INTERNATIONAL SCBWI around the world!
SCBWI is an international organization, first founded in the USA in 1971 by a group of children's book writers, and now includes illustrators and translators. Did you know SCBWI has more than 20,000 members around the world? That's a lot of potential friends, allies, mentors, and teachers. Take advantage!
Virtual Events
The pandemic lockdowns, as we all know, made us learn how to use Zoom and other meeting software for work, school and for our social lives. The good side is that you can now attend events around the world—in seventy different regions. To help us find good virtual events, SCBWI has just launched a new section of the website, Regional Virtual Events. On October 24th, for example, the New York Metro chapter has a presentation on The Magic of Creating Graphic Novels, while on November 18th, the Canada East chapter follows with a two-part Making Graphic Novels series.
Although it is too late to send in your portfolio, Pennsylvania West is holding a Portfolio Palooza on October 28th. This is an annual event: an entire day devoted to illustrators.
Since 2020, the annual SCBWI conferences in New York and Los Angeles, which attract members and industry professionals from all over the globe, have also been available as partly virtual conferences. Find out more here. If you can't afford it, remember there are also scholarships. SCBWI awards writers, illustrators and communities; there are awards for unpublished manuscripts, traditionally and self-published books, and other categories. See if you can submit your work for an award or grant here.
Some of the events are paid, others free. You can now pay for foreign events using your own currency, rather than that of another country. There are more events listed on the Regions' individual pages.
Don't forget the UK SCBWI Conference is the perfect, unintimidating size for an event (in this humble reporter's opinion). Bookings close for the 2023 conference in Manchester on October 23rd.
Advice
Do you want to improve your skills? Take a SCBWI tutorial or listen to a podcast. Every year SCBWI publishes The Essential Guide to Publishing for Children, which answers many questions most people have, as well as giving up-to-the-minute advice. (Currently this is available only to Premium members.)
Self-publishing is becoming more important yearly and can be more profitable for many authors than traditional publishing. SCBWI helps you with its Self-Publishing Resources page.
Show Off!
If you are an illustrator, add your work to SCBWI's Illustrators Gallery. Publishing professionals view the gallery regularly looking for illustrators to add to their lists.
You can add your own book to the Members' Bookstore, which features the covers of SCBWI members' books.
Socialize, Chat and Learn
SCBWI has a monthly international book club you can join, and the continuation of the legendary Blueboard is SCBWI's Discussion Boards page, where thousands of members exchange ideas, ask advice, brag or complain or offer or search for services.
Don't forget your own local chapters of SCBWI either! Volunteering is not only a great way to make new friends and do useful work. It's also a way to learn about publishing, make contacts and even find jobs. Most SCBWI volunteers find it truly rewarding.
*Header image: Tita Berredo & Ell Rose
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