Thank you to SCBWI Midsouth RA, Kristin O’Donnell Tubb, the
conference committee – Genetta Adair, Sharon Cameron, Susan Eaddy, and Courtney
Stevens – and all of the Midsouth volunteers for your hard work to make this
year’s conference a success.
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Book Drive
This year’s conference book drive benefited Book ‘Em. This organization provides tens of thousands of books to needy children in Nashville every year. Thank
you to everyone who donated books and a special thank you to David Arnold for
coordinating the book drive.
Cheryl Zach Scholarship Winner
SCBWI Midsouth RA, Kristin O'Donnell Tubb with Judy Rawles
Congratulations to Judy
Rawles, winner of this year’s Cheryl Zach
Scholarship, a conference scholarship in honor of SCBWI Midsouth's founder,
Cheryl Zach.
Monday, September 23, 2013
Everything I needed to know I learned at the Midsouth Fall Conference.
I must say that there were so many things to be gleaned from this conference. I am inspired, enlightened, recharged, and now I have a to-do list that's a mile high.
Here's a few things I learned or relearned at this particular conference (brace yourself):
1. Every page in your dummy picture book needs to have an action in it, whether it's subtle or dramatic.
-Loraine Joyner (Senior Art Director at Peachtree Publishers)
2. "Never give up. You'll come across something that only you can write."
-Jay Asher (Author of Thirteen Reasons Why)
3. A distinct, authentic, relatable voice is probably the most important element to writing a good children's picture book.
-Lisa Cheng (Editor for Running Press Kids)
4. “This is not the music business, there are not high stakes, we don’t make that much money, and someone already has your idea."
-Micheal Bourett (Agent of Dystel & Goderich Literary Management) in response to a question from the audience asking if we need to worry about others stealing our ideas or stories.
5. “I’ve had your postcard on my bulleton for 1.5 years and have been waiting to hire you."
-An Art Director told Ms. Susan Eaddy (freelance illustrator)
6. It takes chocolate, fastfood, vodka, friends, and an unwanted dog.
-Answers from the artist/writer panelists to the question, "How do you buoy yourself when you are at the bottom of the cycle of despair?"
7. Orient all the pictures in your portfolio the same way.
-Bonnie Bader (Editor & Chief at Grosset & Dunlap) and Loraine Joyner (Senior Art Director At Peachtree Publishers)
8. A wrong agent is worse than no agent.
-Micheal Bourett (Agent of Dystel & Goderich Literary Management)
9. "Please do not info dump."
-Lisa Cheng (Editor for Running Press Kids) on telling your audience too much when introducing a new character.
10. Be consistent when you send out your mailers.
-Loraine Joyner (Senior Art Director At Peachtree Publishers) & Lisa Cheng (Editor for Running Press Kids)
11. Read, read , read.
-Jordan Brown (Editor at Walden Pond Press and Balzer + Bray) on what you can do to advance your career
Phew… are you still with me? Well, imagine all that good advice x20. After the conference was over, my head was buzzing about things I needed to do, how to better my craft, which houses better fit my style, and as always I felt the loving support that always happens through my connections at these conferences.
Can't wait to see you all next year. :)
Here's a few things I learned or relearned at this particular conference (brace yourself):
1. Every page in your dummy picture book needs to have an action in it, whether it's subtle or dramatic.
-Loraine Joyner (Senior Art Director at Peachtree Publishers)
2. "Never give up. You'll come across something that only you can write."
-Jay Asher (Author of Thirteen Reasons Why)
3. A distinct, authentic, relatable voice is probably the most important element to writing a good children's picture book.
-Lisa Cheng (Editor for Running Press Kids)
4. “This is not the music business, there are not high stakes, we don’t make that much money, and someone already has your idea."
-Micheal Bourett (Agent of Dystel & Goderich Literary Management) in response to a question from the audience asking if we need to worry about others stealing our ideas or stories.
5. “I’ve had your postcard on my bulleton for 1.5 years and have been waiting to hire you."
-An Art Director told Ms. Susan Eaddy (freelance illustrator)
6. It takes chocolate, fastfood, vodka, friends, and an unwanted dog.
-Answers from the artist/writer panelists to the question, "How do you buoy yourself when you are at the bottom of the cycle of despair?"
7. Orient all the pictures in your portfolio the same way.
-Bonnie Bader (Editor & Chief at Grosset & Dunlap) and Loraine Joyner (Senior Art Director At Peachtree Publishers)
8. A wrong agent is worse than no agent.
-Micheal Bourett (Agent of Dystel & Goderich Literary Management)
9. "Please do not info dump."
-Lisa Cheng (Editor for Running Press Kids) on telling your audience too much when introducing a new character.
10. Be consistent when you send out your mailers.
-Loraine Joyner (Senior Art Director At Peachtree Publishers) & Lisa Cheng (Editor for Running Press Kids)
11. Read, read , read.
-Jordan Brown (Editor at Walden Pond Press and Balzer + Bray) on what you can do to advance your career
Phew… are you still with me? Well, imagine all that good advice x20. After the conference was over, my head was buzzing about things I needed to do, how to better my craft, which houses better fit my style, and as always I felt the loving support that always happens through my connections at these conferences.
Can't wait to see you all next year. :)
Sunday, September 22, 2013
The Illustrator's Intensive - Intensely Amazing
Illustration intensives are relatively newish and I am so grateful. The purpose of the intensive is to bring you back to art school (only the knowledgeable professor is replaced with a savvy and important art director).
We were privileged to have the fabulous Ms. Loraine Joyner, a Senior Art Director from Peachtree Publishers. We picked from three delightful stories (that are either published or almost published from Peachtree), and these were the spreads we came up with to illustrate a portion of the text for the story.
We were lucky that Ms. Joyner was articulate, critical, while being very nurturing when giving her critiques. And I have to say that the Midsouth needs to pat itself on the back again because we were told by Ms. Joyner that the Midsouth has "…an amazing level of talent."
And here's proof:
 |
| Heather Dent |
|
 | |
|
 | |
|
 | ||
Illustrated by Kathryn Gogliotti
|
 | ||
Illustrated by Kris Sexton
|
 |
Illustrated by Mary Uhles
|
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)