Brisbane Write Links members at the Sydney SCBWI conference 2014
From left: Tanya Hempson, Rachelle Sadler, Tracey Lennon, Rebecca Sheraton, Betty Collarson, Pamela Rushby, Yvonne Mes, Sheryl Gwyther, Peter Taylor and Jacque Duffy.
Over the last few weeks I have been enveloped in a whirlwind of writing related activities. I had worked hard towards these events over the last six months and now that they are done, I feel inspired, light headed in a good, buzzy, kind of way, and a little relieved to be able to get back to my writing and illustrating.
I haven’t been doing this alone. Many of my Write Links writing friends attended one or both of these conferences, and I have made many new connections, friends, and beverage buddies.
I took part in a few encouraging editor pitches with some key publishing houses with the hope something more may develop from there, and received encouraging feedback.
I also took part in a blogging workshop for authors and illustrators by the multi-talented, creative powerhouse aka as Tania McCartney. And I concluded the SBCWI conference by attending USA Roaring Brook’s, Senior Commissioning Editor, Connie Hsu’s master class in diversity and a master class with Bruce Whatley who brought along some of his ORIGINAL artwork. Amazing!
I haven’t been doing this alone. Many of my Write Links writing friends attended one or both of these conferences, and I have made many new connections, friends, and beverage buddies.
I took part in a few encouraging editor pitches with some key publishing houses with the hope something more may develop from there, and received encouraging feedback.
I also took part in a blogging workshop for authors and illustrators by the multi-talented, creative powerhouse aka as Tania McCartney. And I concluded the SBCWI conference by attending USA Roaring Brook’s, Senior Commissioning Editor, Connie Hsu’s master class in diversity and a master class with Bruce Whatley who brought along some of his ORIGINAL artwork. Amazing!
CYA Children’s and Young Adult Writers and Illustrators conference 2014
Some of the things I learned:
· I am a small fish in a big pond and breaking out and getting those publishing contracts means hard work, making connections, and a healthy dose of luck on top of a good story. But, the support and camaraderie of writing and illustrating friends ease the wait and the hard slog.
· Publishers and editors are human beings, though terribly busy ones.
· Authors are awesome.
· Illustrators are awesome.
· Author/ illustrators are amazing.
· Everyone at these events is passionate about writing and illustrating and wants to share their stories with children.
· I am a small fish in a big pond and breaking out and getting those publishing contracts means hard work, making connections, and a healthy dose of luck on top of a good story. But, the support and camaraderie of writing and illustrating friends ease the wait and the hard slog.
· Publishers and editors are human beings, though terribly busy ones.
· Authors are awesome.
· Illustrators are awesome.
· Author/ illustrators are amazing.
· Everyone at these events is passionate about writing and illustrating and wants to share their stories with children.
Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators Conference Sydney 2014
I took many notes, which I could all type up and include here, but I decided I won’t. Instead here is a gallery of impressions from the conferences with a link to the excellent SCBWI AU/NZ blog where a team of roving reporters covered each session and the CYA Facebook group for a collection of blog posts on the event.
After all, I need to get back to writing and drawing!
After all, I need to get back to writing and drawing!
