All professional book authors who have had a book published (including epublishing and self-publishing) are invited to fill out an online survey which is open now until the end of February 2015. The survey is conducted by Prof. David Throsby and his team at Macquarie University, funded by the Australian Research Council and the university.
The questionnaire includes questions about authors’ experiences of promotion, epublishing, self-publishing, income, piracy and their responses to changing expectations on the part of readers and publishers.
SCBWI encourages eligible members to participate in order to assist their peers and help improve our profession. The findings will be a valuable resource for SCBWI in representing authors’ interests within the industry and in raising our professional standing.
As an additional incentive and to thank authors for their time, two randomly selected authors who complete the survey will be awarded a prize of $1,000 each.
For details, click here and here.
Amazing Success of the SCBWI Australia and New Zealand Conference
The energy, launches, pitch sessions, publisher panels, critiques, keynotes with the brilliant illustrator Bruce Whatley and Prinz award winning author Melina Marchetta, the masterclasses ... with wonderful catering by celebrity chefs from Vincent at The Hughenden Hotel ... and the best dinner dance party ever with out own SCBWI band with authors Meredith Costain, Scott Chambers, Mark Greenwood and illustrator James Foley - the Beatnickers ROCK!!!!
And so much business was done with the Illustrator Showcase having the more than 50 publishers, art directors and editors in talks for books. The authors did brilliantly too - expect books and contracts!!!!
And there was craft and friendship and networking across Australia and New Zealand and even to the USA!!!!!
Brilliant and thankyou for the amazing support of the Illustrator Showcase committee led by Sarah Davis, Marjorie Crosby-Fairall, Andrea Edmonds, Dale Newman and Jenny Hale.
Thankyou to the invaluable admin/website work of Assistant Illustrator Coordinator Marjorie Crosby-Fairall.
Thankyou to Margaret Roc for her amazing management of the critiques and manuscripts.
Thankyou to Deb Abela for her gifted curating of the 7 launches!!!!!!! As well as other things.
Thankyou to Tracey Hawkins and Katrina Germein for their curating of the Pitch session - I expect contracts coming from that.
Thankyou to Sheryl Gwyther for being the ROVING REPORTER coordinator and blog master.
Thankyou to Betty Sargeant for the hash twitter management - loved your signs all over the Hughenden!
Thankyou to the brilliant band - what a night!!!!!
Thankyou to so many - Penny Morrison (delegate bags), Frances Plumpton (registration), the SCBWI leaders and committees who work throughout the year supporting the wonderful world of SCBWI DOWNUNDER - check them out on our front page of our Australia East & NZ website.
THANKYOU to the fabulous staff of The Hughenden Hotel - special mention to James RUBEN Executive Director and to Jered Front Office Manager.
Thankyou to Australia West for joining us - LOVE you guys so much - yeah to Frane Lessac RA and James Foley - who were the Australia West cheer leader team.
What a BUZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!!!!!!!
Susanne Gervay, RA Australia East & New Zealand
Workshops for Australia West
On March 16, SCBWI Australia West held two professional development workshops: one for established members, and one for aspiring creators.
Storyteller extraordinaire Glenn Swift passed on his top presentation tips to an enthusiastic group of members and introduced them to the Alexander Technique to release unnecessary tension in the body. The session was relaxed, informal and entertaining and the group of mainly published authors also had the chance to share their own speaking tips and experiences.
The "Child's Play" workshop for beginners was well received, with a mix of members and non-members in attendance. Renae Gibson led the session, and talked participants through the various stages from pre-submission - researching the field, networking and learning the craft, drafting, endlessly re-drafting, to submission - to whom? and when? and how? - and beyond.
Thank you to the State Library of WA for providing the venue.