SCBWI Summer Conference 2012--Inspiration and Tips, Laughs and Tears

Back home in Japan, I can now process my six days in Los Angeles for the SCBWI annual summer conference.

Site of the conference--the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza

This was the forty-first SCBWI summer conference, sold out with over 1,200 attendees, and with good reason--my head was completely full afterward. And now that I'm home I'm revved and ready to get back to the work of writing.

For me the week included meetings, dinners, gatherings, even running with regional advisors (RAs) from the many SCBWI chapters in North America and around the world. First was the RA garden party on Wednesday. Just before traveling to LA I learned that I was the recipient of a Regional Advisor Marketing (RAM) grant to be used for marketing my novel The Language Inside, and I was thrilled to celebrate this with RAs who'd received Work of Outstanding Promise (WOOP) grants at the garden party.

with WOOP grant winners Quinette Cook and Genetta Adair; RAM grant winner Kristi Valiant was missing

On Friday the conference opened. Moving and inspiring keynotes were delivered all three days of the conference--by Arthur Levine, Tony Diterlizzi, Sara Shepard, Patricia MacLachlan, Dan Gutman, Karen Cushman, Brian Collier, Claire Vanderpool, Deborah Underwood, Ruta Sepetys, Karen Cushman and Gary Schmidt.

Authors Gary Schmidt and Karen Cushman

Friday evening there was a pizza party and book sale, and following that a chance to meet attendees from countries around the globe.

A gathering of international attendees

In addition to keynotes each day, there were editor and agent panels, and so many breakout sessions it was difficult to decide which to attend. Sessions I attended included editor Jordan Brown on Writing for Boys, editor Laura Godwin on What I Publish and Why, author Karen Cushman on the Case for Strong Girl Characters, agent Linda Pratt on Staying Competitive in the Changing Market, and editor Elise Howard on Realistic Fiction in a Genre-Driven Market. In an especially informative keynote, Deborah Halverson gave us a detailed report on the state of the children's book industry (upbeat even for picture books!) and identified current trends.

Saturday I received a critique of one of my picture book manuscripts by an editor. Waiting to be called up, another attendee took note of me and said, "You mean even published writers do this?" "Definitely!" I said--I love opportunities for one-to-one feedback on my stories. I also had a chance to meet with my agent Jamie Weiss Chilton, based in LA and on the faculty at the conference.

Saturday evening featured the portfolio showcase, with over 160 submitted portfolios set out for viewing.

One of many rows of illustrator portfolios on display

Saturday evening was also the huge themed pool party--this year a hippy hop. Here are the attending international regional advisors and international regional advisor chairperson (IRAC) all tie-dyed and hippyish...

 
and here we are trying to have a serious breakfast meeting the following morning at 7:30 a.m.

Frances Plumpton--New Zealand; Christopher Cheng--Australia; Kirsten Carlson--Germany and Austria; me--Japan; Judy Goldman--Mexico; and Kathleen Ahrens--IRAC based in Hong Kong

Sunday featured more keynotes, more breakouts, and the Golden Kite luncheon with speeches from the winners of the nonfiction, picture book, picture book text, fiction and humor awards. The portfolio display and illustrator mentor program winners were also announced. And of course the finale was the autograph party.

But there's more. On Monday I attended optional writers intensives. In the morning I was a lucky participant in Sonya Sones' intensive on writing novels in verse and in the afternoon Gary Schmidt's intensive on narrators and point of view. And gracious Sonya even suggested we trade books : )

Trading books with Sonya Sones

What I love about this LA conference is the chance to immerse myself in the children's book writing world for several days straight and meet authors, editors, agents and illustrators from all over. I love sharing info and tips with other regional advisors, soaking up all the inspiration and information, and meeting faces new to me, faces familiar only from social media, and friends from previous conferences. It is the chance to eat cookies baked by Hope Anita Smith while E.B. Lewis talks to me about working with the amazing Jacqueline Woodson. It is the chance to dance in a crazy group including verse novelist Ellen Hopkins, author/illustrator Jim Averbeck and blogger/writer Nathalie Mvondo. It's a chance to see Linda Sue Park again, to meet Greg Pincus at last, and to laugh with Lisa Yee. It's a chance to catch a moment with Tomo anthology contributor Debbie Ridpath Ohi. It's a chance to hear Patricia MacLachlan sing from the podium. It's a chance to be moved to tears by Bryan Collier's words. It's a chance to meet again our fearless leaders Stephen Mooser and Lin Oliver. It's a chance to laugh and weep with other like-minded souls who know just how important writing for children is. SCBWI is an incredible family.

with Tomo contributor Debbie Ridpath Ohi

with Lisa Yee and the infamous BatPeep

Visit the Official SCBWI Conference Blog for a taste of various breakout sessions and keynote speeches. And Publishers Weekly has a write-up of two days of the conference that captures well the mood and reach of the event: A Gathering of Kindred Spirits.