Laura Crawford Memorial Mentorship

2024 APPLICATION IS CLOSED

The applicant must be an SCBWI Premium Member, residing in Illinois, who has never traditionally published a picture book or chapter book.

– If you are under contract, you are considered published –congratulations! Check out our fall published member opportunities!

– All applicants must be members throughout the 6-month period. 

– Online application is AUG 1 through AUG 7 (11:59 PM CST)

– Please follow application directions. Applicants that do not will be asked to resubmit their application only if time allows.

– In order to apply, applicants should have at least finished a complete draft of your mss, but preferably you are submitting a work of multiple-drafts and that has been peer-critiqued.

– Upload your application package of a 500-word artist statement, sample and completed member questionnaire. (DETAILS BELOW)

QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR ELIGIBILITY?: Email illinois-ra2@scbwi.org.

AUTHOR-ILLUSTRATORS & AUTHORS ARE INVITED TO UPLOAD THE FOLLOWING APPLICATION TO DROPBOX AUGUST 1 THROUGH 7:

Application consists of one WORD file containing the following 3 application elements. Begin each element on a new page of your document.

I.Artist Statement

II. Work-in-progress

III. Member Questionnaire

Author-Illustrators are invited to upload an optional dummy (separate pdf format See directions under OPTIONAL DUMMYS, below.)

APPLICATION NAMING CONVENTION: 2024_LCMM_ APPLICATION_Your Manuscript Title.docx

– This is a blind application. Do NOT use your name in the naming convention. The title of your work-in-progress as given in your MEMBER QUESTIONAIRE will be matched to the title in your naming convention.

– Please use only alphanumeric characters, spaces, and hyphens when naming your documents (no apostrophes).

– Use docx. for this portion of the application.

NOTE: Improperly named applications will be returned to the applicant for renaming and resubmission ONLY if time allows.

DIRECTIONS FOR EACH ELEMENT OF YOUR APPLICATION:

I. ARTIST STATEMENT

500-words max., on its own page explaining:

a) what the mentorship would mean to you

b) your goal in applying

c) how you are working to hone your craft & career

d) why you write/what you hope to contribute with this ms to children’s literature, etc.

II. SAMPLE WITHOUT IDENTIFYING INFORMATION

• Up to 10 pages in length total.
• This is a blind application.

Formatting your work-in-progress. One manuscript per application please.

SINGLE SPACED:

a) Format (picture book OR chapter book) AND genre (romance, mystery, biography, etc.) must be at the top of the first page, followed by your LOG LINE.

b) LOG LINE: both picture book and chapter books should have a log line on the first page of ms text, labeled LOG LINE.

See Preparing for Online Pitch Contests: How to Write a Killer Log Line by Laurie Miller

DOUBLE-SPACED:

c) add your title

—if your ms is a picture book, begin your manuscript text after the title

—if your ms is a chapter book, begin with a synopsis of no more than 250 words, double-spaced, 1-inch margins. Then add your chapter heading and begin your manuscript.

d) This sample, including your format, genre, title, log line and Chapter book synopsis + manuscript = up to (10) pages total.

—8.5 by 11 inches, 1-inch margins,

—12-point standard font (Arial or Times New Roman), double spaced.

e) author-illustrators may include a SEPARATE .pdf of a picture book dummy of their picture book text, but only as collateral material. The mentor will not comment on or critique your illustrations as part of your mentorship. (SEE DUMMYS, below)

For Poetry: Includes rhyming picture books and chapter books in verse

Poetry submissions should conform to the picture book and chapter book guidelines above and are allowed up to (10) pages; however, poems may be single spaced with a double space between stanzas, per industry standards.

OPTIONAL DUMMYS: If you would like to submit your dummy as part of your application, it will be considered as part of the application as collateral material only. Only the text will be mentored if you are selected for this mentorship.

28 pages plus cover and endpapers maximum. All pages must be contained in a PDF not to exceed 12 inches in height (or width) or 20MB in file size.

OPTIONAL DUMMY NAMING CONVENTION: 2024_LCMM_ DUMMY_Your Manuscript Title.pdf

– Please use only alphanumeric characters, spaces, and hyphens in title (no apostrophes).

–Only your optional dummy should be a pdf.

NOTE: Improperly named applications will be returned to the applicant for renaming and resubmission ONLY if time allows.

III. MEMBER QUESTIONAIRE

Please provide the following formatted with the letters below, beginning on a new page:

a) Name as it appears in your SCBWI MEMBER PROFILE and preferred name, if applicable.

b) Illinois residence mailing address.

c) email address (if this differs from your email address in your MY PROFILE, please edit MY PROFILE to match for future reference.)

d) phone number

e) Membership end date found in your MEMBER HOME. Your SCBWI membership must be in good standing throughout the course of this 6-month mentorship. The end date should be on or after February 1, 2025.

e) number of years you have been a SCBWI Member.

f) Title and format of your work-in-progress. (I.E.: The Girl with a Pearl Earring / Chapter Book)

g) PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING:

1. Are you in a critique group? Has this work-in-progress been vetted by that group?
2. If your work-in-progress is a chapter book, have you completed a complete draft? In order to apply, chapter book applicants should have at least finished a complete draft of their mss, but preferably you are submitting a work of multiple-drafts and that has been peer-critiqued.
3. Has this draft (PB or CB) been critiqued by your critique group?
4. Have you received professional feedback from an editor, agent or practicing professional on this work as part of an event critique? If it resonated with you, please include a sentence or two in summary of that feedback. Is this something you would like to focus on as part of your mentorship.
5. What has been your greatest challenge in getting this ms to the point where you could submit it to this mentorship? Would you like help resolving this challenge with the mentor, if your work is selected?
6. What SCBWI and/or SCBWI-Illinois events have you attended over the last (4) years?
7. Are you traditionally published in another format? If so, which format? (You cannot apply for this mentorship if you are traditionally published in picture book or chapter book formats.)
8. Are you self-published in picture book or chapter book formats? (Self-published members may apply.)

If you have questions or are having difficulty with the online submission process, please Email illinois-ra@scbwi.org. We will consider the date stamp of your initial troubleshooting email to be your submission time while we work through any online application issues with you. SCBWI-Illinois appreciates your patience and help as we work together to make this process convenient and equitable for all users and improve the experience for future applicants.

2024 APPLICATION IS CLOSED

Before applying, please be sure you can make this a 6-month commitment: 

• AUG 1st-7th: Online applications accepted. 
• First week SEP: Winner announced
• By OCT 1: Written comments delivered to winner and discussed via 
• phone/Zoom/In-Person Meeting
• By NOV 1: First Revision handed in
• By DEC 1: Zoom/Phone/In-Person meeting regarding manuscript's progress, further revision suggestions.
• By JAN 1: 2nd revision handed in
• By JAN 31: Final discussion