Writer Wednesday: Contest & Conference Alerts!

Writer Wednesday: Contest & Conference Alerts!

Time for another "Writer Wednesday" blog!

Welcome to Writer Wednesday! Today’s blog will feature some upcoming writing contests and writing conferences for those of you who are interested in participating! They include the Lee & Low New Voices Award plus some SCBWI (Society of Children Book Writers & Illustrators) events.

(Keep reading after the jump for all the contest/conference info…)

My first book, winner of the 2003 Lee & Low Books "New Voices" Award!

LEE & LOW BOOKS’ “NEW VOICES” AWARD

My first book, SIXTEEN YEARS IN SIXTEEN SECONDS: THE SAMMY LEE STORY (Lee & Low 2005) won the 2003 “New Voices” Award from Lee & Low Books. I’m very grateful for this contest and have loved working with the wonderful folks at Lee & Low since then. They are an award-winning multicultural children’s book publishing company. Go here for more info: http://www.leeandlow.com/

For more information on their “New Voices” contest, go here:

http://www.leeandlow.com/p/new_voices_award.mhtml

Here is info about their contest below:

“The twelfth annual NEW VOICES AWARD will be given by LEE & LOW BOOKS for a manuscript by a writer of color. The Award winner receives a cash grant of $1000 and our standard publication contract, including our basic advance and royalties for a first time author. An Honor Award winner will receive a cash grant of $500. Established in 2000, the New Voices Award encourages writers of color to submit their work to a publisher that takes pride in nurturing new talent. Past New Voices Award submissions that we have published include The Blue Roses, winner of the Paterson Prize for Books for Young People; Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story, a Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People and a Texas Bluebonnet Masterlist selection; and Bird, an ALA Notable Children’s Book and a Cooperative Children’s Book Center “Choices” selection.”

Eligibility

1. The contest is open to writers of color who are residents of the United States and who have not previously had a children’s picture book published.

2. Writers who have published other work in venues such as children’s magazines, young adult, or adult fiction or nonfiction, are eligible. Only unagented submissions will be accepted.

3. Work that has been published in any format is not eligible for this award. Manuscripts previously submitted for this award or to LEE & LOW BOOKS will not be considered.

Manuscripts will be accepted from May 1, 2011 through September 30, 2011.  Winners will be announced by December 31, 2011.

Good luck! 🙂

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SOCIETY OF CHILDREN BOOK WRITERS & ILLUSTRATORS NATIONAL CONFERENCE

I attend this amazing SCBWI conference every year in August. I highly recommend it for aspiring writers as well as veteran writers. It’s a fantastic opportunity to meet fellow writers, attend inspirational panels chock full of writing advice and industry insider info, and to meet cool editors and agents. Plus, they also have a fun dance party on Saturday nights! Need I say more? 🙂

For more info on SCBWI, go here:

http://www.scbwi.org

For more info on the conference, go here:

http://www.scbwi.org/Conference.aspx?Con=8

Until the conference starts (August 5-8, 2011 in Los Angeles, CA), you can also check out the official SCBWI Conference Blog which features interviews with all the faculty speakers and will cover the conference live! The link is here: http://scbwiconference.blogspot.com

Some basic info on the conference below from their website:

” August 5-8th, 2011, Los Angeles, California: The 40th Annual SCBWI International Summer Conference features 3 spectacular days of agents, editors, publishers, workshops and networking plus one optional day of intensives, all designed to take your writing and illustration to the next level.

“New Format! August 5-7th: Conference: This year, the main sessions, keynote speakers, breakout sessions, and optional manuscript and portfolio critiques will take place over three days, August 5-7th.

“August 8th: Optional Intensives! The final day of the conference, August 8, is an optional intensive day for a limited number of authors and illustrators. The Writer Intensive will feature three-hour, hands-on workshops on various topics, in addition to a round-table critique of your work led by an editor or agent. The Illustrator Intensive will feature up-close craft demonstrations by seven of the world’s leading illustrators. If you wish to participate in the intensive day, plan to enroll promptly as enrollment will be limited to ensure small class size and individual participation. It is open to all SCBWI members who have registered for the Conference.

“Keynote Speakers! Many of the great children’s book authors and illustrators of our time will be joining us, 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.

“Editors, Agents & Art Directors! Panels of over 20 leading editors, art directors and agents will conduct sessions on craft and present the current and future state of the industry, as well as special sessions on electronic publishing. Specialized Workshop Tracks!This year’s conference will also feature specialized tracks for nonfiction writers, for illustrators and for published professionals. All of these specialized tracks are available at no additional charge.”

Hope to see you there! And for those of you who participated in my annual NaPiBoWriWee (National Picture Book Writing Week), I’m hosting a reunion on Saturday at 5:30 PM in the  hotel lobby. More info here: https://paulayoo.com/napi/?p=331

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OTHER WRITING CONFERENCES

SCBWI VENTURA/SANTA BARBARA REGION PRESENTS: “OLD BONES, NEW FLESH – DRAWING INSPIRATION FROM TRADITIONAL STORIES”

This event features award-winning Australian fantasy author Juliet Marillier. It takes place on Saturday June 25, 2011 from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM at the Old Mission Santa Barbara, Mission Renewal Center (2201 Laguna Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93105). For more info, go here: http://www.scbwisocal.org/events/fantasy_wkshp.html

9th ANNUAL PACIFIC COAST CHILDREN’S WRITERS WORKSHOP

(Note: Unfortunately, the deadline already passed for this one, but I’m still including it because it looks like a fantastic conference that you might want to look into for next year.)

Info here: http://www.childrenswritersworkshop.com/

“Looking for something different in a fiction writing workshop? Perhaps it’s 
time for agent or editor feedback on your entire novel manuscript. Or maybe
 you’re ready for multiple professional critiques on your all-important 
beginning. If so, consider our beachfront seminar for 14 advanced and/or
published novelists. CONVENES: October 7-9, 2011 near Santa Cruz, CA.
 CONTENT: Theme is “Envision and Edit Your Story with the Pros.” In-depth 
novel-crafting sessions; master classes with team-taught, open-clinic
critiques of opening chapters, synopses, and full-length manuscripts. Savvy
teens also provide target-reader feedback. 

FACULTY: Susan Van Metre, Abrams/Amulet VP and Publisher (and New School MFA
instructor); agent Joan Slattery of Pippin Properties, former Knopf senior
executive editor. DEADLINES: Priority reg. May 15; application May 25;
manuscripts June 25. Open until filled. FEES: Starts at $769, including
lodging; additional fee for whole-novel critiques, including two
faculty-mentor consults. For details, faculty interviews, and contact info:
www.childrenswritersworkshop.com”

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So that’s it for Writer Wednesday. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s possibly most popular daily blog, TUNA THURSDAY, featuring self-indulgent photos of my three cats. LOL! 🙂 Until then, Happy Writing! WRITE LIKE YOU MEAN IT! 🙂

 

3 Responses

  1. TeresaR says:

    I’ve never been to the National SCBWI conference (either CA or NY), only the regional ones, but those have been really good too!

    It’s so inspiring that you’ve won the Lee & Low “New Voices Award”! Maybe I’ll actually have something to submit one day (since I’ve not gone past the magazine market yet).

    And one day, too, I want to go to the Children’s Writer Workshop. It sounds like a real boost to one’s writing career. 🙂

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