Southern Breeze Goes to the SCBWI Summer Conference (And We're Dishing on LA!)

Every year, the SCBWI Summer Conference in LA beckons…and every year, I find myself following all the big doings from afar. But I know a couple of Southern Breezers who did make it to Los Angeles, so I asked RA Claudia Pearson, ARA Sharon Pegram, and IC Temika Grooms to give us the up close and personal rundown of their conference experience. Special thanks to Temika for putting it all in pictures!

(Bonus points if you can guess what character or book Claudia dressed up as for the big costume party!)

What was your don’t-miss-one-minute-of-it event/intensive/workshop session of the Summer Conference?

Claudia: Elana K. Arnold’s workshops on Increasing Tension and Writing through to the end, although Kevin Lewis’s Picture book Session was also outstanding. Both Elana and Kevin offered a ton of well organized info with solid examples.

Sharon: I learned a lot from Carolyn Mackler's workshop on what she's learned from writing novels for 20 years, and she made us laugh. Also, Lin Oliver at the Artists and Authors Ball with her face painted like a Picasso was definitely memorable!

And what benefits do you get from attending the conference, both for your personal professional growth, and for the membership here in Southern Breeze?

Sharon: The whole gigantic-ness of the experience recharges me professionally. I think it's impossible to marinate in that much creative energy and enthusiasm for three days and not bring some home with you. For our membership, I talk with regional leaders from around the country and the world about the programs they offer their members and how they do things, and that always yields some great ideas. And while I'm scribbling down my notes at workshops and key notes, part of my brain is always evaluating the speaker as possible Southern Breeze conference faculty.

Claudia: SCBWI offers an excellent community for professional writers and illustrators. I love touching base with so many wonderful authors, illustrators and acquiring professionals I have come to know over the years, and also meeting new people, like Ekua Holmes and Ibi Zoboi! Of course getting to meet Lois Lowery and Mildred Taylor are also huge highlights! These personal interactions make it much easier to evaluate and approach potential speakers for our own regional conferences.

Thanks for sharing, y'all! And P.S. Every year, I sulk a little bit, missing all the fun. But maybe it's a lot of work and no fun at all. What do you think?