Disability Inclusion 101: Five Tips for Writing Disability “Right”

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authors, disability, illustrators, inclusion, Karol Ruth Silverstein, publishing, SCBWI community, SCBWI events, writing tips

by Karol Ruth Silverstein

Disability is everywhere, sometimes hidden, sometimes unmistakable. Disabled people make up the largest and most diverse minority group in the world. So—yes—disability should be abundant in our children’s literature as well. But is “bad” (i.e., inaccurate, inauthentic, insensitive) representation better than no representation at all?

SCBWI CenCal Writers’ Day 2019: What’s Next?

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Alexis O'Neill Volunteer of the Year, Carol Heyer Mentorshihp, CenCal Writer's Day, Charlotte Wenger, Illustration awards, Karen Jameson, Kari Sutherland, Karol Ruth Silverstein, middle grade, Nikki Barthelmess, Rachael Stein

by Ann Rousseau Smith, SCBWI CenCal News Liaison

After numerous wildfires and road closure scares, we had a lovely, informative, and inspiring Writers’ Day on Saturday, October 12. Faculty included Kari Sutherland from the Bradford Literary Agency, Charlotte Wenger with Prospect Agency, and Rachael Stein, editor at Sterling Children’s Books. We also heard emotion-filled, inspiring speeches from three spotlight speakers: Nikki Barthelmess, Karen Jameson, and Karol Ruth Silverstein. After speeches, first page panels, and a writing contest, what’s the next step or steps a conference attendee might pursue?

Attending the Annual Summer Conference For the First Time as a PAL Member

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Author Tips, conferences, Karol Ruth Silverstein, PAL, published, SCBWI Annual Summer Conference, SCBWI events

by Karol Ruth Silverstein

With my debut YA novel Cursed on bookstore shelves, there was no way I was going to miss SCBWI Annual Summer Conference this year. Attending as a published author for the first time was definitely a different experience.

Here are my 5 takeaways:

Volunteer Spotlight: 2018 Sue Alexander Service and Encouragement Award Winner

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Cursed, Karol Ruth Silverstein, SASE, SCBWI events, SCBWI members, Sue Alexander Service and Encouragement Award, volunteering, volunteers

Each year, the Sue Alexander Service and Encouragement Award is presented to a regional volunteer who has shown exceptional dedication to SCBWI Los Angeles. This year’s winner, Karol Ruth Silverstein, credits her time volunteering as Schmooze/LitMingle Meister with signing with an agent and subsequently selling a book. She’s since moved on to be our Contest Coordinator and is so dedicated, she was just featured in our previous “Volunteer Spotlight” (here). So instead of the usual spotlight fare, I thought we’d do something a little different and ask Karol some fun questions.

SARAH PARKER-LEE: If you could volunteer for anything you wanted to, other than SCBWI, what would you choose?

Having a Mentor Just Might Lead to a Manuscript That Sells

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Andrea J. Loney, Karol Ruth Silverstein, mentors, mentorships, publishing, SCBWI community, SCBWI members, Wade Bradford

by Karol Ruth Silverstein, Contest Coordinator

It’s common knowledge that having a mentor can impact your writing career in wonderful ways. Sometimes the impact is immediately apparent; other times it takes a while for the coaching a mentee receives to translate into career success.

My own experience falls into both categories.

Volunteer Spotlight: How Volunteering Helped Me Save Myself from Myself

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Jennifer Pitts, Karol Ruth Silverstein, LitMingle, Marcelle Greene, SCBWI board, SCBWI members

by Karol Ruth Silverstein

Editor’s Note: A “changing of the guard” has taken place recently at LA SCBWI, with our wonderful Contest Coordinator, Marcelle Green passing that baton to our equally wonderful Mingle Meister, Karol Ruth Silverstein, who has, in turn, passed the Mingle Meister baton to, yes, another wonderful volunteer: Jennifer Pitts. Read on as Karol explains the change-over, and why the contest-addiction struggle is real! Many thanks to Marcelle for all her hard work over the year. We wish her the best of luck on all her future endeavors! And welcome to the team, Jennifer!

I have a confession: I was addicted to entering contests.

Unlike casual contest entrants, who may really benefit from the manufactured deadlines and bravery required to put their work out there (not to mention the potential cash and prizes — woohoo!), it became an unhealthy obsession for me. Writers Day events weren’t about the great faculty and enjoying a fun day with my fellow children’s book writers and illustrators. Increasingly, they became about the contest. If my manuscript won — which a few have — I was high as a kite. If I didn’t win or place in the contest — which is what happens more often than not — the day felt like a total waste. Never mind the inspiring keynotes or illuminating panels. Even if I came in second or third, the initial high of being “a winner” was soon replaced by the disappointment of not having been deemed “the best.”

I’d literally dream of winning contests. Any addiction specialist will tell you that the cure for obsessive compulsion is complete abstinence. But could I do it? Could I really walk away from entering all the SCBWI LA contests voluntarily? I wasn’t sure I could.