September 28 – September 30, 2018, I spent the weekend at the SCBWI Carolinas “Word and Line” conference. The weekend was filled with craft, networking, and catching up with fellow writers and Pennies.

But you know the feeling you get after spending a week or weekend at a workshop or conference filling your mind with ideas, tips, inspiration, and motivation? It’s a little exhaustion, a little excitement, and a lot of believing your head is literally going to explode!

After conferences, the first thing I do is take a breath. Or two. Or three. Then I give all that new knowledge time to sink in. Sometimes that means doing non-writer activities such as spending time with family or house cleaning, while other times I’m ready to dive into my manuscript. This time I decided to write a post about what I learned.

CRAFT

• Stories are like rollercoasters moving smoothly on rails but with twists and turns. Movements should be gradual and curvy.
• How you start a story is how you end and should reflect the tone of the book. For example, start with action, end with action.
• The tone in the beginning of a book lets the reader know what to expect and what the story is about.
• If a scene or chapter isn’t working, the first thing to look at is what’s important. If there isn’t anything, it isn’t needed.
• When writing, keep in mind that shorter paragraphs and less ambiguous language and gestures may be better for readers who have difficulty with English and have disabilities such as autism.

MOTIVATION

• Every child is precious. Every person has a story. Everyone deserves dignity.
• One book doesn’t make or break you.
• Find out what scares you and do it. You can make a difference if you choose to do so.

NETWORKING

• Conferences are great places to meet and mingle with agents, editors, and other writers.
• Being at a conference is a great way to be a part of the writing community.
• Get involved by volunteering
• If possible, take advantage of manuscript critiques, participate in social activities such as lunches, dinners, and games.

INFORMATION

• Publishing contracts include: information on territories, royalties, subrights, proposed deadlines, proposed publishing dates, payouts.
• Bookbub is a book discovery platform/service for readers. It can also be a marketing strategy for publishers and authors.
• Writers and illustrators find agents in many ways such as the slush pile, conferences, and contests.

LINKS

SCBWI – Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators

Manuscript Wish List – Website with agents and editors wish lists. Also follow #MSWL on Twitter

Pitch Wars – Mentoring contest

Writing in the Margins – Mentoring program

BookBub – Book discovery service

Amanda Rawson Hill, Author  – posts about theme

I’d love to hear your favorite tips and advice from conferences and workshops you’ve attended. Please leave them in the comments!