Off To The SCBWI Convention!

September 20th, I'm off to the NC fall convention of the SCBWI. This is very exciting for me because it is the first live SCBWI convention I am going to. I have attended the yearly conventions online, but now, with this being local and at a perfect time of year, I could not resist.

Now, I really should clarify a few things. SCBWI is the premier organization for writers of children's books. They provide wonderful classes for writers looking to improve their skills, as well as the opportunity to get feedback from industry specialists at the conventions. Finally, there is the added benefit of meeting like-minded writers to brainstorm with.

The first-page allows everyone to submit their first page, up to 200 words, for review. If it is selected, it is read before a panel of prominent agents and editors in a classroom setting. Then, they are each asked if they would want to continue reading the manuscript based on what was read aloud. Why is this important? Because if you don't grab the reader's attention in the first few pages, they will probably put the book down and look elsewhere. So, this gives you an idea of what is saleable in the eyes of the traditional publishing industry.

The manuscript critique is when you provide the first 10 pages of your book and a synopsis of the book to, in my case, an editor. You have twenty minutes of their time to garner as much useful information as possible regarding your project. This is invaluable because many submissions require the first ten pages, a synopsis and also a query letter. So, this lets you know what sort of impression you have made with your work and if they think it would result in an agent or editor requesting to see the entire manuscript.

Finally, in the pitch contest, an author provides a one-sentence overview of their story, and various editors/agents decide if they would like you to submit your manuscript to them for consideration. For those of you who don't know, it is not easy to condense a fifty or sixty-thousand-word novel into a sentence that's intriguing enough to entice them. Also included with the pitch are examples of comparative titles that an agent can use as a reference to identify what audience might enjoy and purchase your work. This exercise shows the author's ability to write succinctly and their knowledge of the market.

So, there's a lot riding on this weekend, and like most aspiring authors, meeting with experienced agents and editors can be nerve-wracking. We all hope to find someone who will fall in love with our work, but rejection is part of the process. So, regardless, one must persist.-B.L.