Lots of people want to write and/or illustrate books for kids, but how do you actually go about doing so? What are some of the pitfalls and perks of the job? What should you avoid? What are the common myths?
This past Saturday, attendees of Evanston’s monthly Literary Salon (an event for adults with an interest in children’s literature) met Gemma Cooper (agent), Sara Shacter (Assistant Regional Advisor and author), Ruth Spiro (author), Eileen Meyer (Network Representative and author), and Terri Murphy (Illustrator Coordinator and illustrator) of the Illinois chapter of the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). The panelists discussed the ins and outs of writing and illustrating for kids and since we are living in the 21st century the event was livestreamed. Which means, we have a recording of what was said.
Voila!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyysfQEgAkk
Many thanks to those who attended. Our future Salons are as follows:
Saturday, March 26th at 2:00 p.m.– Ethics in Nonfiction for Kids
Do we hold our nonfiction for children to different standards than we do our informational texts for adults? When you’re trying to make something fun for kids to read, where do you draw the line between fact and fancy? Join two of the most experienced nonfiction authors for children, Candace Fleming and Judith Fradin, in a discussion of the increasingly complex and exciting world of nonfiction for children.
Saturday, April 30th at 1:00 p.m. – “On Beyond Narnia: Death and Theology in Children’s Literature”
Join children’s authors Jeanne Birdsall (THE PENDERWICKS IN SPRING, 2015) and N.D. Wilson (OUTLAWS OF TIME, 2016) for a discussion of writing children’s literature from both a Christian and a Post-Christian Humanism point of view.
Saturday, May 7th at 2:00 p.m. – “The Art of Enthusiasm”
Online gurus and children’s book evangelists Travis Jonker, Colby Sharp, and John Schumacher discuss promoting your favorite literature for kids, making the most of online resources, and spreading the culture of book love and enthusiasm amongst readers of every age.
