Opportunities for KidLit Writers
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JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
DECEMBER 2019
1 CRAFTING AMAZING ANIMALS IN CHILDREN’S BOOKS with Evan Griffith
Half-Day Online Class: www.thewritingbarn.com
1 CRASH COURSE WRITING AND PUBLISHING YOUR MG-YA NOVEL
6-Week Course:
4 QUERYING AND PITCHING TO PUBLISHING PROFESSIONALS with Agent Rachael Orr
Webinar: https://ksmo.scbwi.org
4 REVISE, REWRITE, RE-IMAGINE with Mina Witteman
Webinar: https://wwa.scbwi.org/events/revise-rewrite-re-imagine-webinar-with-mina-witteman/
5 IPOC WOMEN'S SCHOLARSHIP
Winter Deadline: https://www.scbwi.org/ipoc-womens-scholarship-winter/
5 #PITMAD
Twitter Pitch Party: https://pitchwars.org/pitmad/
5 SHOW DON’T TELL
Half-Day Online Class: www.thewritingbarn.com
7 (NO) MORAL TO THE STORY
Half-Day Online Class: www.thewritingbarn.com
9 CREATING YOUR PORTFOLIO (for Illustrators) with Rebecca Evans
Free Webinar: https://mddewv.scbwi.org/
10 FORMATTING YOUR MANUSCRIPT with Kathy MacMillan
Free Webinar: https://mddewv.scbwi.org/
14 PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENT 101 AND BEYOND with Mike Malbrough
Webinar: https://westcentny.scbwi.org
14 CHARACTER DESIGN FOR CHILDREN'S BOOKS with Eda Kaban
Webinar: https://sfsouth.scbwi.org/events/characterdesign/
15 SCBWI MAGAZINE MERRIT AWARD
Deadline: https://www.scbwi.org/awards/crystal-kite-member-choice-award/
28 ROCK YOUR WRITING GOALS with Freelance Editor Mary Kole
Webinar: https://marykole.webinarninja.com
JANUARY 2020
1-31 STORYSTORM
Challenge in January for Picture Book Writers: https://taralazar.com/storystorm
1 REGISTRATION FOR 12X12
Annual challenge for Picture Book Writers: http://12x12challenge.com
4 PICTURE BOOK MASTERCLASS
6-Month Intensive Workshop with 3 meetings in Philadelphia, PA: https://epa.scbwi.or
4 HAVE A LITTLE HEART: WRITING THAT SPEAKS TO THE SOUL with Author Pat Miller
Webinar: https://utahsouthidaho.scbwi.org/
9-12 WEEKEND INTENSIVE: NEW YEAR, NEW YOU
Austin, TX: www.thewritingbarn.com
11 GETTING YOUR PICTURES ON THE PAGE with Elizabeth Dulemba
Webinar: https://carolinas.scbwi.org/
11 GETTING STARTED WITH PB BIOS
Half-Day Online Class: www.thewritingbarn.com
11 WRITING MG AND YA THAT SELLS
Half-Day Online Class: www.thewritingbarn.com
11 SAVE THE CAT! WRITES A NOVEL with Author Jessica Brody
Webinar: https://mddewv.scbwi.org
11 INTENSIVE: HOW TO GET AN AGENT with Agent Kelly Sonnack (Andrea Brown Literary Agency)
San Diego, CA: https://sandiego.scbwi.org
11 GETTING YOUR PICTURES ON THE PAGE with Author/Illustrator Elizabeth Dulemba
Webinar: https://carolinas.scbwi.org/
14 THE PRODUCTIVITY PROJECT with Author Marcie Colleen and Adam Greenfield
6-week Online Class: www.thewritingbarn.com
14 WRITING QUERIES, STRATEGIZING SUBMISSIONS AND INTERPRETING EDITORIAL FEEDBACK with Editor Deborah Halverson
Webinar: https://austin.scbwi.org
15 FROM SALE TO SHELF: THE DEBUT AUTHOR'S FIRST YEAR
5-month Online Class: www.highlightsfoundation.org
17-19 MIAMI REGIONAL SCBWI CONFERENCE
19 TBA with Author Pat Zietlow Miller
Webinar: https://indiana.scbwi.org
19-22 WRITING RETREAT FOR JEWISH KIDLIT AUTHORS
Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
20 CRAFTING NON-FICTION BOOK PROPOSAL
6-week Online Class: www.thewritingbarn.com
25 COPYEDITING AND PROOFREADING
Half-Day Online Class: www.thewritingbarn.com
26 WRITE. SUBMIT. SUPPORT. FOR PICTURE BOOK WRITERS
6-month Online Class: www.thewritingbarn.com
31 THE GOOD STORY GRANT
Grant Deadline:
FEBRUARY 2020
1-28 NONFICTION FEST
Challenge in February for Nonfiction KidLit Authors: https://www.facebook.com/groups/NFFest/?fref=nf
1 PLOTTING YOUR PICTURE BOOK
Half-Day Online Class: www.thewritingbarn.com
2 WRITE. SUBMIT. SUPPORT. FOR NOVELISTS with Carrie Jones
6-month Online Class: www.thewritingbarn.com
4 PERFECTING THE PICTURE BOOK 1
6-week Online Class: www.thewritingbarn.com
8-9 SCBWI WINTER CONFERENCE
New York, NY: https://www.scbwi.org/ny20-info/
15 PUBLICITY AND MARKETING
Half-Day Online Class: www.thewritingbarn.com
16 OPENING LINES, TONE AND TENSION
Half-Day Online Class: www.thewritingbarn.com
18 ELEMENTS OF EXCELLENT NONFICTION with Editor Carol Hinz
Half-Day Online Class: https://mddewv.scbwi.org
20 #PBPITCH
Twitter Pitch Party: http://www.pbpitch.com/
20 CRAFTING A SOLID NONFICTION BOOK PROPOSAL
6-week Online Class: www.thewritingbarn.com
20-23 PICTURE BOOK INTENSIVE: A RIVER OF WORDS
Austin, TX: www.thewritingbarn.com
21-23 WRITEON.COM
Online Conference for KidLit Writers: www.writeoncon.org
22 WHEN LESS IS MORE...CUTTING THE FLUFF TO FIND WHAT YOU REALLY WANT TO SAY with Author Pat Miller
Webinar: https://utahsouthidaho.scbwi.org/
22 WOW YOUR ART DIRECTOR WITH A BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED PORTFOLIO with Art Director Maria T. Middleton
Webinar: https://nevada.scbwi.org
23 GETTING TO KNOW YOUR NOVEL
5-month Online Class + Onsite Retreat in Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
23 WINTER WEBINAR SERIES with Author/Illustrator Carolyn Dee Flores
Webinar: https://indiana.scbwi.org
29 WRITING FOR EDUCATIONAL PUBLISHING
Half-Day Online Class: www.thewritingbarn.com
29 SCBWI BRAZOS VALLEY 2020 CONFERENCE
College Station, TX: https://brazosvalley.scbwi.org
MARCH 2020
1-31 CHAPTER BOOK CHALLENGE
Monthly Challenge for Chapter Book Writers: http://chapterbookchallenge.blogspot.com/
7 ILLUSTRATOR'S CONFERENCE: "ELEVATE YOUR ART"
Salt Lake City, UT: https://utahsouthidaho.scbwi.org
13-15 GOLDEN GATE CONFERENCE @ ASILOMAR
Pacific Grove, CA: https://sfsouth.scbwi.org
13-15 MD/DE/WV REGIONAL CONFERENCE
Linthicum Heights, MD: https://mddewv.scbwi.org
14 THE LOGIC OF STORYTELLING with Leila Sales
Austin, TX: www.thewritingbarn.com
20 A. ORR FANTASY GRANT
DEADLINE: https://www.scbwi.org/a-orr-fantasy-grant/
Entry Deadline: https://www.scbwi.org/awards/crystal-kite-member-choice-award/
21-22 SPRING FEVER ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Syracuse, NY: https://westcentny.scbwi.org
22-25 FINDING YOUR MUSE IN THE WOODS
Poetry Intensive for Published Writers in Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
25-28 CREATING PICTURE BOOKS WITH HUMOR & HEART
Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
27-28 KIDLITCON
Ann Arbor, MI: https://twitter.com/kidlitcon
28-31 TELLING IT TRUE: THE ART OF STORYTELLING IN NARRATIVE NONFICTION
Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
31 SCBWI WORK-IN-PROGRESS AWARD
Deadline: https://www.scbwi.org/awards/grants/work-in-progress-grants/
31 KAREN AND PHILIP CUSHMAN LATE BLOOMER AWARD
31 SCBWI DON FREEMAN ILLUSTRATOR GRANT
Deadline: https://www.scbwi.org/awards/grants/work-in-progress-grants/don-freeman-illustrator-grants/
APRIL 2020
1 ANN WHITFORD PAUL-WRITERS DIGEST MANUSCRIPT AWARD
DEADLINE: https://www.scbwi.org/the-ann-whitford-paul-writers-digest-book-award/
3-4 BLUE RIDGE WRITER'S CONFERENCE with Author/Illustrator Elizabeth Dulemba
Blue Ridge, GA: www.blueridgewritersconference.com
6 PB BIOGRAPHIES: STYLE AND SUBSTANCE with Rob Sanders
6-week Online Class: www.thewritingbarn.com
7 HEART AND HUMOR OF AMY KROUSE ROSENTHAL
6-week Online Class: www.thewritingbarn.com
16 PERFECTING THE PICTURE BOOK 2
6-week Online Class: www.thewritingbarn.com
19-22 MAKING MAGIC: WRITING AND REFINING FANTASTICAL AND OTHERWORLDLY STORIES
Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
24-26 RECHARGE YOUR WRITING RETREAT
Conception, MO: https://ksmo.scbwi.org
26-29 SYMPOSIUM FOR JEWISH CHILDREN'S LITERATURE
Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
30-M3 COLOR, LIGHT, LINE, AND TEXTURE
Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
MAY 2020
1-3 BIG THAW RETREAT with Agent Jennifer March Soloway (Andrea Brown Literary Agency)
TALKEETNA, AK: https://alaska.scbwi.org
1-3 NEW ENGLAND REGIONAL CONFERENCE: "Finding Joy in the Journey"
Springfield, MA: https://newengland.scbwi.org
2-3 AUSTIN WRITERS & ILLUSTRATORS WORKING CONFERENCE
Austin, TX: https://austin.scbwi.org
1-7 NATIONAL PICTURE BOOK WRITING WEEK
Challenge to write a picture book in one week: https://napibowriwee.com
4 WRITERS DIGEST ANNUAL WRITING COMPETITION
Deadline: www.writersdigest.com
7-10 FROM PREMISE TO PITCH: GET SUBMISSION-READY WITH TWO AGENTS
Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
9 ONE DAY MAY FEST CONFERENCE
San Diego, CA: https://sandiego.scbwi.org
10-17 WRITING THE UNREAL: FANTASY AND SPECULATIVE FICTION
Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
15-17 AUTHENTIC VOICES WRITING RETREAT
Ennis, MT: https://montana.scbwi.org
17-21 GETTING YOUR MIDDLE GRADE OR YOUNG ADULT NOVEL UNSTUCK
Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
26-30 CRAFTING SUCCESSFUL AUTHOR & ILLUSTRATOR VISITS
Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
JUNE 2020
3-7 GATHER RETREAT FOR PUBLISHED AUTHORS & ILLUSTRATORS
Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
9 REVISION RETREAT
Multi-week Online Course + Onsite Retreat at Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
11-14 NOVELS IN VERSE: ANALYZE AND GENERATE
Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
14-17 WRITING FIRST CHAPTER BOOKS AND EARLY READERS
Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
17-20 DEVELOPING A SERIES IN CHAPTER BOOKS
Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
20-23 PB&J: PICTURE BOOKS AND ALL THAT JAZZ
Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
23-27 WRITING FOR THE. EDUCATIONAL MARKET
Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
JULY 2020
6-9 DISRUPTING YOUTH LITERATURE SYMPOSIUM
Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
10-15 SUMMER CAMP IN WRITING FICTION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS
Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
15-19 SUMMER CAMP IN WRITING NONFICTION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS
Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
19-22 SUMMER CAMP INTENSIVE IN ILLUSTRATION
Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
AUGUST 2020
5-9 SCIENCE AND NATURE WRITING FOR KIDS AND TEENS
Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
9-12 POWER UP POETRY: MAKING CONNECTIONS WITH POETRY COLLECTIONS
Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
13-16 THE INS AND OUTS OF A PICTURE BOOK AND ITS MANY FORMS
Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
16-22 THE WHOLE NOVEL WORKSHOP
Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
27-30 MASTER CLASS IN ILLUSTRATION
Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
SEPTEMBER 2020
10-13 PICTURE BOOKS: INSPIRATION AND PERSPIRATION
Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
13-16 WRITING THE RAINBOW: MIDDLE GRADE AND YOUNG ADULT SYMPOSIUM
Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
29-O2 LATINXWRITERS SYMPOSIUM
Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
OCTOBER 2020
4-11 WRITING THE UNREAL IN FANTASY AND SPECULATIVE FICTION
Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
11-15 FILLING THE WRITERS TOOLBOX with Editor Emma Dryden
Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
15-18 WRITING FOR ILLUSTRATORS INTENSIVE
Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
18-22 THE CRAFT AND HEART OF WRITING POETRY FOR CHILDREN
Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
22-25 CRAFTING A SUCCESSFUL BEGINNING FOR YOUR NOVEL
Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
22-25 WORKING POETS RETREAT
Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
25-28 HOW TO CREATE CONCEPT BOOKS FOR CHILDREN
Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
29-O1 PUSHING THE LIMITS: WRITING EXPERIMENTAL FICTION FOR MG AND YA READERS
Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
NOVEMBER 2020
1-30 NATIONAL NOVEL WRITING MONTH
Challenge to write a novel in one month: https://www.nanowrimo.org/
6-8 CAROLINAS SCBWI FALL CONFERENCE
Charlotte, NC: https://carolinas.scbwi.org/
8-11 CREATING NONFICTION PICTURE BOOKS IN A CHANGING WORLD
Milanville, PA: www.highlightsfoundation.org
DECEMBER 2020