Welcome to SCBWI Washington!

If you're into writing or illustrating children's books, take a look at what the Western Washington Region of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators has for you!

Conference Registration Now Open

Get more information about the 19th Annual Writing and Illustrating for Children Conference on Saturday, April 10, and Sunday April 11th, 2010 at the Marriott Redmond Town Center in Redmond, Washington on our Conference page.

2009-2010 Regional Programming

SCBWI WWA’s 2009-2010 season will begin in September as usual, but we’re getting a 24-hour jump on the fun: This year, our Professional Series Meetings will be held on the second Tuesday of each month, instead of Wednesdays as has been our habit. We will continue to meet on the Seattle Pacific University campus at Demaray 150, but we’re moving our meetings to Tuesdays to accommodate the university’s schedule. Mark your calendars now.

Register now for the 2009 - 2010 programming year - click here!

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Professional Series Meetings

Our Professional Series Meetings take place at Seattle Pacific University - Demaray Hall, Room 150. Registration at 6:45 p.m., program at 7:00 p.m. Get Map and Directions here. Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month. To see the complete meeting line-up, please visit our Monthly Meetings page.

February 9, 2009:

Mini-Session: CULTURAL AUTHENTICITY IN FICTION with Margaret Nevinski.

When we write outside our own ethnic culture, how can we provide an authentic experience for young readers? Or can we? Cultural authenticity in our fiction involves complex issues of cultural appropriation, relationship to a culture, authorial choices, and emotional truth. Margaret confronted this issue in books she wrote for the school market, including REMEMBERING MINIDOKA and RUBY BRIDGES. She has an M.F.A. in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts, where she worked on middle-grade fiction. Come add your voice to the discussion of how we, as writers for children and teens, can strive for cultural authenticity in our work.

Main Program: 10 YEARS IN THE BIZ: A PRACTICALLY PERFECT PERSPECTIVE ON PUBLISHING with Erik Brooks.

Ten years ago, in April of 2000, Erik’s first book was published. One heartbreaking publisher bankruptcy, six publishers, 15 books (even one written by a MINOR celebrity) later, Erik shares his trajectory of experience from a want-to-be illustrator to full-time published author/illustrator. And he is still learning every day. Erik wrote and illustrated THE PRACTICALLY PERFECT PAJAMAS, OCATAVIUS BLOOM AND THE HOUSE OF DOOM, and SLOW DAYS, FAST FRIENDS. He has also illustrated many books written by others.