My biggest piece of advice to anyone wishing to further their work in the children's book industry, writing or illustrating, is to attend conferences and workshops on their craft. There are a few upcoming conferences and workshops in the Utah/Idaho area that I think are very beneficial to anyone from any area. Here is the information...

“Book Covers Catch the Art Directors Eye”2017 SCBWI Utah Southern Idaho Illustrator’s Conference

Saturday February 18^th, 2017

at the Sons of the Utah Pioneers Building in Salt Lake City

Detailed Schedule can be found here: https://drawingsunshine.wordpress.com/2016/12/15/book-covers-catch-the-art-directors-eye/

Registration: https://utahsouthidaho.scbwi.org/events/book-covers-catch-the-art-directors-eye-2017-scbwi-utah-southern-idaho-illustrators-conference/

ELEVENTH ANNUAL WRITING FOR CHARITY CONFERENCE

March 11, 2017

9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

VENUE: Utah Valley University Classroom Building

815 College Dr. Orem, UT 84058

REGISTER HERE!

WRITING FOR CHARITY is a day-long conference and workshop for writers of picture book, middle grade, or young adult manuscripts. Founded by New York Times best-selling author and Newbery Honor recipient Shannon Hale, the conference is coordinated by professional authors in Utah who want to give back to their community and their world.

The conference includes a day's worth of writing and publishing industry instruction, live manuscript critiques by published authors,a silent auction of everything from signed books to lunches with your favorite writers from Utah; and the knowledge that your dollars are going to get books into the hands of needy kids.

9th Annual Idaho Conference on Youth and Children’s Literature and Writing Friday and Saturday April 21 and 22, 2017 at the Boise State University, Student Union in Boise, Idaho

Registration is here: https://utahsouthidaho.scbwi.org/events/2017conference/

And speaker information, schedule, and critique sign-up details are here: http://www.idcclw.com

AND FINALLY MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE ONE...

WRITING AND ILLUSTRATING FOR YOUNG READERS

June 12-16, 2017

I can't even describe how wonderful this intensive, instructive, impressive conference is. Go to www.wifyr.com to find out more about it. It's essentially 5 days of the best instruction for the best price by the best people you'll ever get. In addition, it's access to editors, agents and resources you'll have a hard time finding elsewhere. All the editors in NYC ask, "What's in the water in Utah?" Well I'll tell you what...THIS CONFERENCE!!!

Conferences and Workshops