It's Very Late...

My clock say 2:13 a.m. I'm going to pop some extra vitamins and try to get some sleep. I can't guarantee I'll make it to the opening session because reliving my first conference day has gotten me a little excited--I still feel the conference buzz. I think it might take me a while to get to sleep.

Wish me luck on getting some shut-eye and check back for my report on day number two. (Tomorrow I'll remember to get out my camera.)

Goodnight...

SCBWI Success Stories...

Conference sessions for the day ended with a panel of authors and illustrators who found success through SCBWI, whether through grants, portfolio showcases, or simply through learning from conference sessions. The panel featured authors Jay Asher, Paula Yoo and Lisa Yee and illustrators John Rocco and Yuji Morales.

Here's a little something from each of them on getting started:

Lisa Yee said her biggest obstacle was "stupidity." Finally attending a conference got her to a place where writing stopped being a hobby and became a mission.

John Rocco said wins at the NYC conference portfolio showcase in 2004 and 2007 really helped him gain exposure for his work. Then he did a lot of research, cut down his day job, and illustrated his first picture book.

Jay Asher said there was a moment he realized that his dream of being an author was something he wanted to go after, but after years of rejections (although good ones) he thought he'd never figure out what all those editors in New York wanted. So he took his wife out to dinner and told her he was going to quite writing--and she stared to cry. So he didn't.

Yuyi Morales said that once she decided to go for it, she had nothing to lose, nothing to go back to. She just had her husband, her son, and the public library. And she studied picture books, finally winning an SCBWI grant, and her first assignment after an LA portfolio showcase.

Paula Yoo said, "I know this is cheesy, but it's about what you want to say in your heart." She said don't worry about getting published--her novel worked when she mined her memories and stared writing the truth in her fiction.

Ann Whitford Paul--Picture Books: To Rhyme or Not to Rhyme...

In this session the wonderful poet and picture book author Ann Whitford Paul answered the age-old conference question: Why do all those editors say they don't want rhyming books? The answer: Most rhyming manuscripts are not good; they fail. Editors would be thrilled with great ones.

Ann emphasized four qualities necessary for a successful rhyming picture book text: brevity, focus, consistent rhyme, and consistent rhythm. She offered examples of how and why each of these can go wrong in a manuscript, using her own rewrites of "The Queen of Hearts" rhyme.

I'm sure all the writers in Ann's session came a way with a little better understanding of how to write better rhyme. But she admitted it took her years to learn things like rhythm. She studied poetry with Myra Cohn Livingston. She recited poetry on walks. Writing great rhyming picture books--or mastering poetic prose--does not happen over night. It takes work and dedication.

She reminded us that editors don't just look for good rhyming--a work in rhyme must also be a great story.

We also had some fun with alliteration, assonance, consonance, onomatopoeia, metaphor, simile, and personification!

Note that you can learn more from Ann Whitford Paul on writing picture books, rhyming or otherwise, in an upcoming Writer's Digest Books title which will be out in 2009--I'll certainly mention it again closer to the pub date.

Margaret Peterson Haddix: Dig In...

I caught the tale end of Margaret Peterson Haddix's session and she was down to earth and delightful, talking about how she came to really get down to writing when she was stuck in her house and was unable to drive as she recovered from surgery shortly after moving to a new town in which she had no job.

Margaret likened writing to falling in love. She talked about how fascinating it is to watch her children change and grow. She emphasized the importance of writing from a kids' perspective rather than an adult looking back--as as writer, she said, you must become a kid. (To drive home that point she shared a funny story about the first time she turned over the keys to her 15 1/2-year-old daughter the day she got her learner's permit and their unique versions of that experience in the car.)

I most enjoyed the advice she received from an old German ski instructor named Horst: "You will go in the direction you are looking." Say it out loud a few time, and I'm sure you will discover how this could apply to both the act of writing and working toward a writing career. Horst is wise.

Note that Margaret is a fellow Ohioan!

Lunch with Anastasia Suen...

Anastasia Suen came to the Westside room at the end of my session and we decided to have lunch together. (She missed me talking about her great blogs and exhaustive list of links.) We had an interesting conversation, sort of a continuation of what I talked about in my session. She told me about how she keeps up with her blogging (she uses an editorial calendar) and we tossed around some ideas for CWIM.

She told me about an upcoming conference for kidlit bloggers that takes place in Portland September 27--the theme: "Bridging the Worlds of Books and Blogs." What an awesome idea--kidlit authors and book reviewers getting together to talk about what they do, share tips, and meet one another.

My Session and Why I Wish I'd Brought a PC...

I skipped Mark Teague's ballroom session to prepare for my first breakout, Keeping Current on Market Research: Websites, Blogs, Listservs & Networking. I checked my notes, practiced my intro, made sure there was no spinach between my teeth, etc., and went to check out the Westside room where my session took place (which was pretty rocking--big, fancy chandeliers, a stage).

When I viewed the setup, I realized I had no cord to plug my Mac laptop into the projector. The conference coordinator called the blue-shirted AV dude who kinda said that's a shame; there's a Mac store in the Mall. So I was just slightly freaking. Here it is, my first LA conference gig, I'm talking about blogs and websites, and I have no visuals; my week of collecting screen shots all for naught.

Then the audience (bigger than I expected and very patient) came to my rescue. Jennifer Bailey offered her zip drive and SCBWI Florida RA Linda Rodriguez Bernfeld offered her brand spanking new Cadillac of a PC. My heroes! Thank you both again for your help.

So, a bit rattled, I made it through the hour of PowerPoint. And it was fun. I wish we would have had more time for Q&A because I was getting some interesting questions. One writer asked how to get readers to her blog. I talked a lot about professional blogs and networking with writers and editors and agents, but not so much about readers. I suggested connecting with bloggers who are booksellers and librarians, who will in turn reach her readers. Tina Ferraro, half of the blogging duo behind YA Fresh, suggested utilizing MySpace. Her YA readers head to her blog for regularly contest or give-aways when she makes MySpace announcements. And in my informal Thursday night survey, other authors agreed--MySpace is great for connecting with readers; facebook more for connecting with other writers and people in the industry.

SCBWI Conference Friday--Kicks Off with Bruce Coville...

SCBWI Executive Director Lin Oliver kicked off the 37th annual conference with her usual wit, first introducing the faculty for the annual Faculty Word Parade where we all lined up waiting our turn to cross the stage, introduce ourselves, and utter our One Word. Vote. Hope. Revision. Tickle. Mine was Click. (Kinda lame, but it came to me a 4 a.m. when I woke up feeling all 7 a.m.-ish.) Note that 900 people in a ballroom on the other side of your microphone--wow--exciting and intimidating.

Lin said there are 900-ish attendees, 746 women, 135 men (more than usual--I've only seen one men's room converted to ladies. One year they put plants in the urinals), and 402 published authors. Then she introduced the first speaker who she promised would kick off the conference with a bang, and Bruce Coville delivered.

Bruce was at once funny and profound, a delight to listen two. I found myself so caught up in his talk that I stopped taking notes a third of the way through and didn't realize it.

He said that kids need heroes. Kids need to contribute. And children's books are the one last place children can find role models. He talked about kids entering kindergarten, tumbling in like a pack of puppies willing to sing and dance and play and pretend--but ask them to do those things as eighth graders... Every day, he said, door close in children's hearts. (I choked up a little thinking of my four-year-old turning in to a disinterested 14-year-old glued to a video game. I'll definitely be bringing him home some new books.) But it's a writer's job to kick those doors open.

And we were off...

SCBWI Conference Faculty Dinner...

As a first time presenter at the SCBWI conference, tonight I attended my first-ever faculty dinner. After mingling/cocktails/snacks we all sat in rows of chairs and, after announcements from Lin Oliver, passed around a microphone to introduce ourselves to one another. It was so helpful to put all the names and faces together and hear what everyone is going to be talking about. It will make planning my next few days of conference-going easier. (It's too bad all the conference-goers couldn't listen in.)

I'm already enjoying being part of the faculty. I feel like I'm suddenly allowed in the clubhouse with the cool kids. And all the cool kids are actually really nice, down-to-earth, interesting, approachable and friendly. It's true! If you're attending, I'm confident you'll enjoy the staff and get a lot out of their presentations. I'm looking forward to learning from them.

Now I'm off to bed. I'm hoping while I'm sleeping I'll come up with a word for the faculty word parade (a conference tradition during which each presenter walks to the mic and offers one word to sum up...something). Any suggestions?

I Have Arrived in L.A....

After uneventful travel (the most exciting thing that happened was walking through the air puffer thingy in the airport), I'm here in L.A. and checked into my lovely room at the Century Plaza. I've already run into Steven Malk, Lindsay Davis, Sara Pennypacker, Donna Bray, Marla Frazee and my pal Kevan Atteberry.

They remodeled the lobby bar and I'm not sure that I like it. (It hasn't been the same since Darlene left anyway.) But it sure is hoppin, filled with conference goers having snacks and cocktails and catching up. I plan do a bit of my blogging there--it's fun to see who walks by.

The faculty dinner is in two hours but I need a snack first, so I'm off to nibble and see who I see.

More later--and conference session reports tomorrow. (I present in the morning myself!)

Getting Ready for the SCBWI Conference...

Yesterday I went over my presentations, copied handouts, printed my boarding pass, planned my outfits, wrote a list of things not to forget, and stayed up until 2 a.m. packing (which means I'll either be terribly tired today or one step closer to adjusting to west coast time).

It was tough getting to sleep last night. The mix of excitement over the conference, anxiety over the public speaking, and stress about being out of the office for so long swirling around my head made like a double shot of espresso. I lay there taking inventory of my suitcase rethinking my outfits and practicing my presentation imagining everything that could go wrong with my laptop.

This morning I'm feeling good, but sleepy. But I've got five hours on the plane today to rest up. And I can't wait to get to Los Angeles. Walking into the Century Plaza on the first day of the event is so exciting. Conference-goers are checking in and meeting up. Faculty and staff are moving about the hotel. You can feel the buzz starting to build--by Friday morning it will be present and strong.

I'll post again when I get to L.A. and tell you who I've seen and what I've heard.

Call for Debut Authors for the 2010 CWIM...


The 2009 CWIM is now in the stores, so I'm beginning to work on my lineup for the 2010 edition--which means I'm looking for a few debut authors and/or illustrators to feature in my annual First Books article!

Picking my lineup for First Books is one of the most enjoyable parts of my job. It's so much fun to hear from first-timers--and so hard to choose just four or five. (I often come up with a theme based on the types of replies I've gotten, which helps me narrow it down. First Books in the 2009 CWIM, for example, features all debut picture books.)

If you are interested in being featured in First Books, here are the rules and guidelines:

1. Email me at alice.pope@fwpubs.com, subject line "First Books."
2. Tell me about your debut book including the title, publisher, genre and approximate publication date.
3. The book must be available in some form by November (so it can be read before you're interviewed).
4. A cover image must be available by January 2009 (because I don't want to feature a book without showing the cover).
5. Please include links to your website or blog if you have one.
   
6. No self-published books please.
7. Tell me something fun/interesting/exciting/unusual/inspiring about you/your book/your path to publication.
8. E-mails must be received by August 8th. (I'll begin reading through them when I get back from the SCBWI conference.)
   
9. I'll be in touch with those I've chosen by the third full week of August; otherwise you likely will not hear from me--I simply don't have time to contact everyone, although I wish I could. (I may acknowledge receipt of emails, however, depending on how busy I am and/or how much I do or do not feel like doing other work.)
   
10. Debut authors not chosen to be featured in First Books could be chosen as Debut Authors of the Month, featured in my CWIM newsletter and blog throughout the year.

Agent Interview on GLA Blog...

Visit the Guide to Literary Agents blog for editor Chuck Sambuchino's interview with Lilly Ghahremani of Full Circle Literary. Ghahremani is interested in children's, YA, or middle-grade books about the middle east, as well as graphic novels.

Chuck does lots of agent interviews and always offers useful advice on all things agent. (And note that the 2009 edition of Guide to Literary Agents is now available--notice how well it coordinates with CWIM.)

How Could I Forget to Mention This?....


I've been so happy to not be fretting over my blog being locked that I forgot this important little happening: the 2009 CWIM is now available! And it's a beaut, if I do say so myself: more articles and interviews than ever; a First Books featuring all picture book authors and illustrators; interviews with Sherman Alexie, Katherine Applegate, Scott Westerfeld, Jay Asher and lots more; a roundtable with Coretta Scott King Award winners; articles by Kirby Larson, Cecil Castellucci, Kathleen Duey, Allyn Johnston, Andrew Karre, Cynthia Leitich Smith, Lisa Wheeler and so many other fantastic contributors on myriad topic. And of course info on hundreds of books pubs, mags, agents, conferences, contests, and other useful stuff. I'm very excited!

If you're a contributor (if you wrote an article or were interviewed) I'll be sending every wonderful one of you a copy very soon. So don't go out and buy one. (Unless you want to share then with your writer and illustrator friends. Then be my guest.)

If you're an SCBWI Regional Advisor or Assistant RA (anywhere in the world) I'll be sending you a copy as I have the past several years. It's the least I can do to thank you for your volunteer awesomeness. (Note to self: request address list from Sally at SCBWI tomorrow.)

In the very near future I'll be offering some excerpts here on my blog (when I'm not whipping myself into a frenzy of excitement over attending the SCBWI conference) so stay tuned.

Allyn Johnston Names Her Imprint...

(Drumroll please...)

Beach Lane Books is the name for Allyn Johnston's Simon & Schuster imprint. (A logo will be forthcoming.) Saying it aloud makes me feel happy and relaxed. And long for a vacation.

P.S. I'm happy to have access to my blog once again! It was locked for a time due to an overzealous spam-detecting robot employed by Blogger. But my dear friends at Blogger heard my cry (after a few tries) and took care of things. Be sure to visit a lot starting July 31st as I blog about the SCBWI L.A. conference.

Merriam-Webster adds 100 New Words to the Dictionary...

One hundred new words are now included on Merriam-Webster's website and will be included in their next dictionary editions available in September.

As usual there are some techy words on the list like webinar. There are also culinary editions like edamame (yum) and proseco (double yum). And, finally, an official word to describe people like me, a vegetarian who eats fish--pescatarian--and a name for misheard song lyrics--mondegreen (which I find a tad malaprop-ish).

I enjoyed this particular quote from John Morse, Merriam-Webster's president and publisher,

"There's a kind of collective genius on the part of the people developing this technology, using vocabulary that is immediately accessible to all of us. It's sometimes absolutely poetic."

As a frequent word maker-upper, I've always loved that the English language is so dynamic. It really is rather wonderful, powerful even, that we coin new terms as we need them and they so quickly take a place in the lexicon.

Now if only my my spell check function would automatically update when words become official.