Children's Book Writing Conference

I attended a writers' conference last Saturday. Great speakers, great topics, great location--a wonderful experience! One speaker, Pat Scales, was a former Newbery and Caldecott judge. I could have listened to her all day. Another was an editor for Highlights magazine and Calkins Creek books. She was knowledgeable and had a great sense of humor. She was the kind of person that I just knew I would like, the kind that I could get into trouble with if we were ever seated together somewhere formal. Other speakers included a Caldecott-awarding winning illustrator, a well-published children's book author, and the author of the currently popular Pirate books. All were quite down-to-earth and eager to share their insights into the world of children's book publishing.

I've already contacted the lady from Highlights/Calkins Creek and asked about sending her something for publication. That's one of the major benefits of attending these conferences, I'm told: networking and opportunities for personal contact that can lead to publishing opportunities.