SCBWI

[KateESal]

Hello fellow children's authors *waves*

Are you in the SCBWI? If so, what do you think of it? Is it a good career investment?

 

[Barbara]

I'm not a member but had a snoop around their site just now. It looks like something worth considering. I guess you have to decide what you are looking to get out of it.

Personally, I think legit trade unions are worth the investment. I belong to couple of professional unions/societies: Equity (actor's union), as well as the Comlementary Therapists Assc, and I firmly believe they can be helpful. Equity are tirelss in fighting the causes of us actors, and they can be a great resourse for getting advice on various acting matters. (I once got advice from them re: a dodgy agent.) They kinda keep the industry in check and can help actors with their contracts ect. The CThA too is useful. Also, they both hold events where you can network with likeminded people. I'm waiting until the day I fit the criteria for the Society of Authors.

My advice would be: go for it, take out a year's membership, make most of it, then review its benefits before you renew in 2019.

Just checking, I understood the SCBWI to be a US site. Is that correct? Are you in the US? If not maybe look into a UK version.

 

[Quillwitch]

I'm not a member but had a snoop around their site just now. It looks like something worth considering. I guess you have to decide what you are looking to get out of it.

Personally, I think legit trade unions are worth the investment. I belong to couple of professional unions/societies: Equity (actor's union), as well as the Comlementary Therapists Assc, and I firmly believe they can be helpful. Equity are tirelss in fighting the causes of us actors, and they can be a great resourse for getting advice on various acting matters. (I once got advice from them re: a dodgy agent.) They kinda keep the industry in check and can help actors with their contracts ect. The CThA too is useful. Also, they both hold events where you can network with likeminded people. I'm waiting until the day I fit the criteria for the Society of Authors.

My advice would be: go for it, take out a year's membership, make most of it, then review its benefits before you renew in 2019.

Just checking, I understood the SCBWI to be a US site. Is that correct? Are you in the US? If not maybe look into a UK version.

They have branches pretty much all over the world, and each one has its own personality.

 

[Quillwitch]

As Barbara mentioned, I think it all depends on what you are looking for in terms of your writing career. Ive looked into it on several occassions and it is not exactly what I need. I feel that a lot of the information offered, I can find in other places like for example on the write4kids website, and it[s a lot cheaper to join. They have very valuable info if you are looking for information on the trade and on writing things like chapter books, easy readers, ESL books, picture books, things that have to do with elementary school curricula, which is a big part of what scbwi offers too. SCBWI is also big on literary works and trying to strive for newberrys or any other kind of prize. One of the cool things they offer is chats with authors and illustrators. Where am I going with this...not so good a place if you are trying to write something very commercial.

At some point they allowed me to visit their boards and there was a lot of action going on//a lot of people are on the boards which is cool but there are also a lot of newbies, so again, it depends on what you are looking for and where you are as a writer. At some point there were famouse writers on the boards giving advice, but not anymore.

I also had the opportunity to visit the UK version SCBWI British Isles and to be honest, I liked it a lot more! They are very well connected with agents who kindly give their time to actually talk to new writers. It looks like they are more inclined to writing both commercial work as well as literary. I got some good feedback from 2 agents after I was allowed to particiate in one of their contests.
There seems to be a lot of fun stuff going on and they have some freebies that are cool too. They were even willing to take me as a member even though I live in Mexico! I recommend you check them out on twitter and their webpage where you can sign up to get their free online magazine.

British Isles | SCBWI British Isles

If you do decide to join, I suggest you do so in the country where you are looking to publish. Each country is different when it comes to publishing. In Mexico for example, they are very active within the literary scene.

 

[Robinne Weiss]

I'm a SCBWI member, but I don't plan to renew my membership. Their Australia/New Zealand chapter is probably great for the Ozzies, but nearly all the events they run are based in OZ, and the few that come to NZ happen in Auckland, which is simply too expensive for me to get to for a 1-day workshop. They're also not so helpful for self-published authors--there's a strong organisational bias against the self-published author, which irks me. So, yeah, other than the opportunity to enter a few contests, it's been a waste of my money, and I'm unlikely to renew. I suspect if you live in an area where SCBWI is quite active and you can attend the events, or if you're traditionally published and can participate in the opportunities they offer for promotion, etc, it might be quite useful.

 

[KateESal]

Some excellent nosh for my noddle here, thanks y'all.

 

[AliG]

I'm a SCBWI British Isles and have found it enormously helpful. I've had many 1-1s with agents/editors, met a host of agents face to face in an atmosphere of them looking to be subbed, met with many successful writers, had masses of excellent advice and support. Well supported by established writers as well as newbies. I've been a member for years and will definitely continue to renew.

 

[Quillwitch]

I'm a SCBWI British Isles and have found it enormously helpful. I've had many 1-1s with agents/editors, met a host of agents face to face in an atmosphere of them looking to be subbed, met with many successful writers, had masses of excellent advice and support. Well supported by established writers as well as newbies. I've been a member for years and will definitely continue to renew.

Thats the feeling I get from SCBWI British Isles. They seem very professional people and a lot of fun.

 

[Emurelda]

I'm a new SCBWI member - month and bit old. And I second, triple opinions on the British Isles Scoobie. They're fab...made me feel so welcome and they're well connected. VERY well connected. Lovely bunch of people. It took me a year to consider it (too expensive for me but feel worth it now) and it was only because I went on a retreat that I discovered most were scoobie members so I joined. I'm keen on being part of a critique group and join their social lunches just to keep my writing motivation and social sanity. (Like here but face to face )

Other things I'm going to use it for is to top up some skills e.g

School visits
Writing masterclasses (specific to genre e.g chapter books)

I'm planning on going to their annual Conference if I can afford it. Have already got a friend to drive down there from London with. We're taking turns to drive because we can't stay overnight at the local hotel. It'll be great to catch up with everyone that I've met and looking forward to it and of course learning lots too.

 

[Quillwitch]

I'm a new SCBWI member - month and bit old. And I second, triple opinions on the British Isles Scoobie. They're fab...made me feel so welcome and they're well connected. VERY well connected. Lovely bunch of people. It took me a year to consider it (too expensive for me but feel worth it now) and it was only because I went on a retreat that I discovered most were scoobie members so I joined. I'm keen on being part of a critique group and join their social lunches just to keep my writing motivation and social sanity. (Like here but face to face )

Other things I'm going to use it for is to top up some skills e.g

School visits
Writing masterclasses (specific to genre e.g chapter books)

I'm planning on going to their annual Conference if I can afford it. Have already got a friend to drive down there from London with. We're taking turns to drive because we can't stay overnight at the local hotel. It'll be great to catch up with everyone that I've met and looking forward to it and of course learning lots too.

That is awesome! Im happy for you, also super envious!

 

[Emurelda]

That is awesome! Im happy for you, also super envious!

Ah thank you. It took me a long time to find them though. And I just had a positive feel for a retreat I just HAD to join. Expensive but I got the sense that I wasn't spending money so much as investing it. It really is a bunch of friendly helpful people like here just face to face more.

 

[Quillwitch]

Ah thank you. It took me a long time to find them though. And I just had a positive feel for a retreat I just HAD to join. Expensive but I got the sense that I wasn't spending money so much as investing it. It really is a bunch of friendly helpful people like here just face to face more.

That must be great! Enjoy!

 

[KateESal]

That all sounds encouraging. I actually live in Spain, but hope to publish in the UK, so I figure the British Isles SCBWI would still be the best pick, if I choose to go that way.
Thanks @Emurelda and @AliG

 

[Sea-shore]

Hello fellow children's authors *waves*

Are you in the SCBWI? If so, what do you think of it? Is it a good career investment?

Hiya @KateESal, SCBWI member here too (I write YA). I like it and have volunteered to help out with some of their events. They're a lovely bunch.