SCBWI MEMBERSHIP LEVELS Note on P.A.L. Membership This information from the Los Angeles office applies to members who are published. If you'd the complete instructions on how to update your member profile to include your publications, scroll down to the end of this e-lert. They're quite long. (sf) Membership in the SCBWI is open to anyone with an active interest in children’s literature or media. We welcome aspiring and published writers and illustrators, librarians, educators, artists, students, dramatists, musicians, filmmakers, and others. A passion for children’s literature is our #1 criterion. P.A.L. stands for "Published and Listed." This level of membership is open to those whose books, articles, poems, stories, illustrations, photographs, films, television or electronic media for children have been commercially published by one of the traditional publishers listed in the SCBWI Market Surveys. P.A.L. members may have a speaker's listing in the "Find A Speaker" area of the site. They are also able to sell books at certain regional events where such sales are organized and sponsored by the regional chapter. See: http://www.scbwi.org/Pages.aspx/Levels-of-Membership Crystal Kite Member Choice Awards The Crystal Kite Member Choice Awards will be given annually for best book as chosen by the members of each SCBWI Regional Division beginning in 2011 for books published during the 2010 calendar year. To be eligible be sure to update your member profile with the publication information about your book published in 2010 by a P.A.L. publisher. See: http://www.scbwi.org/Pages.aspx/Crystal-Kite-Member-Choice-Awards ****************************************************** SOUTHWEST WRITERS MEETING TALK SCBWI-NM member Betsy James will offer Refusing to Live Only One Life: Inviting Vivid Characters at the next SWW meeting. Much has been written about "character development" as an act, like auto mechanics, over which the writer exerts conscious control. A more organic approach is to create an environment in which characters present and develop themselves; for they are, after all, multifaceted aspects of the writer’s self. Join novelist Betsy James in a conversation about how to help characters emerge, evolve, and carry the story as they grow. Betsy James is the author-illustrator of sixteen books for young adults and children. Her most recent book, LISTENING AT THE GATE, was a Tiptree Honor Book and a New York Public Library Best Book for Teens. Tuesday, January 18 7 to 9 p.m. New Life Presbyterian Church 5540 Eubank NE www.southwestwriters.com Free and open to the public. ****************************************************** WRITING for CHILDREN CLASSES SCBWI-NM Regional Advisor Chris Eboch is teaching two classes through SouthWest Writers. Chris Eboch is the author of 12 books for young people. Her Haunted series includes THE GHOST ON THE STAIRS, THE RIVERBOAT PHANTOM, and THE KNIGHT IN THE PHANTOM, which won the 2010 New Mexico Book Award for Juvenile Book. Her other books include THE WELL OF SACRIFICE, a middle grade Mayan adventure, used in many schools, plus inspirational biographies and nonfiction for elementary through high school students. She has published two stories in Highlights for Children and dozens of articles in Children’s Writer. Read book excerpts or learn more about Chris at www.chriseboch.com or visit her “Write Like a Pro! A Free Online Writing Workshop” blog at http://chriseboch.blogspot.com. Introduction To Writing For Children When you write for children, you have the most appreciative audience in the world. But to reach that audience, you need to understand the craft and business of writing for children. In this hands-on workshop, we’ll explore the children’s book markets, discuss the elements of writing for kids, and develop appropriate ideas. Then we’ll look at the essential elements of writing for children, and each participant will work on a story. Expect to leave this workshop with a draft of an article or story, and a list of ideas for future development. Wednesday afternoons February 2, 9, 16 and 23 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Introduction To Writing For Middle Grade Kids From Harry Potter to Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Middle Grade novels are a popular and entertaining genre that can include realistic fiction, adventure, historical fiction, fantasy, science fiction, humor and more. If you’d like to write for this appealing age group, this class will get you on your way. We’ll review the genres and special requirements, work on developing characters and planning a plot, and start writing! Wednesday evenings February 2, 9, 16 and 23 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Each class is $120 for SouthWest Writers members; $150 non-members (with a 6-month SWW membership) Both classes meet at the SouthWest Writers Conference Room 3721 Morris NE, Ste A (northwest corner of Comanche and Morris) Classes are limited to 14 Students. Enrollment ends 1/25. Sign up online at http://southwestwriters.com/classes.php or register by calling SWW at (505) 265-9485. ****************************************************** MEET NM BOOK AWARD WINNERS Several SCBWI-NM members won or placed in the 2010 New Mexico Book Awards. You can meet and greet them this coming weekend. Come talk with them, get a signed book, and see why the judges liked their book. It's a fine opportunity to support NM authors. This event is free. Parking is free in the parking structure across from the library. Saturday, January 22 11am to 2 pm Albuquerque Public Library-Main Branch 501 Copper NW http://www.cabq.gov/library/branches.html ****************************************************** PICTURE BOOK MARATHON Jean Reagan and Lora Koehler Utah SCBWI The second annual Picture Book Marathon starts soon on February 1st! Basically, this is a Nanowrimo for picture book writers. (After all, we don't want those novel-writers to have all the fun, right?) We'll each write 26 picture books during the month, essentially one per day. Since February has 28 days, this leaves you two well-deserved rest days. Visit our website for more details and to sign up. The deadline to join is January 30. www.picturebookmarathon.org. Marathon "training" emails will start in mid-January for folks who sign up. This year illustrator Nathan Hale is creating a logo for the marathon (soon to be available on t-shirts.) There is no cost to join, we won't release your email to anyone, and you don't post your work. The marathon is designed as a motivational tool to jumpstart your writing. Looking forward to a creative February! ****************************************************** DISSING the WINNERS Children's book writers, illustrators and readers have been celebrating the announcements at this year's ALA Youth Media awards, including the Newbery and Caldecott Medal winners. In years past, the top winners have been interviewed live on the NBC Today Show. This year, the stars of children's literature were bumped in favor of another "author," reality star Snooki. You can read Publisher's Weekly story abaout it at *http://tinyurl.com/6fcgl6k* ****************************************************** SCBWI RESPONSE to TODAY SHOW SCBWI Executive Director Lin Oliver shared a copy of the letter she mailed to the producers of The Today Show about the Newbery Caldecott debacle.She also wrote a letter on behalf of SCBWI to the NY Times and the LA Times. Lin says, "I encourage you all to write to your local papers. Feel free to use what I wrote as a model." Jim Bell, Executive Producer, Today Show Noah Kotch, Senior Producer, Today Show 379 E-1, 30 Rockefeller Plaza New York, NY 10112 Dear Mr. Bell and Mr. Kotch: I am the Executive Director of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, a non-profit international organization of 24,000 professional children’s book writers, illustrators, publishers, editors and agents. We are, if you will, the equivalent of the Writers Guild for children’s book authors and illustrators. On behalf of all our members, I have to express dismay at your decision this week not to run the traditional interviews with the winners of the Newbery and Caldecott Medals. The books that are granted these prestigious awards represent the best of what we have to offer children---great storytelling, strong values, a legacy of literature and hope and high-minded ideals. What you elected to run in that spot, an interview with reality star Snooki, represents the exact opposite. Of course, we understand the need to attract audiences and maintain ratings, but we feel broadcasting should also serve the needs of citizens who are looking to inspire their children, to raise up their sights. The exposure that your show has always offered to the best in children’s literature is admirable. Why stop now? In choosing not to run the interviews with Clare Vanderpool and Erin Stead, we feel that you underestimated the intelligence of your audience. Parents are dying to get their hands on good books for their kids. Booksellers are eager to sell and promote good books for kids. In fact, the children’s book segment of publishing is the only sector that has not declined during the recession. It’s good business, good broadcasting and good ethics to use some of your program time to honor the best books for children. On behalf of our industry, we sincerely hope you can find a way to remedy your decision. Looking forward to hearing from you. Lin Oliver Executive Director, SCBWI Stephen Mooser President, SCBWI ****************************************************** CREATIVE RESPONSE James Kennedy, Illinois Author It's Newbery season! Big surprises: a dark horse Newbery medalist. Passionate outrage: the "Today" show won't cover it. What's an SCBWI-er to do? Well, check this out: today Betsy Bird and I kicked off a video contest called "The 90-Second Newbery." The challenge? Make a video that compresses the story of a Newbery award-winning book into 90 seconds or less. Anyone can enter! Here's the first one: Madeleine L'Engle's 1963 Newbery winner, "A Wrinkle in Time," amusingly abbreviated into 90 seconds. But wait, there's more! Betsy Bird and I are also planning a star-studded "90-Second Newbery" Film Festival at the New York Public Library in Fall of 2011. Please spread the word to everyone you can in the children's literature community -- and of course, I'm hoping to see some entries from SCBWI-ers, too! I'm looking forward to seeing a lot of crazy, hilarious videos. The website for the contest is http://www.90secondnewbery.com . Check it out for details! ****************************************************** MORE WINNERS The 2011 Sydney Taylor Book Awards have been announced by the Association of Jewish Libraries. The winners are: For younger readers: Gathering Sparks by Howard Schwartz, illustrated by Kristina Swarner (Roaring Brook) For older readers, Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword by Barry Deutsch (Amulet Books) For teen readers, The Things a Brother Knows by Dana Reinhardt (Random/Lamb). For more information and to see the honor books, go to the January 10 post at http://jewishlibraries.org/blog/. The NCTE has announced the 2011 Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children winner: Ballet for Martha: Making Appalachian Spring by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan, illustrated by Brian Floca (Roaring Brook/Porter). There are five honor books and eight recommended books. See the list at http://www.ncte.org/awards/orbispictus ****************************************************** PUBLISHING PEOPLE Razorbill Books Laura Arnold has joined Razorbill as senior editor. Anne Heltzel has rejoined Razorbill as associate editor. ****************************************************** STEPHEN ROXBURGH on PLOT Highlights Foundation, Inc. Phone: (570) 251-4500 E-mail: contact@highlightsfoundation.org www.highlightsfoundation.org What do Roald Dahl, Felicia Bond, Marilyn Nelson, Madeline L'Engle, and Uri Shulevitz have in common? Stephen Roxburgh. During his thirty-six-plus years in children's publishing, Roxburgh has edited these successful children's authors and many more. The mini-interview below offers a glimpse into Roxburgh's deep knowledge of the part plot plays in a well-crafted novel. Highlights Foundation: How critical is a strong plot to the sale of a novel? Won't a great idea or a strong hero carry the day? Roxburgh: Great ideas are a dime a dozen and overpriced at that: execution is what matters. A strong protagonist won't exist without a coherent plot: what happens and why it happens (i.e., the plot) makes the protagonist strong. Plot is the crucible in which character is formed. Highlights Foundation: Why is it important to have a complete draft of a novel when you evaluate its plot? Roxburgh: You can't know where a plot begins unless you know where it ends, and unless you know the beginning and ending, you can't know what must come in between. Writers often think that where they started is the beginning and where they stopped is the end. Often that is not true. Highlights Foundation: What part does revision play in novel writing? Isn't perfecting a novel the editor's job? Roxburgh: Revision means "re-vision," seeing what you have written in a new way. It is the essence of writing. Perfecting a novel is refining your vision. It is not the editor's job; it is the author's. An editor collaborates in the process. From March 6-9, the Highlights Foundation will present Plotting Your Novel with Stephen Roxburgh. During this intimate workshop, six writers will explore the elements of plot and apply those elements to their work under the guidance of this master editor. The January 31 deadline is fast approaching. To apply, or for more information, contact Jo Lloyd at 570-253-1192, e-mail jo.lloyd@highlightsfoundation.org, or request an application online. ***************************************************** MANAGE MY PROFILE PAGE - SCBWI MEMBERS Christopher Cheng, Co-Regional Advisor Australia & New Zealand the blog: http://chrischengauthor.blogspot.com There have been changes to the Manage My Profile page at SCBWI.org. We can enter multiple titles into our profiles and have all of these displaying on our Profile page. Here's an example: http://www.scbwi.org/MemberProfile.aspx?u=151848127602459 To update your profile page, go to the www.scbwi.org page. 1. Click on Members login ... top right hand of page. 2. Enter password ... remember it is case specific and it is the password that you have always had. If you have forgotten your password then click on the forgotten password link and continue this later when you have reset your password. Instructions will be emailed to you. 3. This now opens to a page that says Welcome Your Name 4. Click on Manage Profile (left hand side navigation bar) OR the Manage My Profile graphic below the Welcome message. There are now 4 tabs below the Manage My Profile bar. If you have previously built a profile, the previous data has been migrated across to this NEW layout. 5. Personal information (this one should be highlighted when you access the page) is displayed as held by the Main Office computer. Adjust this accordingly and then click on the button. Note that on this page you can also tick the check box that will send your next SCBWI Bulletin straight to your email inbox rather than receiving it through the post. 6. Tab 2 is for Professional Information. Complete that as appropriate and then click on the button. Don’t forget to highlight the check box for speaking engagements if you want to be entered into the database for the Speakers Listings on the SCBWI.org site. 7. Tab 3 is the Biography box. Fill that in and then click on the button. This is the information that will appear on the Member Profile page that people will see when they search for you. 8. Tab 4 is NEW. This is the PUBLICATIONS tab and from which titles will be drawn for the Crystal Kite Members’ Choice Awards and also will appear on your Profile page that people can see when they search for you. Fill in details as applicable beginning with Published Title, Published Year. In the Name of Publisher field you will need one of these publishers included to obtain your PAL membership level. If your publisher is missing then complete the appropriate box. Don’t forget to include the ISBN, Synopsis details and then at Upload a picture you can insert a cover image (this can always be replaced through the Edit link later on). Finally click on the button. Once that is done your title that you have inserted should appear directly below. Use the Edit link at any time to adjust details of your published titles (add a cover when it arrives, etc.) Once your profile has been updated, your books are entered into the database and should appear under your own Member Profile page of the SCBWI.org site. Note that if you have a 2010 title eligible for the Crystal Kite Members Choice Awards the OPT‐IN button will appear after the Name of Publisher field. If the title is not eligible this button will NOT appear. Note: the information that was included as part of the original instructions for updating details for the MY PHOTO remains the same. ***************************************************** AFTER WORDS "A book, being a physical object, engenders a certain respect that zipping electrons cannot. ... It’s not just the content, but the physical being of a book that is there for you always and unconditionally." Mo Willems ***************************************************** ****************************************************** CONTACT US SCBWI-New Mexico Chris Eboch, Regional Advisor ra@scbwi-nm.org SCBWI-New Mexico Lois Bradley, Assistant Regional Advisor ara@scbwi-nm.org News Messenger Newsletter Melinda Beavers, Editor newsmessenger@scbwi-nm.org Schmoozes (ABQ) Brian Herrera, Coordinator schmooze@scbwi-nm.org Illustrator Saturdays Laurette Luff, Coordinator illustrators@scbwi-nm.org Saturday Critique Linda Tripp/Kate Harrington, Facilitators saturdaycritique@scbwi-nm.org Santa Fe Critique Group Anji Estrellas, Facilitator SantaFeCritique@scbwi-nm.org Hummingbird Fall Retreat Chris Eboch, Coordinator fallretreat@scbwi-nm.org HandSprings Conference Lois Bradley, Coordinator handsprings@scbwi-nm.org eLERTs Stephanie Farrow, Editor elerts@scbwi-nm.org SCBWI-NM Web site www.scbwi-nm.org Webmaster David Rogers webmaster@scbwi-nm.org ***************************************************** GOT NEWS? We'd like to know about it! Send in news, announcements, recommendations, and requests. Let us know about personal triumphs, meetings, learning opportunities, or words of wisdom. We'd all like to know about it. Make sure to get your info to elerts@scbwi-nm.org by Sunday afternoon. The fine print: The eLERT is a free service for our SCBWI-NM members. We do our best to make sure that the information is accurate, but mistakes do happen. Sometimes the information submitted to us contains errors, which we inadvertently reproduce; sometimes the goof is ours. Please double-check! If you'd like more info about a particular announcement, go directly to the source. Not all information is from official SCBWI sources or involves SCBWI members. SCBWI-NM cannot be responsible for any interactions or outcomes, good or bad, of your following up on these items. ++++ |