SCBWI-NM Craft and Career Webinar Series

Through a series of mini-lessons, seven published authors and illustrators will share tips for finding a writing or illustration voice and discuss how the way you feel about your voice can differ from how others (e.g., critique group members, agent, editor, etc.) perceive it. The panelists will also host a Q&A and provide participants with a virtual document recommending lessons and craft books.

Tuesday, April 8, 7:00-8:00 p.m. MDT ❖ What keeps a reader in the story? In this workshop session, Kat will share strategies for creating well-developed characters. Infusing characters with passion, purpose and place will pull readers into the story and make them care about what happens to the characters. We'll work through some examples and attendees will leave with a better idea of who they're writing about.

Katherine Higgs-Coulthard is the author of Junkyard Dogs, described by Kirkus as "A mean-streets-style tale raw in language and feeling alike . . .visceral." Her work has appeared in Writer's Digest, Women on Writing, and School Library Journal. As an associate professor at Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, she coordinates the annual Get Inked Teen Writing Conference and prepare preservice teachers to teach literacy and writing. A member of Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, the National Writing Project, and the National Council of Teachers of English, she frequently present at state and national conferences for writers and educators.

Tuesday, June 10, 7:00-8:00 p.m. MDT ❖ Sharing your story with others is a powerful way of creating meaning out of challenging life experiences. However, publishing your story so that others may benefit is a unique skillset that requires multiple layers of content review, editing, and networking. In this presentation. Dr Leigh will share a roadmap of taking a lived experience and turning that into published books which are currently being used by school districts, grief centers, therapy practices, and hospitals around the world.

Dr. Korie Leigh specializes in working with children and families experiencing grief and loss. As an associate professor and program director, she teaches graduate courses on child development, death, dying, and bereavement. Dr. Leigh obtained her Ph.D. in transpersonal psychology, where she wrote her dissertation on the lived experiences of bereaved parents. She also holds an M.A. in public health and grief counseling and a B.A. in child development. She speaks and presents at national and regional conferences on issues of grief, loss, and coping. Dr. Leigh is the author of What Does Grief Feel Like? and It Won't Ever Be the Same. She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Tuesday, August 26, 7:00-8:00 p.m. MDT ❖ When we want to write or make art about big topics, it can feel overwhelming to find an entry point into the information. Through her children's books, graphic novels, and short films, Lily Williams' award-winning work for kids has covered controversial topics like the trophic cascade, endangered species, habitat loss, climate change, menstruation, mental illness, and LGBTQIA+ issues. She will share her insights on finding a child-centered lens for complicated topics that adults find difficult to handle.

Lily Williams is the author and illustrator of many books including the nonfiction picture book series If Animals Disappeared, and graphic novels Go With The Flow and Look On The Bright Side. She grew up in Northern California and worked in feature animation before moving to Colorado. Lily seeks to inspire change, engage audiences, and educate people of all ages with her artwork.

Tuesday, October 14, 7:00-8:00 p.m. MDT ❖ We’ll take a scientific look at humor, breaking down funny to its basic elements to figure out how best to incorporate more of it into our writing. We’ll look at what makes people laugh and take a closer look at books and other media that works. Come ready to discuss and brainstorm ways to elevate the humor in your work.

Erin Teagan writes middle grade fiction with a science focus including The Friendship Experiment (HarperCollins), Survivor Girl (Clarion), and two series for American Girl. She has a background in biochemistry and uses her experience from the lab in her books. She loves sharing the best and most interesting parts of science with kids and tips on increasing productivity with teens and adults. Erin lives in Virginia with her family, two droopy hound dogs named Beaker and Bunsen, and a bunny that thinks he’s a cat. Visit her online at www.erinteagan.com.

Tuesday, December 9, 7:00-8:00 p.m. MST ❖ If plot is the skeleton that provides structure, character the muscles that move the plot, and setting the skin that gives a uniform appearance, then theme is the soul that truly brings a story to life. But often writers don’t put as much energy into developing theme as they do with the more obvious elements of plot, characters and setting. The result can be a weak or obscure theme. You don’t want your message misunderstood. Learn to identify what you really want to say and bring it out in writing.

Chris Eboch is the author of over 100 books for young people, including mysteries, ghost stories, fantasy, historical fiction, and nonfiction. She is experienced in traditional publishing, self-publishing, and work-for-hire. Chris is a popular writing teacher and developmental editor. Her writing craft books are You Can Write for Children: How to Write Great Stories, Articles, and Books for Kids and Teenagers, and Advanced Plotting.

Tuesday, March 11, 7:00-8:00 p.m. MDT ❖ The first weeks after your book releases are when you generally have the most publisher support and reader attention. Follow these strategies to maximize your book launch experience during the early days of your release and beyond. During this hour we'll learn: • Why early reviews matter and how to get them. • Media and blogger pitching tips. • How to use launch groups to promote your book. • Book launch party tips, including an ultimate launch photo list for future marketing. • Ways to build relationships with local bookstores to keep sales moving long after launch.

TONYA DUNCAN ELLIS is author of THEY BUILT ME FOR FREEDOM: THE STORY OF JUNETEENTH AND HOUSTON’S EMANCIPATION PARK (HarperCollins, 2024). She self-published the 13-book SOPHIE WASHINGTON chapter series, which has sold over 175,000 copies. Tonya serves on faculty for the Highlights Foundation and presented on marketing for SCBWI’s 2023 Winter Conference in New York City. She won SCBWI’s 2022 Independently Published Book Marketing Grant and SCBWI Austin’s 2021 Cynthia Leitich Smith Writing Mentor Award. A We Need Diverse Books and PB Rising Stars mentor, Tonya is represented by Adria Goetz of kt Literary and lives in Houston, Texas.

Tuesday, May 13, 7:00-8:00 p.m. MDT ❖ Stories can, and do, change lives. But talking about our books, and even worse, selling our books, can be daunting. However, YA author and coach, Caroline Leech, will give you a deceptively simple five-point plan to use as you prepare to meet any audience, online or in person. Whether you’re pitching a new story to your agent or editor or preparing to launch a new book to the public, Caroline will make sure that you know how to face any event, speech, presentation, workshop, or media interview – as well as your social media content – as the confident and professional storyteller you are.

Caroline Leech is Scottish/Texan author, podcaster, and coach of writing craft and presentation/media skills. Her historical YA novels, WAIT FOR ME and IN ANOTHER TIME, are published by HarperCollins, and she also writes women’s and MG fiction. As a consultant and coach in strategic press, media and presentation skills, Caroline works extensively with published authors, prospective authors, and writing organizations. Through her individual and group coaching, webinars and speeches, and her podcast, Authors & Audiences, she helps creative literary artists to craft their stories and develop their literary toolkits, and also to identify and implement the best ways to present themselves and their books to agents, editors, and their readers with confidence and professionalism. Caroline has been a member of SCBWI Houston since 2010.

Tuesday, July 8, 7:00-8:00 p.m. MDT ❖ An author's website is arguably their most useful marketing tool. It's where readers can find out more about their favorite books and contact their favorite authors. Unlike social media where posts are fleeting, a website is a permanent and searchable stamp to a writer's career. Whether personally developing a website or getting a pro to do it, learn some useful suggestions on what to include in an author website.

Alexandra Diaz is a Pura Belpré honoree and the author several books for children and teens, including THE ONLY ROAD; THE CROSSROADS; SANTIAGO'S ROAD HOME; and FAREWELL CUBA, MI ISLA, the latter which was loosely based on her parents' immigration from Cuba to the U.S. in the 1960s. She has an MA in Writing for Young People from Bath Spa University and one of her previous jobs was adding/editing content for a web design company.

Tuesday, September 9, 7:00-8:00 p.m. MDT ❖ In this session, author/illustrator Dow Phumiruk will discuss the "things no one tells you" about working in the traditional publishing industry. She'll share her favorite and least favorite parts of being a picture book creator, how to sustain healthy habits while managing revision requests and deadlines, maintaining a good relationship with your publisher, exploring your role in marketing, and more.

Dow Phumiruk is an author and/or illustrator of several children's books, including three Colorado Book Award finalists. She is one of the illustrators of YES WE WILL by New York Times bestselling author Kelly Yang. She illustrated A LIFE OF SERVICE by two-time Newbery Honor winner Christina Soontornvat and ONE GIRL, by New York Times bestselling author Andrea Beaty. She has an upcoming project with renowned author Jane Yolen. Dow is a retired pediatrician.

Thursday, November 13, 7:00-8:00 p.m. MST ❖ Story creation is an ancient and cross-cultural career, and yet even those of us with book deals frequently get asked what our "real jobs" are. No wonder so many of us have Imposter Syndrome! Author, storyteller, and librarian Susan Metallo will share the history of creating stories and the science of how stories affect the human brain, using that information to nail down what makes our work meaningful and important. From there, we'll explore how we can apply those principles when choosing the stories we tell.

Susan Metallo is an author, youth librarian, and Publishers Weekly contributor. Her debut Young Adult novel, Reasons to Hate Me (Candlewick 2025), won the 2022 SCBWI Work-in-Progress Award for YA and the 2022 Tallahassee Writers Association Seven Hills Literary Contest in the YA category. In addition to these awards, her fiction has been recognized by Book Pipeline and the Searchlight Writing for Children Awards and published in Ladybug, Cricket, and The Seven Hills Review. She currently serves as Regional Advisor to the New Mexico chapter of the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.