Saturday's meeting of SCBWI-SWTX was filled with information for chapter members and visitors alike, who, despite challenging closures on Loop 410, arrived ready to participate. Topics included creative tools for picture book writers and illustrators, our chapter's new B.I.C. Club and volunteer positions available in our chapter.
Illustrator Heather Powers (also our Regional Advisor) walked us through the process and purpose of creating a "dummy" picture book, a mock-up used to give an editor an idea of a picture book's pacing, visual flow, and text placement. Heather also presented storyboarding as an invaluable planning tool for picture book writers and illustrators.
Articles referenced:
Words, Wisdom, Art & Heart: Making a Picture-Book Cookie by Cheryl Klein, Senior Editor, Arthur A Levine Books
Dummies for Smarties by Sarah S. Brannen
An Illustrator's Guide to Creating a Picture Book by Meghan McCarthy
Storyboard templates from Elizabeth Dulemba:
If you're new to the term, B.I.C. stands for Butt In Chair, a no-nonsense, no-excuses, let's-get-down-to-business approach to writing. After all, very few of us are equipped to write our books standing up (or doing laundry or vacuuming or checking last night's game scores)!
Beginning in October, SCBWI-SWTX will meet monthly as the B.I.C. Club. Meetings will be centered around critique groups (see call for group leaders below), through which members can gain the constructive feedback necessary to polish their work for submission.
Our next meeting is scheduled for Saturday, October 18, 2008, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Beginning with this meeting, our chapter will meet at the University of the Incarnate Word, 4301 Broadway in San Antonio.
Critique Group Leaders
These folks will lead monthly critique sessions during our B.I.C Club meetings for small groups of 4-5 participants. Critique group topics may include Illustration, Picture Books, Easy/Beginning Readers, Middle Grade, and Young Adult.
Email Heather Powers (humblearts at sbcglobal dot net) if you'd like to be a critique group leader.
