SCBWI NY Conference 2011

I have never been to the NY Winter Conference. So I was eager to soak it all up. I couldn’t wait to meet writers like me. My belly-flopped for agents. My palms sweated, and my heart sped in anticipation of reading in front of editors.

I went alone. No one from CA was going to fly to NY when the LA summer conference is so close. But I didn’t care about that. I had finished my first novel, and I was ready finally. I was ready to research how to get it into the hands of agents and publishers. And here’s what I found out:

Friday: Writer’s Intensive

I paid extra to have the privilege of reading my first 500 words in front of two editors. Registration began at 8:00 AM. The time change threw me off a bit, but adrenalin kept me awake. The sign-in was easy and organized. The volunteers were polite and helpful. And the speakers began promptly at 9:00.

There were 3 speakers for this portion of the conference: Edward Necarsulmer IV, Julie Strauss-Gabel, and Liz Szabla. Below are my brief notes on them:

ENIV (Mclntosh and Otis Inc.) He spoke with a dry, yet humorous tone. He cracked jokes. He smiled a lot. He seemed approachable. He believes in the business and his authors.

JSG (Dutton Children’s Books) publishes 10-15 books annually. Loves new voices. She is not interested in Picture Books. She is into Middle Grade and YA. She loves SCBWI.

LS (Feiwel and Friends) Lives in the SF Bay area. She acquires 40 books a year. She loves plot-driven material with a strong voice. She is excited about SCBWI and loves to find new talent among the attendees.

The whole weekend flew by with such inspiration pouring over everyone. It was fun, intense, and eye-opening. I found that I know I am ready to search for an agent for me. And not just any agent will do. I will wait for the right one. She must love my work. He must go to bat for me. She must fit my personality. He must understand the way I work. There are so many agents out there that it does pay to be picky, even though I am eager.

I also realized that these SCBWI annual events are not for everyone. I met some writers/illustrators who were not ready. They were not open to critique, or they thought kid’s lit was going to be easy to get published in because, well, it’s for kids. I had to bite my tongue a few times, but I know from experience that they will soon fall out.

But I would say that these big events should be attended by professionals. And I don’t mean published. I mean someone who is choosing writing or illustrating as a career. If you’re unsure, check out the smaller events in your area. That way, you are not wasting money and time.

In all, I had a wonderful conference. I am glad to have met such interesting creative people, and I wish everyone luck.

My goals are set for the next year - GET AGENT! Finish a new project and continue on my path to one day being published in the book arena.

Support Local Stores

I love the internet. I write all day. I surf when stuck. I love my computer. So I’ve gotten into the cycle of buying gifts on line. It’s easy. I point, click, add my visa numbers, even have it all wrapped, shipped and done! But as easy as it is, I feel a small loss. I am not connecting with a store shop owner. I am not seeing all of the lovely gifts displayed in artistic ways. I do not wonder at the holiday lights or decorations. So I took a stroll around town to get a deeper sense of the holidays.

I started at Henry’s Toy Shop. I fell in love. It’s a cute, small, but filled to the brim toy store. The owners are there everyday with a smile and a new gadget for you to try. The young people they employ are happy and helpful. I loved it. I bought three gifts, one for a birthday present, and one for each of my two kids for Christmas. I had one wrapped, the other two placed in the bag.

Two days later, after having the gifts hidden under a blanket in the back of my car, I retrieved the red bag to place it in the hiding spot for the big day. But to my dismay, one of my gifts was missing. I searched the car. I searched the bag, sure enough, it was gone. So I popped into Henry’s Toys store to see if by chance the young man who had wrapped my gift, had left one aside. Nope. It was not there. The owner asked what had happened and I told her the story.

She immediately checked, but it was gone. And there were no more left in the store. But she ordered a new one for me, free of charge. I stood there, surprised. She was taking me for my word. I could be lying. I could be trying to swindle a free toy. But she insisted that I get a new one for free. Would my cold, faceless internet stores do this? I think not.

I have switched my cold, key, computer buying to small town store supporting and I love it! I hope you all enjoy the holidays as I have. See the lights and the decorations that the small stores in your hometown have artistically put up for your enjoyment. Talk to the store owners. Smile with them. Stroll with coffee in hand, or in my case, coffee and umbrella! But most of all, get connected to your town and support the people who make it lovely.

Happy Holidays,
Angie Azur

2010 Mills College Writer's Conference

Tomorrow, Saturday 23, 2010 SCBWI’s Mill’s College Conference begins at 7:45 am. More to follow once I have digested the mounds of information and pinpointed a few great quotes. Hope to see you there with your laptops, iphones, ipads, pen & paper in hand.

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What a great conference! I am still B.I.C. (butt in chair) because of it. Inspired and greatly excited about my dream of being an author, the conference pushed me further. And here’s why: THE SPEAKERS. The group of established writers, illustrators, agents, publishers and editors spoke to me.

And a special thanks to the SCBWI volunteers who kept the conference running smoothly under Margaret Speaker Yuan, Regional Advisor and  Colette Weil Parrinello, Assistant Regional Advisor.

Joe Cepeda (Illustrator) - quote of the event - “As quick as you run to style is as quick as you run away from yourself.” Think about that. Everyone wants their own style, but searching for it, manipulating it to come, chasing after it only destroys your style. How do you get style then? Practice, practice, practice - BIC. If you’re a writer, write. If you’re an illustrator, illustrate. That’s it. That’s the answer. Relax, breath, your style will come. It will show through your work, but you must practice.

Other great quotes from Joe: “There is a moment in every painting where I think this is the worst thing I’ve ever done.” Even the great question themselves and for good reason. Stay humble. Always do your best work. Slack none. Push yourself.

Joe spoke about illustrating someone else’s words: “Your words should be beautiful in themselves because I’m doing something else.” Meaning, he brings another choice or outlook to your work. Let him be the artist, you be the writer. And, “When your baby is dropped off at my door, I’m raising it now.” I agree. Writers must let go. Once you send your baby out into the world, that’s it. Move on to your next great piece. Let go of your baby. Trust the artist, publisher, agent to do their best work next.

Ammi-Joan Paguette (Agent/Erin Murphy Agency/Writer) - quote of the event - “We need more fun stories.” Such a great statement. With the news pouring out our dirty laundry all over the television, children need hope. They need fun. They need to escape. They need strong characters to hold onto, to relate to, to love. They need more fun stories!

Ms. Paquette became an agent once she was a published author. She’s a bit of a whiz with it too. Selling over 12 manuscripts within her first year on the job. She balances family, writing and a new career very well! When she is reading a manuscript she thinks, “How did this book feel to me? What worked? What didn’t?” She wants to feel passionate and fall in love with the book and characters....don’t we all. The five elements she looks for are: Hook - Voice - Plot - Theme - Characters

Pam Turner & Ginger Wadsworth (Writers) - quotes of the event - Ginger “B.I.C. butt in chair - start and go all the way to the end. Allow your first draft to be really, really bad.” She started off like many of us, writing, then rewriting, then rewriting again, but never finishing anything. Now she starts and even if she hates what she wrote, she keeps on going. You have to finish something to know where to start the beginning. She also thinks, “What would Rachel Carson do?” She worries about the environment and this shows through her writing.

Pam “Stuff happens, be flexible.” She travels into the field for her work and sometimes things don’t exactly work out. So be flexible, roll with the punches. Use what is happening in your writing. Take the picture you can take. Keep moving forward.

Caryn Wiseman (Agent/Andrea Brown) - quote of the event - “Do not query me with your erotic adult book idea. I am a children’s agent.” She said this with a smile and joking tone, but it’s so true. Before you query any agent/publisher be sure they would be interested in your work. If you send Caryn an adult novel you are wasting your time and hers and making a bad name for yourself in the process. Do your research first!

She is looking for funny, high-concept. And please be sure your work is complete before sending it off to her! She also said that trends trickle down from the adult books, so look at those trends. Here’s what she thinks when she is reading a manuscript: Who? What? When? Where? Why should I care?

Lisa Yoskowitz (Agent/Moving to Hyperion soon from Penguin)
quote of the event - “Today we will talk about picture book guideline....I’ll do most of the talking.” Lisa had a funny wit to her. I like listening to her speak. She also said, “First impressions are very important in life.” And I agree. As I looked around the room of writers and illustrators only a few stood out. Most dressed very relaxed for the event.

To me, this was a business meeting. I would potentially meet my new agent. And I would be meeting writers in my field, illustrators who might one day bring art to my words. I wanted to make a great impression on them. The first one you make is what you look like and how you’re dressed. It’s the truth, the facts people. The next time you go to a conference, think, this is a business meeting.

As writers/illustrators we are loners. We lock ourselves up in our offices, coffee shops, and cars, drawing, tying and ignoring the mirror. But agents and publishers live in the real world. They are from New York, San Francisco, LA and other style conscience cities. So dress to your business sense part of your mind when you meet them, save your creative, relaxed looks for your cave.

Bruce Hale (Writer) quote of the event - “The suspense must be there on the first page!” Absolutely Bruce! And he knows suspense, well at least his geco detective does. Suspense gets the reader to want to know what’s going to happen on the next page. If they don’t care, then your book won’t sell.

Bruce said that most stories begin in the third chapter. So writers, write your first chapters, then ask: Does the reader really need to know this? Was I writing this for myself to get to know my characters? Will the reader care about these first few chapters? Do they move the story forward? If not....toss them aside.

Bruce asks himself: What does the character want? What prevents the character from getting it? What traits does the character have that will trip her/him up?

“Give your character a buried secret.” Bruce said secrets will fester, trying to come to the surface. Secrets can create suspense. Use them wisely. The “Uh-oh factor” - the more danger the better is how Bruce creates characters with character.

But be appropriate, he adds. “The brutal murder of little rabbit fu-fu probably won’t made a great picture book.”

Kaylan Adair (Associate Editor/Candlewick Press) - quote of the event - “I chose to talk about Candlewick because it is near and dear to my heart.” Candlewick is independent, owned by its employees. Her enthusiasm toward her company shined as she smiled while showing pictures of the publisher’s new digs.

The picture book is their backbone and Kaylan loves them. She edits everything from PB’s to YA’s. She looks for strong literary writing, strong confident voice with emotional pull.

Tim Myers (Writer) - quote of the event - “Should I be tweeting while I’m talking?” He often wonders how much is too much when it comes to self promotion these days. There’s so much to choose from, facebook, myspace, twitter, and of course having your own website and joining writer/illustrator sites. How do you know how much you should be doing? You don’t. Try them on and see what fits. If blogging is for you, do it. If not, then don’t. It’s very personal.

He posed the question, “What does literacy do?” And answered: Gives a sense of wonder, promotes spirituality and that we are significant, develops who you are, makes you better armed to decipher the world you live in, and creates great conversation.

He quoted a young man who had made wrong choices in life, landing himself in jail. When they met, the man said, “I need a story to make a path for me.” Wow. That resonated inside of me. Children, especially those going through abuse or abandonment, need a story to follow, to guide them to a better place.

The conference ended with a story told out loud by Tim. He held everyones attention. And I felt as a kid again listening to a great storyteller. And I did come home feeling, “despair that I’ll ever get published, yet giddy to get started!” Thanks for that Tim and the rest of the inspiring speakers at the Mill’s College Conference.