SCBWI New York Conference Re-cap
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What a good summary! Thank you for the inspiration Simone!
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Excellent thoughts and information. Thanks for taking the time to put it all down.
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Thanks, Simone for sharing your experiences. Subjective? Yes, but extremely helpful and encouraging. I too find myself questioning every stroke, every color and every texture and enjoying it less and less. I am envious of those who are free and expressive in their style. I can't afford to go to the conferences, but maybe one day I will find what you found. You gave me a little more hope. Thanks.
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Thanks for the recap! Sounds like lots of awesome info and a great overall experience.
I loved my experience last year and would have loved to meet you and @Naroth-Kean this year, but with an 8 month old this was not my year. Hopefully some SVSers can make it next year since I'm planning to go! I'm one of the lucky ones for whom attendance at this particular conference does not require a plane ticket on top of the tuition and hotel fees (just a few hours in a car or a train) so I completely understand how its hard for others to make it.
I'm glad there are opportunities such as the Tomie De Paola award for illustrators to go who might not be able to attend otherwise. I'm also glad that it's going to be judged differently in future years. It had been pointed out that a few people kept getting in the top picks when it was the same judge every year--Tomie is a great illustrator, but he likes what he likes I guess. Having other judges will give more people with different styles a better shot I think.
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Thanks for your insight @smceccarelli!
Especially the part about Psychological impact. You covered some good stuff in there and gave us some things to think about.
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Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience
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thank you so much for the recap. i hope to make it to the summer one. I like the idea of being you, instead of trying to fit what others want. I am trying to build realistic expectations of how things will go. I am an introvert and find it hard to start conversations with strangers too, so its nice to know others have that too.
if you are going to the summer one, it would be fun to meet up. -
You have done such great job on describing the event! I would not have done any better, and I totally agree on everything. It was great meeting you! I would attend the conference again next year and might brought couple friends who also artists and wanting to be in the children's book publishing field.
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@smceccarelli Thanks for putting down your experiences and reactions in so much detail! I'm really glad that it was all worthwhile for you - it sounds like a fantastic and energising experience, being around so many passionate and committed people. And it's great that you got to meet @Naroth-Kean
Hopefully there will be more occasions like this to follow -
Wow, thank you so much for sharing your awesome experience! I'll be attending the SCBWI Golden Gate Conference this March for the first time. You've given me some good expectations to what I may encounter at the conference. I'm also thinking I might attend the LA conference this year, as well.
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@MirkaH Yes - it gets better with age, but I still need to make a conscious effort to approach strangers. It is quite normal, I believe. At SCBWI conference it is easy, because you have a ready-made first line: "Are you a writer or an illustrator?". From there it all flows!
I am not likely to go to LA - I am going to the Europolitan one instead, in Bruxelles. Maybe then I will try the London one. Being in NY and also talking with my agent in person for a couple of hours has made me painfully aware that I do not really know where I fit. Both my illustration style and my writing seem to be not quite US-style nor European-style. That is why the "be yourself" message was so important for me to hear. I am sort of bridging in between cultures (my agent´s words) and I need to find people that think that is interesting. -
I too, went to the NY conference. Unfortunately my flight from Seattle was delayed because of the snow storm, and I missed the Illustrator Showcase. Drew for 18 hours the Monday before, just to get my portfolio ready for it. (Groan).
Still, it was informative, inspiring, and forced me to get my website and postcards finished, so in that regard it was worth attending. -
@smceccarelli haha that's first line!
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Glad you had such a good experience. Thanks for sharing with us.
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@smceccarelli I think it's interesting! Thanks for the recap too. I might go to the LA one since it isn't too far to go for me and I might even know someone I could stay with......maybe. I need to be committed though. My husband is ready to retire and he thinks of what I do as a hobby, which I guess I do sometimes too but, sometimes I think it would be fun to get someone else to like my books well enough to publish them
Instead of me doing it. I don't suppose I would say that I am a driven person (well sometimes but then I get pooped out) Right now though I have the time and space to learn and do so I want to take advantage of that. Shall I dare to do it? Ha! Also, my husband and I are going to become full time RVers when he retires so that will be another kink in th eplan...but will give me lots of new experiences to write about and sketch
