Mina Witteman – author | editor | teacher of creative writing

Posts tagged “SCBWI”

Daily Distraction: Prepare Your Portfolio – Illustrators’ Workshop with Doug Cushman!

Posted on October 9, 2014

The Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators The Netherlands is proud to announce an illustrators’ workshop in Amsterdam with award-winning illustrator/author Doug Cushman. In this true “hands on” day-long workshop, Doug will briefly discuss what is necessary for a professional illustration portfolio and then work one-on-one with each attendee for the rest of the day, discussing specific concerns, approaches and solutions to individual problems in their portfolios. Attendees are expected to be drawing and painting in the class, so bring your paint, your brushes, your pencils, your laptop! The workshop is the perfect preparation for the upcoming SCBWI Europolitan Conference in Amsterdam, where illustrators will have the opportunity to present their portfolios to publishing professionals like agents and Art Director Martha Rago of HarperCollins Children’s…

Categories: Books, Children's books, YA books

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Daily Distraction: Young Authors Fiction Festival

Posted on June 11, 2014
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For a few years now, I have been a judge at the Young Authors Fiction Festival, a writing contest open to all students ages 5 to 18 in the greater Paris area who write in English. An initiative of the Red Wheelbarrow Bookstore in Paris and the French chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators, the Young Authors Fiction Festival is now organized by the American Library in Paris, in collaboration with Time Traveler Tours.

This year, I judged the 3ème/9th grade entries and I applaud these young authors for their braveness. As a writer, I know it takes guts to write a story and send it out into the world. But to have to write the story in less than 1,000 words with a captivating beginning, a gripping middle and a fresh and surprising end is more than brave. It’s an extraordinary accomplishment. Where a novel in its length is fairly forgiving and gives you ample time to set the scene and ease your reader into the story, the short story is like parking a Cadillac Eldorado on a Paris street. You have no room to wriggle, you have to get straight down to the core of the story, strip it to its bare essentials. The winners of this year’s YAFF are nothing but masters of the word. They show us established writers that fierce competition is on its way. We’d better sharpen our pens and beware!

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Categories: Books, Children's books, YA books

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Daily Distraction: Sneak Preview of Mia’s Nest

Posted on March 19, 2014
Daily Distraction: Sneak Preview of Mia's Nest

If you find yourself at the Children’s Book Fair in Bologna in March 2014 and you want a sneak preview of Angela M. Pelaez Vargas and my Little Golden Book, Mia’s nest, go visit the SCBWI Boot at pavilion 26, booth A/66 or the Uitgeverij Rubinstein booth at Hall 29D21.

Categories: A Bit of Everything

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Daily Distraction: namelos at its First Lustrum

Posted on January 20, 2014

namelos, a non-traditional publishing firm, was launched five years ago today. Now, it’s a thriving company. On his website, publisher Stephen Roxburgh tells about his dream and the way to namelos’ success. Yesterday, Stephen was a guest at the Dutch chapter of the SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators) of which I am the Regional Advisor. We spoke at length with Stephen about the world of publishing and the opportunities the digital world presents us. It was an inspiring and invigorating event, and I was happy to get a peek in the life of a man with a vision and a huge heart for books. I applaud him, for showing us that there are new roads to walk, unexplored paths to travel, and…

Categories: A Bit of Everything, Books, Children's books, Thrillers, YA books

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Daily Distraction: Translator Laura Watkinson

Posted on January 17, 2014

Today all my writing time went to the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators, the world-wide network of children’s book professionals for which I am the Regional Advisor of the Netherlands. We have a new website and blog, and I’ve interviewed the eminent Laura Watkinson, translator and founder of the Dutch chapter of the SCBWI. Hop over to the blog for a peek into the life of an amazing friend and award-winning translator!

Categories: A Bit of Everything, Books, Children's books, YA books

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YA Writing Workshop in Amsterdam

Posted on July 15, 2013

Time to announce a writing workshop, my friends! Writing for Young Adults, an advanced writing course with Mina Witteman You have that YA novel brewing in the back of your mind and you want it out on paper? You are working on a — your first? — YA novel and need inspiration and guidance? You would like to hone your YA writing skills? This is your chance! From September on, I offer a course Writing for Young Adults, where we will go into the most important traits of the YA novel. We will explore structure, voice and character building. We will dive into famous and less famous YA novels to find out what it takes to entice young adults into reading your novel. And…

Categories: Amsterdam Views, Books, Children's books, The Views, Thrillers, YA books

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Undiscovered Voices

Posted on April 30, 2013

The Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators British Isles will once again help fresh, new voices in children’s literature – both writers and illustrators! – find agents, publishers and ultimately readers through its Undiscovered Voices Anthology. I’m thrilled to announce that I will be joining the 2014 European committee aiding the competition from the Continental side. The anthology will present a selection of novel extracts from 5+ to Young Adult novels and a selection of children’s illustration pieces. They will be sent to art directors, agents and editors in the UK. From the three previous anthologies, 22 of the 36 selected authors have received publishing contracts for more than 70 books! To enter the contest, you must be a member in good standing…

Categories: Books, Children's books

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