SCBWI VIC June 13 Meeting

Jane Godwin, Publisher of Books for Younger Children at Penguin is our guest speaker for the upcoming June 13 SCBWI Victoria Meeting. Jane will reflect on things she's learnt as a children's writer and publisher. Award winning children's writer and illustrator Jude Rossell  will talk about collecting ideas and inspiration and the indefatigable Corinne Fenton will tell us about judging the Dorothea Mackellar awards.

Please register by 10 June if you would like to attend (registration details below). 

Speaker Details -

Things I've learnt so far: Reflections of a Children's Writer and Publisher

Jane Godwin is a publisher of books for young readers at Penguin Books Australia. She is also a highly acclaimed author of over twenty books for children across all areas and ages. 

Much of her time is spent encouraging and supporting authors with whom she works. Jane is the creator of the highly successful Our Australian Girl series whose quality historical fiction for middle readers is ground-breaking. 

Jane spends as much time as she can (while engaging in a busy full-time job!) working with young people in schools, running various literature and writing programs and encouraging students in their own creative ventures. Jane has worked with Alison Lester in Indigenous communities including Groote Eylandt, Mornington Island and Yakannara.

Most of her waking hours are dedicated to pursuing quality and enriching reading and writing experiences for young people—whether it’s as a writer, a publisher or a speaker/facilitator in schools. Jane Godwin is published internationally. She has received many accolades, including the 2000 Queensland Premier's Award (Children's Books) for The Family Tree and the  2006 Aurealis Award for The True Story of Mary Who Wanted to Stand on Her Head.

She's had shortlistings in the CBCA Book of the Year Awards, the Prime Minister’s Literary Award, the New South Wales State Literary Award (Patricia Wrightson Prize), the YABBA award and Speech Pathology Australia Awards. Each of Jane's publications have been made notable books in the CBCA Awards.  

Jane's most recent novel is Falling From Grace (Penguin, 2006). Her most recent picture book, How Big is Too Small?  is illustrated by Andrew Joyner and due for release in May 2015.  

Upcoming titles include What Do You Wish For? illustrated by Anna Walker, to be published in October 2015, and Bear Make Den co-written with Michael Wagner and illustrated by Andrew Joyner, due to hit bookshelves in early 2016.

Inside the Dorothea Mackellar Awards with Corinne Fenton

Corinne’s award winning books include Queenie One Elephant’s Story, The Dog on the Tuckerbox, and Flame Stands Waiting all published by Black Dog Books.

Hey Baby! a love letter to baby, was shortlisted in the SCBWI Crystal Kite Awards for 2013. This was followed last year with Hey Mum, I Love You, Hey Dad, You’re Great and Hey Baby, It’s Christmas.

Also released last year, were Chasing Shadows, published by Ford Street and Little Dog and the Christmas Wish published by Black Dog Books. Little Dog was shortlisted for the Crichton Award in this year's CBCA shortlists.

Moving on from her role in SCBWI, Corinne is the 2014/15 judge for the Primary School section, of the Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards.

Judith Rossell On Collecting ideas and Inspiration

Judith Rossell is a writer and illustrator. Her books include maze and puzzle books, picture books and novels, and have been published in more than ten languages. She has written 11 books and illustrated about 80.

Recent picture book titles include Oliver (published by Harper Collins US), To Get To Me, by Eleanor Kerr (published by Random House) and Bogtrotter, by Margaret Wild (published by Walker Books).

Her illustrated novel Withering-by-Sea, published by ABC Books, won the 2015 Indie Book Award for Children and YA, and is shortlisted for the 2015 CBCA Younger Readers Book of the Year. She teaches at RMIT and at the Australian Writers Centre, and has a cat the size of a walrus.

Show and Tell 

As usual, we will have a brief ‘Show and Tell’ segment, so if you have a recent publication to show us or news of a recent success to share (such as an award or grant) we’d love to hear from you.  

Meeting and Registration Details

Date: Saturday 13 June, 2015
Place: DiMattina's Restaurant (upstairs room), 306 Lygon St, Carlton
Time: 2pm—5pm (all are welcome to stay on afterwards to chat and drink downstairs)
Cost: $25 members, $30 non-members (includes afternoon tea)

Payment: To reserve your place, payment must be received by Wednesday 10 June. You can pay in one of the following ways:
1. Direct Deposit to: 
            National Australia Bank
            Account Name: Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators
            BSB: 082 187
            Account Number: 82 863 8450

Please be sure your name appears with the deposit amount on your payment statement. Please also send a follow-up email to Caz Goodwin (carolyn_goodwin@bigpond.com) advising when payment was made. 
 OR
2.   Cheque made out to SCBWI and posted to:
             Caz Goodwin,
             37 Auburn Road,
             Hawthorn East Vic 3123.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Victorian SCBWI Committee members
Caz Goodwin - Assistant Regional Adviser
Chris Bell - Assistant Coordinator and CBCA Liaison
Serena Geddes - Illustrator Coordinator
Betty Sargeant - Technology and Social Media
Jo Burnell - Membership Coordinator, Newsletter Editor

Gatherings for 2015
Our remaining three meeting dates this year will be on:
     13 June
    5 September 
    21 November

Perfect your Portfolio with Donna Rawlins

If you were one of the very fortunate SCBWI members to be at this event, you’ll have spent an illuminating afternoon with one of the kids’ book world’s wisest and loveliest, art director and illustrator, Donna Rawlins. Donna had so much wonderful advice that it was hard to get it all down, but I’m going to try and condense it here.

Firstly, Donna wanted all illustrators to know that they are storytellers and that every illustration has to earn its place on the page. Art director and illustrator, Wayne Harris tells fellow artists, ‘You are providing the adjectives the writer has had to leave out.’

She added that you need to read and read. To be a good picture book illustrator, you need to be bibliophiles and your portfolio needs to reflect that.

Work to the Child Within You

Donna began by asking us our real ages ….many of us were about 8, some were teenagers. Others were 2 years old. Donna believes this is the age where something happened to us to make us aware of ourselves and made us aware that we were separate to other people. It is important because the greatest critic of your work is that child in you. They are your first real editor and if you take on a story that is not right for your age, it will feel like a chore. If you work to your age group, it will feel like a guilty pleasure.

The class was asked to bring along a drawing of their favourite nursery rhyme, (which were amazing!) to allow them to go back into their childhood and experience the picture as a kid and have that kid critique it.

Process of Choosing an Illustrator at Walker Books

Several illustrators are put forward to the team for a text. The aim is to choose the perfect combination of art and text for the best version of that book. It is always done with the author’s approval.

Once an illustrator has been chosen and the contract signed, Walker will ask for character sketches, roughs or storyboard.  

Donna pointed out that if a publisher approaches you, they love your work, trust you and firmly believe that you are the right person to do the job but to be open to direction. Art directors will always give notes (with love in their hearts), to entice your best work from you. Donna’s job is to know you and your work better than you from her experience as both an illustrator and art director.

Some Cold Hard Facts about Folio Submissions

All publishers receive many, many folio submissions and keep most of them on file, however, perhaps fewer than 10% will be considered to be of a standard appropriate for their list. Most successful submissions clearly demonstrate the artist’s connection with and love for books.

A Few things to Consider including in your Folio

• At least 14 pictures of your best work.
• Add a nursery rhyme (with text)
• Show a sense of narrative – include a series of 2-3 sequential drawings. Show pacing and consistency of character across different illustrations.
• Show some degree of emotional depth in characters eg scared, shocked, angry.
• Use an existing, published story and complete a storyboard for it.
• Include a rough followed by the finished drawing so they can see how you approach your work.
• Include B/W drawings – this may double you chance of getting work…there’s a lot of call for B/W junior chapter books.
• Media/Techniques – Show as much of a range of your versatility as possible. Choose a drawing and then do it in a different range of styles – charcoal, pencil, paint, acrylic, pastel, collage etc.
• Experiment with a book cover for a novel you love.

What’s the Best way to Submit?

• As a PDF that you email or collection of JPEGS on a disk with a selection of printouts of your best.
• Include a cover letter and add anything of interest about you that may show your range as an artist… eg you’ve travelled extensively, you’re a marine biologist or you used to work as an anatomical illustrator. Let them know about your brain.
• Never send originals.

And Just a Reminder…

• Publishing professionals change, so resubmit if staff has changed.
• Keep track of who you send your work to, what you’ve included and when. Find out who publishes what and make sure you address it to the right person.

Thank you so much to Donna for her advice, her knowledge and her warmth and generosity.  

Life Drawing at the Arthouse Hotel

Loosen up and scribble! Freshen up those figure drawing skills, we decided. On Monday 20th April we got out our charcoals, our 6B’s, and pastels for plenty of rapid-fire poses with one of the Arthouse Hotel’s professional female models. Peering around, it didn’t matter that both Marjorie Crosby-Fairall and I felt a tad rusty. The 40-odd other patrons represented all ages and abilities, each avidly sketching at tables and lounge chairs. Our model led us through 2-minute, then 5, 10, and finally 15 minute poses. In this casual atmosphere some patrons wandered in late, or surrendered the muse and left early. However, we were loving all our right-brain cells firing! Occasionally we managed to catch the essence in a few strokes. Or we’d get a tricky foreshortened foot to look convincing. At least, before we dusted charcoal off our fingers we’d dusted away some of the cobwebs around our figure drawing skills. The Arthouse is a 5 minute stroll from Town Hall station, so we’ll turn up again. Early arrival is good. We got the best seats plus the chance to chat over Monday night’s cheap pizza.

by Jenny Hale

The next SCBWI meet up for Life Drawing is July 27th 2015. Meet under the Mona Lisa mural!

Meet other SCBWI members in the Hotel foyer under the Mona Lisa mural!