SCBWI L.A.--anyone going?
- Thread starter Alexandra Little
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Err . .. I 'm probably not, but honestly, I don't know what it is, and Google hates me, apparently, because I'm getting pages about fish tanks and how to clean them . . .?
Got a link?
Got a link?
I wish. I just can't afford it this year. Maybe next year....which is what I said last year.... I'm going to try to get to some of the smaller local workshops this year, anyway.
Have fun!
Have fun!
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I'm jealous - wish I could go. Hopefully next year. 
I'd love to hear some reports from those of you (lucky dogs) who are attending!
I'd love to hear some reports from those of you (lucky dogs) who are attending!
I'm gonna try to get the full report when the mother-figure returns. She never says anything useful, though.
Maybe I can at least get out of her what kind of people impressed her, and what made her want to punch aspiring writers in the face and tell them to never assault a keyboard ever again and to take their questions elsewhere. (Actually, that's way more something I would think. She's much kinder and just says things like "Well, I was encouraging even though they were awful. I trust the guards at the gate." I suppose they wouldn't repeat invite her if she said the kind of things I happen to think out loud...)
Maybe I can at least get out of her what kind of people impressed her, and what made her want to punch aspiring writers in the face and tell them to never assault a keyboard ever again and to take their questions elsewhere. (Actually, that's way more something I would think. She's much kinder and just says things like "Well, I was encouraging even though they were awful. I trust the guards at the gate." I suppose they wouldn't repeat invite her if she said the kind of things I happen to think out loud...)
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I am (slowly?) posting highlights and the most helpful hints from the conference on my Livejournal. I haven't review all my bookmarked blogs yet, so I'll add a list of whoever has also done a write-up of it.
Thanks! Makes me wish I could watch a video of Coville over and over again until it all sinks into my brain.
(unrelated--I read about your college major problems, too. I so understand. I tried to major in comparative literature, same issues as you're having with English. No respect AT ALL for writing by women or people of color, and forget about writing for children. Meh. I ended up majoring in history instead. At least then you get to talk about real people. Keep your chin up!)
i didn't have my laptop while there.
but here's my first post on the pool party
saturday night. =)
http://cindypon.blogspot.com/2008/08/post-scbwi-post.html
but here's my first post on the pool party
saturday night. =)
http://cindypon.blogspot.com/2008/08/post-scbwi-post.html
I saw you! I loved your dress. I didn't have anything red to wear (and I mean "anything at all", not "anything I liked") so I just showed up in a green t-shirt and jeans. I think I was scarred for life by people my parents' age dancing to "Baby Got Back."
I thought about bringing my laptop, but it would just have been more weight to haul around. So I just hurriedly scribbled notes, hence the bullet point posts.
i was blind without my glasses so i didn't see you.
and i could probably technically be your mother.
hahahahaha! =D
great posts, btw, alexandra.
and i could probably technically be your mother.
hahahahaha! =D
great posts, btw, alexandra.
Why thank you =) I just added one about one of Laura Rennert's workshops. I'm only adding posts where I took notes, though, or have pictures (and the camera didn't cooperate very often). So there won't be a writeup on Arthur Levine's speech or other things like that.
I'm working on it--it's hard when I try to be optimistic but I kind of know that my next two years are going to be miserable. Even writing isn't comforting me that much, since I'll be doing so much writing in school that I won't want to work on my novels.
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Thanks for sharing about the conference, Cindy & Alex! I want to hear more ('cause, you know, I'm still jealous).
I just saw your post on Steven Malk! I adore him!
I love that you're blogging about this, with pictures! So very cool. I've gotten more out of you about the conference than my own mother. Sad, sad, SAD!
Thank you.
Word from the mother-figure is the conference was fantastic. (Duh.)
She said one thing I thought was just so fun, I had to share...She was signing books and saw Arthur Levine buying her book. Said that was pretty amazing. He then came over and asked her to sign it. (Of course!) Between when she'd seen him the day before and when he was at her signing, he'd shaved his head. So she said, "Wow, Arthur, that looks great!" His reply was, "Well, I was trimming it last night... And I had a little accident." Which she found utterly hilarious as the book of hers he was buying involves, in large part, a hair-cutting fiasco. Awesome.
One useful and one hopeful thing she said.
For those of you thinking about the New York Conference... Maybe think twice. Mom's accepted an invitation to attend... But keep this in mind: For her it's hotel paid for, meals paid for, first-class plane tickets, etc. plus she gets paid for doing a workshop. And she was STILL hesitant! She says since most agents and editors already live in New York, a lot don't stay at the hotel and the vibe is very different from the L.A. vibe, and the parties and in-hotel stuff are not as densely populated or as fun. And since it's around the bar that some of the best conversations and contacts are made, L.A. is MUCH better. Much, much, much better. Everyone's kind of on vacation then, hanging out and really enjoying themselves, rather than attending a function in their hometown.
The second thing was pretty hopeful (at least I thought so!) Out of all the writing hopefuls she saw, only ONE stuck out as being horrifically out of place, and so stupid they should be banned from writing ever again. She was seated next to Susan Patron (in case anyone doesn't know, Susan is the author of the Newbery Award winning The Higher Power of Lucky) during a signing, and someone came up and... Well, I won't repeat what the person said to Susan Patron JUST in case this person happens to lurk on AW, but you can rest assured it was the most numskull thing either of them had heard in a LOOONG time. Truly, horrifically, unapologetically stupid. Everyone else, she said, seemed pretty on their game and it was a pleasure to talk to them.
There's hope for me yet...
She said one thing I thought was just so fun, I had to share...She was signing books and saw Arthur Levine buying her book. Said that was pretty amazing. He then came over and asked her to sign it. (Of course!) Between when she'd seen him the day before and when he was at her signing, he'd shaved his head. So she said, "Wow, Arthur, that looks great!" His reply was, "Well, I was trimming it last night... And I had a little accident." Which she found utterly hilarious as the book of hers he was buying involves, in large part, a hair-cutting fiasco. Awesome.
One useful and one hopeful thing she said.
For those of you thinking about the New York Conference... Maybe think twice. Mom's accepted an invitation to attend... But keep this in mind: For her it's hotel paid for, meals paid for, first-class plane tickets, etc. plus she gets paid for doing a workshop. And she was STILL hesitant! She says since most agents and editors already live in New York, a lot don't stay at the hotel and the vibe is very different from the L.A. vibe, and the parties and in-hotel stuff are not as densely populated or as fun. And since it's around the bar that some of the best conversations and contacts are made, L.A. is MUCH better. Much, much, much better. Everyone's kind of on vacation then, hanging out and really enjoying themselves, rather than attending a function in their hometown.
The second thing was pretty hopeful (at least I thought so!) Out of all the writing hopefuls she saw, only ONE stuck out as being horrifically out of place, and so stupid they should be banned from writing ever again. She was seated next to Susan Patron (in case anyone doesn't know, Susan is the author of the Newbery Award winning The Higher Power of Lucky) during a signing, and someone came up and... Well, I won't repeat what the person said to Susan Patron JUST in case this person happens to lurk on AW, but you can rest assured it was the most numskull thing either of them had heard in a LOOONG time. Truly, horrifically, unapologetically stupid. Everyone else, she said, seemed pretty on their game and it was a pleasure to talk to them.
There's hope for me yet...
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