Spring To Success With SpringMingle'19 and EDITORS!

We’re delighted to have a dynamic duo of editors presenting at SpringMingle ’19. Here’s a little bit of what we can expect from each of them:

Jessica Anderson is an Assistant Editor at Christy Ottaviano Books (an imprint of Henry Holt Books for Young Readers). She is looking for lyrical picture book biographies, quirky middle grade, and gritty contemporary realistic YA. She will be teaching part of the novel intensive on Friday and two breakout sessions on Saturday.

Aubrey Poole is an Editor at Hachette’s JIMMY Patterson Books imprint. She wants commercial picture book, middle grade, and YA projects with authentic, diverse voices, strong commercial hooks, and taut pacing. She will be teaching in both the pro and novel intensives on Friday as well as two breakouts on Saturday.

Both of these talented editors are offering formal critiques, an excellent opportunity to get professional advice on your work. Book yours before slots fill!

And don't forget to Spread the Word! You can win $50 off your Springmingle (which means you can save enough to get one of those formal critiques)! Find more details about the Spread the Word Contest here. But you can't win if you don't register for Springmingle'19!


                                               CLICK HERE TO REGISTER TODAY!

EVERYONE A WINNER AT WIK'18: Deborah Halverson and Teen Talk Tips

The deadline for submitting manuscripts for formal critiques may have passed (hope you all got your manuscripts in on time!), but that doesn’t mean there aren’t still great opportunities for those attending wik’18 to enhance their conference experience with optional activities. 

There are still slots available for One-on-One sessions with an agent, and Linda Sue Park, Matt Ringler, Janice Hardy, Heather Montgomery and Jodi Wheeler Toppen, Kami Kinard and Rebecca Petruck, and Deborah Halverson are all teaching morning intensives on Sunday.

Deborah Halverson is one of SCBWI’s superstar teachers. When it comes to writing for teens, she wrote the book – literally, THE book on how to write for teens and young adults.

We hear it all the time: you need to have the right “voice” for your teenage character. Easier said than done when it comes to writing dialogue. For some of us it has been decades since we were teens ourselves, and have you tried to actually talk with teens the way teens talk?

Oh, the way they look at you, like you’re all creepy or weird even if you get the jargon just right. There’s just something about an AARP member throwing around teen slang in a conversation that feels awkward.

So if you can’t converse in teen-talk with teens to make sure you get it right, what can you do to develop that skill?

I was lucky enough to attend one of Deborah’s intensives on writing for a teen audience while at an SCBWI conference, and know that those attending her intensive will come out with new tools in their writing toolbox. You won’t want to miss a single tip, resource url or sneaky way to eavesdrop on teens talking with teens. Way better than camping out at the food court in the mall.

                         REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! CLICK :::HERE:::TO REGISTER!

Claudia Pearson, Regional Advisor for Southern Breeze, is a retired trial attorney, earned a masters degree from Hollins University in Children's Literature, speaks French, and once worked as a sous chef in a French restaurant. She writes a bit of everything and has published two books about children's books.

A SEASON OF GIVING WITH WIK’18 - COZY CRITIQUE GROUPS

On the 12th day of wik'18 registration, Southern Breeze gives to you...

Critical yet comforting and cozy critique groups!

There's nothing quite like professional feedback for a dearly loved manuscript or illustration. But there is nothing like having your writing and/or artistic dreams quashed ruthlessly by a room full of strangers! And that's why the Informal Critique Groups offered at wik'18 are so valuable.

Whether you are a writer or an illustrator, you'll have the opportunity to sit down in a small group with others and discuss your work. You'll be in a supportive environment, and what's more, we make sure that similar writers end up in the appropriate groups so that if you have a picture book, for example, you'll get feedback from other picture book writers. You may find yourself seated next to someone who has a dozen picture books traditionally published, while the person across from you may have just self-published. It's that kind of varied constructive feedback that can really make a difference in your career!

And best of all, the informal critiques are free!

Now, in case you've lost count of all the gifts we have for you at wik'18, here's the list:

Informal Critique Groups! (Absolutely free!)

Quickfire Portfolio Reviews! (Also absolutely free!)

Six Inspiring Intensives! (They fill up quickly, so please register today to get just the inspiring intensive you want!)

Four Awesome Agents! (They're offering One-on-One sessions, but those, too, will fill up fast!)

Two Terrific Editors! (For illustrators and writers!)

And an Early Bird Discount! (Which ends at midnight today!)

Oh! And our very special gift is an invitation to the faculty dinner on Saturday after the conference! Boy, I bet TracyGA is going to have a ton of fun there! Please send an email to RA Claudia Pearson at SouthernBreeze@SCBWI.org to get more information about claiming your gift.

But all y'all (as we say in Southern Breeze) can claim a whole 12 days of gifts in our Season of Giving! They're all there, waiting just for you, and all you have to do is register for wik'18!

So start your New Year with the best gift you can give to yourself and join us in March for wik'18!

A SEASON OF GIVING WITH WIK’18—TWO TERRIFIC EDITORS

On the third day of wik'18 registration, Southern Breeze gives to you...

Okay, yes. Registration has been going on for a whole week but we've got a theme going on here and so it works for us. You know who else loves to see a theme working?

Editors. And wik'18 just happens to have two of 'em!

Two editors--that's quite a gift! But we have an even better gift for you: when you attend wik'18, you have the opportunity to submit to the conference editors (and the agents)!

So let's take a look at our wik'18 editors:

First up is Deborah Shine. She's the editor and founder of Star Bright Books, and she's been publishing diverse books for almost a quarter of a century. Next is Matt Ringler with Scholastic. He's a senior editor specializing in chapter book, middle grade, and young adult fiction.

You can find out more about our two terrific editors at Tradewinds, the Southern Breeze exclusive newsletter for members. Or research Scholastic or Star Bright Books in SCBWI's The Book. It's filled with tons of kidlit insider information, and it's yours free with your membership.

If you're serious about writing for children, then it's time for SCBWI and wik'18. Register today and take advantage of all our gifts:

Two Terrific Editors!

Four Awesome Agents!

Early Bird Discount for members and non-members!

And big congrats to Jo Kittinger and Sherri Rivers, the winners of our books from our conference authors! Please send an email to Southern Breeze RA, Claudia Pearson, at Southern-Breeze@SCBWI.org to get the details about your prize.

And keep coming back, Breezers, 'cause there are more gifts coming your way!