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

SCBWI Victoria Gathering - 14 June 2014

There was a great turnout for the SCBWI Victoria gathering on Saturday 14 June at DiMattina’s restaurant in Carlton.

The session started with a reminder about the SCBWI event ‘Inside Story’ which will be held on 1st November at Readings Hawthorn where authors and illustrators showcase their recently published books. Each author or illustrator has three minutes to tell the story behind their book. Stories can be poetry, picture books, middle grade or YA.

The first member speaker was Chris Bell, committee member and children’s/YA author. Chris gave a fascinating inside look at the application process for a Varuna Fellowship. Chris was ecstatic when she received ‘that’ email congratulating her on being selected for a Varuna Residential Fellowship. The round of applications had the largest number of submissions - 170 in total - from all states and in all genres. The assessors look for excellence in writing, strong authentic voice and a story that will engage readers.

Chris was extremely passionate about her project. She felt it was some of her best work and that her passion shone through in her application.

At Varuna, Chris found inspirational company, quiet spaces, time, endless bookcases, beautiful scenery and nearby coffee shops. She was able to achieve breakthroughs in her writing because of the time, inspiration and support she found at Varuna. She had time to think and problem solve. Winning the Varuna Fellowship gave Chris a feeling of validation and a great boost to her confidence.

The second member speaker was Sherryl Clark who, as a highly experienced author and teacher, gave us an in-depth insight into her experiences in self-publishing. Sherryl has been referred to as a ‘Hybrid Publisher’ - one who has been traditionally published, then self-publishes.  Sherryl said the success of the book in the US and its great reviews gave her the springboard to self-publish Dying to Tell Me for the Australian market.

Pros of self-publishing: Control of the project and ability to visit local printer; fun and addictive; the ability to receive sales information following school visits and the opportunity for innovative marketing.  Cons: Time consuming, stressful when determining print run, being responsible for sales and trying to gain ‘discoverability’ in a market of thousands of other books.

To purchase Dying to Tell Me, send a prepaid self-addressed envelope (up to 500g) and $16.95 to: Sherryl Clark, 116 Chambers Road, Altona North, 3025.  Her book Successful Self-Publishing is available for the cost of postage only.

The last speaker for the day was Susannah Chambers, Commissioning Editor for Children’s and YA Books, Allen & Unwin. She spoke about her 10-week Beatrice Davis Editorial Fellowship in New York, sharing information with editors, publishers, agents and booksellers.  She researched the YA market, what big and small publishers are acquiring, advances, where YA fits in a rapidly changing environment, whether publishers still want stand-alone stories or just blockbusters, book sales on the back of movies and lots more.

Susannah considers that a flair for words, fresh voice, strong engaging characters, a distinct character arc and appeal for both children and adults are essential elements for a successful book. She said to be yourself, write in the genre you love, write not just what you know but what you can imagine. She said that Allen & Unwin must be passionate about the books they take on and equally must make smart commercial decisions.

The next SCBWI VIC gathering will be in Flinders on the Mornington Peninsula on 6th September.

Kaye Baillie

Need a writing buddy?

Sometimes when you reach the stage of not being able to 'see the forests for the trees' with your story's manuscript, it helps to have a writing buddy or two. And sometimes it's not easy to connect with someone in the same city or town, and that's where the internet has become a fabulous resource.

Here's a tried and trusted site from Aussie children's and YA author, Dee White. The link is called FIND A WRITING BUDDY.

See what you think?