Is SCBWI worth it?

I'm unpublished and joined the SCBWI this past spring on the advice of the teacher on an online writing course I was taking in writing for kids. I totally recommend joining.

Granted, I immediately signed up for the local Critique Connections and found a critique group, I printed up all the latest SCBWI publications (my local chapter has one, and the national chapter has one - they come out quarterly, I believe), I attended local gatherings of other SCBWI members (in Southern California they call them "schmoozes" but there are also writers retreats, critique picnics, lectures, etc.) and I shelled out the bucks to go to their big LA Conference in August. I just decided to take myself seriously as a writer for children and invest the time and money necessary. The critique group has been great, and the August conference was terrific. You will meet published authors at your local chapter, and at the conferences you will get to meet real life agents and editors. One of the best things about the conference, aside from all I learned, was that every editor and agent there agrees that all conference participants can submit queries to them, and if they mention they went to the big SCBWI conference, that query will go to the top of their reading pile. It WILL be read. After that it's a matter of how good it is, and if it suits them, of course. But I will definitely mention both the conference and the fact I'm a member of SCBWI when I'm ready to start submitting - hopefully in the next couple of months.

Bottom line - if you are serious about getting published in children's books, I think joining SCBWI is very helpful and completely worth it. But like most things, what you get out of it depends on how much energy you put into using all their resources.

Hope that info helps!

I agree. SCBWI was totally worth it to me. It was a great help when I was just starting out. There is alot to learn and that is a great place to start.

Joined for 2 years, didn't re-up. My local chapter has nothing around here, and everything I could get on the SCBWI boards I can get on the blue boards. I got the magazine, and it had a couple of good articles, but not annual dues worth.

If you have a lot of other writers in your area and an active local chapter, I think it'd be worth it. I just had nothing near, and couldn't afford to go to the conferences which were hours away.

My critique group consists of four other unpublished writers, all of whom want to be published. Everyone's a member of SCBWI. My local chapter (Los Angeles) is very active, and it has a list-serve called Critique Connections, which you sign up with and then can email others looking for critique groups to get together. These folks were already a group, and they approached me. Two are writing picture books, one a MG novel, the other a YA novel. Their comments aren't as thorough and professional as the ones I got when I took an online Writing for Children course (writersonlineworkshops.com - it was great) but I'm not paying them! And they are still becoming professionals themselves. They do help focus me and point out things that are lacking or give me new ideas. Reading and commenting on their material helps me think differently about my material too. I'm a big believer in getting others to look at your work, as long as they are trustworthy and have some real knowledge of the type of writing you are doing. Those outside eyes catch things you never would yourself.

I can understand why Christine N. didn't sign up again, though, if her local chapter wasn't active. Mine is super active, with lots of meetings all over the city, workshops, trips, picnics, etc. So check out your local chapter and see if they've got enough going on to make it worthwhile for you.

Reading and commenting on their material helps me think differently about my material too.

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To be honest, there's a limit to how much a critique can help you. I mean, they can point out what isn't working, but you have to figure out your own way to fix it. They can't solve the problems for you.

But the part where you figure out what you would do to improve someone else's work--that is invaluable. You don't have any emotional investment in it, you can really approach it objectively, and it's a crash course in technique. I found the same with my teaching: I never learned so much about the job as when I started coaching other teachers! I was supposed to be the Expert, but I was the one sucking up all the good ideas.

I'm not a member, but I just got back from their midsouth conference and am thinking about joining. The keynote speaker was the woman who co-founded the SCBWI back in 1971, and it was fascinating listening to her tell stories about all the children's writers she'd interacted with over the years (E.B. White, Judy Blume, Dr. Seuss, etc).

I've been looking around for a crit group, and I like how it's set up to meet other children's writers in your area. I'm about to move to Chicago and I here they have an active membership there. This conference was the first time I've sat in a face-to-face crit group. It was a bit more nerve-wracking for me to offer comments when I was actually staring the author in the face, as opposed to here online where everyone is just a happy little avatar!

But anyway, the impression I came away with from the conference was that SCBWI is a solid organization that has the potential to offer a lot depending on your needs and location.

Yes, it's worth it. The discussion boards are very informative and often fun, with everyone very serious about children's publishing and many people already quite successful at it. People can't just wander in off the internet since everyone there at least made the commitment of joining and spending the $75. They also mail you a valuable packet of information, from names of publishers to sample publishing contracts to articles on negotiating a children's book contract, etc. If you're interesting in children's publishing, it's pretty much a no-brainer to join.

Sorry to bring up an old thread, but has anyone gone to the SCBWI regional conference? I'm planning on joining the organization and wondered whether it was worth it to go to the conference in February...

I went to the regional Carolina's conference in 2013. I thought they had some nice panels and workshops. The one I liked the best was a panel with an author, agent, and editor. It was fascinating. There were also people there who were unpublished, debuts, and published. (I actually had a trial of errors there but that was due to random things and not the conference.) I'd say the conference was very good overall and worthwhile!

I regularly attend my region's conferences & events & schmoozes. I love SCBWI.

Do you mean the midwinter conference in Manhattan? That's international. I haven't been in years. I can't afford the hotel plus conference. It doesn't have the intimacy of the regionals, but it is a great place to meet writers and get to know the industry. I'll go back when I have a book under contract or coming out or just out.

The intensives are supposed to be great, but I think they may be sold out.

Ah yes, I did mean the winter conference in Manhattan. I didn't realize that it was international, but yeah I looked at the price and saw it was quite expensive so I'm not sure whether it's worth it to attend. I'll definitely consider joining though, thanks for everyone's input!

The NJ regional conference is excellent! Many agents and editors come, because it's close to NY, but it's much more intimate than the NYC conference. Paying for a critique from an editor or agent is extremely useful. The first page sessions, where editors talk about what they think of the first page of various manuscripts are also very interesting for understanding how they think and what they want.

Do join. The publications alone are worth the fee. (Disclaimer: I've been pubbed in one, I moderate one of their forums.) I've been a member for more years than I cared to realize (I think it's 20). I've never regretted it.

Okay, I've joined!! Excited to be a part of it with you all

Loved this thread; so helpful! I've been wanting to join SCBWI for a while, but I'm waiting mainly because there's a possibility that I might be moving (not a big move) in the coming six months or so.

wallfull said:

The NJ regional conference is excellent! Many agents and editors come, because it's close to NY, but it's much more intimate than the NYC conference. Paying for a critique from an editor or agent is extremely useful. The first page sessions, where editors talk about what they think of the first page of various manuscripts are also very interesting for understanding how they think and what they want.

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That makes me happy, being a NJ resident. Hooray!

Yay! I hope you enjoy it ElizaL and endearing! I may speak at the NJ conference this year. (I have to apply. I've spoken there in the past about child development for children's book writers.)

I hope you enjoy SCBWI too!

My experience is of joining the UK end of the operation. The London group is very active and I went to several picture book workshops which were enormously helpful. They also organise an agent's party every year, where literary and illustrators' agents give a talk about what they're looking for, then you can chat (and yes, pitch) to them afterwards. People come from all over the UK for the party! Anyway, that is how I got a lovely illustration agent. I haven't signed up again this year as I've got young twins who seem to take up a surprising amount of time, so I can't take advantage as much as I'd like to.

However, I will be joining again in a year or two - I would say that if you can get access to an active chapter, and you can put the time in to use their resources, SCBWI is great!

Thanks again for all the insight everyone. NJ is indeed quite close to me. Do I have to sign up for the regional newsletter? Don't want to miss out on a conference!!

Apologies if this info is pretty easy to find ... am totally new to SCBWI!

I'm in Midsouth SCBWI, and we receive some information on Facebook. You should see if your chapter has a FB page, Twitter, or a website that tell you how to sign up for the newsletter. I'm not sure what I did.

I am really happy with my decision to join SCBWI. There aren't a lot of smoozes and events on my end of the state, but the regional conference alone is worth it.

Go to the main SCBWI page. There is a tab for regions. Click that then find your region. You can e-mail the Regional Advisor, RA, with any questions about the region if the answers aren't readily available on the site.

Thank you--great thread! I was told I needed to join the SCBWI in order to participate in a first-page critique session, and the RA said I could attend the meeting and just observe first before committing to the membership fee. I'm leaning toward going ahead and joining, but it was nice to be given that option.

I have recently decided to try my hand at writing for children and, thanks to some wonderful info gathered from this board,I looked up SCBWI. There is a branch in South Africa, with a very active group in Johannesburg, but the joining fee is US$95! That translates to over R1000 in our currency. Very expensive!

I don't doubt that being a member would be extremely beneficial, but before I commit to that amount of money, I think I need to first find out if I've got what it takes to write a PB. Do you think this forum could help with that? Or should I take the leap and join SCBWI?