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Registration opens tomorrow for the SCBWI Winter Conference! You can follow the pre-conference excitement virtually via the #NY16SCBWI hashtag on Twitter as well as the SCBWI conference blog. Do read Jennifer Laughran's recent "Ask The Agent" post about SCBWI-NYC.

I'm excited about rooming with my friend Hazel Mitchell again this year. Hazel's also my agency sister! Both of us adore Ginger Knowlton, our agent at Curtis Brown.

Here's my updated SCBWI Conference Advice post for first-timers (as well as a challenge for the many-timers):

If you're a conference newbie who is nervous, I encourage you to browse my SCBWI Conference Newbie comics. I created these when I was a nervous newbie as well! So many people think I'm an extrovert, but I'm actually very much an introvert and was terrified (to the point of sweating palms, pounding heart, hating the idea of having go up and introduce myself over and over) about attending my first regular SCBWI conference back in 2009.

(Edit re: above comic: I did end up meeting Jay at the conference and he was really nice! And he didn't mention his Amazon ranking EVEN ONCE! Heh.)

I've posted advice for first-timers before and will post it again at the end of this piece, but now that I've attended other SCBWI annual conferences (and had my career jumpstarted because of the 2010 SCBWI-LA Conference), here is some additional advice I have for those who have attended more than once:

Don't get offended or disheartened if people you've met before don't remember you.

This is something I've learned from both sides. As a 2nd- and 3rd-timer (and so on), I've sometimes gone up to a person or group I've met and had my confidence deflated when it becomes clear they don't remember me at ALL from the previous year. My inner reactions ranged from embarrassment, humiliation, irritation, frustration and even brief anger ("I guess I'm just NOT IMPORTANT enough for xxx to remember!! Hmph.").

Having attended many times now, I've learned the following:

- I'm terrible at remembering people unless I've had multiple conversations or interactions with the same person.

- Even then, especially if I'm tired or am in a noisy crowd (remember what I said earlier about being an introvert?) or have met many new people in a row just before, I may still forget having met someone before.

I still accidentally re-introduce myself to people whom I've met before, sometimes whom I've met EARLIER IN THE CONVENTION. I'm always horribly embarrassed when this happens. 

Make sure your name badge is easily visible.

Also, when I approach someone whom I've met before but with whom I don't have constant contact, I usually try saying something that will help remind them of our mutual context, or remind them of having met at xxx. Until I'm sure they actually do remember me, I try very hard NOT to put them on the spot (e.g. I don't say, "So, what did you think of my most recent post?" etc.).

When someone does this to me (subtly or unsubtly :-) setting the context and helping me remember), I immediately feel more at ease with them and am more likely to want to chat with them in the future.

Another tip: if someone DOES remember you, never assume that they're up-to-date on all your exciting news. I've had the occasional person react badly when they realize I'm not aware of their new book ("?? But I posted it all over Facebook!") I never assume anyone reads all my posts or keeps up with all my news. People have busy lives and different priorities.

Something else I've learned: even so-called Big Name authors and illustrators can be insecure. I am faaaar from being a Big Name, but having had a bit more experience at conference-going now, I also realize how some of the Big Name types who seemed standoffish to me actually weren't.

Be gracious, be forgiving and try very hard to assume the best about a person rather than the worst.

And I apologize ahead of time if I don't remember your name or re-introduce myself. :-\

And here some tips for first-timers who feel nervous about attending for the first time, or are normally very shy or introverted and dread the idea of having to meet a lot of new people:

1. Be brave and make the first move. You'd be surprised at how many other attendees feel exactly the same way as you do. Introduce yourself to people you sit beside, stand in line with, notice standing alone.

2. TAKE BUSINESS CARDS. Yes, even if you aren't published yet. We're all going to meet a lot of people over the weekend, and taking away a business card from an encounter or introduction will help the people you meet remember you. If you're an illustrator, take postcards or make sure a sample of illustration style is on your business card.

3. Have realistic expectations. Don't expect to be "discovered" at the conference.

4. In my experience, you're much more likely to meet new people if you're alone. If you're always chatting and hanging out with the same person or people, you're not as approachable. I'm not saying that you SHOULDN'T hang out with people you like, of course! Just keep in mind that as a group, you're probably not going to meet as many new people as someone who is by themselves.

5. If you're on Twitter, write your Twitter handle on your name badge somewhere.

But most of all: TRY TO HAVE FUN. 

***** A CHALLENGE TO THE "MANY-TIMERS" OUT THERE ****

Try to remember what it was like when you attended your very first event, or how insecure you felt in the beginning. Then make it a personal challenge to find at least one lost-looking or nervous conference newbie who is sitting or standing alone. Introduce yourself, chat with them, find out what they're working on, perhaps (if appropriate) offer some advice.

Give good karma and it WILL come back to you.

Simon & Schuster meeting about my illustrations in SEA MONKEY AND BOB (author: Aaron Reynolds)

I had SUCH AN AMAZING TIME IN NEW YORK! Huge thanks to the SCBWI Winter Conference organizers, volunteers and faculty for a fantastic event.

Eventually, when I get more free time (hahahah), I hope to post some highlights. The next couple of weeks are going to be superbusy for me so instead, I'm sharing some of the photos I took with my iPhone during my trip. 

Feel free to share or repost any of my photos; including a photo credit would be much appreciated (or tagging me). Here are some of the photos from my adventures in NYC, including after the SCBWI conference:

On Facebook:
Part 1: SCBWI-NYC - Part 2: SCBWI-NYC (cont’d) - Part 3: Curtis Brown - Part 4: Random House Children’s - Part 5: Simon & Schuster Children’s 

On Flickr:
Part 1: SCBWI-NYC - Part 2: SCBWI-NYC (cont’d) - Part 3: Curtis Brown - Part 4: Random House Children’s 
- Part 5: Simon & Schuster Children’s 

I'm leaving tomorrow for the SCBWI Winter Conference! If you haven't yet registered, you're out of luck....the conference is sold out. However, you can follow along virtually via the #NY15SCBWI hashtag on Twitter as well as the SCBWI conference blog.

Here's my updated SCBWI Conference Advice post for first-timers (as well as a challenge for the many-timers):

If you're a conference newbie who is nervous, I encourage you to browse my SCBWI Conference Newbie comics. I created these when I was a nervous newbie as well! So many people think I'm an extrovert, but I'm actually very much an introvert and was terrified (to the point of sweating palms, pounding heart, hating the idea of having go up and introduce myself over and over) about attending my first regular SCBWI conference back in 2009.

(Edit re: above comic: I did end up meeting Jay at the conference and he was really nice! And he didn't mention his Amazon ranking EVEN ONCE! Heh.)

I've posted advice for first-timers before and will post it again at the end of this piece, but now that I've attended other SCBWI annual conferences (and had my career jumpstarted because of the 2010 SCBWI-LA Conference), here is some additional advice I have for those who have attended more than once:

Don't get offended or disheartened if people you've met before don't remember you.

This is something I've learned from both sides. As a 2nd- and 3rd-timer (and so on), I've sometimes gone up to a person or group I've met and had my confidence deflated when it becomes clear they don't remember me at ALL from the previous year. My inner reactions ranged from embarrassment, humiliation, irritation, frustration and even brief anger ("I guess I'm just NOT IMPORTANT enough for xxx to remember!! Hmph.").

Having attended many times now, I've learned the following:

- I'm terrible at remembering people unless I've had multiple conversations or interactions with the same person.

- Even then, especially if I'm tired or am in a noisy crowd (remember what I said earlier about being an introvert?) or have met many new people in a row just before, I may still forget having met someone before.

I still accidentally re-introduce myself to people whom I've met before, sometimes whom I've met EARLIER IN THE CONVENTION. I'm always horribly embarrassed when this happens. 

Make sure your name badge is easily visible.

Also, when I approach someone whom I've met before but with whom I don't have constant contact, I usually try saying something that will help remind them of our mutual context, or remind them of having met at xxx. Until I'm sure they actually do remember me, I try very hard NOT to put them on the spot (e.g. I don't say, "So, what did you think of my most recent post?" etc.).

When someone does this to me (subtly or unsubtly :-) setting the context and helping me remember), I immediately feel more at ease with them and am more likely to want to chat with them in the future.

Another tip: if someone DOES remember you, never assume that they're up-to-date on all your exciting news. I've had the occasional person react badly when they realize I'm not aware of their new book ("?? But I posted it all over Facebook!") I never assume anyone reads all my posts or keeps up with all my news. People have busy lives and different priorities.

Something else I've learned: even so-called Big Name authors and illustrators can be insecure. I am faaaar from being a Big Name, but having had a bit more experience at conference-going now, I also realize how some of the Big Name types who seemed standoffish to me actually weren't.

Be gracious, be forgiving and try very hard to assume the best about a person rather than the worst.

And I apologize ahead of time if I don't remember your name or re-introduce myself. :-\

And here some tips for first-timers who feel nervous about attending for the first time, or are normally very shy or introverted and dread the idea of having to meet a lot of new people:

1. Be brave and make the first move. You'd be surprised at how many other attendees feel exactly the same way as you do. Introduce yourself to people you sit beside, stand in line with, notice standing alone.

2. TAKE BUSINESS CARDS. Yes, even if you aren't published yet. We're all going to meet a lot of people over the weekend, and taking away a business card from an encounter or introduction will help the people you meet remember you. If you're an illustrator, take postcards or make sure a sample of illustration style is on your business card.

3. Have realistic expectations. Don't expect to be "discovered" at the conference.

4. In my experience, you're much more likely to meet new people if you're alone. If you're always chatting and hanging out with the same person or people, you're not as approachable. I'm not saying that you SHOULDN'T hang out with people you like, of course! Just keep in mind that as a group, you're probably not going to meet as many new people as someone who is by themselves.

5. If you're on Twitter, write your Twitter handle on your name badge somewhere.

But most of all: TRY TO HAVE FUN. 

***** A CHALLENGE TO THE "MANY-TIMERS" OUT THERE ****

Try to remember what it was like when you attended your very first event, or how insecure you felt in the beginning. Then make it a personal challenge to find at least one lost-looking or nervous conference newbie who is sitting or standing alone. Introduce yourself, chat with them, find out what they're working on, perhaps (if appropriate) offer some advice.

Give good karma and it WILL come back to you.

p.s. If you see my friend Kate, do say hi! :-)

For those who haven't yet heard the term, conference takeaways are generally regarded as insights or key points that someone who attends brings away from the event. It differs for everyone, based on their own level of experience and context. 

I'm going to be sharing some of my takeaways, starting with Sean Tan.

I've long admired Sean Tan's work. The quirky/dark have always had a strong appeal to me (see my Little Nightmares Flickr set from ten years ago as an example), and someday I'm going to write and illustrate a picture book in this style. My main challenge: to figure out a way of doing dark without overwhelming the book with too much dark, if that makes any sense. Having a good story is the most important, of course. I've been working on ideas for ages but haven't been happy with any of them yet. Someday, though. These Little Nightmare guys keep bugging me to find the right story for them.

But I digress.

One of my biggest takeaways from the conference was Sean Tan's advice to artists about the necessity of creating a Bubble of Delusion in which they feel safe to create. This applies to writers just as much as illustrators, I believe. 

-----------------

A few of Sean Tan's thoughts on the Bubble Of Delusion:

(Please note that these are my notes taken during the Illustrators' Intensive, so are subject to interpretation/misinterpretation)

- Set up a safe space in which you feel positive about yourself and your work, and know that you will do great work.

- Surround yourself with encouraging people.

- Avoid negativity, and try to avoid it when you see it coming. Sean says he avoids reading reviews. I don't think I'd have the willpower to avoid reading reviews completely, but I avoid interacting with negative people. Sometimes it's unavoidable, of course, but I do what I can in the future to limit the interaction.

-----------------

I've experienced this myself recently, though it was necessary bad stuff (like getting an injured limb re-broken so it could heal properly).Trying to work on anything creative, however, was like walking against a gale force wind. Not good.

What I'm Doing To Help Maintain My Own Bubble Of Delusion:

1. Doodling something purely for the fun of it every day, no matter how busy I am. I used to draw for fun all the time! I need start doing that again. I'll post some of these daily doodles online (on DebbieOhi.com), but some I won't…these drawings are for myself.

2. Write something purely for the fun of it every day, no matter how busy I am. I'm getting back to my private journal again, my equivalent of Morning Pages.

3. Do what I can to avoid industry angst. I love social media and online communities, but sometimes I let myself get too caught up in worrying about sales figures, publishing politics, conflicting advice, peer envy.

My advice to you all, especially those who are trying to find their own writing or illustration style: do what you can to create your own Bubble of Delusion. And then when you're doing something creative, stay in that Bubble.

For me, one of the keys is staying off the Internet. What do you do to maintain your Bubble? Feel free to post below. 

For more info about Sean Tan and his work, see his website.

For more info about the SCBWI, see the SCBWI website.

For those who haven't yet heard the term, conference takeaways are generally regarded as insights or key points that someone who attends brings away from the event. It differs for everyone, based on their own level of experience and context. 

I'm going to be sharing some of my takeaways, starting with Shaun Tan.

I've long admired Shaun Tan's work. The quirky/dark have always had a strong appeal to me (see my Little Nightmares Flickr set from ten years ago as an example), and someday I'm going to write and illustrate a picture book in this style. My main challenge: to figure out a way of doing dark without overwhelming the book with too much dark, if that makes any sense. Having a good story is the most important, of course. I've been working on ideas for ages but haven't been happy with any of them yet. Someday, though. These Little Nightmare guys keep bugging me to find the right story for them.

But I digress.

One of my biggest takeaways from the conference was Shaun Tan's advice to artists about the necessity of creating a Bubble of Delusion in which they feel safe to experiment and create. This applies to writers just as much as illustrators, I believe. 

-----------------

A few of Shaun Tan's thoughts on the Bubble Of Delusion:

(Please note that these are my notes taken during the Illustrators' Intensive, so are subject to interpretation/misinterpretation)

- Set up a safe space in which you feel positive about yourself and your work, and know that you will do great work.

- Surround yourself with encouraging people.

- Avoid negativity, and try to avoid it when you see it coming. Shaun says he avoids reading reviews. I don't think I'd have the willpower to avoid reading reviews completely, but I do what I can to keep from interacting with negative people. Sometimes it's unavoidable, of course, but I do what I can in the future to limit the interaction.

-----------------

I've experienced this myself recently, though it was necessary bad stuff (like getting an injured limb re-broken so it could heal properly).Trying to work on anything creative, however, was like walking against a gale force wind…I could do it, but it was an effort rather than the fun it usually is. Not good.

What I'm Doing To Help Maintain My Own Bubble Of Delusion:

1. Doodling something purely for the fun of it every day, no matter how busy I am. I used to draw for fun all the time! I need start doing that again. I'll post some of these daily doodles online (on DebbieOhi.com), but some I won't…these drawings are for myself.

2. Write something purely for the fun of it every day, no matter how busy I am. I'm getting back to my private journal again, my equivalent of Morning Pages.

3. Do what I can to avoid industry angst. I love social media and online communities, but sometimes I let myself get too caught up in worrying about sales figures, publishing politics, conflicting advice, peer envy.

My advice to you all, especially those who are trying to find their own writing or illustration style: do what you can to create your own Bubble of Delusion. And then when you're doing something creative, STAY IN THE BUBBLE. It's impractical and inadvisable to stay in the Bubble all the time, of course -- we all need to deal with the other Stuff in life, plus the other Stuff helps to inspire and motivate us.

For me, one of the keys is staying off the Internet when I'm trying to create. What do you do to maintain your Bubble? Feel free to post below. 

For more info about Shaun Tan and his work, see his website.

For more info about the SCBWI, see the SCBWI website.