SCBWI Hawaii

The 31 SCBWI members and 19 nonmembers who attended our annual conference on February 26 were treated to a sensational program with Caitlyn Dlouhy, executive editor at Atheneum, agent Scott Treimel, and local speakers Tammy Yee, Marion Coste, and Vicki Dworkin.

To give you a flavor of the topics covered (or as a refresher for those who attended), two of our members provided summaries of most of the sessions.

• From Leslie Ann Hayashi:

  Caitlin Dlouhy: The Character Makes the Book

  
  Character is everything. Create characters whom you'd like to meet on the street, characters you want to be with, even when the character isn't completely likeable. Create characters kids will root for; give them flaws and idiosyncracies; character should drive the plot. You know you have created unforgettable characters when the reader misses them after the story is over and when the reader wants more.

  Common weaknesses: Writers often spend too much time on physical descriptions, which can result in cliches. (No ringlets or dimples, no 6-fot-2 and piercing gray eyes, please!) Instead, concentrate on what the characters say and do as a way for readers to know them. Other common weaknesses: dialogue that doesn't match the characters and characters who are little adults, too sophisticated. Along with character, a story needs a plot, and a plot means conflict. Categories of conflict are character v. character, character v. nature, character v. society, and character v. self. Successful stories have multi-dimensional characters with different types of conflicts. Read, read, read other books to find fabulous characters. Examples: The Moves Makes the Man, Dovey Coe, Kira, Kira.

  Marian Coste: What makes a good read-aloud?

  Three elements combine to make a good read-aloud: the story has to be visual, it has to be concise, and it has to be active. Younger children like rhyme, repetition, rhythm, animals and dinosaurs. Examples: Goodnight Moon, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? Successful picture books are eye-catching and have illustrations that tell more than the words. Examples: Where the Wild Things Are, Blueberry Mouse, Diary of a Worm.

  Older children like plots and characters they can relate to as well as humor and danger. Examples: Holes, Stone Fox, Shiloh, Double Fudge.

  Children enjoy books that start with a "bang" and end with an "aha" experience or twist.

  Scott Treimel: Craft:

  
   Good writing is brisk, vigorous and vivid. Scott suggested reading "Elements of Style" by Strunk and White; it is the bible of good writing. Writers need to develop a good ear to develop good writing. Craft involves looking at words, sentences and paragraphs, then eliminating unnecessary words and phrases--examples include some, he sat (down); he stood (up), the reason why, there was, just. Avoid over-sequencing of details; some jumps in the action are acceptable. Don't rely on a lot of fancy adjectives and adverbs. Examples of good writing: Judy Blume, Betsy Byars, Beverly Clearly, Truman Capote, Joyce Carol Oates (natural dialogue).
  

• From Pearl Maxner:

  Tammy Yee: How to Make a Picture Dummy

  Hawaii's own Tammy Yee, whose personal website is bejeweled with sparkling watercolor illustrations from her 21 (and growing) booklist, describes picture book dummies as vital tools for both authors and illustrators. Dummies give us a visual of how well our story flows.

  Ask the following questions when creating a dummy: Is there enough storyline for a 32-page picture book format? Can you visualize when the page-turning action needs to happen? Does the text provide enough scene changes to keep the story interesting? Does the text include words for what an illustrator can easily portray with pictures? Is there a natural progression of action? To drive her lesson home, small groups worked with an empty 32-page story board, an intentionally incomplete manuscript, and a directive to "make a dummy."

  To help build a successful dummy, Tammy offered these guidelines: Look at your manuscript with a critical eye. Read it thoroughly before starting. Select possible page divisions, leaving room for illustrations. Work within the thumbnail boxes with simple illustrations to create a pleasing visual path. Work, work, and rework until you are satisfied you have made a successful combination of words and action. Be willing to change your manuscript if it doesn't work! (Important note: Authors should not submit dummies with their manuscripts. Doing so will mark you as an amateur.)

  Caitlin Dlouhy: From Thumbnails to Finished Pieces

  Caitlin warmed the heart of every illustrator present with her opening: "Let's face it. The success of picture book manuscripts is utterly dependent on illustrations." She loves quirky and different kinds of experiences, and if she reacts with the feeling that "I love this world and I want to be in it,' she's sold She often knows a manuscript will work if a certain artist comes to mind and she can picture the illustrations. "An artist dictates how we will react to the written words, builds on the energy, sets the pace, and introduces character. To keep stories moving and get in a variety of scenes takes exceptional skill."

  Caitlin took her audience through "If I Were a Lion" by Sarah Weeks, illustrated by Heather Solomon. She explained how the artist came up with the main illustrative progression and then the team brain-stormed problem areas together. For example, the text doesn't explain how the main character, a naughty little girl, is naughty, so the artist sprinkled crayon drawings on the wall throughout the pages to show what might have happened.

  Keys to submitting artist portfolios: show you can bring a character through different poses and facial expressions; send three or four scenes with the same character; show what's going on in background scenes; send a piece that shows perspective, scenery, place, and diversity. Have a predictable style--or not! She wants to see ALL you can do. As for us in Hawaii, she says, "We'll take a Hawaii story if it has universal appeal and if kids anywhere can relate to it."

  Scott Treimel: Children's Book Agents

  Scott's humor and vibrant energy kept his audience spellbound. As he explained the world of agents, a good agent knows which houses to target with your work, prepares and makes submissions, negotiates contracts (including advances, royalties, rights, contracts, protections, etc.)., reviews royalty statements and distributes monies. In addition, Scott (but not all agents) "pre-washes" and edits manuscripts so they are in top shape before being submitted, and he likes to work with authors on developing their careers.

  What does he look for? Work he knows he can sell, professional writers who will listen to him, career authors, and writers who don't need a lot of emotional coddling.

  Regarding the all-important cover letter, Scott wants to it to be brief and perfectly written. Include a word count, your main character's age, and, if applicable, the number of chapters and research you've done. Do not tell him about the market--that's his expertise. He prefers exclusive submissions for a period of ninety days. And he loves weird tension in stories. Catch him off guard with something daring!

WHAT'S A NICE MAUI GIRL DOING IN L.A.?- ~ LINDA BOYDEN

Linda Boyden's first picture book, THE BLUE ROSES, was published this year by Lee and Low Books.

SCBWI's 31st Annual L. A. Conference is but a memory now; the dizzying rush from workshops to presentations to schmoozing events lingers like the after-taste of Godiva chocolate. Beyond that, it was my first exposure to hundreds of other people ALL of whom were as devoted to children's literature as myself. My overall conclusion? We children's authors, illustrators, and publishers are a hilarious bunch! The humor was continual and contagious; even within serious subjects, humor was the bedrock.

 The workshops focused on a plethora of topics: selling manuscripts; publicity tips; Qs&As with editors, publishers, or agents; creating dummies; writing for magazines; digital illustration; journaling as a tool; contract specifics; and publishing poetry, to name a few.

"Demystifying Research" was a fascinating look at writing non-fiction. It was presented by the dynamic duo of authors Elizabeth Partridge ( DOROTHEA LANGE: A VISUAL LIFE, RESTLESS SPIRIT, THIS LAND WAS MADE FOR YOU AND ME [Woody Guthrie]) and Susan Campbell Bartoletti (GROWING UP IN COAL COUNTRY, NO MAN'S LAND, KIDS ON STRIKE).

Creative non-fiction is viewed by some authors as too dry a venue to even attempt. Many believe the heart of children's literature is fiction, but au contraire! Non-fiction brings to life heart-rending stories of enormous magnitude, besides being in steady demand with librarians and teachers alike.

Partridge and Bartoletti offered some sage advice:

• Start with a feeling: Choose a subject which is close to your heart.
• Go to primary sources whenever possible.
• Pay attention to photos, footnotes, and bibliographies.
• Track sources that previous authors have not.
• CITE YOUR SOURCES!
• TRIPLE check all facts--be FEARLESS about fact checking.
• Get permissions for the use of photographs ASAP, especially from the Library of Congress. Delays could be devastating to your project.
• Captions should be written in the present tense. And, be aware that many young readers read ONLY the captions, so let the captions tell the story, too.
• Some of the best story details are in quotes, but take care to keep them short.
• Trust your storytelling instincts.

Attending this conference was one of the best decisions I've made. Not because I secured a new book contract or wowed any publisher. Neither was my motivation (okay, well, one never knows about wowing, and OF COURSE I would've leaped at a deal!). I attended this conference to listen, to observe, to learn. To become infected with the enthusiasm I need to spur me on to more persistence in the pursuit of my craft.

NOTES FROM A FIRST-TIMER AT THE L.A. CONFERENCE~ NORMA GORST

I’m embarrassed to admit that my first thought, once I checked into a room at the L.A. Century Plaza Hotel and Spa, was "What on earth am I doing here?" It didn‚t take SCBWI long to tell me. "You learn from everything!" was the reply, spoken by illustrator Pat Cummings (Coretta Scott King award among others, MY AUNT CAME BACK, LULU’S BIRTHDAY, ANGEL BABY), who was the first featured speaker on the first day of the conference. The audience, 900 strong with half being published writers, illustrators, or both, responded with enthusiasm over the four-day conference.

Cummings' words were reinforced by writer Esther Herschenhorn’s (THERE GOES LOWELL‚S PARTY!, CHICKEN SOUP BY HEART) workshop later that morning: "Networking for Conference Newcomers." This workshop was one of several marked "B" on the program--"a workshop for beginning writers and illustrators," and by implication for those who had never been to an SCBWI conference.

Here are a few of Hershenhorn's tips for newcomers:

• Most important are the sessions about "story" and how to tell it;
• Take at least one workshop that is the opposite of what you want to take;
• Meet as many people as possible;
• If you‚re having a manuscript critiqued, check credentials of the critiquer and take notes; and
• Gather editors‚ business cards and send your manuscript to them when you get home. SCBWI's reputation is an added "door opener,"--we were encouraged to put "SCBWI Member" on the outside of the envelopes carrying our masterpieces.

Jack Gantos: A Character on Characters

For me, talks by Jack Gantos (ROTTEN RALPH picture books, JACK HENRY series, award-winning JOEY PIGZA novels ) were highpoints of the conference. Speaking to the entire assembly on "Writing the Middle Grade/YA Novel," Gantos posed the question: Who do we know better, our characters or ourselves? His answer is, he knows himself best, so his stories use this knowledge. In the process of telling us how this works, Gantos told stories about himself that were hilarious, spooky, and sobering, too.

Developing characters that are strong and well drawn means putting character first in your writing, he said. This means aspiring to be more of yourself˜"who you are when you're alone in the house" (an idea Gantos attributes to Robert Coles). He did not shy away from telling the nitty-gritty of his life, such as doing time for drug smuggling, and related incidents with humor and self-foregiveness. He advocates knowing what motivates characters by connecting the character to the reader through sincerity about faults, and by also forgiving these faults.

Collecting personal characteristics observed in other people in a journal and identifying how these illustrate unresolved issues is a useful habit, he said. A book arises from these details, he said; they become the well-spring of desire that helps a writer finish a story. Readers will stick with a strongly drawn character even if the plot is weak, Gantos said, but not with a weak character even if the plot is strong.

The autograph session the third day provided time to chat with authors and illustrators and reinforced my feeling that SCBWI provides access to expertise and connections that empowers its members. It is as if you are part of a worldwide phenomenon, a grand design that puts producing great books for children at the top of a list of worthwhile aims in life. And, as Jack Gantos said, you have to "believe there is always room at the top; SCBWI keeps the bar really high."

My one complaint or regret is that I had to miss sessions because I needed some down time to rejuvenate the brain cells. Next time I'll print the word Stamina at the top of every program page. That's probably appropriate for all of us in the business of children's books.