Program for the Fall Conference_From Creativity to Mastery

SCBWI North & East Bay Fall Conference Oct 24 at Mills College in Oakland

Presented by San Francisco North & East Bay Region

Program

From Creativity to Mastery

Oct. 24 at Mills College in Oakland

From Creativity to Mastery

This conference is designed to provide more targeted information for you, based on the type of writing you do or where you are in your writing life.

We're offering three sessions: main, picture book, and marketing sessions. Each of the three sessions have great speakers. Because we have a fixed number of seats in the marking and picture book sessions, we will be asking you to choose which session -- whether it be main, picture book, or marketing -- you'd like to attend. We want you to stay with that track throughout the day.

In most cases, speakers are presenting in the main session and one of the focussed sessions, so you'll be able to see the majority of the speakers, regardless of the session you choose to attend. You'll be given submission guidelines for each editor and agent in attendance in your conference packet

Schedule
8:45 to 9:15	Registration
9:15 to 10:00	Keynote / Main Conference Room Stephen Mooser / SCBWI Getting Young Readers to Laugh. The talk will be a practical approach to writing for young readers outlining ways to inject humor into one's work including some shortcuts, exercises, and tips on writing gleaned from 35 years with the SCBWI.
10:00 to 10:15 Break / Stay in the main conference room or move to one of the other sessions
10:15 to 11:00	Main Conference Room Main Session	Classroom 1 Marketing Session	Classroom 2 Picture Book Session
	Kelly Sonnack / Andrea Brown Literary Capturing a Child's Voice	Sarah Shumway / Harper Collins Shumway will speak on the editor's role in the marketing of a book and how the author can assist.	Stephen Mooser / SCBWI Picture Books and Easy Readers: they're not as easy as most people think. Exercises for developing the kinds of characters, plots and settings necessary to compete in this highly competitive genre.
11:00 to 11:15 Break
11:15 to 12:00	Main Conference Room Main Session Sarah Shumway / Harper Collins First Pages: Tips and Techniques	Classroom 1 Marketing Session Mary Cummings / Betsy Amster Literary Mary will present case studies from work on her clients' projects showing the importance of positioning (audience niche, demographics, statistics, tie-ins to larger societal interests, and more.	Classroom 2 Picture Book Session Teri Sloat / Author and Illustrator Title TBA
12:00 to 12:15 Break
12:15 to 1:00	Main Conference Room Main Session Abigail Samoun / Tenspeed Press Tell Me a Story: Lessons from Five Masters of Plot Crucial teachings on the mysterious craft of plotting.	Classroom 1 Marketing Session Luan Strauss / Laurel Bookstore Strauss will speak on how authors can work with book store events planners to help sell books.	Classroom 2 Picture Book Session Kelly Sonnack / Andrea Brown Sonnack will go over some of the basics of picture books. She will talk about what editors are looking for and she will analyze the changing market for picture books as a result of changes in the economy.
1:00 to 2:00 Lunch is in the college dining hall. Follow the signs to a scrumptious buffet lunch
2:00 to 2:45	Main Conference Room Main Session Mary Cummings / Betsy Amster Literary Mary will speak about enjoying creativity, and letting it -- and one's writing skills -- develop.	Classroom 1 Marketing Session Tina Stolberg /Author and Library Specialist As a library specialist with six years experience coordinating author's day visits for schools, Stolberg has seen school visits from the school's point of view. She is now presenting school visits about her most recent book. She will share her insights from both sides of the podium.	Classroom 2 Picture Book Session Abigail Samoun / Tenspeed Press What Happens After the First Draft: 12 Steps to Get Your Picture Book Manuscript Ready for Submission You've got your first draft, now what do you do? This session will lead you through the twelve steps to a polished, publisher-ready manuscript, from revision to research to answering the questions every editor asks
2:45 to 3:00	Break / The next two presentations are in the main conference room
3:00 to 4:00	Editors & Agents Panel With our editors and agents, Mary Cummings, Kelly Sonnack, Abigail Samoun, and Sarah Shumway Our panel of editors and agents will present profiles of the favorite works and will answer written questions from the audience.
4:00 to 4:15	Break
4:15 to 5:00	Teri Sloat, Author and Illustrator From Inspiration To Imagination To Creativity Learn how hang on to the initial feeling of inspiration, to let our imagination play with it, and develop the techniques and skills to share that feeling with others through story and art.
4:45 to 5:00	Closing

Manuscript critiques

The deadline has passed for the manuscript critiques

Manuscript critiques are available only to SCBWI members.

Critiques will be done by our speakers and local writers and editors.

You must be registered at the conference to receive a critique. Manuscripts must be postmarked Aug. 15, 2009. After you pay for the critique, submission instructions will be e-mailed to you.

Early registration

Early registration is now available

Members Before August 15, includes lunch $89

Between August 15 and Oct. 10, $109 includes lunch
After Oct. 10, register at the door $129 does not include lunch.

Non-members Before August 15, includes lunch $109
Between August 15 and Oct. 10, $129 includes lunch
After Oct. 10, register at the door $149 does not include lunch.

Refunds cannot be made but if you are unable to attend the event, you may obtain a credit (less a $25 cancellation fee) for a future program by emailing Margaret Speaker Yuan at

No credits after October 10, 2009. The program is subject to change without notice. Click below to register and sign up for a manuscript critique.

Registration

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