An in-person professional development day with 2 days of online manuscript and portfolio assessments

In the Metcalfe auditorium of the State Library of NSW, join SCBWI creators for a stimulating day of professional development. Learn from some of Australia’s most talented kids’ book creators and publishing professionals, and gear up for a nail-biting pitch to the publishers. It will be fun, fascinating and a great excuse to hang out with SCBWI friends.

In conjunction with our creative day, we are offering 15-minute online manuscript and portfolio assessments in the weekends before, where you can receive feedback on your work from Australian and overseas professionals.

For those who purchase a Create and Critique-a-palooza ticket, you will have first chance at securing an assessment. You will be sent an email with the code for the critique ticket portal when you purchase your ticket for the in person event.

The Critiques will open one week later for those who would like the assessment only or would like to book a second critique.

BOOKINGS CLOSE 22 AUGUST

Create and Critique-a-Palooza In Person Event—Sept 7

Where: Metcalfe Auditorium, State Library of NSW
Time: 10:00am to 4:30pm
Ticket Cost: $75
Tickets: On Sale from May 2

Food: Optional $19.50 lunchbox. There aren’t many lunch options nearby and to reduce time searching for food, we suggest the lunchbox option offered by the library who will do their best to cater to your dietary needs or you are welcome to bring your own lunch. The café will be open for tea/coffee from 9:30am.

For those who purchase a Create and Critique-a-palooza ticket, you will have first chance at securing an assessment. You will be sent an email with the code for the critique ticket portal when you purchase your ticket for the in person event.

Online Manuscript and Portfolio Assessments—Aug 24 and 31

SCBWI Members only — SOLD OUT
$105 per critique and places are initially limited to one per person.
Click here to for more information about the critiques.

Tickets will go on sale from May 2 at 8am for those who buy a Create and Critique-a-Palooza ticket or from May 9 for those who’d like the assessment only or would like to buy a second assessment.

For those who purchase a Create and Critique-a-palooza ticket, you will have first chance at securing an assessment. You will be sent an email with the code for the critique ticket portal when you purchase your ticket for the in person event.

At time of booking you will be able to choose your preference from the available time slots and assessors. Critiques are non-refundable and non-transferable, so please choose carefully.

Critiques are 15 min with a publishing professional online via Zoom plus a written report*.

Pitch to Publishers—Sept 7

Do you have a cracking proposal you’d love to pitch to some of Australia’s leading kids’ publishers? Then the SCBWI Pitch to Publishers is for you! 

A limited number of members will be given three minutes to pitch their projects to publishers in front of a live audience followed by feedback from the publishers. This is a chance for you to get to the essence of your story and fine tune what makes your manuscript special.

Free for Create and Critique-a-Palooza ticketholders who are SCBWI members and attending in person. 

If you’d like to be considered for Pitch to Publishers, please carefully follow the guidelines and CLICK HERE to submit your application by August 7, 2024. SUBMISSIONS NOW CLOSED.

Program

10am—Library Opens

10:15-10:30am—Opening and welcome by Pauline and Susanne

10:30-11:00am—Digital Collage with Sean E Avery
Using a combination of traditional media for warmth and digital media for versatility, Sean E Avery builds and shapes picture book worlds and characters that delight critics and kids alike. Join him for a live illustration demonstration as he describes the digital collage process he used to create his bestselling, award-winning picture book, Frank's Red Hat.

11:05-11:55am—Creating Great Characters: Diversity and Family Dynamics with Alison Stegert and Kate Foster
Map family history and relationships to enhance your character, then dive into the dos and don'ts of writing underrepresented people sensitively and fairly. 

11:55-12:05pm—Readings

12:05-12:45pm—Lunch and Book Sales

12:50pm-1:20pm—Creating Great Picture Books: Putting Pictures to Thousands of Words with Cheryl Orsini
What I’ve learnt from drawing pictures and colouring-in for a living. Stories from the art department desk and the happy mistakes in my studio. 

1:25pm-2:15pm—Creating Great Series: Alexa Moses, Nathan Luff and Kate Wenban
Join successful authors, Nathan and Alexa, and publisher Kate, as they share their secrets about what makes a great series that kids love!

2:15-2:25pm—Readings

2:25pm-2:50pm—Afternoon Tea and Book Sales

2:55-3:05pm—Readings

3:05-3:35pm—Laura Harris: Storyteller, teacher, enchanter?  A great kids' book creator is always a great enchanter!
On distinguishing your writing and illustrations from a sea of sameness.

3:40-4:10pm—Pitch to Publishers: Laura Harris, Kate Wenban
In our final nail-biting session, watch SCBWI creators get their chance to pitch their projects live to two industry professionals.

4:10pm-4:15pm—Wrap up

Presenters

Sean E Avery—Illustrator and Author
Sean E Avery is a primary school art teacher, author-illustrator, and designer born in South Africa; living in Perth, Western Australia. Nationally, he is best known as the creator of best-selling children's picture books, All Monkeys Love Bananas and Frank's Red Hat. His picture book, Happy as a Hog Out of Mud, won the 2022 WAYRBA Picture Book of the Year Award and Frank's Red Hat won the 2023 CBCA Shadow Judges and WAYRBA Picture Book of the Year awards and was shortlisted for the 2023 Indie, Global Kids Entertainment, Taco and CBCA Picture Book of the Year Award. His books have been translated into Arabic, Mandarin, French, Korean, German and Danish. The first book in Sean's new graphic novel series, Ducky the Spy, published by Walker Books Australia, is out now.

Laura Harris—Publisher

Laura completed a bachelor’s in education before landing an Editorial Traineeship at the prestigious NSW School Magazine. Laura then moved to HarperCollins Publishers as a Senior Editor and then became Publisher. She joined Penguin Books in 1999 as Publisher and became Publishing Director in 2003, joining the Board that year as well. In 2016, she was appointed Publishing Director at Penguin Random House where she worked until 2023. Laura has shaped many books over her 35 years in publishing including works by Mem Fox, Aaron Blabey, Morris Gleitzman, Felice Arena, Gus Gordon, Melina Marchetta and Sonya Hartnett. In 2023, Laura celebrated 35 years in publishing and was a recipient of the George Robertson Award for distinguished service to the Australian Publishing industry. She launched Laura Harris Publishing in 2024. And while often asked, Laura has checked with her doctor, who assures her she doesn’t have a novel in her.

Alexa Moses—Author and Screenwriter
Alexa Moses is a children's author and screenwriter. Her books include the new series Twinning for 7-11 year olds, and the Michaela Mason’s Worries series for 8-12 year olds (Scholastic Australia). In 2020, her picture book Bat vs Poss was short-listed for the CBCA awards, and she contributed to the CBCA-nominated poetry book, A Boat of Stars. Alexa's hobbies include reading, going to the gym, eavesdropping on interesting conversations, and arguing with anyone who's game.

Nathan Luff—Author and Playwright
Nathan Luff is the author of The Nerd Herd and Family Disasters series and the middle grade novels Chicken Stu and Bad Grammar. Nathan is also a playwright, primary school teacher, and currently the YA and Children’s Manager for the Sydney Writers’ Festival.

Kate Wenban—Senior Editor, Scholastic Australia

Kate has been working in the publishing industry for over 15 years, most of those as an editor at Scholastic Australia. In that time, she’s edited Australian picture books, middle grade illustrated fiction and junior fiction—including Ella Diaries, Minutes of Danger, Liars, Fartboy and Daring Delly. Kate also has extensive experience writing and editing books for major licensors such as Disney, Marvel, Nickelodeon and DC Comics. Kate’s academic background is in psychology, cultural studies and English.  

Alison D Stegert—Author
Alison D Stegert has worked as an innovative school guidance officer, a bumbling waitress, and an intrepid camp counsellor, but creating kids’ books is her dream-come-true job.

Her latest book, Her Majesty’s League of Remarkable Young Ladies, was published in the UK in July 2023 and released in Australia by Scholastic in 2024. The book is the result of Alison’s 2021 win of the prestigious international competition The Times | Chicken House | IET 150 Prize.

Ali heads up the Queensland branch of  SCBWI Australia East and the chief scribe at the Sunny Coast Writers’ Roundtable.

Cheryl Orsini—Illustrator and Author

Hello, I'm Cheryl, and I draw pictures for my supper. I've been illustrating children's books, magazines, portraits and painting a great many peg dolls for more years than I care to count. I've illustrated more than seventy books including The ABC Book of series (ABC Books /Harper Collins), The Travelling Bookshop series (ABC Books /Harper Collins), The Greatest Mistakes That Went Right (Affirm Press), Lucy’s Book (Lothian Books/Hachette Australia), The Fairy Dancers (ABC Books), Pom Pom, Where Are You? (Viking/Penguin) and Caravan Fran (Lothian Books/Hachette Australia). My work also appears on TV in Gardening Australia Junior, in magazines, murals and I'm a regular participant at the Sydney Writers’ Festival and Russ the Story Bus – honk if you love books! www.cherylorsini.com

Kate Foster—Author

Kate Foster is a children's author writing about friends, family, and dogs. Originally from a small town in the southeast of England, she now lives on the stunning Gold Coast in Queensland with her family and second-hand dogs.

She is passionate about encouraging and teaching a wider understanding of autism and mental illness via a positive approach and representation in both her books as well as her presentations and talks.

Her best-selling and award-winning middle grade novels are published across three territories and include PAWS, The Bravest Word, Harriet Hound, and The Unlikely Heroes Club. Her forthcoming titles include Small Acts, co-written with Kate Gordon and Camp Spook: Attack of the Aliants, a comedy sci-fi co-written with Pip Harry.

Kate founded the ASLA Diversity in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand Children’s Book Award, as well as Author Pen Pals.