FOR AUTHORS & AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATORS
(Illustrators scroll down)
We are thrilled to be welcoming a host of industry professionals to the SCBWI British Isles Conference 2022 and can offer a limited number of 15 minute 1-1 reviews with agents and editors. We have confirmed slots with the following:
| Alice Williams Alice Williams Literary |
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| Alice is excited by submissions combining a strong, original hook or premise, characters that young readers will want to spend time with and characterful writing that jumps off the page. She’s keen to read funny or lyrical picture book texts, and contemporary or magical fiction for all ages. She would love to see projects from author-illustrators, whether picture books, young fiction or graphic novels. | |
| Becky Bagnell Lindsay Literary Agency |
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| Becky is currently looking for a YA love story that has an unusual or fantastical setting – Wes Anderson meets John Green. Underrepresented voices are always welcome in whatever form they come. In general she’d like to be surprised. |
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| Bella Pearson Guppy Books |
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| Bella is looking for strong new voices in all genres of children’s fiction, from the age of five to eighteen. She is not looking for anything in particular – she never quite knows what she wants until she sees it – but what is really important is originality, strength of storytelling and an understanding of the readership. | |
| Jo Williamson Anthony Harwood Literary Agency |
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| Jo is looking for voices that stand out and great storytelling. Specific genres are younger fiction , MG adventure, contemporary YA, psychological thrillers and Reading group fiction. She is particularly looking for authors from diverse backgrounds and Own Voices. | |
| Penny Holroyde Holroyde Cartey Literary Agency |
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| Penny is looking for all kinds of picture books of 500-600 words, in rhyme or in prose. They can be funny or poignant or just plain silly but she really wants to see picture books with a message and strong characters. She is particularly interested in meeting illustrators with stories to tell, but is also offering artwork portfolio reviews. She’s also looking for middle-grade, either stand-alone or series and really likes animal sob-stories and stories involving ordinary children in extraordinary circumstances in either contemporary or historical settings. She’s less interested in seeing middle-grade proposals of over 50,000 words. For YA, she’d like to see a romance or a thriller, either contemporary or historical or stories with an environmental theme. In all categories she is looking for under-represented voices. | |
| Lil Chase Caroline Wakeman Literary Agency |
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| Lil would like to see picture books to middle grade. She’s looking for originality – particularly in voice. A strong character, with an original voice, going on a quest that’s never been undertaken before, will get her team very excited. The ‘quest’ doesn’t have to be epic in scale, could be as small as petting the next-door neighbour’s dog, it’s just has to be something new. She loves humour. So if you have something quirky – perhaps even downright silly! – please do send it her way. | |
| Kesia Lupo Chicken House Books |
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| Kesia is seeking middle-grade and YA fiction only, across all genres including contemporary, romance, fantasy, horror and sci fi. She’s especially interested in finding underrepresented voices and stories. | |
| Tilda Johnson Freelance Editor & the Golden Egg Academy |
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| Interested in all fiction 5+ to YA but particularly keen to see underrepresented voices, funny writing, contemporary settings, verse & literary fiction, historical and/or anything with a really unique premise or clear story hook. | |
| Zoë Plant The Bent Agency |
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| Zoë represents middle-grade and young adult fiction across all genres, with a particular focus on fantasy, science fiction and horror. Her tastes lean towards commercial, entertaining and accessible books that also have something to say about the world. | |
| Katie Blagden The Bright Agency |
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| Katie is interested in Children’s fiction from chapter books up to YA. She is also interested in all areas of Fiction including Literary Fiction, Sci-Fi and Fantasy, Romance, Thriller, Horror and Graphic Novels. | |
| Arabella Stein The Bright Agency |
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| Representing award-winning and best-selling illustrators and authors, both established and at the beginning of their careers, Arabella is particularly drawn to artwork with an immediate and unforgettable impact; individual, yet relatable characters and a strong narrative. | |
Full bios can be found on the Faculty page
How to Book a Review
When the Professional Review bookings open all attendees who have registered their interest with their conference booking will be sent an email with the option to purchase a 1-1. Through this link you will have the opportunity to request a specific agent or editor and the time slot you prefer. Once you have booked your slot, changes cannot be made so please read the ‘wish lists’ above carefully before booking to ensure you make the right choice. Once the slots are gone, they are gone, so we apologise in advance if you do not get your first choice, or are unable to secure a 1-1 at all.
Remember the 1-1 reviews are very popular so we recommend you purchase your conference ticket and sign up early to avoid disappointment.
Bookings for 1-1 reviews officially open on Monday 12th September (look out for the email from us) and close on Wednesday 12th October, but it is expected that they will sell out well before this date. The cost of this 15-minute writers’ review will be £40 for SCBWI members (£45 non-members).
Submissions
Detailed submission information will be sent by email to all those who secure a 1-1 slot at the conference from Camilla Chester, Conference 1-1 Coordinator (please ensure you check your junk mail boxes) and the deadline for sending your submission package is Midnight on 3oth October.
Submissions can be either a full picture book text or the first chapter and synopsis of a young fiction, middle grade or young adult novel of no more than a 2k word count in total (work-in-progress is fine – does not need to be complete).
Final Note: Please keep a note of your selected slot time (although reminders will be posted at the conference venue).
Further Questions?
If you have any questions/queries about 1-1s at the SCBWI conference, that are not answered by our FAQs, authors please email:
Camilla at conference1to1s@britishscbwi.org
FOR ILLUSTRATORS & AUTHOR/ ILLUSTRATORS
Calling all you illustrators out there! As you’re busily booking your place for this year’s incredible conference, please take a few moments to read through these notes if you are considering having a portfolio review.
This is your chance to meet an industry professional who will review, discuss and give you invaluable feedback on your portfolio, sketchbooks and mock-up picture books. The illustrator 1-1s will be with either an agent, art-director, commissioning editor or experienced illustrator. This is a unique opportunity to meet some of the industry professionals who shape modern publishing. Their expertise and knowledge can help you to improve your work and your portfolio at whatever stage you are in your career, whether you are published or pre-published.
1. When the Professional Review bookings open on Monday 12th September, all attendees who have registered their interest with their conference booking will be sent an email with the option to purchase a 1-1 session. Through this link you may sign up for a pre-paid review, consisting of 20 minutes of individual feedback from an appropriate agent, art director, commissioning editor, or an experienced illustrator.
2. Deadline for booking a review is Monday 12th October 2022 (although slots often sell out long before the deadline).
3. Please bring to the conference a maximum of two of the following that you would like reviewed:
• A portfolio of up to 15 printed samples of your work
• One book dummy with rough illustrations plus text
• Up to two finished picture book texts
• One developed storyboard with thumbnail illustrations plus text up to 5 pages (maximum 50 frames) of a graphic novel or comic book project
• A digital test or storyboard for one ebook or app
(Please note, portfolios, dummies and storyboards may be displayed either in physical form or digitally e.g. on an iPad.)
4. If in the unlikely event we cannot secure a reviewer for you, we will offer you a refund.
The 20-minute review will cost £40 for SCBWI members (£45 for non-members).
Remember the 1-1 reviews are very popular so we recommend you purchase your conference ticket and sign up early to avoid disappointment.
To help us provide you with the most appropriate reviewer for your work, we will contact you once your conference application is confirmed and ask you to provide jpg samples of your submissions in addition to a short bio or web link. Please submit this by Sunday 30th October.
The industry professionals attending this year’s conference and opting to provide reviews are:
| Ness Wood Award winning Art Director, Book Designer and Lecturer |
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| Ness is an award-winning book designer and art director and she has worked for many major children’s publishers designing picture books and fiction. She has taught publishing at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN), on the Illustration MA course at Goldsmiths, run the Cambridge School of Art Summer School (2014-2020) and taught Design History at the University of Brighton. Ness is a Leader in Residence at UCLAN. Ness is known for her encouraging, straightforward and collaborative approach with illustrators and students. Ness has also been a judge for the Bologna Ragazzi Award. In 2018, she was part of the winning team at the British Design and Production Awards, in the Graphic Novel Category. Ness is co-founder of Orange Beak Studio who offer insight and encouragement for illustrators through individual tutorials, talks and varied workshops. | |
| Penny Holroyde Agent at Hoyroyde Cartey Ltd |
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| Penny Holroyde has worked in children’s publishing for her whole career, which is quite a long one now! She worked in-house for publishers Walker Books in London and Candlewick press in the USA where she was the Rights Director. Her first job as an agent was with Caroline Sheldon where she worked for a decade before setting up Holroyde Cartey in 2015 with Claire Cartey, formerly Art Director at Hachette. She is looking for all kinds of picture books of 500-600 words, in rhyme or in prose. They can be funny or poignant or just plain silly but she really wants to see picture books with a message and strong characters. She is particularly interested in meeting illustrators with stories to tell, but is also offering artwork portfolio reviews. | |
| Emma Layfield Picture Book Development Director for Hachette Children’s Group |
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| Emma is Picture Book Development Director for Hachette Children’s Group and is focused on working with writers and illustrators based in the North, Scotland and Ireland. She is based at Hachette UK’s new Manchester office. She is also co-founder of Children’s Books North, an independent network set up to promote and support published children’s authors, illustrators and publishing professionals living in the north. | |
| Arabella Stein Agent at Bright Agency |
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| Representing award-winning and best-selling illustrators and authors, both established and at the beginning of their careers, Arabella is particularly drawn to artwork with an immediate and unforgettable impact; individual, yet relatable characters and a strong narrative.Arabella is able to inspire and encourage artists and authors – setting up long lasting collaborations with publishers internationally. Arabella is also now leading the literary list at the Bright Agency. | |
Penny Holroyde recommends that delegates “show their newest work, in the style they’re currently working in. Due to limited time, varied styles are harder to give useful feedback on.”
For more advice on putting together your portfolio please check out:
• John Shelley’s article in Words & Pictures
• Portfolio Advice
• Surviving your first portfolio review by Jane Heinrichs from Words & Pictures
• Why booking a portfolio review is a great idea from Alex Wilson from Words & Pictures
• Portfolio intensive feedback by Trish Philips
Further Questions?
If you have any questions/queries about 1-1s at the SCBWI conference, that are not answered by our FAQs, illustrators, please email:
Mike at conferenceillusreviews@britishscbwi.org or
Paul at conferenceillustrators@britishscbwi.org.
Book Conference Here
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SCBWI would like to thank the sponsors for their support. SCBWI is a non-profit organization
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Illustrations © Jim Field 2022