Attending the SCBWI Summer Spectacular (SCBWI’s first virtual conference), earned a spot on my list of highlights for 2020. During any normal year, the SCBWI would have held its annual summer conference in Los Angeles, and I would not have attended because of the cost and distance. About 1,200 people typically attend the summer conference.

Due to the Corona virus the event was moved online from July 31 through August 4, 2020, with links available for the recorded sessions through the month of August. Over 4,800 people joined in the online event.

Format

Sessions were presented via Zoom. Each session consisted of an interview with one or two authors/illustrators of children’s literature. In addition, the conference included an editor panel and an agent panel. Each session included a sign language interpreter.

Speakers were highly regarded individuals, such as Judy Blume (Blubber), Jane Yolen (Owl Moon), and Philip Pullman (The Golden Compass). SCBWI included numerous POC authors/illustrators. One of my favorites was the pairing of Kwame Alexander and Raul the Third.

Nuggets of Insight

I captured many notes during the conference. Here are some of the best nuggets from the conference, in no particular order:

• Of the three things that determine success (talent, persistence, and luck), the only one an author controls is persistence.
• Get rid of the critic and censor on your shoulders when writing. They can come back when it’s time to edit.
• Create a body of work. In other words, keep writing.
• READ. READ. READ.
• Tell the best story you can tell. Be brave and do it!
• The voice of the character is key to generating editorial interest in a book.
• Every book should have an essential truth that stays with you.
• Take more risks. Do something different with the craft and your life.
• Writing is not who you are. It is what you do. Don’t take criticism personally.
• It takes a ton of ego to thing that anyone wants to hear what you write.
• You can be a mediocre writer, but you need to be a brilliant reviser.
• Age does not play a factor in submission. It’s the words on the page that matter.
• Language can be magic if you trust yourself.
• Spend time getting to know your protagonist.
• Have fun writing and drawing!
• READ. READ. READ.
• The first draft is supposed to suck.
• One of the hardest things to do is to distance yourself from your work. Put it away for three months.
• Write for yourself as a child.
• Stay in touch with your inner child.
• A manuscript in the drawer will not be sold.
• There are stories everywhere around us.
• Go sit down and write!
• READ. READ. READ.

Recordings Available

Zoom sessions were recorded and remain available at the SCBWI Website for a fee until the end of August 2020. If you missed the conference, there’s still time to catch these wonderful presentations.

SCBWI Summer Spectacular

Five days of topics focused on children’s literature was inspiring. I will be going back to re-watch several presentations before they disappear. When they are gone, I will review the list of nuggets I captured during the SCBWI Summer Spectacular.

Let me know if you want to learn more about any of the above insights. I would be glad to share more information.