I attended the fall Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators conference this weekend in Madison, Wis. It was a collection of more than 100 writers and illustrators who exchanged ideas and listened to a panel of really impressive authors, editors and art directors. We also consumed large amounts of chocolate.

There’s no way I could attend every session or capture all the wisdom that was shared, so I settled for collecting quotes. Here is a small segment of the knowlege I gleaned and some of the weekend’s funnier comments.

Marsha Qualey, author of several young adult novels and faculty member for the Writing for Children program at Hamline University:

  • Young readers do not have a full grasp of the mind-blowing power of time. Be very careful when manipulating time in your novel.
  • You must start your story at exactly the right point in time. You may have a kick-ass opening. But … You have to ask yourself , “Where exactly is your reader being kicked?”
  • I’m clearly a sedentary, middle-aged woman. (This came after she had hustled around the room rearranging posters showing different parts of a story.)

Krista Marino, senior editor at Delacorte Press:

  • First person present tense works well for certain projects, but I’ve seen it fail triumphantly.
  • Choose your point of view carefully. Some stories, like King Dork, are defined by voice. It wouldn’t work at all in third person.
  • Random House editors have been told to acquire more books.

Lauren Hodge, assistant editor, Little Brown Books for Young Readers:

  • Picture book texts should be simple, repetetive and consistent.
  • Pretend you’re writing for a kid with a very short attention span. Then make it a little shorter.
  • Picture books must have a hook — a main selling point. Hooks can be a hot topic, an issue, an emotion or a universal theme that speaks to every reader.
  • We’re a boutique publisher. How many picture books do you think we published in 2009? Seven.

Lisa Yee, author of several middle-grade novels, a new chapter book and a new young adult novel. Winner of the first Sid Fleischman Humor Award.

  • I like to have heartache and humor together. Because that’s real life.
  • It’s not YOUR perception that matters. It’s your reader’s perspective.
  • Tell your story the way it needs to be told.
  • Look sexy. No — look sexier. (Said while taking a photo of conference attendees for her use on her blog.)

Tammi Sauer, author of two picture books with six more under contract.

  • Your character has to encounter the worst possible moment at the worst possible time. Then, things really have to get bad.
  • The greater the conflict, the greater the ability for humor.
  • Amp up the humor. Ask yourself if there’s a funnier word you could use.
  • Chickens are funny.

Abigail Samoun, project editor, Tricycle Press.

  • I look for manuscripts with spirit, theme and tone. Or those with weird, intriguing or memorable language.
  • Can you describe your manuscript in one sentence? Work until you have a sentence you can say easily that describes what makes your book great.
  • Help the editor out by doing some research. Know where your book fits into the market and who will buy it. Know what books it’s competing with for readers’ attention. Know what sets your book apart from the others.

Then, of course, when we weren’t talking about point of view, linear plots or ways to tighten our text, we were worried about weightier matters … like shoes.

Georgia Beaverson, a novelist and magazine editor, took photos of cool shoes worn by attendees. These will be immortalized in the the Bridget Zinn Honorary Cool Retreat Shoes Gallery. (Bridget attended Wisconsin SCBWI conferences before she moved. She was known for her love of shoes — especially boots.) 

I knew I had arrived in the industry when Georgia took pictures of my feet twice — once when I was wearing my hot pink Converse All-Stars and once when I was wearing my black patent-leather Boden flats. It was almost as good as getting an acceptance letter from an editor. Here’s the link. My feet are on Page 2.

Thanks to Pam Beres and Judy Bryan for organizing a wonderful retreat. I left with lists of books to read, revision ideas to try and new stories to write. 

And now? I guess it’s time to go live up to this blog’s name.