Four Out the Door

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Michigan has started a free program for illustrators in all regions. It is called Four out the Door and supports sending out postcards with artwork to ADs and Editors in the kidlit industry four times a year. We've expanded on this idea from other regions and offer a packet, articles and lots of inspiration. Please share!

Do you wonder how you can get on an art director’s or editor’s radar? Mailing a promotional postcard on a regular basis is the simplest self-promotion an illustrator can do!

Maybe you have good intentions to send several postcards a year, but end up falling short. Wouldn’t it be easier if you were pleasantly prodded and cheered on by your peers?

Join SCBWI Michigan illustrators in sending quarterly mailings on Feb. 1st, April 1st, July 1st, and Nov. 1st. To participate, e-mail us at fouroutthedoor@gmail.com saying you are up for the challenge.

Once you sign up, you receive a welcome e-packet about the basics of promotional mailings, online printing, what to include on your card and next steps, along with a digital badge you can use to share the news of our challenge.

Then check social media, as we post a series of articles on printing resources, production tips, encouragement and success stories over the coming weeks. 

You can share your postcards on Instagram and Twitter using the hashtag: #4outthedoor.

We look forward to seeing what you create!

Bologna Book Fair and SCBWI 2018

The Bologna Book Fair will be held in Bologna from 26-29th March, 2018 and the SCBWI Showcase will be there. Every second year the SCBWI has the opportunity to showcase at the Bologna Book Fair the recently published PAL books from our members from around the world. This coming year we will have another large booth. The general web address is bologna.scbwi.org.

HIGHLIGHTS …

Our new competition - the Duelling Illustrators Manuscript. Members can submit an unpublished picture book manuscript from which 6 finalists will be chosen to be read aloud at our headline showcase event - the Duelling Illustrators. All details can be found here: http://bologna.scbwi.org/scbwi-bologna-book-fair-2018/duelling-illustrators-manuscripts/

In a change from previous years any SCBWI PAL member can showcase their recently published PAL book at our booth. It is now known as the PAL Book Showcase and all details can be found here: http://bologna.scbwi.org/scbwi-bologna-book-fair-2018/pal-book-showcase/. A fee of $100 will apply to showcase the book at the fair (this fee also includes entry into the digital catalogue). Members register and pay to showcase their title and then send one copy of the title to Headquarters. The Regional Advisor does not have to be attending the fair.

Our Digital Catalogue continues. For a payment of $25 members can have their PAL title included in the Digital Catalogue that we are directly marketing to publishers. Details are here: http://bologna.scbwi.org/scbwi-bologna-book-fair-2018/digital-catalogue/

Individual PAL author and illustrator members who are attending can also apply, at no cost, for a time slot for a Personal Showcase to display their work:-http://bologna.scbwi.org/scbwi-bologna-book-fair-2018/personal-showcases-2018/. Note that the $100 fee for the PAL Book showcase is to display the book on our shelves during the week, so if members apply for a personal showcase time slot (which is free), they still need to pay if they want their book to be displayed on the shelves at other times. 
 
PAL illustrator members of SCBWI across the world who can't make it to Bologna, can still be visible at the international Bologna Book Fair. We will be displaying the ten finalists of our hugely successful BIG (Bologna Illustrators Gallery) at our stand at the Bologna Book fair and, along with all the shortlisted entries, they will be displayed online in our SCBWI Bologna Illustrators' Gallery (http://bologna.scbwi.org/illustrators-galleries/). Entry to BiG is $15 and one again we have engaged a prestigious judging panel who will gather our shortlist. The deadline for entry into BiG is November 15, 2015. Details are here: http://bologna.scbwi.org/scbwi-bologna-book-fair-2018/illustrators-gallery-2018/.

Important Weblinks: 

In a change from previous years most activities requiring submissions will be driven through our SCBWI website. Also, can you please advise your membership (the following text might assist) about the SCBWI Bologna showcase.

Every second year the SCBWI attends the Bologna Book Fair and in 2018 we will be there. We have an overview of Bologna and the book fair from a number of members who have attended the last few fairs http://bologna.scbwi.org/thoughts-and-ponderings-on-coming-bologna/. Members can be involved in a number of ways (http://bologna.scbwi.org/scbwi-bologna-book-fair-2018/how-you-can-get-involved/) including the PAL Book Showcase where we will be presenting PAL titles from our membership to the worldwide publishing community http://bologna.scbwi.org/scbwi-bologna-book-fair-2018/pal-book-showcase/. Or submitting PAL book details to our Digital Catalogue https://bologna.scbwi.org/scbwi-bologna-book-fair-2018/digital-catalogue/.


If you are coming to the Bologna Book Fair, then why not present your work at our SCBWI stand? Duelling illustrator sessions, on-the-spot illustrations to a read-aloud story, and other live art demonstrations have been particular popular events at our past SCBWI stand. To apply for a Personal Showcase slot visit http://bologna.scbwi.org/scbwi-bologna-book-fair-2018/personal-showcases-2018/. Why not book a slot, or share a space with another PAL member, then send out announcements ahead of time, and invite your publishers there to come and watch? And illustrator members who aren't coming to the fair can still submit work for BIG - http://bologna.scbwi.org/scbwi-bologna-book-fair-2016/bologna-illustration-gallery-2016/.
 
There are no children at the fair, but publishers, agents and foreign rights people may well enjoy a break from their busy schedule to be reminded that it all starts with a good idea and a pencil, pen, brush and paint or even your laptop! And if you aren't yet published (or even if you are) but are going to be in Bologna for the fair, how about booking ahead for 5 minutes of feedback on your portfolio from a publishing pro at the SCBWI Stand? All details at our bologna.scbwi.org website. 

Happy Book Birthday! A New SCBWI Program Launches February 1

We’re thrilled to launch a new member benefit—the Happy Book Birthday program.  Beginning in February, 2018, our Happy Book Birthday program invites all members to announce their new book in the month that it is released. Every month, authors and illustrators can send an image of their soon-to-be-published book cover and a 25-word summary to bookbirthday@scbwi.org.

On the first of each month, we’ll display all of the books on our beautiful Book Birthday page, and advertise them through our social media channels to drive traffic to the Birthday page.  We’ll leave the Book Birthday announcements up on our site for two weeks.  We hope that all of our traditionally and independently published members will take advantage of this opportunity to celebrate their achievement and launch their work into the book-buying community.

The first Book Birthday will be for all books published in February 2018.

On December 15th, members with February books can start submitting their information. The deadline is January 10th, no exceptions.

Please send 1.) Title of book, 2.) name of author and/or illustrator, 3.) book cover, and 4.) summary or statement maximum 25 words to bookbirthday@scbwi.org.