Book Design - Children Book Writers and Illustrators - What the SCBWI Has to Offer

Organizations and associations are there to help us get to know the industry we're in... I found SCBWI, The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, very helpful for me... here's what I learned... The SCBWI, Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators offers a great many opportunities for those of us who love the idea of writing for children. Making a difference in their lives through our experiences and ability to tell the stories that catch their attention. I recently joined this group of active writers and illustrators and have found them quite open and available. They have a newsletter filled with information about the children's book industry. They have events throughout the year which further educating writers that can attend. I found that they are informative and the networking that can be done worth every minute of it. I met editors and other authors that furthered my knowledge of the industry. I learned about the categories that children's books are divided up into. I learned there is a different age group language that is to be used. I learned about industry specific names for the different types of characters and style of writing and that the illustrations really can move the book to importance, that the illustrator is a very important part of a books success. That many of the publishing houses have illustrators they prefer to use and that the relationship between all three parties involved is the most important part of having your book published. The hours spent, the revisions made, sometimes almost complete rewrites ... all involve the cooperation of the editor, writer and illustrator. The end product is a testament to their collaborative skills. Knowing how and where to promote your skills is important to your books success and as mentioned about, organizations help you find the way. There are many different types of organizations for authors, The Publishers Marketing Association is one of the biggest and has local chapters in some areas. Also the National Speakers Association offers multiple events and information for authors who are also looking to do speaking. I know there are more I'm sure if you did a search for author or writer associations or organizations you'll find some that will suite your needs and location. And I'll be writing about more of the organizations and associations you might find interesting in other articles. I'm Karrie Ross, a professional Book Designer for book covers and interiors and I hope you'll contact me to assist you with the production of your book projects.