Fairytale advice and other stories from the LA 2013 SCBWI Conference...

Sitting here...

In the lobby of  the Hyatt Century Plaza Hotel, right next door to Beverly Hills, for my coach to turn back into a pumpkin,( I will be taking the night train from LA Union Station to Gallup, New Mexico and then up through the "rez" to Colorado), I've been pondering the last four days of the Society of Children's Books Writers and Illustrators conference, other wise known as SCBWI held yearly. This being my sixth year, I thought I would impart some advise to others by telling a wee bit of a children's fairytale, so here goes...

Though you are always hoping to find your...

 

Fairy Godmother at this conference, someone in the know, with power, who will instantly see your great talent and potential and wave their magic wand over your head, making all your dreams come true, that probably will not happen. In your journey you might bump into a few...

Wicked Witches, who will try to  thwart your dreams,or at least it will feel like that, just remember their evilness is either fueled by insecurity or over self importance and could be both at the same time!
On the...

 "Yellow Brick Road" to publication, you will have some fellow travelers sharing your journey, just as nervous as you are...

be sure to pick their brains, you will learn something...

and be inspired by their hearts...

You might meet a few "White Rabbits" along the way...

 

who will gladly talk to you, unless someone more important comes along, like an editor, art director, agent or big time author/illustrator and then they will wave their hand in your face and announce they are "late, late, for a very important date," and then run away from you without another word.
Watch out if you are the one to be already talking to such an important person, because you will be invisible and they will wedge themselves in front of your to try on...

the "glass slipper" and be "the one"!

Do keep in mind that you will have to decide which bits of advice to take, since some will be given by...

 

and other bits...

 

truly helping you find your way home.

 

Many will follow the crowd, of what is popular right now, no matter how ridiculous...

 

 But be brave and follow your own heart...

 

 

and keep telling yourself...

 

 

"I think I can, I think I can!" as you trudge up the next hill in your journey.

 

Be sure to bask in the glory of reaching the summits...

 

 

Have a blast sledding down the other side...

 

 

 

But remember reaching a summit only last for a moment and it is the journey in-between that truly matters and instead of waiting around for your handsome prince....

 

 

 to come show you the way, why not climb down out of the tower yourself, and be on your way...

 

 

Just remember to bring a pair of scissors!