Web Wednesday: Late December Edition, by Lori Ann Palma

Welcome to the last edition of Web Wednesday for 2016!

I’ll be back in January with all new links to publishing news you need to know.

Please note that the following contests are not sponsored by SCBWI.

1. The newly created Women Who Draw site is an open directory of female professional illustrators and artists who take freelance work. It was created a by a group of women artists in an effort to increase the visibility of female illustrators of all backgrounds. All women professional illustrators are encouraged to participate.

2. Short story writing is a great way to hone your writing craft and gain publicity for your work. Check out this list of 2017 Short Story Contests and submit your best work.

3. One of the biggest book marketing challenges authors face is the social media conundrum. This article addresses this concern by offering tips to sell more books with less social media.

4. Michelle Hauck announced launch of the fourth annual Sun Versus Snow contest for MG and YA novels that are polished and ready for agents.

5. The SCBWI NY Metro Chapter hosted its third annual agent’s panel on December 1. Read a recap of the tips three agents shared in this blog post.

6. SCBWI offers many resources for members, including a podcast series called SCBWI Conversations. Interviews are with leaders in the children’s book field, including Ellen Hopkins, Kwame Alexander, and Laurie Halse Anderson.

7. Picture book author Tara Luebbe has established a mentorship opportunity for picture book writers and illustrators, called Writing with the Stars. Selected applicants, who must be working toward traditional publishing, will be paired with an author or illustrator for a three-month mentorship. The application and official rules are available on Tara’s website.

If you have an interesting link about news in the children’s publishing industry, share it in the comments below.