More notes from the SCBWI-LA conference. Bruce Colville was one of the keynote speakers. He’s written so many books I can’t even list them. Go to his website to find out. Notes I took during his speech:

• Take your art and yourself seriously as a business person.
• Pay attention to contracts. 
• Pay attention to your royalty statements. Learn to negotiate. Provide for your retirement and insurance.
• Never throw anything away, i.e., drafts, half-finished manuscripts, ideas, notes, etc.
• Scare yourself. Take on assignments that challenge and scare you. Take risks. Go further.Make your own rules. (There’s no right way – each path is different for each book).
• Don’t be afraid to show your heart. Put it in your writing. Explore the unfinished cord. Give kids something they can’t stop thinking about. An image you cannot forget.
• Our words have an effect that ripples on. You don’t know what effect your words will have. Don’t start with a message. Start with your own heart. Start with a great character.
• Polish those pebbles until they shine.
• Unlock the heart and free the spirit.

 Pretty good advice, don’t you think?

Richard Peck and Lupe Ruiz-Flores Newbery Medal winner (A Year Down Yonder – 2001)  Richard Peck was also a keynote speaker. His talk is always inspirational. I love his books and I bought his latest one, Three Quarters Dead, and had it autographed.

Booksigning lines