Schedule for KidLitCon 2011
Tuesday, August 2, 2011 at 10:21 PM Below you will find the tentative schedule for KidLitCon 2011. Times are certainly subject to change, and it’s even possible that sessions may shift or be replaced if something comes up.
Because I’m so late getting the slate of presentations posted, we will be extending the discounted registration to August 15th. After that, registration will raise by $5 for each section, as previously planned for the remainder. The last day to register is August 31st.
Also, despite what you may have heard, there are a few rooms left at Hotel Monaco. There booking system seems to be such that if any portion of your desired reservation is unavailable, they are not able to check alternative options. I encourage you to call Hotel Monaco during business hours (Pacific Time) and speak to Ariela if the reservation department has difficulty finding you a room within the KidLitCon block. VIP Reservations at 206-516-5097 is the number to call. We apologize for the difficulty some of you have had in obtaining a room at the hotel. It should all be worth it in the end.
Registration for the 5th Annual KidLitCon is now closed, watch for the official twitter tags on September 15 & 16. #kidlitcon
Friday, September 16
12:00 – 12:50 pm
Registration begins. Regardless of whether you are attending the day’s sessions, you can register for any portion of the conference during this time.
1 – 1:50 pm
Bloggers and Writers and Pubs! Oh My!
Presented and facilitated by Pam Coughlan and Liz Burns, with Kirby Larson and Zoe Luderitz
In Bloggers and Writers and Pubs! Oh My! the panel will explore the relationships of the various members of the children’s literature industry. The age of social media is blurring the already indistinct boundaries between reviewer and author, blogger and publisher, author and publicist. The opportunities of this new communication and collaboration are extraordinary, but the questions are also increasing in terms of disclosure, standards, and professionalism. This panel hopes to address these issues with input and questions from the attendees.
2 – 2:50 pm
Who Are You Online? Social Media and the Professional Persona
Presented by Karen Kincy, Chelsea Campbell, Denise Jaden, and Mindi Scott
Social media can be overwhelming! It’s easy enough to start with the blogging, tweeting, and Facebook basics, but it can be a challenge to build and maintain a successful online persona. Four established YA authors who blog with The Tenners will share their tips and tricks for streamlining your online presence, what to talk about and what’s off limits, and keeping up without letting it kill you. We’ll address some recent hot topics questions including: Reviews: should authors write/read them? and Promotion: Is all publicity good publicity?
The Future of Transmedia Storytelling: Angel Punk, Pottermore, and Skeleton Creek
Presented by Amber Keyser, Devon Lyon, Matthew Wilson, and Jake Rossman
Transmedia storytelling refers to the delivery of story through a variety of media. These forms can include film, graphic novels, traditional books, flash fiction, iPhone/iPad delivery of content, and various forms of audio. Typically, story lines are interwoven and connected but not strictly repetitive. Often, fan engagement and participation in the creative process are facilitated by social media. J.K. Rowling’s new venture, Pottermore, is an excellent example that promises to extend and enhance the experience of the Harry Potter series. Increasingly, all media forms - books, movies, games and TV shows - are looking for transmedia opportunities. During this session, the AngelPunk.co team discusses their approach to transmedia storytelling and gives an inside look into the complex structure necessary to delivery story via novels, feature film, comic books, and an interactive fan site.
3 – 3:50 pm
One is Silver and the Other’s Gold: A Discussion on Blogging Backlist vs. New Releases, and Why It Doesn’t Have to Be Versus
Presented by Maureen Kearney, Melissa Madsen Fox, Jen Robinson
Four reviewer-bloggers will discuss the different advantages to blogging the backlist and blogging about newer titles, and how having a variety of books strengthens your blog and your voice.
Group Blogging: Strategies for Success
Presented by Elissa Cruz, Rosanne Parry, Katherine Schlick Noe
With so much focus on social networking and technology these days, it’s increasingly more important for those in the kidlit industry to build and maintain an online presence. Many have turned to group blogs as a way to establish a presence and share the workload. But successful group blogs require a few key ingredients. Our presenters, all authors and bloggers on From The Mixed-Up Files… of Middle Grade Authors will discuss these key ingredients, which include tips for choosing blogging platforms and maintaining the back end of the blog, leadership and organizational strategies, finding and engaging your audience, overcoming technology fears and dealing with problems that may arise.
4 – 4:50 pm
Building a Better World With Your Book Blog
Presented by Chris Singer
Book bloggers carry a lot of klout and can use this to help spread the word about non-profit organizations that are doing vital work in these tough economic times. This session will explore ways book bloggers can use their blogging platform as a tool to help promote causes such as literacy, adoption, and bullying, among other worthwhile endeavors.
5 – 6 pm
Wine Reception
Hotel Monaco offers a complimentary glass of wine for guests staying in the hotel during their nightly wine hour. It’s another great opportunity to linger in their beautiful lobby, mingle with guests and your kidlitosphere colleagues - a great reason to stay at the hotel.
7 – 9 pm
Meet and Greet**
Come meet and mingle with your peers! We’ll provide light appetizers and access to a cash bar. SCBWI of Western Washington will provide entertainment in the form of a lightning-fast intro to attending and local authors with books out this fall. Think speed-dating, only quicker – we’re going to pack in as many authors and illustrators as possible in 30 minutes (if you are an author interesting in participating in this, contact Joni Sensel: sensel [at] earthlink.net. Space is obviously very limited).
**Friday night’s festivities are only free to guests attending the conference.
Saturday, September 17th
7:15 – 7:55 am
Registration.
8 am
Keynote by Scott Westerfeld
9 – 9:50 am
The Fantastic New World of Book Apps for Children
Presented by Mary Ann Scheuer, Elizabeth Bird, and Paula Wiley
Interactive book apps combine traditional book content with a variety of multimedia features, presenting opportunities for children to engage with stories and information in new ways. But do they motivate kids to read? Do they stand up to repeat viewing? Are these apps really just Angry Birds without the guilt - something to hand a cranky kid when the checkout line is too long? We will talk about how our expertise in reviewing children’s literature applies to evaluating book apps. Learn about what makes an outstanding app, which features are becoming standard, which ones assist the reader, and which features are merely silly.
Teaming Up: How Authors and Bloggers Can Work Together for Successful Promotion
Presented by Suzanne Young and Sara Gundell
Traditional marketing and publicity for books is no longer enough to get you noticed. Author Suzanne Young (A Need So Beautiful; The Naughty List) and blogger Sara Gundell (Novel Novice) explore ways authors and bloggers can work together to generate creative marketing and publicity for new books. They’ll show you ways to create unique web-based content that benefits both the author and the blogger.
9:50 – 10:15 am
BREAK
10:15 – 11:05 am
Tears, Sweat, and True Blood: DIY Marketing in a Post-Twilight World
Presented by Holly and Shiraz Cupala
In this tandem presentation, Holly Cupala will share her experience building her brand and fan base, and marketing her debut novel. In addition, her marketing muscle and husband, Shiraz Cupala, will share his insights from 20 years of micro-publishing, media production, and online marketing both independently and for Microsoft and Nokia.” Find out how Holly Cupala launched her debut novel, Tell Me a Secret, to over 5,000 fans and over 150 bloggers, getting nearly 3,000 trailer views in 48 hours. Learn the basics of marketing and get a take on the book retailing machine from the perspective of an experienced online marketer and micro-publisher. Find out how Holly will focus her marketing for her next book, Don’t Breathe a Word, Harper Collins, January 2012.
Managing the Privacy Line: Your Blog, Your Kids, Your Readers, and You
Presented by Marcia Lerner and Andrea Lampman
As a blogger, you no doubt have other identities as well: you might be a librarian, a bookseller, a writer of other blogs and/or books, a parent—which means kids are part of the identity. All these realities bring privacy and exposure into the mix. Some writers choose to be anonymous, others exactly the opposite—we want to discuss these choices, and what they might mean. How can you negotiate these lines, and redraw them as you go? And what are the benefits and drawbacks of being anonymous, named, or somewhere in the middle?
11:15 – 12:05 pm
Going Deep: The Hows and Whys of Blogging Critically
Presented by Kelly Jensen, Julia Riley, Abby Johnson, and Janssen Brandshaw
In this program, attendees will learn about the importance of blogging critically. This workshop style presentation will teach attendees why critical reviews are important, how to write strong and sharp reviews without getting personal, what components of a nontraditional book (i.e. audiobook, graphic novel, etc.) are essential in a review, and how to recommend a book that may not have worked for them.
Teaming Up with S in SCBWI
Moderated by Joni Sensel, with Kim Baker, Martha Brockenbrough, Alice Pope, Jaime Temairik, and Laurie Thompson
The leaders and members of regional SCBWI chapters can be a great resource for bloggers to draw upon for interviews, but there are also other ways to build the relationships and mutual support that “Society” implies. A panel of leaders from the highly respected Western Washington chapter will share ideas, tips, and how-tos for plugging into your local SCBWI network and building mutually beneficial relationships.
12:15 – 1:45 pm
LUNCH
2 – 2:50 pm
Give Your Blog a Voice: Podcasting in the KidLitosphere
Presented by Michelle Ann Dunphy and Allison Tran
This program will guide you through the process of creating a podcast, from cultivating a concept to mixing it all up with the right software. Learn how to define your unique style and presence, develop listener-friendly content, and engage with authors and other professionals to enhance your podcast. Get tips for sounding your best in front of a microphone from a professional voiceover artist, and put those techniques into practice immediately by stepping up to the mic and contributing your voice to a special KidLitCon edition of the Authors Are ROCKSTARS! podcast.
Finessing Your Inner Zoo
Presented by Richard Jesse Watson
Voice is everything. Attendees will get a new handle on finding and finessing their artistic voice both in their writing and in their approach to blogging. Discover what will set you apart from the throng, why blogging is a valuable discipline for those in publishing, how to bring depth to your work, make your writing irresistible and unleash your blog potential.
3 – 3:50 pm
Moving Beyond Google Reader: Taking Your Blog to Where Your Readers Are
Presented by Jen Robinson and Carol Rasco
Because of the large number of blogs in the Kidlitosphere these days, it is difficult, if not impossible, for people to follow them all, even when using a blog reader. Fortunately, a variety of tools and services, new and old, exist to help bloggers take their content to where their audience is. These include Feedblitz, Twitter, Facebook, and the new Google+ service. In this session, we will share tips for using these tools effectively, to get your blog posts into the hands of people who are interested in them, without oversaturating and turning off your audience. We’ll also include some tips for blog readers on how to use these tools to cut through the clutter, and find interesting content.
Forming Author – Blogger Collectives to Support Book Promotion
Presented by Stasia Ward Kehoe
From blogger tribes like the YA Rebels, YA Highway, Bookanistas and YA Contemps, to broader efforts like ReaderGirlz and Guys Read, online writer/reader collectives are all the rage. Whether you’re a published author looking to enhance your online presence without giving up too much writing time, or an aspiring novelist and/or book blogger wanting a community through which to celebrate your literary passion, joining a group is worth considering. This presentation will help you learn how to find or form an effective group, plan your platform, and even take your online team out into the world for LIVE book promotion.
4 – 4:50 pm
Blogging Diversity: Prejudice and Pride
Moderated by Lee Wind, with Justina Chen, Brent Hartinger, Sara Ryan, and Sarah Stevenson
Join Lee Wind as he leads a panel of kid lit superstars to explore Inclusion, Watch Dogs, Agendas, Identity Politics, and the perils of political correctness.
7 pm
DINNER
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Reader Comments (3)
Will there be some kind of exhibit/meet & greet time for authors? The speed dating sounds great, but I was just wondering if there would also be any opportunity for authors to display their books and interact in a more relaxed, casual environment.
Going to second Sheila. The speed dating sounds great, but would love the opportunity to spend more time with authors. Also, I may have missed this somewhere. Is there a place to purchase their books or are we to bring them with us if we want to grab signatures? :)
Very excited to be attending and presenting. See you next month!
Secret Garden Books will be selling titles from presenters and attendees in the lobby outside of our meeting rooms. 10% of proceeds will go to Reading is Fundamental. While we do not have an official time set up for author-focused mingling, we will be encouraging people to use some of the ample time we've scheduled for lunch to track down authors. There will be some plush seating in the lobby with the bookstore to facilitate this.