ILLUSTRATOR FAIR

 Last Sunday some SCBWI members were taking part in the first ever Illustrator Fair. No one knew what to expect. It was held in a newly developed area near Kings Cross.

 I followed the signs from the station, 

led on by the illustrations along the way, 

passed the open square of water spouts,

and the brand new House of Illustration, into an area of stands  

and found SCBWI friends and colleagues setting up.

We displayed our artwork and sold our books and all had a great day!

HOW DO I GET MY FIRST BOOK PUBLISHED?

 It’s the question I dread, coming from any hopeful new author or illustrator. I know how painful and lonely the route can be via the Writers' and Artists' Year Book when precious manuscripts are sent off into the ether to elusive agents and publishers. So instead of sending anyone down that route, I prefer to tell them about a far more pleasant and companionable way to get published: join SCBWI. On the International SCBWI website there are resources like the Writers' and Artists' Year Book that can be downloaded and on the British SCBWI website there's information about the master classes and opportunities throughout the year to meet people in the UK publishing industry.

    Then there’s the annual conference in Winchester with so many pleasant ways of feeling part of the world of children’s books:

you can feel inspired by meeting an author at the pinnacle of it all; here, the Children’s Laureate Malorie Blackman – you can even go to one of her writing workshops.

Or, if you're an illustrator, you can see how it is possible to get published at a young age like Catherine Rayner

and then be nurtured through the first years of your career by a friendly editor like Jude Evans.

There are opportunities to have your work noticed in one-to-ones with agents, show your portfolio to the industry professionals, or exhibit a picture in the Illustrators Show Case run by Bridget Strevens-Marzo

and Anne-Marie Perks. 

There’s a relevant workshops for everyone – whether inspired fun at Visual Story Telling with renowned author/illustrator Alexis Deacon

or serious getting to grips with publicity at Navigating Social Media with Nicola Morgan.

And SCBWI has competitions too, like Undiscovered Voices, that help newcomers on their route to becoming published authors.

Then, when eventually your book is published there's the Crystal Kite Award, won this year by Dave Cousins. It's a peer nominated book award that will make you an 'award winning' author.

And even if you don't win it,  there will be many friends to cheer you on and celebrate with you at the Mass Book Launch Party 

and share with you a slice of the wonderful book cake.