Join us for our London Professional Series, which covers various aspects of children's book creation and publishing. These sessions provide a wonderful opportunity to socialize with other people from the children's book world and gain vital information to improve your work. This year's topics were selected based on the top responses from a feedback questionnaire. All events will be hosted at the same central London location with easy access from multiple train and Tube stations. A bar will be available for attendees to purchase drinks. All events start at 7 p.m. and conclude at 9 p.m.
Space is limited for most sessions. A number of the 2006 sessions were ‘sold out.' The only way to ensure your space at all sessions at the cheapest session rate is to sign up for the complete series. Series subscriptions are available for £45 for all six sessions (SCWBI members); £60 (non-members). The cost will be: £10 on the door for each session (SCWBI members); £15 (non-members).
To sign up for individual sessions, RSVP to profseries@britishscbwi.org and send your check for £10 for SCBWI members or £15 for non-members to the address below. Checks should be received no later than the day before a session.
22 FEBRUARY 2007: Masterclass on Novel Writing – It's a great storyline but the characters don't quite live? You're six chapters In and can get no further? Take your novel to the next level with wisdom from Pamela Johnson , writer critic and curator. This session will assume you know the basics of novel writing. Pamela will offer fresh ways to approach work-in-progress. Pamela has published two novels, Under Construction and Deep Blue Silence . Her third, Taking In Water , will be published in 2007. Her short stories and poems are published in anthologies. Her critical work includes Ideas In the Making . She teaches fiction writing on the MA In Creative and Life Writing at Goldsmiths College , University of London , and is working on her fourth novel. .
26 APRIL 2007: School Visits and Self Promotion— Cliff McNish , author of the highly popular Doomspell Trilogy , The Silver Sequence , Breathe and the forthcoming Angel , offers a variety of talks and workshops in schools, libraries, reading clubs and book festivals. Cliff will explain how to organize successful school visits and share ideas on how writers can promote themselves and their work.
24 MAY 2007: Author Insights and Inspiration — Learn from acclaimed author Lee Weatherly — author of several teen fiction titles (including Kat Got Your Tongue, Missing Abby and Child X ) and of an upcoming eight-book fantasy series for younger readers, to be published by Bloomsbury in 2008. Lee is co-author of a new book for writers, Teach Yourself How to Write a Blockbuster, and is also a gifted writing coach. She'll share how she's transformed her ideas into novels for the children's market, and offer suggestions to help authors rise above the slush pile.
21 JUNE 2007: Team Spirit: From Submission to Sale . An Editor's View of Creating a Children's Picture Book — Emma Layfield , commissioning editor for picture books at Hodder Children's Books, will explain Hodder's editorial and commissioning process for picture books and describe how the Hodder team works with new and established authors and illustrators to produce a diverse range of children's picture books from well-loved characters such as Emma Thomson's Felicity Wishes to stand alone texts, including Sam Williams' That's Love and Neal Layton's ingenious pop-up book The Story of Everything . .
20 SEPTEMBER 2007: Building a Career — Does the publication of your first book, either as an illustrator or an author, mark the fulfilment your ambition, or is it the first step in what you hope will be an exciting career? If your answer is the latter then this session is for you. Before moving into children's books Sally Gardner was a theatre and costume designer for fifteen years. On the birth of her twins she began a career in illustration and is now a hugely popular children's author and illustrator with many wonderful books to her credit including the Nestle prize winning historical fairy story I,Coriander, the beautiful The Glass Heart and The Fairy Catalogue. Sally will share her experiences and insights into what it takes to build and maintain a successful career.
7 NOVEMBER 2007: Harry Potter and Beyond: Fiction at Bloomsbury — Maybe you've heard of Harry Potter? His literary home is Bloomsbury . Bloomsbury 's children's catalogue reads like a who's who in children's literature. Not only do they published the aforementioned Potter but they also boast a collection of children's literature classics and offer books from beloved and respected authors, such as Louis Sachar, Angie Sage, Jeanette Winterson, Alexander McCall Smith and Mary Hooper. Emma Matthewson , deputy editorial director at Bloomsbury children's books, will offer her insights into children's book publishing. She'll review what she's looking for in up-and-coming children's fiction and give her opinions on what works and what doesn't.
Interested? Fill up this booking form and post to Margaret Carrey, Little Orchard, Pednor Road, Chesham, Buckinghamshire HP5 2SS. Or email profseries@britishscbwi.org
All events will take place at:
The Theodore Bullfrog pub
First floor meeting room
26-30 John Adam Street
London WC2N 6HL
Tel: 020 7839 2697
Nearest Tube stops: Charing Cross (0.1 miles); Embankment (0.1 miles); Leicester Square (0.3 miles)
Nearest National Rail Service: London Charing Cross (0.1 miles); London Waterloo (0.7 miles); London Waterloo East (0.7 miles)