2012 SCBWI Florida Regional Conference

Mad About Children’s Publishing!

Register online at:
http://www.scbwiflorida.com/

When: January 13-15, 2012 (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday)
Location: Sheraton Miami Airport Hotel

Here's a peek at the schedule:

FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012
8:00 – 9:00 AM Intensive Registration (choose one)

Picture Book: Presented by Janeen Mason and Diane Muldrow

Leveled Readers/Early Chapter Books: Presented by Bonnie Bader and Natalie Lescroart

Novel: Presented by Marietta Zacker and Dorian Cirrone

8:00 – 9:00 AM Intensive Registration

9:00 – 4:00 PM Intensives

3:30 – 4:30 PM Conference Registration/Drop off First Page Critiques

4:30 – 5:00 PM Meet Your SCBWI Florida Team

5:00 – 5:45 PM First Books Panel

(Jessica Martinez, Laura Murray, Augusta Scattergood, and Medeia Sharif)

Laura Murray is a member of my critique group, and the author of this adorable picture book:

The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School
Written by Laura Murray
Illustrations by Mike Lowery

When a class leaves for recess, their just-baked Gingerbread Man is left behind. But he's a smart cookie and heads out to find them. He'll run, slide, skip, and (after a mishap with a soccer ball) limp as fast as he can because: "I can catch them! I'm their Gingerbread Man!"

(I blogged about it here.)

Note: Our group of five members has sold three picture books so far. YAY!

5:45 PM Go to the buses for trip to Books & Books

6:30 PM Reception at Books & Books

6:45 PM Guest Speaker TBA

7:30 – 9:00 PM Dinner on your own.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 14, 2012
7:00AM – 8:30 AM Conference Registration

8:00 AM – 4:30 PM Art Exhibit

8:30 AM – 8:45 AM Regional Advisor Linda Rodriguez Bernfeld

(Welcome and Announcements)

8:45 AM – 9:30 AM Donna Jo Napoli:

“The Writer’s Most Important Job And How To Do It!”

9:30 AM – 10:00 AM E. B. Lewis:

“Process-vs-Product: The Journey”

10:00 AM – 10:15 AM Break

10:15 AM – 11:00 AM Editor Panel

11:00 AM – 11:30 AM First-Page Critiques, First Impressions

11:30 AM – Noon Market Update (Skype)

Noon – 1:00 PM Lunch

1:00 PM – 1:45 PM Lin Oliver:

“Ten Lessons Learned From SCBWI Stories”

1:45 PM – 2:00 PM Break

2:00 PM – 2:45 PM Agent Panel

2:45 PM – 3:00 PM Break

3:00 PM – 3:30 PM Greg Neri:

“Stranger Than Fiction: Ghetto Cowboys, Little Killers and Black Confederate Rebels.”

3:30 PM – 4:15 PM Cheryl Klein:

“Eight Ways To Hook Readers On Your Characters”

4:15 PM – 6:30 PM Critiques

7:30 PM – 11:00 PM “The Mad Hatter’s Ball!”

(Wear your most curious costume or it’s off with your head!)

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012
7:00 AM – 8:45 AM Critique Group Leaders’ Meeting

9:00 AM – 10:30 AM Workshop 1 (attend one)

Donna Jo Napoli: “How to Make Your Readers Feel They Are Inside the Scene”

Natalie Lescroart: “The Elements of Voice”

Bonnie Bader and Lin Oliver: “Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Series”

Laurie Calkhoven: “Quitting Your Day Job: Making a Living as a Freelance Writer”

Cheryl Klein: “The Principles of Plot”

Tamar Brazis: “The Art of Friendship in Children’s Picture Books”

10:30 AM – 10:45 AM Break

10:45 AM – 12:15 Workshop 2 (attend one)

Greg Neri: “Freeing Your Prose Through Verse: How Writing Free-Verse Poetry Can Make You a Better Writer”

Janeen Mason and Curtis Sponsler: “Book Trailer Magic”

Diane Muldrow: What Makes A Golden Book? What I Acquire and Why”

Jill Corcoran: “How to Improve Your Writing Voice and Characters’ Voices”

Marietta Zacker and Laura Murray: “Client and Agent: Working Together on Business and Craft”

Barry Furrow: “From Paper Books to eBooks: How to Protect the Author’s interests”

E. B. Lewis: “So You Want to be an Illustrator? The Things One Needs to Do to Survive as Illustrator in this Ever Changing Market”

12:15 PM – 1:00 PM Wrap-Up: Main Meeting Room

I have to miss the conference this year, but I sure hope you don't. There are so many opportunities for writers and illustrators at this SCBWI Florida event.

Cheers!