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Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Call for Proposals 2013 NESCBWI Conference

Call for Proposals NESCBWI 2013 Conference Word-By-Word: The Art Of Craft
It's that time of year when we start looking for the amazing workshops, intensives, and panels for next year's conference.

Here is what we are looking for:

The workshop committee of New England SCBWI welcomes proposals for the 2013 Spring conference, "Word by Word: The Art of Craft."

Art of craft is always at the forefront of a venue like ours. This year’s focus will be on improving ones crafting the various parts of writing and illustrating NEEDS MEGA WORK HERE!

We'd like to invite more intensive, hands-on workshops and advanced and master level studio proposals that focus on a specific aspect of the craft and would love to see more than one proposal from each you. Of course, larger lecture-style workshops are still welcome as well.

This is one of the largest regional SCBWI conferences, and last year we sold out the conference in two weeks. We welcome proposals from everyone involved in the world of children’s writing and publishing.

Important Information

Conference Dates: Friday afternoon through Sunday afternoon, May 3-5, 2013
Conference Location: Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel, Springfield, MA
To Submit a Proposal: Please complete a conference proposal form. Separate submissions are required for multiple presentations or workshop/intensive versions of the same presentation.

Proposal Due Date: August 27, 2012
Presenter Notification Expected: October 15, 2012

Types of Presentations: 55-minute workshops; 120-minute intensives; 180 studios w/15 minute break

We will give presenters who send in more than one, well-crafted and detailed proposal preferential consideration. Also, you may be asked to present your workshop twice during the conference.

NOTE: Be very specific when designating level of experience, pick only one level. (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, or Master)

55-minute workshops

What are we looking for?

Presentations that relate to our conference theme of Word-By-Word: The Art of Craft.
A wide range of craft related presentations for all SCBWI members, including illustrators and writers in all genres.
Be very specific when designating level of experience, pick only one level. (Beginner, Intermediate, advanced, or Master)
Leveled presentations. We are not trying to find one presentation that everyone can attend. Instead, presenters should direct material toward a specific experience level. For example, an "advanced" illustration presentation should not begin with "Why you should carry a sketch book," and a "beginner's" writing workshop should not address marketing a contracted novel.
Presentations that last 55 minutes in their entirety. When planning, leave time for participant questions and any required audiovisual setup.
Intensives that last 120 minutes and focus on specific pieces of the craft. i.e. story arc, character development, sex in YA, etc.
Focused presentations with clear learning outcomes. These should be clear, tangible "final products" that attendees take away. Plan the presentation thinking, "I want participants to leave with these tools or a real understanding of this piece of the craft." A few examples: How to map out an in-depth revision, a step-by-step outline or map, creating a storyboard, A first draft of a non fiction proposal, how to develop initial sketches, etc.
Hands-on workshops where attendees spend significant time working on current writing, illustration, or marketing project so they can apply your presentation content to their own work.
Engaging lecture-style presentations filled with information that participants can take back to their desks to ponder and play with.
Presentations that include a range of examples. Attendees have expressed they want less presentations that draw solely from the presenter's experience or body of work.
Presenters who are published members of SCBWI, as well as editors, agents, MFA graduates, and other industry professionals. Past presentation experience is appreciated.

NOTE: Be very specific when designating level of experience, pick only one level. (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, or Master)

120-minute intensives

Intensive proposals should meet all of the criteria listed above for 55-minute workshops. Also consider the following:

120-minute intensives typically take place on Sunday, but there will be several slots for Saturday Advanced and Master level workshops.
Two hours are provided; so plan exercises or some interactive element in the workshop. An intensive should not only be a lecture.
Presentations that include a range of examples. Attendees have expressed they want less presentations that draw solely from the presenter's experience or body of work.
Past presentation experience and in-depth knowledge of the topic are required.
Partner presentations are welcome.

Note: If you apply to present a 55-minute workshop or a 120-minute intensive and we feel your presentation may better fit the other format, we will let you know!

NOTE: Be very specific when designating level of experience, pick only one level. (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, or Master)

180-minute Studios

Studio proposals should meet all of the criteria listed above for both 55-minute and 120-minute workshops. But you must also consider the following:

180-minute, 12 person studios will focus on Advanced and Master level authors.
Three hours are provided, so plan accordingly for intensive working sessions.
These include attendees submitting samples for you to review ahead of time.
Past presentation experience and in-depth knowledge of the topic are required.
Partner presentations are welcome as long as both are willing to work with a larger number of attendees. Total number in studio would be 24.

Note: If you apply to present a 55-minute workshop or a 120-minute intensive and we feel your presentation may better fit the other format, we will let you know!

Selection Criteria and Topics

Every year SCBWI New England receives many excellent proposals, more than can fit into a conference schedule. Therefore, we must choose on the basis of experience, quality, variety, novelty, attendant costs, and other factors. Please use the 2013 NESCBWI Workshop Rubric for more explicit selection criteria and standards.

We would love to see presentations on the following topics. If you are an expert on one of these topics, we would love to see your proposal.

Hands-on writing workshops: outlining, story arc, tools, tips, character sketching, etc.
Hands-on illustration workshops
Publishing 201 session for intermediate authors or illustrators
Developing an idea from conception to completion
Secrets of Story Arc
How to lay out a picture book dummy
How to start your own publishing company
Gesture and emotion for illustrators
School and library visits and promotion
Grassroots Marketing strategies to libraries and other overlooked venues
Writing nonfiction articles and short stories
Mystery writing
How to write chapter books
How to design an eBook

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

T is for Training

Training yourself to do anything takes time. You have to train to break bad habits and to build new ones. Writing daily is a habit, but you can form this habit by writing daily.

Recently, (okay, last week) I started training for the C25K. The first day was horrible. I could only make it through 6, 60 second runs. But the second day, I made it through 8. The third day, I did all 9.

I thought that if it gets easier and easier the more you do it, why don't I put this same concept into practice for my writing? So yesterday, I wrote for 20 minutes. Today, I wrote for 23 minutes. I do have a job and still want to run, but if I manage my time, I can do a little of everything on a regular basis.

How to Make Writing a Habit
Do this three times a week.

Brisk five-minute free write warmup. Write about anything: grocery list, character traits, setting.
Then alternate 60 seconds of writing and 90 seconds of reviewing, do this 8 times for a total of 20 minutes.

Before you know it, you aren't stopping to review what you've written, instead you are writing for 20 minutes.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

ISBNs

I've known what an ISBN is for as long as I can remember. I've been a reader since I was 4 years old and those numbers on a book cover or jacket flap always represented something secret. Add a barcode and you have a secret language.

Monday, October 17, 2011

Here it is! NESCBWI 2012 "Keeping it Real" Conferenece

I can only give you a glimpse of things to come but we did change things up.

Registration opens January 23, 2012. Get your manuscripts and agent quick queries ready! Deadlines for submitting for critiques close early for the upcoming conference due to the dates being in April.

Kudos to Jen Carson for all she's done with her work on the newest version of the postcard and in such a teeny-weenie amount of time.

Friday, August 12, 2011

Calling ALL Volunteers for NESCBWI 2012!

We need you to make 2012 the best conference ever!

Only 251 days until the conference.

Want to volunteer?

Click here to complete the volunteer survey.

The New England SCBWI annual conference is entirely organized and run by volunteers, so help is vitally needed and greatly appreciated. This is one of the largest regional SCBWI conferences, and last year we sold out the conference in two weeks. This year, the theme is "Keeping it Real: Reality and World-building in Fiction, Nonfiction, and Illustration" and the conference will take place April 20-22, 2012 at the Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel, Springfield, MA.

Please complete the conference volunteer survey if you are interested in helping out. Getting more involved in the NE-SCBWI conference is a great way to meet accomplished authors, illustrators, editors, and other publishing professionals.

Volunteers are needed to assist with many different aspects of the conference. Conference weekend volunteers are responsible for tasks during the conference weekend only, and will be trained that weekend. We also need volunteers to help select workshops for the conference. The Workshop Selection Committee will meet on October 2, 2011 in Holden, MA to choose the best workshops out of all the proposals submitted.

We are also seeking volunteers to take on roles with greater time commitment and involvement. If you are interested in any of the following volunteer positions, please email nescbwi12@gmail.com with your full name, contact information, and a brief explanation of why you feel you would be a good fit for the position.

Open Volunteer Positions

Special Interest Group Coordinator

Special Interest Groups are informal discussions meant to promote networking and discussion on topics of mutual interest. For example, past Special Interest Groups have discussed writing fantasy, using Twitter, and digital illustration. The Coordinator will need to solicit topics for the groups, find and recruit volunteers to lead the discussions, create signage for the tables, and make sure that the event runs smoothly.