that she agreed to answer a few questions pre-conference, to further whet our appetites for all the insights and inspiration to come!

Lee: Hi Lois! Thanks so much for agreeing to this interview. Let's jump right in: You've won the Newbery Medal twice! How do you face the blank page differently as "an award winning author" than when you started out and were still hoping to be published?

Lois: I don’t think there is a single difference. In fact, I’ll go farther and be more blunt: if you start thinking of yourself as “an award winning author” then you are in serious trouble. The only way a writer should face a blank page is with a sense of adventure and curiosity. You should face it as a new writer every single time, and with the same passion for the work, respect for the craft, and awareness of your limitations.


Lee: Anastasia Krupnik often times is frustrated by not being able to transcend her developmental age, like when she is alarmed that she begins to hate her parents. When you were growing up, did you feel trapped by your own age and the expectations adults and others had for people in your age group?


Lois: I’m thinking of myself at 12 and 13. What I felt trapped and frustrated by was my own gawkiness, my own self-consciousness, my own timidity. But I was aware that that was exterior stuff (and I probably knew that I would outgrow it eventually). I never felt limited or trapped in terms of creativity or intellectual curiosity; and in retrospect I think I did (privately) transcend my developmental age in those areas. Even at a young age, long before I had any tools for expressing it, I felt ageless and powerful in my imagination.


Lee: In "Number The Stars," which is the first Holocaust book in many U.S.A. school curriculums, you quite brilliantly made us as readers feel the danger to Ellen and the Rosens - the characters' fear that the Nazis would catch them, and Annemarie's heroism in trying to save the day by racing to the dock with the secret package - without ever going into too much horrible detail about genocide or the whole-scale murder of Jews. At one point at the end, Annemarie's uncle tells her that she had saved Ellen's life, but that's really all we hear as readers. And yet you do have the assassinations of other characters revealed to Annemarie. When dealing with really hard issues like murder and death, how do you find that delicate balance about what's enough to share with a middle grade audience, and what's too much?


Lois: I never look at that issue from an objective point of view. I suppose the editor or publisher does. But I enter the story by entering the consciousness of the protaganist, and so I see what she (in this case, Annemarie in Number the Stars) sees, understand what she understands. I was dealing in this book with actual events. A ten year old child in those circumstances would not have had any knowledge of horrific events taking place elsewhere; she would have known nothing of genocide, nothing beyond her childlike comprehension that the Jews were in great danger from the Nazis. Of course what happened in Denmark was unique, and the focus of the story was on the integrity of the Danish people, not on atrocities that were happening in other countries at the time. It’s what has made the book a popular introduction to a difficult topic.

But to address the same question in regard to others of my books...I think I always approach topics, and how I deal with them, through the perceptions of the young protaganist, and therefore by extension the young reader. If the person in the book is facing this...you can, too. That’s the way I look at it.


Lee: "The Giver" has an ambiguous ending... And in your Newbery acceptance speech you said:

"Those of you who hoped that I would stand here tonight and reveal the “true” ending, the “right” interpretation of the ending, will be disappointed. There isn’t one. There’s a right one for each of us, and it depends on our own beliefs, our own hopes."

The ending feels very European versus American, and challenging in that it requires a lot of the reader in an ocean of media that requires very little of them. Do you feel there's a lesson from your experience with taking this path for other children's book writers?


Lois: It would be presumptuous of me to assume that anything I do should set an example for other writers, or view my experience as a lesson for anyone else. We all have our own styles, our own way of dealing with the intricacies of our work. I guess I tend to like making demands of my readers. Make them think. Make them suffer a little! It makes them my partners, as we work together on something. But it doesn’t mean every writer should go about it that way. And I do know, from the mail I receive, that young readers don’t always like having to work! They want me to spell it out, explain it, tell it to them. But they’ll have to go to another writer for that, I think.


Lee: What's the best piece of advice you have received regarding your career as a writer?

Lois: A professor at Brown told me, when I was seventeen, that I needed to suffer more. I’ve been working at it ever since.

HA! Thank you, Lois. I'm going to be thinking a lot about how "suffering" might just be something good... for our characters, our stories, our readers, and maybe even our own ability to be writers!

I hope you, too, will get to hear Lois Lowry in person and partake of all the fabulousness of the SCBWI Winter Conference!

And remember to bookmark and/or follow the Official SCBWI Conference Blog, authored by myself and the rest of the remarkable SCBWI Team Blog. We're Jaime Temairik, Jolie Stekley, Martha Brockenbrough, Suzanne Young and me, and we're led by Alice Pope, who writes the indispensible Alice Pope's SCBWI Children's Market Blog!



Namaste,

Lee

ps: photo of Lois Lowry by Nadine Lowry

Mo Willems: An Exclusive SCBWI Team Blog Pre-Conference Interview!

One of the super-exciting things coming up is the SCBWI Winter Conference, January 28-30, 2011. (You can still register!) Among the galaxy of kid lit stars there will be Mo Willems!

Mo Willems!

Mo Willems, author/illustrator of:


and


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!

I'm excited to learn and be inspired by Mo at the conference, and thrilled that he agreed to answer a few pre-conference questions!

Lee: Hi Mo! Thanks so much for taking the time out to talk. Let's jump right in. Do you think humor in writing and illustrating is a craft that can be honed and improved, or is being funny an innate "talent" that you either have or don't have?

Mo: The word “Talent” derives from the Lower-Swabian for “worked harder than the others”.

Lee: Ha! As a writer and illustrator, you straddle both sides of the creative divide... do you think there are lessons from "thinking like an illustrator" that even stick-figure-drawing writers like myself might learn?

Mo: Creating picture books is a form of architecture constructed by page turns and the interrelationship between word and image. How can you tell if a drawing makes a word irrelevant (or vice-versa) without trying it out first?* Think of it as constructing a model of your building. If you don’t bother to do that, I suspect you’ll be stuck trying to cover over the cracks in its foundation with a veneer of superfluous words.

*Ex: I illustrated City Dog, Country Frog for myself before I gave Jon Muth the (greatly reduced and improved) manuscript. I simply never showed it to him or anyone else.


Lee: You've published picture books and easy readers, board books, short stories, even an illustrated memoir... and been amazing at it all! Do you feel it's important to get "established" writing and/or illustrating for one age bracket/category before branching out - in terms of building a "brand," or is that not something we merely human types should worry about?

Mo: “Branding” is what you do to cattle. Being true to your sensibility and open to new challenges is what you do to build a career. I trust my audience will allow me to follow my evolving interests if I continue to give them my best efforts when I do.

Also, there is a distinct advantage in fearing neither work nor failure.

Lee: What's the best piece of advice you've gotten in terms of writing and illustrating for children?

Mo: I have 3 that I’ve culled from the years:

1. Never fall in love with a drawing (this applies doubly so to words).

2. An assignment: either describe the descent of a single raindrop in 5,000 drawings (or words) or describe the sack of Byzantium in three.

3. Buy an electric pencil sharpener. Use it.

Lee: New York's pretty cold in the winter, but the SCBWI conference is always piping hot with community and inspiration. Any pointers on getting the most out of attending a SCBWI conference?

Mo: Have a great time, enjoy NYC and all it has to offer, get jazzed by all of the frenetic passion of those around you, but please don’t ask writers and illustrators how to get published. It’s like asking a beverage truck driver the secret formula for Coke. Our uninformed answers will have no value to you. But more importantly, all of the practical aspects of our work (bending from the knees, parallel parking, and gear shifting) is so much more interesting.

Wow! Thanks so much, Mo. I learned a lot, and already feel (gosh, I've said it three times in this interview!) inspired.

If you want to get to hear Mo in person and partake of all the fabulousness of the SCBWI Winter Conference, come join us!

And remember to bookmark and/or follow the Official SCBWI Conference Blog, authored by myself and the rest of the remarkable SCBWI Team Blog. We're Jaime Temairik, Jolie Stekley, Martha Brockenbrough, Suzanne Young and me, and we're led by Alice Pope, who writes the indispensible Alice Pope's SCBWI Children's Market Blog!



Namaste,

Lee

Get Ready. Get Set. The 2011 SCBWI Winter Conference Registration...

Opens Tomorrow!!! (Wednesday Oct 6, 2010 at 10am pacific standard time.) It's going to be sooo cool!

And if this blog headline sounds like the start of a race, well, it kind of is... The pre-conference intensives always sell out. And they are an amazing opportunity for writers and illustrators of kid lit. For writers, you get to sit at a table with an Editor or an Agent, read them the first 500 words of your work in progress, and get their feedback. Sometimes it sparks something in them, and they want to read the rest. Careers have been made in those moments. Sometimes, their feedback sparks something in you, and you realize what you need to do to revise your manuscript and make it better. And always, listening to the feedback you get and other people give (and get), you learn. 'Cause you're sitting at a table with eight other authors and a kid lit professional! And you get to do it twice, with two different kid lit professionals - once in the morning, once in the afternoon. It's a great opportunity to turbo-charge your journey.

And then the conference itself, all day Saturday and the first half of Sunday. There's going to be lots of info shared on the business of writing and illustrating, and lots of inspiration shared on the journey of being a writer (and yes, an illustrator!)

Once more, I'll be hosting (with some exciting soon-to-be-announced co-hosts) a GLBTQ and Allied Mixer on Saturday night.

And once again, I'm honored to be part of SCBWI Team Blog, lead by Alice Pope,



and we'll be giving you exclusive pre-conference interviews with faculty and live-blogging from the conference floor.

It will be January in New York, and it'll be cold outside, but inside... we'll be experiencing creative fusion!

Oh, did I mention the pigeon and knuffle-bunny master himself, Mo Willems, will be on faculty?

And National Book Award Finalist Sara Zarr (for "Story of a Girl"), Newbery Award Winning Author Lois Lowry (She won for "The Giver" and has written 36 other books!), Jules Feiffer (memoirist, illustrator and author, who illustrated Lois Lowry's latest book, "Birthday Ball"), author R.L. Stine (who's so scary good he'll give you goosebumps - get it?), and more!!!

WOW!!!

I hope you can join us.

Set your clocks, alarms, and put it in your calendar:

Tomorrow, 10am, registration opens.

Be in New York City for the magic, January 28-30, 2011.

And

#ny11scbwi

will be the twitter hashtag to follow! And bookmark (or subscribe to) The Official SCBWI Conference Blog for links and updates from everyone on Team Blog. (And you can check out the incredible archive we've created of material from previous conferences, too!)





Namaste,
Lee

What I learned at the SCBWI 2010 Summer Conference

Left to right: M.T. Anderson, Arthur A. Levine, and Me (Lee Wind)

I've long believed that having a career in the world of Children's literature meant nurturing oneself in three realms:

Business

Craft

Inspiration.

And I knew that the SCBWI Summer Conference would deliver that. And the editors, agents and authors did! Here are some highlights that will resonate with me for months to come:

Business

Stephanie Lurie saying "I think digital could be the re-birth of the picture book."

Rubin Pfeffer suggesting that "Perhaps SCBWI should become an e-publisher."

David Diaz urging we writers and illustrators to hold on during all the current changes because "publishing will be HUGE - bigger than it has ever been before."

Alexis O'Neill's session on school visits showing me the steps of the path forward.

Bruce Hale's enthusiasm about Skype School visits!

All of it made me think and feel hopeful about our role as content creators in the future of children's literature.

Craft

M.T. Anderson's incredible session on experimental fiction techniques was, well... incredible. Who knew a poem could be just numbers? It blew my mind! Oh, and his Keynote on how "literature restores the sense of the unknown to the known!"

Paul Fleischman running down all the separate documents he keeps while writing - fascinating!

The writing exercise in Linda Sue Park's intensive that helped me see how character and setting can't be separated.

Inspiration

A Gail Carson Levine writing prompt that makes me want to write a new book.

Rachel Vail saying "Life or death moments are a dime a dozen in 7th grade" - and me nodding emphatically.

Gennifer Choldenko saying, "There is a kid out there who needs your book. Write for that kid." And me feeling that so strongly.



And yet, what I really understand now is that there is a fourth realm that is critical:

Community.

Hanging out and talking craft and life with Kathleen Duey.

Talking with Diane De Las Casas about School Visits and Facebook friends.

Asking Rilla Jagga if she really thinks people multi-task or if they just switch their attention back and forth really fast, and having her answer: "We are a single CPU Processor."

Listening to Lisa Yee speaking about Sid Fleischman so beautifully.

Ashley Bryan leading over 1,100 of us in chanting poems. Magical!

Standing with the rest of SCBWI Team Blog onstage during the Golden Kite Awards and hearing the appreciation for the work we do was remarkable and heady. I was (and remain) so grateful.

Gleefully celebrating with my friend Sara Wilson Etienne at the announcement of her 2 book deal the monday of the conference in Publishers Weekly!

Seeing my friend Rita Crayon Huang taking amazing photos throughout the conference - and even a new author photo for me!

The fun of dancing with friends new and familiar at the Gala Saturday night!

And maybe most exciting, me being on the Saturday "A Look at the GLBTQ Marketplace" panel and having the honor of hosting the "GLBTQ Lunchtime Chat by the Pool" on Friday.

And my epiphany about the conference is that it's here that I find that sense of community - that sense of not just having found my tribe, but of BELONGING to my tribe. And that makes being at the conference, hanging out in the hotel lobby, smiling at people I don't know on the escalators, and talking children's books with other passionate, smart, wonderful people so amazing. It's something we can't really convey digitally. Being there, in person, and feeling truly part of it all - the fabulous comraderie that, for me, makes the conference priceless!

Thank you to my SCBWI kid lit community. I'm so excited about the future, and so grateful to have been part of this conference.

And I already can't wait for the 2011 Winter Conference in New York!

Namaste,
Lee

ps - if you want more details on the sessions these amazing moments were from, check out my posts on the official SCBWI Conference Blog!

The SCBWI 2010 Summer Conference: Day Four!!!!

Breathe deep. Pace Yourself. So. Much. Good. Stuff. Still. To. Come!

Rachel Vail's morning keynote! (check out this pre-conference interview with Rachel by my fellow SCBWI Team Blogger, Suzanne Young!)

Paul Fleischman's Keynote!! (You can check out my pre-conference interview with Paul here - he's incredible, I can't wait for this one!)

We get a publisher's panel, with Justin Chanda, Jennifer Hunt (there's a great pre-conference interview with Jennifer by SCBWI Team Blog captain Alice Pope here), Stephanie Lurie and Francesco Sedita (also interviewed by Alice here), the final morning and afternoon workshops, and Ashely Bryan's closing Keynote.

An autograph party finishes the day and the conference, and there will be lots of hanging out and schmoozing and hugging and sharing of conference tales...

Thanks for coming along on this adventure with me and the rest of SCBWI Team Blog!

And tomorrow we'll all get a chance to process some of the amazing insights of the last four days...

Namaste,
Lee

The SCBWI 2010 Summer Conference: Day Three!!!

Yippee!

Today's the Golden Kite Luncheon and Awards Presentation - I can't wait to hear the winners speak - especially Julia Durango (she wrote the awesome MG adventure, "Sea of the Dead" which won the Golden Kite for Fiction!)



There's a morning panel on Narrative Nonfiction, and keynotes by Carolyn Mackler, Gennifer Choldenko and Rubin Pfeffer throughout the day. You can check out this great pre-conference interview with Rubin Pfeffer here by SCBWI Team Blogger Martha Brockenbrough.)

The amazing parade of morning and afternoon workshops continues, but don't despair if you can't clone yourself. SCBWI Team Blog will be doing our best to give you the flavor (and a few choice tidbits) from sessions YOU couldn't attend!

So make sure to check out the Official SCBWI Conference Blog, and hit the bookstore (you don't want your favorite books to sell out before the autograph party tomorrow...)

follow the tweets to
#LA10SCBWI

And at 5:30pm (or immediately after Rubin Pfeffer's Keynote) join me and Social Media Guru Greg Pincus for The SCBWI 2010 Summer Conference Tweet Up! That's where those of us tweeting the conference (and tweeting about Children's Literature) will gather in person to mingle and mix and meet each other. Join us in the conference hotel lobby!

Oh, and there's peer critiques and yoga later tonight at 7:30pm - both yang and yin to keep your energies flowing!

One more day of this marathon of goodness to go...

Namaste,
Lee

The SCBWI 2010 Summer Conference: Day Two!!

Whoo-wee! We're going strong!

Gordon Korman, Marion Dane Bauer, E.B. Lewis and Gail Carson Levine are all giving keynotes in the main room today!

And there's a morning literary agent panel with Ginger Clark (you can check out my fellow SCBWI Team Blogger Jolie Stekly's pre-conference interview with Ginger here), Lisa Grubka, Ken Wright, and Josh Adams (check out my pre-conference interview with Josh here!) that should be really interesting.


There are fantastic morning and afternoon workshops - including an afternoon workshop called "A Look at the LGBTQ Marketplace" with Arthur A. Levine, Aaron Hartzler, and Tony Valenzuela . Oh, and me! Yes, It's my 1st time on an SCBWI Panel - I'm excited and honored and have so much to share... and did I mention I'm excited?

There's a lunchtime Los Angeles Region Meet-and-Greet in the hospitality suite, so if you're a local, stop on by and say "Hi" to Claudia Harrington, and Edie Pagliasotti, our Regional Advisors, and Sarah Laurenson, our ARA!

Right after Gail Carson Levine's Keynote (around 5:30pm) there's going to be a NaPiBoWriWee reunion hosted by the powerhouse author Paula Yoo in the main lobby - which should be crazy fun to hang out with the other authors who each wrote a picture book a day for 7 days! (You can find out more about the NaPiBoWriWee reunion at Paula's blog.)

And today also boasts the illustrator's portfolio showcase from 5:30pm-7:30pm, and, of course, the Dinner and Poolside GALA, "Heart and Soul Celebration."

I'll be wearing some kind of red... and will be blogging and dancing up a storm!

How about you?

Namaste,
Lee

The SCBWI 2010 Summer Conference: Day One!

I'm really excited - it's one of my favorite times of the year - The Society of Children's Books Writers and Illustrators' Summer Conference here in Los Angeles.

Here's what you need to know:

Tweets about the conference will be under #LA10SCBWI - you can follow that hashtag to keep up with all the twitter talk! And you can follow me on Twitter here.

The Official SCBWI Conference Blog is here at http://scbwiconference.blogspot.com/

Things NOT to miss:

Friday Morning: Jon Scieszka's Keynote - this should be amazing - he was the very first Ambassador for Young People's Literature in our country!

Also, M.T. Anderson's Keynote - he is such an incredible writer and you must check out the interview he did with me - I learned so much from his answers, and it's one of the talks I'm MOST excited about from the whole conference!


Lunchtime: Once again, I'm honored to host the

LGBTQ Poolside Lunch Chat from 12:45-2:00pm

Come join me, Lambda Literary Executive Director Tony Valenzuela, and Vice President at Scholastic Inc. and the Editorial Director of Arthur A. Levine Books, Arthur A. Levine in an informal discussion about Writing and Illustrating for LGBTQ and Allied Kids and Teens.

After lunch there's an editor panel with Claudia Gabel, Brenda Murray, Jennifer Rees and Nick Eliopulos (you can check out my pre-conference interview with Nick here), moderated by Krista Marino. That should be stellar.

There are fantastic morning and afternoon workshops - so many it's hard to choose!, an afternoon keynote by illustrator Loren Long, and even peer critiques and yoga at night!

There's also an informal non-fiction "mixer" happening at 7:30 p.m. in a room called Olympic 2 - Thanks to Alexis O'Neill for the heads up on that!


I'll be at this first day of the conference having a grand time, learning a ton, and working with the rest of SCBWI Team Blog to capture a taste of all the excitement for everyone.

If you get a chance, stay "Hi!"

Namaste,
Lee