Guest Speaker March 32: Paula Yoo, Author
Paula Yoo is an award-winning author, TV writer/producer, and musician. Her current YA nonfiction book, RISING FROM THE ASHES: LOS ANGELES, 1992. EDWARD JAE SONG LEE, LATASHA HARLINS, RODNEY KING, AND A CITY ON FIRE (Norton Young Readers 2024) is the winner of the 2025 YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award. FROM A WHISPER TO A RALLYING CRY: THE KILLING OF VINCENT CHIN AND THE TRIAL THAT GALVANIZED THE ASIAN AMERICAN MOVEMENT (Norton 2021) was longlisted for the National Book Award, won the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, and was a finalist for the YALSA nonfiction award and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. Her books have received multiple starred reviews and selected for “Best Books of the Year” lists including Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Horn Book, Booklist, School Library Journal, TIME Magazine, and the New York Times. As a Writers Guild of America (WGA) writer, her TV credits range from NBC’s THE WEST WING to The CW’s SUPERGIRL, and she has sold multiple TV pilots/features. As an AFM Local 47 violinist, Paula plays in many orchestras and toured with bands like Love, Fun and No Doubt. She lives in Los Angeles with her family and three cats.
Topic: Ask the Author
When: Sunday, March 23, 1:00-2:00 pm (No meeting in Feb due to SCBWI's national conference)
Where: Our meet-ups are virtual over zoom. The zoom link is provided in the bi-monthly email. If you'd like to be added to the email list, please contact Bev Plass at SoCal-RA@scbwi..org
Cost: Free
SoCal welcomes you to join our monthly meet-ups to connect with other creative people and hone your craft. We mingle, have guest speakers, and celebrate writer successes. We generally meet on the fourth Sunday of the month from 1:00-2:00. Sometimes we change the dates due to holidays or other SCBWI events. We break into critique groups immediately following, using the same zoom link.
Critique Groups
SoCal Writer's Group
SoCal Writers typically meet every fourth Sunday of the month via zoom immediately following the meet-up. The same zoom link is used for both meetings.
Inland Empire Writers Group
Inland Empire Writers meet every third Saturday of the month via zoom for meet-up and critique groups.
Illustrators Group
Illustrators typically meet every second Saturday of the month in person and via zoom (hybrid).
Writer Submission Guidelines:
Picture Book (PB)
Submission length - Send in one manuscript. 1,000 words or less.
Document type - Word document (NOT Pages or PDF.)
Document name - GENRE (PB), LAST NAME, FIRST, TITLE
Document formatting - Size 12 font, Times New Roman. Double spaced. 1 inch margin on all sides.
Document header - Title/author last name (on the far left) and page numbers (on the far right)
Middle Grade (MG) / Young Adult (YA)
Submission length - Send in five pages (double spaced)
Document type - Word document (NOT Pages or PDF.)
Document name - GENRE (MG/YA), LAST NAME, FIRST, TITLE
Document formatting - Size 12 font, Times New Roman. Double spaced. 1 inch margin on all sides.
Document header - Title/author last name (on the far left) and page numbers (on the far right)
Note: If you are submitting a chapter that is later in the novel (not chapter 1), it is helpful to provide a “here’s what has happened so far” summary. It is also helpful to the critiquer if you include a complete synopsis of the novel so they can judge the excerpt within the entire context of the novel. These are merely suggestions, not requirements, to help you maximize the quality of the feedback from your group. First-time submissions: It is highly recommended you attend a meeting once before participating in a critique group. That way, you will know the process we follow. It is important you know the process as this is a moment of vulnerability for members of the group. We want to guide and inspire, not crush our aspiring writers.
Future Meet-up Dates:
March 23 (submissions due 3/14)
April 27 (submissions due 4/18) - Speaker: Deborah Halverson: Novels & Picture Books: 5 Ways to Translate “No” to “Yes” Five reasons that commonly appear in rejection letters for novels and picture books, translated and then followed by solutions for addressing the problem.
May 18 (submissions due 5/17) - Speaker: Rex Ogle, author- Fantasy and Supernatural
June 22 (submissions due 6/13) Speaker: Ariel Richardson-editor, Chronicle- Pep, Prod, Pause writer’s emotional journey
July: No Meet-up due to SCBWI National Conference
Aug 24 (submissions due 8/15) Speaker: Kaitlyn Sanchez, agent, Bradford- Ask an Agent
Sept 28 (submissions due 9/19) Speaker: Laura Stegman, author- Writing an Author Bio
Oct 26 (submissions du 10/17) Speaker: Lee Wardlaw, author- Poetry
Nov 23 (submissions due 11/14)
Guest Speaker April 27: Deborah Halverson
Topic: Novels and Picture Books: 5 Ways to Translate “No” to “Yes.” Learn five reasons that commonly appear in rejection letters for novels and picture books, translated and then followed by solutions for addressing the problem. Deborah Halverson is the award-winning author of Writing Young Adult Fiction for Dummies and Writing New Adult Fiction, as well as numerous teen novels, books in a series for struggling readers, and a picture book. Formerly an editor at Harcourt Children's Books and now a freelance editor specializing in picture books and Young Adult/Middle Grade fiction and nonfiction, Deborah has been working with authors—bestsellers, veterans, debut, and aspiring—for twenty-five years. She is also the founder of the popular writers’ advice site DearEditor.com and serves on the advisory board for the UC San Diego Extension “Children’s Book Writing and Illustrating” certificate program. DeborahHalverson.com