Thanks to all my friends who nudged me to post about the conference, I'm finally here! I couldn't wait to share all this wonderful info with you, but had such great insight about my MG which is almost ready to submit, that I had to dedicate all my time to it. Now, my revision is done, and I'm waiting to hear back from a writing friend who never read it before and offered to critique the full (and I can't wait to pay her back when hers is ready for a pair of fresh eyes).

Linda Rodriguez Bernfeld (RA) and Gaby Triana (ARA) put on yet another amazing conference filled with an incredible faculty, helpful information, writing exercises, and clowns. I'm not kidding! We actually had two stilt-walking clowns at our Saturday night Big Top Bash, where everyone (including some very talented and energetic editors and agents) danced their way through the night.

I'll give you notes about the wonderful intensive I took on Friday in another post. That afternoon, the conference began. One of my favorite parts was watching the first book panel. It was so inspiring to listen to the success stories of Marjetta Geerling, Debbie Reed Fischer, and Danette Haworth. I've heard so many great things about VIOLET RAINES ALMOST GOT STRUCK BY LIGHTNING, and can't wait to read my signed copy! And I love Marjetta's YA, FANCY WHITE TRASH, and Debbie's BRALESS IN WONDERLAND and SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS. All three authors thanked my fabulous mentor, Joyce Sweeney, for her guidance and feedback (she has helped twenty-five writers become published!)

It's amazing how much was packed into Saturday! All the speeches were incredible and the day just flew by. It began with Arthur Levine discussing: Who You Are as a Writer=What I Publish. He said that humor comes out of warm appreciation of what is human. It has heart. He noted that a humorous book can be full of depth, like CRASH by Jerry Spinelli. He also said he wasn't surprised that people took HARRY POTTER to heart, because it's funny, exciting, and emotional.

Lisa Yee: Should Who You Are Dictate What You Write? She suggested writing what you know, what you want to know, and what is in your heart. She and Arthur Levine had a Q&A session together that was wonderful! I'm sure most of the writers in the audience hope to have that kind of connection with an editor one day.

Ginger Knowlton: Do's and Don'ts of the Agent Search (and Rescue). She said to always do our best--and stressed that our best will change from moment to moment. If you want an agent and an editor tells you he or she is taking your manuscript to the next level, let the editor know you are in the process of securing an agent. What struck me most, is how open she was with us. She mentioned a manuscript she had rejected, but looked at it again (I believe a few weeks later), and she called the author and offered representation--and ended up selling it! I'm so glad she shared this with us--it really does show that it takes having the right manuscript in the right place at the right time!

Alexandra Cooper: How and Why is a Manuscript Acquired? She said hardcovers generally receive more review attention, while paperbacks are more accessible because of their lower costs. She mentioned that the review publications seem to be a little behind now, and some authors wondered why they hadn't received reviews. She mentioned some of the differences between imprints. For example, Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers tends to publish contemporary, edgy (like Rachel Cohn), and high concept like THE MOTHER-DAUGHTER BOOK CLUB and THE HOMEWORK MACHINE. Atheneum leans toward more risk taking, quirky, and graphic novels. McElderry has a lot of fantasy and classic stories.

Mark Teague: Making Lively Picture Books. I enjoyed seeing the fire engine he chose for one of his books. He explained that current firetrucks would hide the Dalmatian firemen, so he searched older models until he found one that allowed him to actively show his characters.

Tina Wexler: Business Broker or BFF? Exploring the Author/Agent Relationship. An agent can be a friend, creative consultant, and a business partner. Think about the traits that are most important to you, like strong communication, and see how well a potential agent matches those traits.

Elaine Landau (who has written over 300 books) & Ruth VanderZee: Nonfiction--The Real Deal. After listening to them speak, many conference attendees are eager to try nonfiction for the first time! Elaine and Ruth suggest writing nonfiction with a twist, and gave examples of books that approach nonfiction in nontraditional ways, such as Verla Kay's COVERED WAGONS, BUMPY TRAILS which is written in rhyme and Candace Fleming's nonfiction scrapbook called THE LINCOLNS: A SCRAPBOOK LOOK AT ABRAHAM AND MARY.

Liz Waniewski: How to Wow an Editor (with your writing). She said to think about what really worries kids, such as being small. If three books are currently out on a topic, it's harder to have a new manuscript accepted on the same topic. She gave a handout of the top ten things Dial editors look for in both picture books and novels. I won't give all of them away, but a few that stand out are:
* Does this story surprise me and take me to places I didn't expect?
* Will I want to read this manuscript ten (or more) times?
* And the one she said is the most important...and the most difficult--is the voice authentic and real? Does it sound like a real kid and not an adult?
She gave us a list of the top ten picture book submission topics she received in the last three months. Bedtime, monsters acting un-monster-like, cats and kittens, going green, "I love you" stories, boredom, dealing with disabilities, baby bird learning to fly, and two that always seem to make this list--visiting grandparents and first day of school.
When asked what topics she often sees in novels, she mentioned new kid at school, high fantasy/quest, parents getting a divorce, and an ordinary kid who suddenly has super powers.

Linda Sue Park: Try it, You'll Like it! She said there is a secret formula to writing! But it's different for each person and each book. There are three common factors in this formula--read a lot (it's training for writers), have discipline, and the ability to revise. She gave a brilliant solution for people who believe they don't have time to read. Count up the number of hours you spend on the computer or watching TV for a week. Take half of those hours and use them to read the next week and every week for the rest of your life.