Children's Book Writers Conferences, Coast to Coast

Are you a children's book author or illustrator, or wanting to break into the field? Here are two events you can attend this summer on either coast:

Oregon Coast / photo credit: Nicole R. Zimmerman

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oregon Coast Children's Book Writers Workshop: Oceanside, OR
date: July 11-15, 2011
cost: $799

The conference: There are guest lecturers, evening presentations, morning pre-class consultations with instructors, and 3 units of graduate credit available! Workshops include: Picture Books; Building a Scene; Pitching and Querying; Writing Nonfiction for Children; Research for Fiction and Nonfiction Writers; etc.

The place: Participants are limited to 50 in this intimate gathering on the stunning west coast (with nearby ocean-view lodging or camping).

Highlights Foundation Writers Workshop at Chautauqua: Chautauqua, New York
date: July 16-23, 2011
cost: $1,985 for first-time attendees (scholarships available for more than 1/4 of participants--sorry, the Feb. deadline already passed!)

The conference: The price may be steep, but "with one instructor for every three attendees, the payoff can be huge," according to the website. Each day includes four workshop sessions under wide-ranging topics such as craft (point of view, characterization, plot, dialogue, etc.), genres (children's magazine market, historical fiction, picture books, biography, poetry, nature/science, humor, fantasy, etc.), and the publishing business (copyrights, editorial process, book promotion, freelancing, etc.)!

The place: "A community of historic gingerbread houses with narrow, shady streets. Bird song replaces the sound of traffic. The pace is slower, and many visitors feel as if they have stepped back in time. At Chautauqua, people eat breakfast on wide porches and wave to passersby."