Date/Time
Date(s) - 05/02/2020 - 05/03/2020
7:30 am - 6:45 pm

Category(ies)

Want to build your children’s book career? Don’t miss Austin SCBWI’s

2020 Writers & Illustrators Working Conference!

NOW ONLINE

May 2-3, 2020

Schedule | Faculty Bios | FAQ | Critiques | Portfolio Showcase | Silent Auction

Registration for our 2020 Austin SCBWI Writers & Illustrators Working Conference is OPEN.

Due to the threat of COVID-19, the conference has been moved ONLINE! But you will still get all the incredible keynotes and breakout sessions, just from the comfort — and safety — of your own home. We’re even working on ways to replicate the lunch and other networking periods (although, you’ll have to provide your own food at home 😉 ).

Please note, we’re still confirming the final schedule, but we’re aiming to keep it close to our current schedule. We’ll update these pages when everything’s finalized.

Along with the move to online, we’ve lowered the prices! We know this is a difficult time for everyone financially as well as emotionally. We want to provide you with great programming and the community you need, all at a price you can afford. To view the new prices, please go to our FAQ page.

If you haven’t already registered, you still can! Scroll down to the bottom of this page for the registration form. Tickets are available with the new prices. You may pay through your Paypal account or via credit card on Paypal. We are no longer accepting checks through the mail to limit trips to our post office box.

SCBWI members, login before you register to get the discounted member pricing. Non-members, if you’d like to become a member before you register, go here.

ABOUT THE CONFERENCE

This conference offers you opportunities to learn your craft, boost your career, get feedback on your work, and meet and make friends with fellow children’s book writers and illustrators. The schedule includes three keynotes; a publishing panel; 9 breakout sessions on writing, illustrating and professional development; intensives on picture books, novels and illustration; along with critiques, pitches, portfolio showcase, cookies and more. View the full schedule here.

For more information, click on the links in the gray menu on the right.

Below is the list of our fantastic faculty. Click on their names to read their Q&As. Click here to read their bios.

PUBLISHING

Karen Chaplin, Executive Editor, HarperCollins Children’s Books

Tiffany Liao, Editor, Henry Holt Books for Young Readers

Danielle Carnito, Art Director, Lerner Books

Stephanie Fretwell-Hill, Agent, Red Fox Literary

Laurel Symonds, Agent, The Bent Agency

EDITORIAL

Laurie Halse Anderson, Author of SPEAK, SHOUT and many more

Donna Janell Bowman, Author of KING OF THE TIGHTROPE, STEP RIGHT UP and more

Ben Clanton, Author/Illustrator of the NARWHAL AND JELLY series and ROT: THE CUTEST IN THE WORLD

Samantha M Clark, Author of THE BOY, THE BOAT, AND THE BEAST

Meredith Davis, Author of HER OWN TWO FEET: A RWANDAN GIRL’S BRAVE FIGHT TO WALK

Liz Garton Scanlon, Author of ONE DARK BIRD, THE GREAT GOOD SUMMER and many more

P. J. (Tricia) Hoover, Author of THE HIDDEN CODE, HOMER’S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE and many more

Lynne Kelly, Author of SONG FOR A WHALE and CHAINED

Cynthia Leitich Smith, Author of HEARTS UNBROKEN, TANTALIZE series, FERAL trilogy and many more

Lindsay Leslie, Author of THIS BOOK IS SPINELESS, NOVA THE STAR EATER and DUSK EXPLORERS

Christina Soontornvat, Author of A WISH IN THE DARK, DIARY OF AN ICE PRINCESS series, ALL THIRTEEN and many more

Don Tate, Author/Illustrator of POET: THE REMARKABLE STORY OF GEORGE MOSES HORTON, STRONG AS SANDOW: HOW EUGEN SANDOW BECAME THE STRONGEST MAN ON EARTH and many more

Click here to learn more about our faculty.

Learn from these amazing professionals in all our conference sessions.

Feedback Opportunities: You may also get feedback for your work from our faculty by purchasing a critique for your author manuscripts or a portfolio review for your illustrator portfolios. Find out more about critiques and portfolio reviews here. Illustrators you may also purchase a spot in our Portfolio Showcase to show your work.

Mentorship Opportunities: Writers, all the manuscript pages critiqued by our faculty will be eligible to win the Cynthia Leitich Smith Writing Mentor Award. Find out more about it here. Illustrators, all the portfolios in our Portfolio Showcase will be eligible to win the Emerging Voice Illustrator Mentor Award. Find out more about it here.

Haven’t been to an Austin SCBWI conference before? Read the highlights of our 2019 conference.

To register, fill in the form below. For hotel, fees and payment information — including WHAT TO DO IF PAYPAL STALLS during registration — read our conference FAQ.

Austin SCBWI is a non-profit run by volunteers and we are dedicated to providing quality, affordable programming and scholarships. To help us with our mission, please consider donating to our Silent Auction. Choose the option under the Tell Us About You section in the registration below.

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