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Kansas SCBWI

Kansas SCBWI

Welcome

The Society for Children's Book Writers and Illustrators is dedicated to helping new and established writers and illustrators hone their craft and learn about the business of publishing. To join go to: www.scbwi.org.

The Kansas region holds bimonthly or quarterly events and an annual conference, plus provides support to Kansas members and bordering Missouri members.  There is nothing further to join for the region--once you are an SCBWI member, you are automatically a region member.  For further details on our region click on the links on the left.


Membership Benefits: The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators

22,000 members strong!

NATIONAL/ INTERNATIONAL:
A professional association recognized by the publishing community; Board of Advisors includes Judy Blume, Walter Dean Meyers, Jane Yolen, Arthur A. Levine.

  • Regional chapters found in all 50 states in U.S., plus 62 countries.
  • Two major national conferences, LA (summer) and NY (winter).
  • An international conference.
  • Continuous calendar of conferences throughout the country and world, hosted by each region, giving participants access to top publishers and agents. (Permission usually given to attendees to submit manuscripts to the publishers/agents, even if they are closed to non-agented material.)
  • Networking with members on a national and world level.
  • Five awards presented nationally to members for writing and illustrating.
  • Six grants awarded to help members continue work on their children’s book.
  • Membership in an organization that lobbies for author/illustrators concerns.
  • Online discussion boards.
  • Resources.
  • The Bulletin, bimonthly magazine.
  • and more...see the website for details.

LOCAL:

  • Active local region that conducts quarterly events and annual conference. Click here or see links on left.
  • Online registration.   To register, please log-in if you are an SCBWI member or if you received an email inviting to you to the event.  If you've just discovered us, you can still sign up to attend an event.  Click on Events, then the appropriate workshop or event.

  • Advice and guidance on all steps of publishing: the Kansas region (which includes neighboring counties in Missouri) has 239 members, 100 of them published.  See Discussion page.

  • Critique groups at the regional level: group of 4-6 writers/illustrators who meet either face-to-face or online to help improve one another’s work.

  • Sunflower Scoop, the Kansas region’s online email update filled with current information on writing, publishing news, and events. See News page.
  • Access to quarterly publication, In the Wind, with up-to-date publishing news, features on writing tips, etc. See News page.
  • Members only section that includes a Member Directory.  Members, your information is entered from your SCBWI membership sign up. You may edit it at any time, or change whether to be listed or not.

CONTACT US:

Click on Who's Who in the Region for names and emails.

Our mailing address:  Kansas SCBWI
                               PO Box 3987
                               Olathe KS 66063-3987 
 

 

Quote

"I'd always thought you had to be a special person to write. And then I realized you just have to start." - Abigail Thomas

 

I WANT TO WRITE OR ILLUSTRATE FOR KIDS!

How Do I Get Started?

I’ve Already Written a Book, Now What Do I Do?

  • Join a critique group. KS SCBWI has groups! See page on left.
  • Make it the best it can be.
  • Come to our conferences to network with others, learn about the publishing industry, and meet editors, agents, and published writers and illustrators.
  • Get the Children's Writers Market Book—available at most bookstores, it has marketing info and more.
  • Go to the library and bookstores and look at books similar to what you’ve written. Study them to see what you like and don’t like. See who publishes these books.

I’m Interested in Children’s Magazines, What Do I Do?

  • Get the Children’s Writers Market Book. It has info on magazines, too.
  • Study children’s magazines you find especially interesting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Good Books for Writers and Illustrators
(Recommended by KS SCBWI members):

Marketing
Alice Pope, ed.: Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Market
Kathryn Brogden, ed.: Writer’s Market
Sally Stuart, ed.: Christian Writers' Market Guide

Craft - Writing
Orson Scott Card: Character and Viewpoint John Gardner: The Art of Fiction
Elizabeth George: Write Away
Anne Lamott Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life
Robert Newton Peck: Fiction Is Folks
Newton Newton Peck: Secrets of Successful Fiction
Jane Smiley: 13 Ways of Looking at the Novel

Craft - Illustrating
Martin Salisbury: Illustrating Children's Books: Creating Pictures for Publication
Uri Shulivitz: Writing with Pictures: How to Write and Illustrate Children's Books

Resources
J. I. Rodale: The Synonym Finder
Harry Shaw: Errors in English and How to Correct Them


If you'd like to add to this list, please contact our webmaster: Kate Barsotti.

 

Unless otherwise indicated, this website and its contents are the property of the Kansas Chapter of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, USA, and are protected, without limitation, pursuant to U.S. and foreign copyright and trademark laws. While Kansas SCBWI uses reasonable efforts to include accurate and up-to-date information on the site, the Kansas region of SCBWI also makes no representations or warranties as to whether the information accessible via this website, or any website with which it is linked, is accurate, complete, or current.

Kansas SCBWI reserves the right to cancel events or to change speakers or sessions at its discretion.

 
 

Kansas SCBWI is a regional chapter of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.  Membership is through the international organization at www.SCBWI.org.