by Paula Harrison
Ten days ago I came back from the annual SCBWI (UK) conference in Winchester. It was a weekend of awesomeness! It was my 10th conference. I joined SCBWI or Scooby (which stands for the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) in 2007, and have been to conference almost every year since then.
This year I was asked to run a workshop on the Saturday afternoon which was an absolute honour. I have to own up to having a rather large wobble when I found out I was delivering the session in the auditorium as I had pictured myself standing in front of 30 or so fellow writers/ illustrators in a classroom (a place of safety for an ex-teacher!) In the end, I reassured myself with the thought that if anyone hated the session they'd probably be too polite to say! I had several people tell me it was helpful, so if I helped a few people that's good enough for me.
First of all, an apology as this will be a shorter blog than normal (and also it's late - sorry Candy), but I wanted to share with you what is so brilliant about the conference. It's not cheap to go, of course, but it's so worth it in my opinion and there are a couple of bursaries you can apply for if needed.
The conference is amazing BECAUSE...
- I credit it with being the most useful thing I did on the road to getting published. The combination of talks and workshops by authors and industry professionals taught me so much about writing and the publishing industry.
- There is also the opportunity to have your work critiqued by a professional or, if that sounds a little scary, try the Friday night peer critique session.
- There are lots of competitions to go for such as the badge design comp and the 10 line pitch!
- You can make friends for life!
- You are finally among people who are just like you! (just as daft as you - as evidenced by the array of party costumes!)
- The party cake - covered with characters from the books launched that year - is a thing of beauty.
- You can take advantage of great opportunities such as appearing in The Hook like my brave friends George Kirk and Nick Cross!
- You can squeeze in seeing a bit of Winchester. The Christmas market is usually open and the cathedral is beautiful.
So I'll finish with a few pics of the weekend including the cake, the costumes and the friends for life! If you haven't been to the conference I thoroughly recommend it.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZZ9jMxdraptD9Ee7isjVP-E9A4sUvgJedFi2iJfMPV4WiJQ2L9aB7UWsUsHedMhjdz2E9IkiHObrhyKw-wfw3ACfXTrqLiWblVrsbb_Ewp6RBmO-1LoFw-aeX7BWOA9a65Big3A5d39QG/s320/conference+18+pic+2.jpg) |
Me and the one and only Kathy Evans! |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqO1_nG8v885NY9oh51_PMqIFc6Mx8oji9hXsyLirNoqVzu5MSoI3rfFfSeKyIML7ZP5AYcrLAhlJTyMoPPJgFn4cIIXPlY4x4eX-FfqRTvtV_P1m5hQWwIkvZNLBD-M7BjMBlSl3b2ji2/s320/conference+18+pic+1.jpg) |
Nick Cross telling us all about Riot Boyyy in The Hook |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijwIWhzehFzpDM-thAtjrhV7Nz2pSiMAdPHEH_C82vvaZgBQwu4DQR99nL808nW6oY0N6ZwP1Ufley0H7K1mAYcbYZ7Q1MpFU8AwQKLi9wSzeUsCHWZAz_8ePkZy1BjLaoiRw6MuB_XhQY/s320/conference+18+pic+3.jpg) |
Janet Foxley won a costume prize! |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9jr6IFSsElbof4rJI4AIpoN6lCvefSgLLpb5foQtdpgMmbDMiLCPMrGJswVDbVjCfZQNgYAQqxzs8fKhvjLUaOBPWyOZmQjOZmFBk03Nno6thiFy-8W1PvArKezPzapMYOgvXNHy0UCSy/s320/conference+18+pic+4.jpg) |
How do they make the cake look so great?! |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBX7R0JbgJGkyYgSdqwbGHuVeqUy07sb3B8auhZ4ZYaPC_KXko3CxZ9AvfAsTzlhg0BKYmn4Z3adixFfMAm-fG2VpMuGP1O5uIcLMwB8UiTNU2htd3LOQxsezm5h8F-bpR-MoyeMgxdDZi/s320/conference+18+pic+5.jpg) |
Me with Teri Terry and Sally Poyton (unicorns DO have more fun) |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHMHISyEBZwg8p_n8NPdojNou_kpj0lwR0js3zX8BymLLr2QYzqd-4PM1EtN9qL5-8FwbKBqbqgtQtRwjbvc_sq6rjhaqFKpDMvIQOFpy4k4xACvtiITthZFxGhyphenhyphenAan5WxKkZXJYjqbPZw/s320/conference+18+pic+6.jpg) |
Winchester Cathedral |
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