Your monthly update from SCBWI Israel

Dear Tzivia,


Are you ready for Artober?


Every day in October, SCBWI offers illustrators a different drawing prompt to help develop a daily illustration practice. Visit the SCBWI Artober page for a sneak peek at all the prompts. And if you're not an illustrator, try using the daily prompts as one-word writing cues - or check out the illustrations on Instagram to see which ones inspire you to write something short each day! ✏️


Speaking of inspiration, there are just a few spaces left in Writing Joyous Jewish Picture Books, a 4-session mini-course that begins at the end of October. Get all the details and sign up here!


Check out this month's SCBWI Israel illustrator of the Month, Meirav Shilo! You can find Meirav's work and that of past illustrators on the SCBWI Israel site.


Finally, as we stand at the close of a difficult year, in turbulent and uncertain times, we'd like to thank you for being part of the SCBWI Israel community: joining us in person and via Zoom, reading and sharing our posts and newsletters, and helping us support one another as authors and illustrators. Wherever you are, we wish you and your loved ones happiness and peace for the coming year. 🍎🍯


Here for you every step of the way,


Your SCBWI Israel Team

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Selected SCBWI Worldwide Events

  • October 2. The Back Is Where It’s At: Why Back Matter Matters. What’s the big deal about back matter? Editor Carol Hinz, who has been called the Queen of Back Matter on at least one occasion, offers a thorough investigation of what back matter is, who it’s for, and what types of back matter work best for picture books. Carol will accept submissions from webinar attendees. ($15; from SCBWI Maryland/Delaware/West Virginia)
  • October 2. Art Critique with Brian LaRossa, Executive Art Director at Scholastic. Do you ever wonder what an art director looks for in artwork? Join Ohio North SCBWI for a night of critiques led by Executive Art Director, Brian LaRossa from Scholastic. Slots to have work critiqued are limited to 10 people, but anyone can sign up to observe and learn from his feedback. (Free to attend critique, must register by Oct. 1; from SCBWI Ohio North)
  • October 5. Place in Fiction. Setting is defined as the location and time period of a story, but a character's sense of place and interactions with places can add depth and nuance to a story, elevating setting beyond simple backdrop. How do place and character create each other? How does place reveal character and provide sources of conflict? How can experience of place add resonance to stories, in particular to endings? Join Anindita Basu Sempere, a longtime writing instructor who has taught creative writing at Olin College, the Université de Neuchâtel, and Boston University, for an interactive workshop on place in fiction. (€16; from SCBWI Europolitan)
  • October 5. Social Media Marketing for Published Authors and Illustrators. Discover tips and tricks for breaking through social media algorithms. Participants will explore actionable methods to sharpen their social media presence, increase visibility, and have fun as they experiment and grow their book marketing strategies. While it may feel overwhelming to market through the digital noise, building an engaged and passionate online community is possible. ($25; from SCBWI Arizona)
  • October 5. Defining Your Style - A Guide for Indecisive Illustrators. Join NYT#1 Bestselling Illustrator Marissa Valdez will explain how she tackled her own problems with "style indecisiveness." In addition to addressing the pros and cons of working in multiple styles, Marissa will include live interactive critiques on previously submitted illustrations from participants. Get ready to channel your influences and find your unique your style! ($30; from SCBWI Texas Houston)

SCBWI Israel Groups and Programs

  • Starts October 28. Just a few spaces left! (And now open to non-members!) Do you write Jewish picture books and feel stuck in a rut, or are dealing with rejection after rejection? Not sure if your stories are ready? If there's a market for them? Or maybe you're just feeling like writing isn't as fun as it used to be. What you need is joy! Get ready to roll up your sleeves and join veteran instructor Brian Henry in making your terrific stories even better - while learning and growing your skills by helping your peers as well. Get all the details and sign up today!
  • Zoom program in English
  • If class is full, we will meet for 4 Mondays in a row
  • For writers who have stories already written


  • Every Tuesday at 8 p.m.! Join the quiet WhatsApp group for our weekly Zoom Write-In program to get the Zoom link and other details. https://chat.whatsapp.com/D2QnV4qq3W8B4fxpZ1GLYQ


  • And don't forget the SCBWI Israel WhatsApp groups for relevant notifications between newsletters:


  • English WhatsApp group - https://chat.whatsapp.com/FJ4s5O6IN5qG4lUCDkwVuL
  • Hebrew WhatsApp group - https://chat.whatsapp.com/CYi3cKp3Vbc5GgzvHeFGS1


  • Good News: Be sure to let us know about any and all good news from the world of children's publishing at https://bit.ly/scbwigoodnews and we'll share it here in our next newsletter and in our WhatsApp groups.

SCBWI Awards & Grants

  • Illustrators! Don't forget SCBWI's monthly "Draw This!" competition! Deadline: the last day of every month. Get this month's prompt and other details here: https://www.scbwi.org/awards-and-grants/for-illustrators/draw-this
  • And don't forget to check on other exciting contest submission opportunities from SCBWI for authors and illustrators this month, please visit the Awards and Grants page or check the awards feed on your member home page.

All event times are listed according to the local time of the SCBWI region hosting the event. FYI: Israel is usually 7 hours ahead of Eastern time (NYC).


In-line newsletter illustrations © Shirley Waisman

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