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It gives me great pleasure to invite children’s book writers and illustrators to the tenth annual Pacific Northwest Children’s Book Conference, sponsored by Portland State University and held on the beautiful campus of Reed College in Portland, Oregon.
Our outstanding faculty this year includes Bonny Becker, Susan Blackaby, Marla Frazee, David Gifaldi, Ann Whitford Paul, Susan Goldman Rubin, Linda Urban, and Elsa Warnick. Because they are all experienced teachers as well as published authors and illustrators, they know how to communicate what they have learned about writing and illustrating in ways that are meaningful and accessible to students. Their generous and supportive nurturing of writers and illustrators is one of the things that makes our conference significantly different from many others.
Our special guest this summer will be Arthur Levine, publisher of Arthur A. Levine Books, which was founded in 1996 as an imprint of Scholastic and is dedicated to bringing "the best of the world's literature to young American readers." His authors come from near and far, including Portland natives Allen Say, Laini Taylor, and Jim DiBartolo as well as J.K.Rowling (Scotland), Nahoko Uehashi (Japan), Karlijn Stoeffels (the Netherlands), and Shaun Tan (Australia). Mr. Levine is a compelling, witty speaker who is known for the excellence of his award-winning list, and for his support of the writers and illustrators with whom he works. He will be at the conference from Wednesday, July 15, through Friday, July 17, and will be available for manuscript consultations during that time. He will also be giving two talks and presiding over an Ask-The-Editor session. To read more, visit his website.
This summer we have a full week of lectures that focus on plotting, dialogue, and revision, with special three-part intensive workshops on writing picture books, researching biography and writing killer nonfiction proposals, creating work for emergent readers and middle graders, writing poetry and a first novel, using childhood memories as a source for your work, helping beginners sort it all out—and more. Illustrators will have the opportunity to develop characterization, setting, and composition; to understand the tools of illustration; and to learn about the business side of being a professional artist. First-page analyses, faculty readings, open-mic sessions, and a 10th anniversary party to start the week—all this in a retreat-like campus setting in Portland!
In the afternoons, illustrators will pursue their craft while writers will divide into workshop groups led by a faculty member. (In order to be sure you are assigned to a group at your level of experience, we ask that you submit the first five pages, double-spaced, of your current project by June 12.) These workshops will provide feedback and support for writers in a collegial setting. Individual manuscript and portfolio critiques will also be available.
Attendees have the option of staying on campus and sharing meals with the faculty. This chance to ask questions, exchange ideas, and make connections is a major factor in contributing to the warm and friendly atmosphere for which our conference is known.
I look forward to seeing you this summer!
Linda Zuckerman, Director
Pacific Northwest Children’s Book Conference