SCBWI newsletter September 06

2006-10-05T14:46:00.000-07:00

"Everywhere and at all times it is in your power to accept reverently

your present condition, to behave justly to those about you,

and to exert your skill to control your thoughts,

that nothing shall steal into them

without being well examined."

- Marcus Aurelius, Stoic Philosopher.

(Thanks for this great quote Tessa!)

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N.B. CHANGE IN VENUE, TIME AND AGENDA FOR MONTHLY MEMBERS ONLY MEETING.

MEMBERS ONLY MEETING - YOU'RE INVITED!

This September, on Saturday 30th FROM 1 - 3 PM

SCBWI South celebrates it first birthday at RITUALS in Maraval (Vie de Francs/ Pizza Boys building in Boisierre)

THIS MONTH WE CELEBRATE OUR MEMBERS SUCCESSES:

Carolyn Ali and Marsha Gomes who both have stories in a small anthology of four stories I am editing for a local NGO, Pour L'innocents. The other two authors Yasmin John-Thorpe (now living in Canada) and our local journalist, Natalie Williams have both been previously published by Macmillan Caribbean. Euro-based member, Vanessa Soodeen and Barbados member Jason Cole, will illustrate. The anthology, "Island Garden" of four children's stories by Trinidadian authors will be announced publicly Nov-Dec 2006.

YOUR CREATIVE DREAMS ARE WORTH IT - YES, GOD LOVES ARTISTS TOO!!

Awakening Creative Expression Through Yoga & Meditation Tobago Retreat with Ann-Marie Ahye see www.innerfeeling.com . Begins Friday, 16 March at 5pm. Ends Monday, 19th March after Breakfast. Please register your interest for this event now since there will be limited space. The rates for members and locals is more are very affordable!

see www.topotobago.com for new venue.

SCBWI introductory workshops will continue by announcement at NALIS libraries The intention of these workshops will be to introduce SCBWI to writers and artists in different communities, presenting SCBWI membership as a concrete step towards developing one's career in the field, by providing a taste of the vital information and know-how that comes as a part of networking and insider industry information.

Joanne Gail Johnson

www.caribbeanchildren.com

MANY HANDS

2006-05-23T04:45:00.000-07:00

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Hi There!
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You are receiving this invitation as a part of a smaller group of SCBWI meeting participants. Some of you have already volunteered to help grow our chapter and I am pleased to offer you a one year gift membership in exchange for your help. As our chapter grows there are guidelines for benefits that may be offered to volunteers - e.g. small cash stipends may be paid from events that are financially beneficial. (But don't do this for any money that may come, because it's modest and to show appreciation!) Any money the chapter will earn is to be re-invested into SCBWI events and activities intended to build up careers in children's literature in our region.
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If you are already a member, your renewal will come in to effect when your current year ends, so you won't lose out.
Each role will be identified and negotiated individually so that it feels mutually agreeable.
In addition, nothing will be so formal or 'contracted' that it is not re-negotiable and some roles may overlap or transform organically.
Once the spirit of the commitment is met over the year, there will be room for Life to unfold, so please don't be scared - smiles.
I understand there are many causes and demands on our resources. I appreciate your fair consideration.
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To help you decide I have outlined below some of the goals I need help meeting over the course of the next 12 months from June 2006 which will mark the beginning of the volunteer term. I have also listed under each objective the type of activity that is likely. I have tried to define each need thoroughly. Except for special events which we will determine together, it is really a case of setting up systems and then doing what you can as often as you feel inspired.
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We will know we are meeting our goals based on the increasing vibrancy of our chapter; both locally and over the next year, in at least one or two other islands in our jurisdiction. This includes specifically increasing our region's SCBWI membership listing, as well as the awareness of and interest in Caribbean children's literature.We will FEEL our success! smiles!
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1. BLOG MASTER
Thanks to Vanessa Soodeen, a Caribbean member and volunteer (over our first year) who lives in Spain! - we now have a beautiful Blog. If Vanessa is up for another year we're OK - if not, we'll need someone to whom she can pass the baton. This will mean posting newsletters, photos etc. and generally managing the blog. Art work that enhances is nice (clip art is fine if you don't draw smile). Also some writing and editing skills are not primarily required but would be helpful.We'll wait to hear from Vee.
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2a. PR
I would like someone to begin work publicizing the blog presence and our chapter in the other islands of our region - including Guyana and Venezuela. This will entail letter writing to newspapers and other media; connecting and networking with libraries, art schools etc to solicit membership and eventually identify a volunteer who will start a monthly meeting in that country.
- This requires primarily email work and compiling and maintaining a data base of regional media/ library/ art college/ other relevant resources.
- I will be responsible for phone calls, snail mail as they become necessary and identified to me by this volunteer.
- Occasional meetings at my home in Maraval may be helpful.
- Drafted form letters/ press releases will need to receive final approval before sent out.This person will need to be proficient on the computer; with letter writing and networking.
- Depending on Head Office grants and fund raising in the coming year, this role may include an occasional trip to another island if/ as the need arises - this may be together with me and/ or alone and need not be overnight - with a view to motivating a launch/ seminar/workshop/ PR etc.
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2.b I would like each person who volunteers to additionally 'take on' one other island. Perhaps an island where they already have contacts - family or friends and to use these connections to facilitate the work of the person who takes up the role outlined in 2.a
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3. GENERAL ASSISTANT/ HOST
I need help hosting, co-ordinating monthly meetings; sending out notices etc.
- attending monthly meetings more often than not (most of you already do)
- helping me take a couple days off during the year by actually hosting a meeting on your own (other volunteers may assist with this so we have a list of 'who next'). The main thing is that the meeting happens and is not dependent on any one person.
- and drafting minutes/ article which I can edit/ approve for the blogmaster
- take or organize digital photographs of special meetings for posting.
- helping with admin/ organization for unusual meetings as they arise
- workshops/ seminars etc- confirming meetings with our NALIS contact
- sending out notice to our mailing list memo of next meeting
- creating, maintaining data base of our mailing lists
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4. FUND RAISING
- Marsha Gomes has offered to take the lead in this area. It is a broad are and additional help would be appreciated.
- occasional meetings other than the monthly group meet may be necessary- meeting with corporate sponsors either alone/ and or with me
- admin and organization as relates to the aims listed below.
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I would like to stimulate our region to be financially active. The grants we can get from Head Office are generous, considering our artist woes and struggles
- they gave $US900 last year which helped to mount our display in NALIS but not cover all the costs.
- There are SCBWI products - mugs/ T-shirts etc which we can get on consignment.
- We can host special workshops/ retreats and keep the profit. This will mean charging participants with a discount for members only. I have been holding off on this type of activity since I don't see that we have enough working writers/ illustrators in our market just yet. We can however look to attracting writers/ artists from the US, more affluent regions who may enjoy a working holiday/ retreat in Tobago, up Toco etc. This will require proper planning and a full team on board. (Sounds like fun though!)
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For now it seems our best bet is to solicit corporate funding in some key areas: I'm compiling a list of leads/ contacts / interested parties in the corporate sector and individual patrons who feel inspired to help meet my aim of creating incentives and awards for Caribbean talent in the field of children's literature.
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Our specific requests are for:
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1. Cast off equipment from individual or company upgrades: computers, especially lap tops; scanners; printers for member writers and artists who qualify. (Fracis Escayg has already begun initiating and passing on some leads)

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2. Travel points - contributions for qualifying member writers and artists to attend one of SCBWI's major annual conferences: L.A. and N.Y. in the U.S. or Bologna, Italy. The SCBWI offers some travel grants but these are be competed for internationally and are modest. Hopeful Caribbean participants will still need subsidies. At these conferences writers and Illustrators can attend industry workshops, network with peers and create opportunities for meeting with editors and publishers for one-on-one meetings. As you know from your own work in any field, this type of activity steps up the quality of our game.
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3. Cash awards - annual awards for writers and illustrators of Caribbean children's literature. Since the SCBWI discourages self-publishing, these awards will not be used for publishing work but to encourage and support local and regional talent towards getting their work agented and/ or published by established firms/ publishing houses. These awards and grants will be for previously unpublished talent and competed for. Entries will be judged independently by a jury of professionals in the field, solicited from our international SCBWI membership.
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Even one month's rent can offer an artist the ease and support to persist with manifesting his/ her creative dreams. Contributions of any amount from individual patrons are also welcome and may be directed to qualifying individuals or any of the three programs.
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Terms of each program are in development and can be discussed. Your suggestions and feed back are welcome.Corporate sponsors may use their contributions as PR opportunities and family names honoured in establishing even a small annual purse.
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Once you have identified what you feel able (or not) to contribute and we have a confirmed "team", I would like to invite all volunteers to meet for a cup a... so that we can chat informally about our goals and roles and have a chance to connect with each other in a different setting. This will be at an easy for everyone to meet venue to be determined.
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Joanne Gail Johnson
www.caribbeanchildren.com
Regional Advisor of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (Caribbean-South)

SCBWI Caribbean South Team Members Blog

SCBWI newsletter September 06

MANY HANDS