The SCBWI Writers of Lower Fairfield are always looking for volunteers. We are looking for people who can:

1. Host local critique groups

2. Help run local events or meetups

3. Add posts about local events, classes, etc to this blog.

If you are interested in helping out, or if you have another way you think you can help, please send an email to Stacy at s[email protected]

We are proud to announce that one of our Picture Book Critique Group members, Carolyn Madero, recently won two writing contest awards.

She won a third place award in the Writers-Editors Network Contest in the poetry category for her poem, "Would You Like to Hear My Poem?"

She also placed in the Alabama Writer's Conclave for a short story, "The Problem with R's."

Congratulations, Carolyn, and we wish you continued good luck with all your writing endeavors!

Deadline April 1, 2013

In memory of Ann Barrow, an important member of SCBWI New England, NESCBWI will award a scholarship to the 2014 New England conference. The Scholarship winner will be selected by the committee and awarded to an illustrator who is registered for the 2013 conference. The scholarship pays full tuition for the 2014 New England Conference Saturday only.

Ann Barrow, a dedicated SCBWI member & teacher, illustrated over 20 children's books including Big Blue, published by Charlesbridge in 2004, Butterflies in My Garden, published by Mondo in 2003 and Growing up Abenaki, written by Joseph Bruchec, published by Rigby in 2003. Her career began in 1977 and included book jackets, children's magazines, greeting cards, giftware and portraiture. She was killed in 2006 in a tragic accident.

To apply for the Ann Barrow Illustrators Scholarship, send 10 images on a non-returnable CD by April 1, to: Margo Lemieux

NESCBWI Scholarship

Box 583

Mansfield, MA 02048


All CD's must be clearly labeled. The CD must be both Windows and Macintosh compatible. Files on the CD must be in JPEG format only (we will not accept any other file format for submission) using the following specifications: ? File size should not exceed 1MB ? Image resolution should be exactly 150 DPI (not smaller or larger) ? Artist name should appear on the artwork

Entries that do not follow the above guidelines may be removed from the jury process at the discretion of the committee. SCBWI: NE will not be responsible for entries that do not respect the guidelines above, defective media, or CD's which can't be read on our computers. Please test your CD before sending to insure that your files will open directly from the CD.

The applicant MUST be registered for the 2013 conference.

The scholarship is for Saturday tuition only and does not cover any other expenses such as editor critiques, hotel or travel.

Previous winners are ineligible.

Must be a resident of New England & a member of SCBWI 

Applications are being accepted again this year for the Ruth Landers Glass Writers Scholarship and the Ann Barrow Illustrators Scholarship. All submissions must be postmarked or e-mailed by Monday, April 1, 2013.

Applicants MUST be registered for the 2013 New England SCBWI Spring Conference.

Scholarship winners will receive one day's free tuition for the 2014 New England SCBWI Spring Conference or any other NE SCBWI one-day event including Encore, Salon or other one-day workshop that we hold. The scholarship is for tuition only and does not cover any other expenses such as editor critiques, hotel or travel.

*Submissions for the Ann Barrow Illustrators Scholarship will be accepted from now until April 1, 2013

*Submissions for the Ruth Landers Glass Writers Scholarship will be accepted from March 1st to April 1, 2013

The winners will be announced on Saturday, May 15, 2010 at the New England Conference in Springfield, MA.

General Guidelines for the Ruth Landers Glass Scholarship. * You must be a current/active member of SCBWI and a resident of New England. * All submissions must be postmarked or e-mailed by Monday, April 1, 2013. * All submissions are a maximum of 10 pages. Additional pages will be removed. * The winner of this year's scholarship will receive free tuition for ONE DAY at the 2014 NESCBWI Conference. The winner will be announced Saturday, May 4, 2013 at the NESCBWI Conference in Springfield. * Only UNPUBLISHED manuscripts will be accepted for the scholarship. Circulating manuscripts/manuscripts being read by editors or agents are accepted unless the manuscript is under contract with a publisher. * Past winners are not eligible (so that we may help jumpstart as many writers as possible!).

You may submit ONE of the following: * One (1) picture book manuscript, not to exceed 10 pages * Three (3) poems, not to exceed 10 pages * One (1) non-fiction manuscript, not to exceed 10 pages * Longer fiction (such as chapter book, middle grade, young adult), not to exceed 10 pages

Please include in your submission: * Name, address, phone number and e-mail address. * Mark the work Fiction or Non-fiction AND if it is: Picture Book, Poems, Chapter Book, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Graphic Novel, etc.

Our preferred method of submission is a PDF attachment e-mailed to: [email protected]

If you cannot send a PDF attachment, you may mail your submission to: Francine Puckly 73 Mowry Street Mendon, MA 01756

If you have any questions, please contact me at [email protected] or [email protected]

I look forward to hearing from you!

Francine Puckly

ARA - SCBWI New England 

• • 

    Saturday, February 16, 2013
  • 

    9:00am until 5:00pm

• Harold Underdown and Eileen Robinson are giving three one-day workshops. Details are on our Workshops page: http://kidsbookrevisions.com/workshops.htm The first one is "Revising and Re-Imagining Your Picture Book," on February 16. The second is "Getting the Most out of a Critique Group," on March 23; The third will be "Planning and Revising Your YA Novel," on April 27.

• 9-12: Class time: learn and try out revision techniques, from the use of reader response theory to highlighting adverbs.
  • January session: topics include understanding manuscripts through analysis and reader response, how critique groups work and don't work.
  • February session: topics include revising overall structure, characterization, plot: the big picture.
  • March session: topics include revising language, editing for typos, finding weak words: polishing and final edits.
• 12-1:30: Lunch break.
• 1:30-3: Critique group time: Eileen and Harold will lead two groups, formed from workshop participants around common interests (such as one group for fiction and one for nonfiction, or one for picture book length and one for longer works), and applying techniques presented in class time. Writers with longer works will be able to read different excerpts each week; writers of shorter works may present a different work each week.
• 3-5: Individual meetings, writing time, writing exercises, and networking.
  • Each student meets every day with Eileen or Harold. We will discuss your goals and concerns in the first session, give "big picture" in the second session, and suggest final revision techniques most likely to be useful in the third.
  • When not meeting with the workshop leaders, participants can gather for networking or work on their manuscript or provided writing exercises.

Looking to meet writers and authors in your local area while connecting with editors and agents along the way? Want to give back to the community that helps to support you? Why not become a volunteer?

The Writers of Lower Fairfield is looking for someone (or a group of people) to coordinate local events.

Please contact Stacy Mozer if interested.

If you like puzzles, come see Eric Berlin at  the Stamford, CT, Barnes & Noble on November 17th at 2:00 p.m. Eric will be emceeing an afternoon of puzzle contests and game shows. Outshine the other contestants and you can win free books!

http://store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/store/2286

Eric Berlin has written three middle-grade mystery novels, known collectively as the Winston Breen
series. The Connecticut folk among you might be most familiar with "The Potato Chip Puzzles," which is on the Nutmeg list this year.

If you are looking for something to do today, June 9, head down to Yonkers for their Books Without Borders Event. There will be authors, editors, agents, and fun activities for the kids. Here's the flyer: Westchester Guardian

• Carol Boas of Wilton won as Finalist in the Picture Book Text category for her manuscript, How Many Sleeps Till Grandma Comes?

• Barbara Gold of Norwalk won as Finalist in the Middle Grade Novel category for her manuscript,  The Weed Whackers, Open for Business.

• Amanda Boyd-Yin of Stamford won as Finalist in the Illustrated Picture Book category for her illustrated manuscript, Aubrey and the Circus.

It's hard to believe that the 2012 NESCBWI conference is less than two weeks away. Here's a few helpful tips if you plan to go:

1. Smile and say hello - Remember, fellow kidlit writers are your friends. They come to conferences to meet new people and reconnect with people already met. Don't be afraid to say hello and smile, or join a stranger at a table.

2. Don't talk about your work right away - At least not until asked. That is especially true when you meet agents and editors. People are there to get to know you, not your book. And they should want to remember you, not your book, when the conference is over. If they also want to know more about your book, that's great. If they're excited about your book, that's even better. But don't go there with that purpose in mind.

3. Have the elevator pitch ready - When you do get the question, "What do you write?" make sure you have the answer. Prepare both a short and long answer, that way if someone is interested in knowing more, you can tell them, but you can also leave them with a taste.

4. Go expecting to learn something, not expecting to sell something

5. Have a great time!!!

Round 2 of the 2012 SBCWI Crystal Kite Member Choice Awards is now open until Friday, March 16th.

To vote for one title in your region:

1. Log on with your username and password on the SCBWI website.
2. Click on the Regions header and select Regional Chapters.
3. Scroll down to find and select your chapter.
4. Click on the Crystal Kite tab.
5. Select the title you would like to vote for.