Read SCBWI's May Insight edition now!

May 1, 2018

LA18: A Closer Look

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This year the SCBWI Summer Conference in Los Angeles will unveil a new format on the optional Intensive Day, Monday, August 6th. The full-day session entitled "A Closer Look" will combine the instructional elements of a craft-oriented intensive with the opportunity for writers to have their work reviewed by two different experts in the field.

Celebrate May Happy Book Birthdays

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This month we’re celebrating over fifty newly released books in our May Happy Book Birthday party. Happy Book Birthday gives you the chance to proudly present your new book on a beautifully designed page that is shared on our website and social media; every month we randomly select one submission, which we then buy ten copies of and donate to a worthy organization. This month’s winner is The Hugsmiler’s Hugs by Jessica L. Simons: ten copies of her book will be donated to Reader to Reader, which you can learn more about here .

Submissions for the June Happy Book Birthday are open from April 15 until May 20, no exceptions. CLICK HERE to learn how to celebrate with us.

Book Launch Award now open

July 1 is the deadline to submit to the Book Launch Award, a grant that exists to help an SCBWI member promote their newly published work. Past winners have used the $2,000 prize to finance book tours, book trailers, website development, school events, and more. For this month’s Insight, 2017 Book Launch recipient Tami Charles reflects on how she made the most out of her win.

On the Shelves

Independent Book Fairs: Bookworm Central

by Sarah Diamond

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The last few decades have seen a slow rise of independent book fairs that are not affiliated with a single publisher, a freedom that can allow them to sell a more flexible selection of children’s books. One example is Bookworm Central, a popular company in the Washington metropolitan area known for its unique and carefully curated collections.

Illustrator Info

A glance at graphic novels

by Sarah Baker

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Graphic novels have been growing in popularity for years. No longer just for superheroes, graphic novels and comics can tell stories that are hilarious or tense, quirky or heartbreaking. They’re loved by children of all ages and are especially helpful in giving struggling or reluctant the confidence to read on their own.

Graphic novels—and their creators—are extremely versatile. No two create graphic stories in the same way. We’ve reached out to several illustrators, writers, and graphic novel editors and asked them about their process.

SCBWI Exclusive with...

Nami Tripathi

Namrata Tripathi is VP & Publisher of Kokila, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers dedicated to centering stories from the margins. Kokila publishes picture books, middle grade, YA, and graphic novels. The Kokila list will debut in summer 2019. Previously, Namrata held editorial positions at HarperCollins, Disney-Hyperion, and Simon and Schuster. She is the editor of the picture books Islandborn by Junot Díaz and Leo Espinosa and The Book of Mistakes by Corinna Luyken; the middle grade novels The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani, and Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley; and the YA novels Where Things Come Back , Noggin , and Highly Illogical Behavior , by John Corey Whaley.

READ THE INTERVIEW