Regional virtual events

April 4, 2026: For writers and illustrators who have parted with their agents (whether it was self-imposed or the agent left the agency for their own reasons), and how to weather that storm and find their way to another agent. Amy is going to focus on how to word a query letter and approach agents. The presenter will also take Query Letter critiques from creators who have parted from their previous agents

April 10, 2026: The SCBWI Illinois Region invites you to Choose Your Own Adventure at our 2026 Spring Thaw Online Pitch Event. Registration opens February 9th at noon CDT. This Spring, your writing journey is in your hands! At 2026 Spring Thaw, the story is yours to shape. Choose how to attend, choose your Compass Quest, and choose your Adventure Guide. No matter which path you take, you’ll hear from industry professionals during live panels, have post-event, above-the-slush-pile submission opportunities with all of our faculty, and collect feedback that helps guide you in your writing adventure.

April 11, 2026: In this interactive workshop, award-winning author Michael F. Stewart identifies various methods of structuring a novel and then introduces a new approach using emotion as a complimentary tool. With children's literature, popular movies, and his own books, Michael shows how powerfully resonant stories are based on therapeutic models that we can leverage to create powerful stories of our own. This workshop is aimed at intermediate to advanced writers.

April 11, 2026: Is your picture book draft a sticky mess? Are your main characters in a jam? Is your meter too chunky? Like your favorite childhood snack that’s stuck to the roof of your mouth…is your stubborn story refusing to get on a page? Join SCBWI-NM online for delicious day to celebrate the art of the picture book and the essential elements that jelly it together. Register for some or all of the sessions, and learn all about the perfect picture book sandwich! (All sessions will be recorded and available to registered attendees for 30 days following the event.)

April 11, 2026: At its heart, writing is about connections. Plot can create a page-turner – does the villain get his due? Is kindergarten scary? But to draw readers in, they have to feel with your characters. They share their experiences. That connection springs from your emotional treasury. In this webinar, author and workshop leader Suzanne Morgan Williams will share concrete techniques to connect to your experiences, senses, and emotions – then use them to immerse readers in your story.

April 11, 2026: You're invited to a very special virtual workshop, featuring award-winning authors Sara Pennypacker (Pax), Pam Muñoz Ryan (Esperanza Rising), and Sally J. Pla (The Fire, The Water, and Maudie McGinn). Learn about what it takes to develop a manuscript and prepare for submission. Find out what it takes to run a great critique group. Learn some writing strategies. Hear about the state of children's publishing today. Come prepared with all your questions -- this is a special opportunity to plumb the minds of some of children's literature's brightest stars!

April 13, 2026: How do the latest industry developments and practices affect you and your writing? What do publishers discuss behind closed doors? What is no one telling you? In this session, we’ll talk about what creators need know about today’s book market, from advances to publication timelines, morality clauses to AI and more. If these phrases aren’t familiar, you’re not alone—and more reason to attend! Join us for a timely discussion as we tackle the biggest secrets of our book market. It’s a lively time in publishing, so we’ll have lots to discuss! Please bring your questions, as this session will end with Lilly’s signature juicy Q+As, to help you get the most from it.

April 13, 2026: Agent Penny Holroyde of Holroyde Cartey - a leading agency specialising in the children's book market - answers any and all questions on Monday April 13th at 7.30pm on Zoom. There's a lot of sometimes conflicting information on the internet but hear from a real live agent about word counts, submission letters, market trends, anything at all you'd like to know about the path to publication and beyond. There's no such thing as a silly question in this session. Penny has worked in publishing for nearly thirty years at publishers Walker Books in the UK and Candlewick Press in the US and then as an agent with Caroline Sheldon. She has a particular love for the picture book but is looking for authors and illustrators working across fiction and non-fiction for all ages.

April 16, 2026: Mariana will share her experiences as a children’s book translator, including how she gets involved with new translation projects and what the process is like. Q & A to follow. This event will be recorded and available for 30 days.

April 16, 2026: In surreal times, realistic fiction can ground us in the complexity, beauty, tragedy, and even absurdity of our world. While the rules of the form restrict us to characters, settings, and natural laws of the known universe, creative opportunities abound. In this presentation, we will look at examples of different types of realistic fiction, with a focus on picture books and an eye to what we can bring into our own work. Adam Blackman is the Acquisitions Editor for picture books for Cardinal Rule Press. This webinar will be recorded. Submission information will be sent with the recording link.

April 17-18, 2026 (registration closes April 16): Join SCBWI Oklahoma/Arkansas on Zoom for the main sessions of our 2026 Spring Conference. It’s certain to be a weekend of creative and professional growth as you listen to our faculty and speakers. Not only will you learn about the craft of creating books for children and the business of publishing, but you’ll be inspired by hearing the publishing stories of some of our local authors. Plus, registered attendees will have the opportunity to submit to our in-person and offsite professionals after the conference (many of whom are closed to unsolicited queries). You don’t want to miss it.

April 21, 2026: In this session, Newbery Medal-winning author Erin Entrada Kelly (Hello, Universe, We Dream of Space, The Land of Forgotten Girls) will guide us through excerpts from mentor texts to determine how and why the author's dialogue was successful and learn how to implement best practices in our own work.

April 21, 2026: Most picture books are meant to be read out loud. How does yours actually sound to a listener's ear? This webinar will give you tips and tricks for strengthening the musicality of your manuscripts. We'll consider why writing in rhyme gives everyone the heebie-jeebies, how to revise for rhythm, and when to break the monotony of perfect meter. This event will be recorded, and a replay will be available for 30 days after the live event.

April 21-22, 2026: Okay, you've written a picture book! Now how do you make it better? Heidi E.Y. Stemple will pull apart one of her published picture books to look deeply at what makes it successful. She will discuss, intentionality, arc, word choices and heart. You will leave with new eyes for looking at your own manuscript and new skills for revision. A Q&A session will follow immediately afterwards.

April 23, 2026 (registration closes April 20): No Plot, Just Vibes - Are you the kind of writer who goes into a story with no idea of what's actually going to happen, but a strong grasp of the vibe you want to capture? Are you a reader who likes to save witchy reads for October and summery reads for July? Have you ever argued with someone about whether every scene in a book really needs to move the action forward, or how much plot a book actually needs? Then this is the class for you! Cindy Baldwin has made my career as a vibes-based writer who also learned to write a strong enough plot to get a book through the publishing gatekeepers. In this class, she'll teach you how to go from "vibe" to "real book."

April 23, 2026: Every agent, editor, and writing teacher will share specific “rules” you must follow to sell your manuscript: don't rhyme, don't try to teach a lesson, and never, ever write a story about a kid who won't eat his vegetables. But why do we have these rules? And more importantly, when can you break them? This workshop will help writers better understand what agents and editors are looking for, and what they can do to improve both their storytelling and their chances at getting published. Plus, a little extra mindset support for when writers need some magic.

April 23, 2026: Learn the key components of an easy reader in recently published books in this webinar with Lola M. Schaefer. Bring two early readers that have been published in the past 3 years with you to the session to analyze. Learn to create a unique personality that is relevant and relatable for today's 4-7 year olds and find out what makes early readers sweet, sassy, quirky, or hilarious.

April 23, 2026: Calling all illustrators! Do you ever struggle with picking a palette? Would you like to learn more about how color works? Color provides impact, mood, and can focus attention. Add to your toolbox with this virtual workshop on color theory and using it to emphasize storytelling. Author, illustrator, and teacher, Jen Betton, will talk about how to use color for maximum impact in your work, using examples from illustration and animation. Offered by SCBWI Nebraska as part of their Creative Connections series.

April 26, 2026: In this workshop, Scholastic Art Director and Illustrator Maeve Norton will explore the difference between style and visual voice, breaking down not only how to find yours but also how to make it heard in the publishing industry.

April 28, 2026: Get a Handle on Your Author Biz with Sara Fujimura! Grow your author business exponentially by working smarter, not harder. Your book is out! Now, what once was your greatest dream suddenly feels like your biggest nightmare. A proven three-step interconnected marketing system teaches debut authors—and seasoned authors, too!—how to grow their businesses exponentially with the least amount of work. Let's work smarter, not harder, authorpreneurs! This webinar will be recorded and will remain available to registered attendees for 30 days following the event.

May 2, 2026: Find your story seeds and the images you need to illustrate them! Illustration isn’t drawing; it’s storytelling through pictures. You are a storyteller! But how do you know what stories you have to tell, and how do you find the right symbols to illustrate these ideas and help them come to life? In this talk, we will explore storytelling basics, how symbols work in classic stories, and how Andy thinks about these things in his own books. Andy J. Pizza is a New York Times Bestselling author-illustrator of many books for children and adults such as "Invisible Things" and "A Pizza with Everything On It". Pizza is also the creator of the popular podcast Creative Pep Talk which Vanity Fair says “is every bit as bright and effervescent as its title would lead you to believe."

May 2, 2026: Join us virtually with your work-in-progress during these two Advanced Writing Workshops led by two amazing editors.

May 2, 2026: Join the Austin SCBWI chapter online for 5 hours of education: How to Start (and Finish) that Novel! Join editors, agents, and authors to get help on plotting, pantsing, book bibles, young love, openings and endings, and making sure your character drives the plot. Writing a (good) novel takes a lot of work, let these top faculty make it a little smoother. For MG and YA novels. Optional: query, pitches, critique options with agents/editors.

May 6, 2026: Rachel Rowlands gives a talk on getting submission-ready, covering query letters, synopses, manuscript formatting, and common craft issues seen in opening chapters. Rachel is a freelance fiction editor and author, and an Advanced Professional Member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP). She holds a degree in English and Creative Writing and has worked on hundreds of books for both independent authors and publishing houses, including Hachette, HarperCollins, Chicken House Books, Badger Learning, and Penguin Random House. Event is free for SCBWI premium members.

May 7-8 and September 14-15, 2026 (registration closes March 28): Calling all Picture Book Author-Illustrators! Ever wish you could have the same publishing professional look at your dummy a second time? After you made their suggested revisions? Well now you can! Two-Step Critique participants will meet with literary agent Kait Feldmann to discuss their picture book dummy (illustrations and completed manuscript) once in May, then have about 3 months to revise and resubmit for a second round of feedback in September.

May 11, 2026: Ashley is the author of middle-grade fantasy adventures The Boy to Beat the Gods and Spirit Warriors – both published by Usborne. His books have been shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, the Jhalak Prize, the Branford Boase Award and The Week Junior Award for Breakthrough Book. He will talk to members via Zoom about The Craft of Characterisation – before answering our questions.

May 14, 2026: In this informative, eye opening, and interactive webinar, author and early childhood educator Katrina Moore will take audience through an in-depth look into creating board books for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. She will break down their format, key features, target audience, and elements that make them stand out in a crowded marketplace, as well as give a behind-the-scenes look at the making of her Big Jobs For Little Babies board book series, from crafting through production. A Q&A will follow her presentation.

May 16, 2026: Dive into various methods on how to use humor to surprise readers. From dramatic irony to unique picture book formats to setting up the perfect page turn, Kathryn Rammell will dissect humorous picture books and the different techniques their creators utilized to elevate their stories. The presentation will conclude with an activity to help spark humorous story ideas. The presenter will also offer picture book, dummy, and portfolio critiques.

May 17, 2026: Let's talk about storytelling and building connections with the people who enjoy what we do. Every line we draw, every sentence we write, everything we make is an opportunity to build relationships with our audience. The things we get "wrong", the little imperfections, are a window into the only thing we have to offer in a crowded market: ourselves. Q&A will follow the presentation and interview. This event will be recorded.

May 19, 2026: A thriving illustration career is built on more than client work alone--it's about sustainability. In this webinar, we'll explore the many ways illustrators can support themselves over time, including developing multiple income streams, understanding the basics of running a small business, managing finances & taxes, continuing to grow skills, marketing thoughtfully, and cultivating a mindset that supports long-term creativity. Designed for new, emerging, and seasoned artists, this session offers practical guidance and encouragement on building a career that can grow and adapt alongside you in any stage of your illustrator career journey.

May 21, 2026: Join us for a lively discussion with three published authors as they discuss their pathways to publication and share their tips from along the years. We’ll have a full 30 minutes for Q&A after their talks, so this is a great time to bring your publishing related questions to the table. The panel will be moderated by our chapter regional advisor Mirka Hokkanen. This event will be recorded and a replay will be sent the following day. You’ll have 30 days to watch the replay. This free event was made possible by a grant from SCBWI and the Authors Coalition of America.

May 21, 2026: Being both an author and an illustrator places you in a specific creative position—one where story and art can be developed side by side, in conversation with each other. That combination comes with real opportunities, but also real decisions about where to focus, what to show, and how to shape your work for the market. In this webinar, we’ll explore how to use your dual role intentionally when building dummies, developing portfolio pieces, and presenting your work to agents and editors. We’ll look at how writing and illustration can support one another without competing, and how to make choices that serve the project rather than trying to do everything at once. This session is about understanding how to work from the position you’re in as an author-illustrator—using both skills together to strengthen your storytelling, elevate your materials, and put forward work that feels cohesive, confident, and true to you. A limited number of PB & CB critiques available at an additional cost.

May 23, 2026: San Diego MayFest Zoom Webinar features a keynote speaker, an editor panel, and an agent panel. For an additional cost you may choose an optional Art Portfolio Showcase, and optional Zoom Critiques. Individual Zoom Critiques are from 2-5 p.m. (PT) that afternoon. Each critique is 15 minutes. Portfolio Showcase will be judge by two Art Directors and one image of the participants choice will be viewed by all during the event.

May 27, 2026 (registration closes): Great plots become extraordinary when driven by characters who feel real and whose choices shape the action. This interactive masterclass will show you how to integrate character depth with plot development, creating stakes that resonate and stories that captivate—no matter your genre. This program is geared more towards novels. Registered participants who attended or had access to the live presentation may view the recording for up to 30 days after the event. Optional Critiques on Sunday, May 31.

June 4, 2026: Join MD/DE/WV SCBWI to hear self publishing secrets from author Angie Natale. Angie started writing in 2022, after a 37-year detour. She launched 5 books in under 6 months in the first year and has launched a new book every year since. Her presentation will take you along the path she traveled from “I wrote a story!” to “I published a book!”. Angie will share how she put her creative team together, how and where she promotes her books, and marketing, advertising and branding ideas. She'll also talk about why she made some of the choices she made (self publish vs traditional; POD vs offset printing; wholesale vs retail), and what she would change if she could start over again.

June 16, 2026: Does your picture book story feel "slight"? Does it feel like it just isn't going anywhere? What you need is layers. Adding them to your manuscript will give it richness and depth- and most importantly "re-readability". The marketability of your story increases with every layer, and it becomes all the more enticing to your readers, agents and editors. In this webinar, award-winning author Wendi Silvano will discuss 4 must-have layers and 15 additional types of layers that might fit your story-giving it extra depth and delight.

June 18, 2026: Agent Julia Churchill is over the children's department at A. M. Heath, the oldest independent literary agency in the UK. Founded in 1919 by Audrey Heath and Alice May Spinks, two women who challenged the conventions of publishing, throughout its history it has represented great writers including Anita Brookner, A.J. Cronin, Katie Fforde, Winston Graham, Radclyffe Hall, Joseph Heller, Patrick Hamilton, Conn Iggulden, Shirley Jackson, Judith Kerr, Hilary Mantel, George R.R. Martin, Flann O’Brien, Maggie O’Farrell, George Orwell and Noel Streatfeild. Based in Holborn, the agency today comprises ten agents working across fiction, nonfiction, children’s, and YA.

June 29, 2026: Award-winning UK author Dan Smith will talk us through: i) writing a manuscript, ii) going from there to having a published book and iii) sustaining and building momentum around your book post-publication. Dan is the author of popular books for young readers such as THE WINTERMOOR LIGHTS, THE DEADSOUL PROJECT, THE WALL BETWEEN US, and NISHA'S WAR.

August 27, 2026: Invisible identities shape the lives of countless young readers, yet they often go unrecognized or are portrayed inaccurately in children’s literature. This workshop explores how to authentically represent experiences that aren’t immediately visible—such as bilingualism, chronic conditions like diabetes or epilepsy, and neurological or psychological differences including dyslexia, ADHD, or depression. We’ll discuss how to avoid stereotypes, build fully realized characters, and integrate these identities naturally into story. A limited number of MY, YA, & NIV CRITIQUES available at an additional cost.

Registration closes September 25, 2026: Engaging Stories! Readers must have a compelling reason to start—and continue—engaging with your story. Engaging Stories is designed to provide takeaways and insightful creative strategies and techniques from acclaimed authors, illustrators, author-illustrators, agents, and editors. Join us at the SCBWI Wisconsin 2026 Engaging Stories webinar series and in-person conference. Webinar series dates: Feb.17, March 10, April 14, May 2, June 9, Aug. 9, 2026. In-person conference: October 8-10, 2026