Picture Book Weekend – From Idea to Bookshelf

PICTURE BOOK WEEKEND

The life of a Picture Book from initial idea to bookshelf
JAMES MAYHEW • MINI GREY • CHITRA SOUNDAR • DAPO ADEOLA

Two whole days of picture book bonanza from the comfort of your own home!  (recording available for two weeks after the event).

*The zoom link will be in your email confirmation!
Watch out for it!

Bookings close on 20 September 2021

F   U   N   D   I   N   G

A limited number of fully funded tickets are available for writers underrepresented in children’s publishing (BAME, LGBTQ+, socio-economically marginalised and writers with a disability)

We recognise all diverse experiences, including (but not limited to) LGBTQIA+, BAME, gender diversity, people with disabilities, and ethnic, cultural, and religious minorities. We subscribe to a broad definition of disability, which includes but is not limited to physical, sensory, cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disabilities, chronic conditions, and mental illnesses (this may also include addiction). Furthermore, we subscribe to a social model of disability, which presents disability as created by barriers in the social environment, due to lack of equal access, stereotyping, and other forms of marginalisation.

Application deadline: 30 June 2021
Successful applicants will be contacted by 30 July 2021

APPLY HERE

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THE PROGRAMME

10.00
to 10.15

10.15
to

11.15

Good morning!

Please log in early from 10.00 am to say hi, socialise in the Chatbox, make sure all your tech is working.

Paul Morton and Nick Cross will be there to greet you!

SESSION 1

From Idea to Submission – with James Mayhew

Author/illustrator James Mayhew will share his process: 

• Books that he has both written and illustrated – from getting the idea, character development to roughs; the writing part compared to the drawing stage. James will talk about the steps working up to a dummy book presentation to send to an agent/commissioning editor. How do you know it’s ready to send?
• Books where James has illustrated another author’s text: James will talk about how he interprets the text – what thought process goes into this? What considerations and decisions are made? What’s the role of the ‘unsaid’ elements that an illustrator can add?
• James will share tips for authors about the process of creating picture book art and ALLOWING space for the illustrator without art direction
  

11.30

to

12.30

SESSION 2

The Pitch – Hooking the Agent + the Editor
and In-House Teams

with Jodie Hodges (Agent, United Agents) & Elaine Connolly (Senior Commissioning Editor, Hachette Children’s Group), moderated by Natascha Biebow

• What makes a stand-out must-have submission to an agent, and to an editor? How do agents prepare a submission to a publisher and decide where to send books?
• The Acquisitions process: We will unpick the role of the editor and role of the agent. How does it work? What series of meetings takes place at publishers as part of the acquisitions process? What stages does the book go through before going back to the author illustrator with a positive response or rejection?
• Match Making: Our Commissioning Editor will discuss matching the text with an illustrator, and the process of pitching in-house, all the way through to the Acquisitions Meeting. If it’s a relatively new author /illustrator how does it differ from established, well-known names? 

12.30 to 13.15

 LUNCH

13.15
to

14.00

Revisions to Final Book. Part 1

with Author/Illustrator Mini Grey

Now the book is acquired, the creative work begins with REVISION

• Get the insider view on this complex process: Mini Grey will share examples from her work to show the stages necessary to make the best book possible visually.
  
• She will discuss her particular personal work method and her process. How many hours? How to handle creative blocks? Using tried and trusted media or experimentation?
• Discover how to handle the pressure of deadlines – get tips on how to balance out marketing other books and working on new ideas simultaneously.

14.15

to

15.15

SESSION 3 part 2

Revisions to Final Book. Part 2

with Chitra Soundar and Dapo Adeola

• Chitra will talk about the process of revising the text from an author’s point of view – refinements to characterisation, changes to pacing, and working with an editor to comment on roughs
• Dapo will talk about process of revision from an illustrator’s point of view – receiving feedback from the art director and editor, tightening up pacing and characterisation
• Q&A

15.30

END OF FIRST DAY

10.00
to 10.15

GOOD MORNING!
Log in from 10.00 to say hi, socialise in the Chatbox, make sure all your tech is working. Paul Morton and Nick Cross will be there to greet you!

10.15

to

11.15

Why does it take SO LONG to make a book?

With Art Director, Zoe Tucker, and Katie Cotton, Group Publisher, Quarto Books, moderated by Paul Morton

• Zoe and Katie share the inside scoop on how they have collaborated on bestselling book projects. What goes on behind the scenes inside the publisher? What are the editor and the book designer’s roles as they liaise with the author, author/illustrator and illustrator? They will talk about:
  
• Design decisions (getting the book ready for Production)
• Editorial changes (creative process) & Pre-publication plans (working with Marketing/Publicity; the role of International Bookfairs and Rights Sales);
• Covers: Sales/Marketing’s involvement at this stage, how is cover image discussed & finishes agreed;
• Sales: How does the book get into Waterstones and Indies; the role of Amazon and special sales, paid-for space for promotion.

11.30

to

12.30

Publication – On the Bookshelf. Part 1 

With publicist Clare Hall-Craggs and bookseller Imogen Hargreaves, from the bookshop Mostly Books Abingdon, moderated by Nick Cross

• What do publishers put in place to promote a book? We’ll talk about bookshop promotions. How can authors work with local bookshops – events and appearances? Other opportunities with local schools and community?
  
• The book launch: what can an author do to help launch the book successfully? Online and in-person ‘tours’; blogs  & reviews, influencers, publicity opportunities.
  
• How can an author work with a publicist to best help publicise their book? Top tips and No, no’s.

13.15

to

14.30

Publication – On the Bookshelf. Part 2 

with Chitra Soundar, Dapo Adeola, Mini Grey, James Mayhew, moderated by Paul Morton & Nick Cross

Our keynotes will share insights into how to launch and promote your books, including:

• Top tips on how they’ve collaborated with their publishers to help raise the profile of their books. Most important lessons learned?
• For debut authors, how to best create a presence, a footprint on the internet to establish a character, a series, and a career.
• Allocating time to promotion vs creating new books
• The book launch
• Reaching influencers and reviewers
• Reaching underrepresented audiences
• School visits (virtual and in-person)
• Creating an online Profile (Where Should You Be Visible?)
  
• Working with bookshops and librarians
• Educational materials, activity sheets, and other freebies – what works?

to 14.45

14.45

to

15.15

Q&A with our authors & illustrators, the bookseller and publicist, moderated by Soni Speight and Natascha Biebow

Attendees will be invited to submit questions in the chat. The panel will address questions such as:

• How have recent global events impacted you?
  
• Co-editions and US market influencers
• How has promotion changed from publication of your first book to a recent one?
  
• The unexpected spin-offs. Films, games, requests….
• How does someone as busy as you juggle all the various titles and franchises?
  

15.15

END OF FINAL DAY – Goodbyes