06 Wednesday Jan 2021
Posted in Tips and Tools
Now that 2020 is, thankfully, behind us and we’re all making plans for the coming year as best we can, we hope you are looking ahead at 2021 with renewed energy. With that in mind, our mighty Regional Team has provided their favorite writing process and productivity tips to help shake off the holiday season and give us a boost for whatever project we’re tackling.
Here are our Regional Team’s writing process tips:
23 Wednesday Dec 2020
Posted in Los Angeles
In a year filled with challenges, our amazing storytelling community continues to thrive, feeding our creative souls in so many ways.
16 Wednesday Dec 2020
Posted in Central Coast
25 Wednesday Nov 2020
Posted in Toot Your Horn!
SCBWI members’ publishing news is something to celebrate here at Kite Tales! Check out whose book is coming to a platform near you or around the world. Horn-tooting and digital hi-fives welcome in the comments!
11 Wednesday Nov 2020
Posted in Central Coast, Contests & Grants, Tips and Tools, Tri-Regional News
by Anonymous SCBWI Contest Judge
Years ago, I’d sit among other eager writers, waiting to hear if my submission had won “Special Mention” or even better, “Most Promising.” Watching the elated winner claim their award, I’d wonder why my story didn’t capture the prize.
Now as a contest judge who’s “been there,” I hope that sharing my insights on how to take a story from good to impressive will help another aspiring writer.
Judges respond to stories that engage us. I may love some genres more than others, but when judging, I set aside personal preferences and look at the caliber of the work.
I read contest submissions multiple times to answer two key questions:
28 Wednesday Oct 2020
Posted in Great News!
SCBWI loves celebrating our members’ successes and noteworthy news, and there are many! Read on to find out who’s got something to shout about. Digital high-fives welcome in the comments!
30 Wednesday Sep 2020
Posted in Author's Perspective, Tips and Tools
by Colleen McAllister
Stuck in an endless hole of research? Overwhelmed by what you still must learn in order to write your manuscript? Is it stopping you from moving forward?
Here’s how to refocus and make a directed approach that will break you out of your standstill.
When I worked as a Hollywood film executive, part of my job was researching topics our CEO was interested in. I had to cover the topic quickly, gain a thorough working knowledge of it, then regurgitate what I learned in an interesting, easy-to-digest way. Topics ranged from the concept of Biohacking, to researching a video game company, to “futurists” and what they’re thinking about!
I usually had a few hours to turn my research around and zero knowledge of these topics beforehand. Under time pressure and a desire to impress my boss, I learned how to do comprehensive research in no time flat. Here are some tips to help you do the same!
09 Wednesday Sep 2020
When you dream something and envision it, goals drive you onwards.
At the encouragement of my childhood friend, I became an SCBWI member and attended the 2013 Los Angeles summer conference. Although I wrote marketing copy or non-fiction often at work, and had developed stories and poems for fun, I never considered myself a writer. In my misbelief, only English majors became authors. That was not me. I could not write like them.
Regardless, I attended the 2013 SCBWI Summer Conference.
26 Wednesday Aug 2020
Posted in Author's Perspective, Community Corner
At the start of quarantine, I checked in with my writer friends. All of them reported they simply couldn’t write or open a book. They berated themselves, something painfully easy for writers. The anguish of loss and uncertainty during this global pandemic was taking a toll on their creativity. Feeling no different, I was terrified of even glancing at my half-baked manuscript. I feared it would go unfinished.
I didn’t want that to happen, so I took a leap.
Continue reading19 Wednesday Aug 2020
Posted in Author's Perspective, Tips and Tools
Tags
book option, Colleen McAllister, Hollywood, Maddie Breeland, manuscript option, Nathan Schram, option, tips
by Colleen McAllister
Hollywood executives are on the prowl for the book or series that could become their next franchise long before a manuscript is published. But what are they looking for and how do they find it?
We’ll hear from Nathan Schram, Senior Manager of Animation Development at Nickelodeon, and Maddie Breeland, Development Executive in charge of developing material for Fox, Disney and most recently Anvil Pictures, about how they find your book.
COLLEEN MCALLISTER: What does the process look like as far as how you look for book manuscripts to option?
Continue reading