Upcoming classes and a conference

Second Saturday Writing Workshop at Woodinville Library

Catch Laurie Thompson this Saturday, January 13th, at the Woodinville Library for a free workshop on Writing to Make a Difference. 

Illustrating Picture Books with Dana Sullivan

A new crash course at Green River College for the kid writer/illustrator in a hurry! Overview includes manuscript formatting, storyboards, making a book dummy and illustration techniques. Agents, editors and publishing also discussed. Great for any level of illustrator, from beginner to pro. Bring story ideas and one or two recent picture books you like. Details here.

Nonfiction Webinar

Lisa Owens is offering a webinar on researching your nonfiction children's book on February 28th. See more details here.

Southside Class

Al Rubeck is offering a beginner's course on writing for children in Maple Valley on March 6th and 13th. Topics include plot, character development, point of view, dialogue, marketing, and getting published. Short writing exercises are included as well as an instructor critique if desired. More information here. 

Al Rubeck has sold fiction, nonfiction, and poetry to children's magazines. He also teaches writing for children with the Kent Parks Dept. 

And Even More South

SCBWI Oregon's Spring Conference will be May 19th and 20th in Wilsonville (just south of Portland). Registration opens on February 5th! 

SCBWI Oregon spring conference registration

Our SCBWI sister to the south is holding their annual conference in May, and registration is now open! From the looks of things, it is going to be FABULOUS. Click HERE for all the details!

Faculty includes: Newbery Award winner Matt de la Pena, Newberry Honor Award winner Victoria Jamieson, our very own Kevan Atteberry, and many more stellar authors, illustrators, agents, editors, and special extras. 

What's a three-hour drive/train when you can partake in all this kidlit goodness? Get in on this while the getting is good!

Register NOW for Ilustrator's Retreat!

Weekend in the Woods!

October 1–4, 2015 at the Silvers Falls Conference Center, OR.

SCBWI OR/WWA Joint Illustrator Retreat
Registration opens July 1

Don’t miss out on this amazing event with our friends from Oregon, featuring
award-winning illustrators LeUyen Pham and Eric Rohmann. 

Click here for full details and to register on July 1. 

Only 24 spaces are available to each region, so don’t delay!

Slip on south for more conference goodness in May

Missed out on our conference last weekend, or just want even more inspiration and knowledge? Our neighbors to the south, SCBWI Oregon, are putting on a conference on Saturday and Sunday, May 17-18. A looong list of agents, editors, and other faculty includes four agents, three editors, art director Lucy Ruth Cummins and our own Martha Brockenbrough. Special opportunities, including portfolio reviews, are still available. (First pages opportunities still may be, too, if you act very quickly.)

The conference is being held in Wilsonville this year. (Not far south of the I-5 and I-205 junction.) Get more details now.

SCBWI Oregon's Great Critque and more down south

Happy New Year from your neighbors to the south! If you live in the southern part of the state or want an excuse to visit Portland (food- cart phenomenon!), SCBWI Oregon has two events that might be of interest to you.

Can't make The Great Critique in Seattle? Oregon has taken a leaf out of WWA's book and is doing a similar event.
 
January 19, 2013 - The Great Critique - a writer's critique event. (Sorry, early-bird registration ended on January 1.)


February 23, 2013 - Wearing Two Hats - an event for illustrators who write, featuring Kristine Brogno, Design Director at Chronicle Books and author/illustrator Caroline Conahan. 
(You're in luck: Early-bird registration ends on January 15.)

For complete information on both of these events go to scbwior.com and click on the EVENTS tab.

Questions? Need more info? Contact Sue Ford, SCBWI Oregon, Co-Regional Advisor and Newsletter Editor

Would You Like to Win a Free PB Critique?

Thanks to Amber J. Keyser (from neighboring SCBWI OR) for sending this link! 


VivaScriva.com is hosting a contest to win a free critique of a picture book manuscript (3,000 words max) or any other manuscript or piece of writing, again with a limit of 3,000 words. All you have to do is come up with the best new word that describes something related to the writing or critiquing process. Here's the link to check out! Make sure, as with any contest, that you read all the rules before you enter. 

SCBWI Oregon Spring Conference

Sad that the SCBWI Western Washington conference is sold out? Or maybe you just can't get enough conferences. Don't despair, head south for the weekend to join SCBWI Oregon for their annual conference, May 18-19, 2012.

They have a great lineup of faculty such as Jill Corcoran, Andrew Karre, Laurent Linn, Deb Lund, Melissa Manlove, Lin Oliver, Kelly Milner Hall, and more! There's an early bird discount if you register before April 1. See all of the details and register here.

Here's a lovely post Martha Brockenbrough wrote recently about Jill.

Not sure what to expect from a conference? Here are some tips on making the most of it, and a post about conference expectations.

It's conference season! Wherever you end up, make the most of it!