June 10, 2009

Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators Conference



















Hooray for the coordinators of the NJSCBWI conference this past weekend! Kathy Temean and Laurie Wallmark did an amazing job. Approximately 250 attendees and 25 editors/agents. Author Richard Peck, Newbery winner and E.B. Lewis, Caldecott winner, were inspiring, magical and above all, simply nice people. I frantically scribbled, in an effort to catch some of their amazing quotes as they spoke. Below are some of my favorites. Hope they inspire all you writers as well:
"We are growing older while our readers remain the same age."
"All stories turn upon epiphany - when everything changes and you can't go back."
"Establish the narrator's voice on the first line. The first line captures the reader." example:
"Where is Papa going with that ax?" (Charlotte's Web)
"Knowledge that does not come through the heart is dangerous."
It takes 10,000 hours to perfect your craft.
"Artists should never be aware of their style. Dead in the water. Should be fun, not work."
"You gotta love the doing."
"Artists are the critical thinkers of society."
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Stay tuned to my blog for more information about other fabulous people at the conference.

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