The Nevada SCBWI Mentorship Experience- Part II

So You Want to Become a Mentee

for the Nevada SCBWI Mentor Program

OR

You Want a Mentor

First, you need to know what you want in a mentor.

Here are my personal top 3 qualities I look for in a mentor:

1) Tall

2) Dark

3) Handsome

Well, looky-looky here. As luck would have it, my mentor Jim happened to fit the bill! 

Okay, these qualities are more like bonuses. Below are the qualities to really look for in a mentor. Really. 

Here are my TOP 10.

A good writing mentor is someone who is:

• Experienced in your genre and willing to share their skills, knowledge, and expertise
• Interested in your development as a writer and your success
• Respected in the industry or has great references
• Easy to reach
• Devoted and willing to spend time and energy mentoring and guiding you
• Up-to-date with the market
• Interested in knowing your strengths and weaknesses and building from it
• Honest with their feedback and gives constructive criticism
• Organized
• Supportive

The Nevada SCBWI Mentor Program has some of the best mentors in the industry. Check the website for updates on mentor panels.

From their website [via Lia Keyes]:

“Past mentors have included National Book Award Finalists, New York Times bestselling authors, Caldecott Medal–winning illustrators, Coretta Scott King Award winners, Charlotte Zolotow Award winners, million-selling series authors, art directors, editors, publishers, and agents. We hand-pick mentors who are gifted both at creating children’s books and at teaching. Many Nevada Mentor Program alumnae have gone on to win awards, land agents, and sign book deals.”

How to Apply for the Nevada SCBWI Mentor Program

Visit the SCBWI Nevada Chapter for more information. 

Here is the gist of it:

• Fill out the required application
• Send in three of your most promising manuscripts.
• Choose two mentors you'd like to possibly work with in order of preference.
• Your manuscripts will be given to your choices.
• The mentors then read the [blind] manuscripts given to them.
• Mentors choose two (sometimes three) they feel have promise.
• Hopefully, one of the two mentors you've selected has chosen you to work with.

The Nevada SCBWI Mentor Program is a one-of-a-kind experience. Curious about what goes on? You can read my story here. 

TIPS

• Choose your best work for submission. (You'd be amazed at how much more can be improved. If you are sending a picture book, many times the mentor will allow up to three to work on. If you are chosen as a mentee, you can ask if your mentor will be willing to look at a different manuscript you'd prefer to work on.)
• Choose a mentor experienced in your genre
• Avoid choosing a mentor in hopes of that editor/agent representing you. Choose them for their mentorship!
• Take advantage of their expertise. Don't be afraid to ask questions during the six-month course. You may want to create a list of questions ahead of time so you don't end the program with any regrets.

CAVEAT [not to be confused with Caviar]

The price of the Nevada Mentorship Program is steep. 

If you have to travel far to get to Reno, you need to factor that into the price of tuition since transportation is not included.

You can probably find a mentor for fraction of the cost of the Nevada Mentorship Program. But remember, tuition includes mentorship, craft intensive workshops, lodging, and most meals. 

Please note that the six-month program doesn't mean you are away for six months. It means, you get to work with your mentor for six months. There are two (separate) 3-day weekend retreats. One at the start of the program, the other at the end. 

The Nevada Mentorship Experience, the support, friendships, the networking with agents, editors, authors, and the relationships built are priceless. 

At the retreats you sleep, eat, mingle with agents, editors, and authors. It's the "dorm room" experience which gives the program a more intimate appeal.

Communication varies with each mentor, ranging from emails, Skype, and phone calls. Usually your one-on-one is limited to an hour at a time, three times during the six-month program. You will not know the arrangement until your first meeting with your mentor.

Everyone's mentorship experience is unique to their mentor-mentee relationship, which is why it is so important to choose your mentor wisely!

~ Happy Writing!

For more on the experience visit:

Kathytemean.wordpress.com

LiaKeyes.com

SylviaLiuLand.com
My story 

To Apply Visit:

Nevada SCBWI

The Nevada SCBWI Mentorship Experience- Part I

Motivating. 

Inspiring.

Validating.

That about sums up my Nevada SCBWI Mentorship Experience.

The Nevada SCBWI Mentor Program runs from October through April. I was fortunate to have been selected for the six-month program. As a mentee, my mentor takes me under his wings and shares his expertise to help me become a better writer.

I was over-the-moon when I found out Jim Averbeck would be my mentor. Jim Averbeck is the author of ONE WORD SOPHIA, IN THE BLUE ROOM, and more.

Picture Books by Jim Averbeck:

One Word from Sophia (2015)

The Market Bowl (2013)

Oh No, Little Dragon (2012)

Except If (2011)

In a Blue Room (2008)

Many of you have asked me about the details of my experience so I am sharing it with you today. Here is my story.

THE NEVADA SCBWI MENTORSHIP EXPERIENCE

MY STORY

The Beginning

The kick-off of our mentor program took place in Reno, Nevada. I was nervous about my meeting with Jim. I've seen him on occasion at local and international SCBWI conferences, but that's about it. One time I actually grabbed him without even introducing myself and asked someone to take a photo of us. I'm sure he doesn't remember this. Bold, but worth it.

SCBWI LA, Black and White Ball 2013

I digress…

My first introduction to Jim was a face-to-face critique of my manuscripts. We got down to business quick. The set-up was exactly like the LA SCBWI conference critique where you introduce yourself to your critiquer, shake hands, and wait for them to offer you to take a seat in preparation for the 

leg-shaking, 

             palm-sweating,

                         lip-biting feedback.  

Needless to say, it wasn't that bad. After my meeting with Jim, I stood up and my heart rallied. 

"Let's do this!"

Later, I met the other mentees who have been assigned to Jim. We dubbed ourselves Team Averbeck. Though I secretly wanted to be called the Robins since Jim was our Batman. He's cool like that.

With co-mentees Louise Henriksen and Lisa Crawford

The rest of the kick-off weekend was spent listening to speakers about the craft of writing. 

Being in a room with a select group of aspiring authors made me feel like part of a special forces unit in which only the elite come to train. As a writer whose been through many ups and downs, this experience was validating for me.

The Middle

I felt fortunate in that my mentor happens to live in close proximity to me so we were able to meet in person. It was nice to be able to bounce ideas off each other, clarify a comment, and get a reaction from my mentor.

Jim and I met at a local café overlooking the Pacific Ocean. We sat on comfy sofa-chairs sipping hot lattes- Chai tea latte for me, steamed milk for him. I was in writer's heaven. We engaged in a little small talk and dove right into my manuscript for a productive one hour.

Throughout the course of the mentorship, Jim assigned me a few writing exercises such as writing a letter from my protagonist to my antagonist. The exercises he gave me were so valuable in the construction of my manuscript. I appreciated that Jim took his mentorship seriously to help me become a better writer.

We went on to meet at the same café once more. The 6 month period was spent on writing and revising in-between critique sessions. Our last meeting was in Virginia City where he got to go over my manuscripts one last time for a total of four meetings.

I came into this program with what I thought were three polished pieces. It's amazing how much improvement can still be made on it. Jim helped me tighten my story more than I thought possible. My stories now have a clearer focus and streamlined story arc. My mentor Jim is intuitive, smart, and helpful. I couldn't have asked for a better mentor than him!

The End

The final retreat, held in Virginia City, was a nice way to cap my six-month long mentorship program. The weekend was spent listening to speakers (mentors), getting final critiques, socializing, and having fun.

Some of the fun things we did was tour historic downtown Virginia City, drink wine, and eat chocolate! We also shared ghost stories. After all, a weekend at the haunted St. Mary's Art and Retreat Center would not be complete without a ghost story.

At the final retreat, we all felt like one big happy family. The fact that our retreat took place in a haunted house made it feel more intimate. When things go bump in the night, you can't help but grow close very quickly.

The Attic of St. Mary's...BOO!

Because of the Nevada SCBWI Mentor Program, I've gained new insights to my writing, created memories, and made lasting friendships. It was an amazing experience!

2015-2016 SCBWI Nevada Mentees

Want to take part in the Nevada SCBWI Mentor Program?

Stay tuned for part II of my Nevada Mentorship Experience on how to apply, what to look for in a mentor, and general tips.

The Perfect Pitch & Other Great Resources

What is the perfect pitch?

That's the question both my son and I ask ourselves. His perfect pitch would probably be one that strikes out the batter. My perfect pitch would strike up a deal with an agent or publisher.

My son pitching for the Stanford Junior Cardinals

Writing the perfect pitch is much like baseball. Good pitching takes practice. The perfect pitch, whether it be baseball or writing, can be broken down to five component skills:

Grip
A pitcher must grip the ball properly before throwing to get good velocity and control. As a writer, our pitch must be gripping! You want to lead with a compelling first line to entice the agent or editor to want to read more.

Windup
The pitching motion begins with the windup. It's the preparation for a good pitch. Writing a pitch requires you to know your main character, his/her wants, the enticing incident, its hook, and the stakes. Kathleen Temean goes into detail on how to write a pitch for your book.

Stride
A baseball pitcher knows that a long stride makes the ball go high; too short a stride makes the ball go low. When writing a pitch you don't want to tell the whole story, just enough to peak the interest. Too long of a pitch and you lose the reader or listener; too short and you can just forget it. A pitch should be about 50 words or a about a 30-second read. If you are participating in a Twitter pitch, you are limited to 140 characters. Know your stride.

Delivery
Whether its baseball or writing, a perfect pitch is in the delivery. You want to deliver an efficient and effective pitch that will hold the attention of the agent or editor. Show your enthusiasm and confidence without being boastful. Be yourself and let your voice shine verbally and on paper.

Following Through
It is important to keep the momentum. When an agent responds with "tell me more," you owe it to yourself to be competent in your own story. You should be able to identify comparable books and explain why yours is different. Show the agent or editor that you are qualified to write your story.

Below is a list of my favorite resources to help you write the perfect pitch:

My son  pitching for the Little League, Yankees

How to Write a Pitch by Kathleen Temean
Kathleen shows you how to write a pitch for you book and shares a few types of techniques you could use to spice up your pitch. 


Writing the Perfect Pitch Author Kristen Lamb invited Marcy Kennedy, writer and WANA instructor, to guest post on her blog on writing the perfect pitch. Here she breaks it down into four meaty parts and gives explanations and examples.


How to Write a One Sentence Pitch
Author Nathan Bransford shows you how to share the heart of your book in just one sentence using three basic elements. This is great practice and comes in handy for giving verbal pitches. 

Difference Between a Pitch and a Hook by Susanna Leonard Hill
Susanna Leonard Hill, childrens author, explains the difference between a pitch and a hook and gives examples. Her blog is worth exploring. Susanna has a weekly feature, Would You Read It, posted on Wednesdays. It is a chance for writers to try out pitches for their books. 

IF YOU ARE GEARING UP FOR March 25 #PITMAD, CHECK OUT THESE SITES NOW! 

[Thank you to Rena Traxel Boudreau for sharing the wonderful world of Carissa Taylor on FB Sub-It-Club]

Twitter Pitch Loglines: Recipe Ideas by Carissa Taylor
Carissa gives us the recipe for a good logline. Here she lays out some samples or logline formats that you could customize to your story by filling in the blanks. 

March #PitMad Requested Pitches 

#PitMad on Twitter

Carissa Taylor gives us a list of Twitter pitches from the #PitMad held earlier this month that received requests from agents. These are successful pitches, categorized by genre, that you can study as you prepare for you own pitch. Because I write things related to picture books, I thought you'd like to know that of the 236 manuscripts that got requests, 5 of them were picture books.

Pitch Generator by Carissa Taylor
For fun, you can try this pitch generator. It asks basic information about your story and characters and with a click of the mouse, it will generate several pitches for you. I tried it out and I wasn't able to find one that was worthy to use. Nevertheless, it was interesting and fun. I could still tweak the pitches a bit to make it work for me. Try it out. 

And in case you are in a position to pitch your book verbally, read this:

Pitching at Conferences Dos and Don'ts
Literary agent, Jean V. Naggar, attended many writers conferences. In doing so, she had compiled a list of dos and don'ts for conference attendees looking to pitch their book. It is a guideline for writers so they don't mess up on an opportunity.


**************

Hope this helps. If you have other resources regarding writing a pitch that you find fabulous, please share in the comment section.

My son's hang-out

SCBWI LA Reflections, Part 3- Buzz Words, Quotes, Key Points, and What Agents are Looking for!

My vocabulary list has grown since the SCBWI conference in LA. I thought I'd share it with you since you'll probably be hearing a lot of these words in the industry. 

SUBVERSIVE- Keynote speaker Jon Sciezka, author of Cowboy & Octopus, The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, and Stinky Cheese Man, talked about stories that broke all the rules. His picture books are perfect examples of these. 

"We have a bold tradition of being experimental in our books because we have the most bold and experimental readers." ~Mac Barnett

PALIMPSEST- Kirby Larson, author of Whispers of the Past, talked about ideas and how many of them are reused to make something new.

METAFICTION- Mac Barnett, author of Extra Yarn, talked about writing a book with new rules.  He defines metafiction as "a book that talks about it being a book." like his own Chloe and the Lion.

TRANSMEDIA- Julie Hedlund and Sarah Towle talked about publishing across multiple formats (print, digital, and film) and how a story is reworked and adapted to each form resulting in the creation of a story world. A good example of this is The Fantastic Flying Books by Moriss Lessmore

GENRE BREAKERS- Julie Hedlund, author of A Group is a Troop of Monkeys and A Shiver of Sharks, mentions that books in app form offers possibilities for subversive stories or genre breakers, which is the crossing over of two or more styles- think mash-up of genres.

Key Points

The SCBWI conference in LA was loaded with fabulous workshops. Here are 2 of my favorite speakers and the message that resonated with me.

From Richard Peck, award-winning author:  You are Only as Good as Your Opening Line- Find something that interest your reader and put it in your first line.

From Andrea Pinkney, V.P., Executive Editor at Scholastics and award-winning author: Think about your unique talent. Explore new genres. Find your twinkle! There could be more interesting stories that may or may not come out of you if you hadn't explored other topics or genre.

"To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong" ~Joseph Chilton Pierce

What agents are seeking

Now, what you've all been waiting for! There is a consensus among agents and editors as to what manuscripts they are seeking. Here is their list:

• a story that they connect strongly enough on a personal level
• a story that they feel passionate about
• a sorry that touches the emotional core
• a story with a great concept and great writing!

Sorry to disappoint you, but that's all I've got out of them. The last bullet says it all.

Well that's it for my SCBWI LA reflections. There was a lot of sitting, listening, and note-taking. But as they say, work hard and play hard. Writers sure know how to party!

The faces of these partiers have been disguised to protect their identity.

Overall, I had a blast! I am so glad I saved up for this event. The SCBWI is such a supportive and inspiring group. I am happy to be a children's writer.

If you missed my other SCBWI Reflections, here they are:
Part 1- Coming Home to Reality
Part 2- Goals and Statistics

SCBWI LA Reflections, Part 2- Goals & Statistics

For this post, I just want to share with you my first day at the SCBWI LA Conference and what I learned. If you are a first-timer like me, I recommend going to the New Attendees Orientation. Jolie Stekly, speaker for the session had us newbies answer 2 important questions:

1. Why am I here?

It had been my goal to attend the SCBWI Summer conference once I felt I was at my peak. I've read quite a number of craft books and completed a few writing classes. It was time to take my craft to the next level.

I also wanted to meet my online friends in person, network with others in the industry, and take home up-to-date information about the craft and business of writing. But the most important reason was to get a one-on-one critique on my manuscript. I belong to 3 critique groups and have had my manuscript critiqued at my local SCBWI conference, but I have NEVER had a face-to-face talk about my writing. I wanted to know what I could do to improve my skill. This was my opportunity to get that feedback.

2.What are my goals? 

• To enjoy the moment! Did I ever!
• To improve my interpersonal skills and practice my pitch whenever anyone asks me what I am working on. I did get to practice my pitch on a few friends and that was nerve-racking! I fumbled. But by the time I had my one-on-one critique I felt more at ease. That surprised me the most.
• To have a face-to-face conversation with an agent, editor or publisher...about anything.  I just needed to get that experience. I've always heard people say that the SCBWI LA is where people got their break in the industry or have made connections that gave them that break. So I put it in writing hoping the spiritual laws of success would manifest itself to me. God answered my prayers. More on that later. 

Answering these questions really made my experience more meaningful. The conference was everything I thought it would be and more! 

Our Hostess with the Mostess- Lin Oliver

The Ballroom

If you haven't been to an International Conference yet, you must! The following are some statistics that may motivate you to attend. Lin Oliver compiled this list and shared it with us during our welcoming session. She is as funny and witty as the stories she writes and she's got charisma that can keep this work-a-full-day-catch-a-late-flight-right-after-work, sleep-deprived, non-caffeinated attendee on the edge of her seat. Yessiree! 

Ms. Oliver was nice enough to allow me to share the statistics with you:

• 1266 attended the SCBWI LA conference
• 38% of attendees are published
• 400+ attendees are first-timers to the Summer conference
• 175 submitted art portfolios
• 312 signed up for the writer intensives
• 988 attendees are women
• 192 attendees are men
• 86 are undeclared...go figure! 
• Attendees came from 46 different states and 14 countries outside the U.S. If you are from Mississippi, West Virginia, North Dakota or South Dakota, then you'd better start saving for next years conference to represent!

What did I learn on the first day? 
If you have to go to the Ladies' room, go during the Keynote and not when it is over or you'll be standing in line for a while, which will delay you from attending the workshop that is scheduled immediately after the keynote. If you are late, the chances are the workshop will be full and you have to scurry to find another one before that one fills up. Of course I waited until the end because I didn't want to miss the speech. And with nerves running high and the room temperature at cold, it doesn't matter if you try to do your thing before everything starts because you are bound to feel the urge to go again anyway. Men, you don't have a thing to worry about.  After all, there are only 192 of you.

Well, that's it for now. In part 3 I will give you an overview of the workshops I attended.

Share: What goals do you have for the SCBWI conference?

SCBWI LA Reflections, Part 1- Coming Home to Reality

I just came back from an exciting SCBWI conference in LA in which I felt like I was on an all-time high. I got to meet fabulous people whom I've been friends with online, but have never met in person. Turns out they were more wonderful than I had imagined. I love them all! 

I got to listen to inspiring messages from authors, editors and agents, and party with them at the Black & White Ball on Saturday night.

I also got to meet with Andrea Pinkney, V.P. of Scholastics and New York Times bestselling and award-winning author, during my critique session. She praised me for my work and I left with the feeling of elation. I'll write more about my experience on another post. Back to my story...

When I got home, reality hit me like I was run over by a bulldozer. Waiting for me on my desk were not one, but TWO rejection letters. I've never had two rejection letters come in the mail at one time so it really felt like a message to me yelling, "Get down from your high horse, young lady!" Well, I didn't get off my horse. My horse kicked me off.

This rejection reminded me of a post I had written in 2009.  I am re-posting it here to console myself. Hopefully it will help you too.

------------
IT'S NOT YOU, IT'S ME

"It’s not you, it’s me.” You may have heard these words one time too many. Your eyes well up as you process this unexpected news of a break-up and you wonder what went wrong in your relationship with your soon to be “ex.”

Hearing these words almost seems like a cop out; escaping the gut-wrenching explanation of what was lacking in the relationship. In the publishing industry, the relationship exists between publisher and author. And the break-up comes in the form of a rejection letter. But the “it’s not you, it’s me” excuse may not be a bad thing.

As an author, you put effort into making sure your story has been critiqued, edited, reviewed, and perfected. You follow the submission guidelines to a tee. You study the publishing house and its back issues or book list. But no matter how hard you try to do everything right to make the relationship work, you still receive a rejection letter.

According to the Children’s Writer’s June 4, 2009 eNews, published by The Institute of Children’s Literature, “rejection letters come to you because the project you just offered to sell isn’t what the editor wanted to buy.” Most of the time, editors are limited to a certain number of manuscripts that they can purchase or are looking for a specific genre. So, even if you’ve crafted a well-written story, followed the submission guidelines, and studied the market, you just may be out of luck. It’s all about whether or not your manuscript fits their need.

Don’t feel discouraged when you get a rejection letter. Even the best writers and the well-known authors get rejected. So, when you receive a rejection letter, find comfort in knowing that it could just be that “it’s them and not you.” Hold your head high and move on. Besides, there are other publishers in the sea.

SCBWI LA or BUST!

I did it! I registered for the International SCBWI Summer conference in L.A. 

In hopes of offsetting the cost of the trip, I entered the FAiRy gOdSiStErS' annual scholarship contest. The challenge was to write at least one, but no more than three haiku telling them why I should be picked for this year's conference.  Winning haiku receives $1000 towards the conference. 

I didn't win. YA writer, Heather Hamilton-Senter won with her winning Haiku, The Haiku Trilogy of the Querying Author. You can read her winning entry on the FAiRy gOdSiStErS' Facebook page.

Now it looks like I am going to have to sell one of my sons to pay for the trip. My first-born is very bright and can serve as your personal encyclopedia. Really. Who needs Google when you've got him? My youngest makes a great pet. He'll play ball with you and provide you with lots of snuggle time. Any takers? 

On second thought, I think I'll keep them. 

Image courtesy of Daniel St. Pierre / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Here's the cost of my trip:

SCBWI LA conference: $795

Hotel: $627

Airfare: $200

Cost of a jam-packed weekend of agents, editors, inspiration, knowledge, insights, memories,  friendships... 

PRICELESS!


I signed up for the Monday Intensives too. It's an extra full day of personal growth and hands-on instructions. I figured if I'm going to spend that much on a conference, I might as well go for broke. Sure, it cost an arm and a leg, but at least I still have my head!

Here is the haiku I submitted for the contest:

A Writer's Dream

Critiques Revisions
A tub full of hot tea
Life of a writer

Yearning to be free
Spreading magical seeds- like
a dandelion

To inspire and
be desired- dreams of an
author wannabe



If you want to donate to the "Writer's Dream" fund, I accept Paypal! 

I hope to see you at the SCBWI in L.A!