This is going to be an amazing opportunity for SCBWI authors and author/illustrators to come together, develop a piece of work, critique, learn and listen to industry experts and each other. The aim of the retreat is for authors and author/illustrators to develop a project in a supportive, professional environment. There will be peer critique sessions, dedicated writing/drawing time and keynote speeches from publishing professionals. Our Faculty will be Clare Halifax, Publisher, Walker Books, Zoe Walton, Publisher, Penguin Random House and Mary Verney, Senior Editor, Penguin Random House and Special Guest Author/Illustrator Bruce Whatley.
Places will be limited and will be strictly SCBWI Members only so you will need to book fast.
You need to be willing to:
Bring a project you are working on and develop it across the weekend
Establish a goal for the retreat
Share your work
Listen to constructive feedback
Provide feedback to others to help develop their projects
What you need to bring to create (a list of practical things you’ll need is further below)
Completed draft of a picture book text OR
First chapter/opening of a novel
A one page synopsis that outlines the beginning, middle and end of your story. This will be important to crystallise your idea.
A specified age range for your story
Author/illustrators can bring along thumbnails for their text
This is a writing/illustrating retreat, so please bring several pens, journal or notebook or a tablet or laptop if you prefer to create this way.
Program
FRIDAY OCTOBER 6
3.00pm-4.00pm—Arrive for registration and settle in your rooms.
4.00pm-5.00pm—Welcome and Opening Address: Crystalising your idea
Susanne Gervay will talk about how the weekend will run, discuss the purpose of the peer group sessions and reiterate the aim of the weekend: getting to the essence of our stories. Deborah Abela will lead a presentation about getting to the essence of your idea, how can you create the perfect logline and what would be your 30 second pitch? Everyone will be asked to set a goal for their stay that is specific and quantifiable.
5:00-6:00pm—Peer Group Session: What’s Your Story?
Participants will share their project and present it to their group. This is a chance to introduce your work and share any concerns you have or problems you need help resolving to develop it further and achieve your goal for the weekend.
Each group will include a timekeeper to make sure everyone has equal time.
The groups will be created before the retreat according to the genre or age group of the specific project that will be workshopped (as indicated at the time of booking). The manuscript you are bringing can be best described as:
Picture Book
Chapter Book
Middle Grade
Young Adult
6.00pm-7.00pm—DINNER
7.00pm-8:00pm—Special Guest: Bruce Whatley, A World of Wisdom
Author/Illustrator extraordinaire, Bruce Whatley, will share his craft and wisdom gleaned from decades of creating stunning and much-loved children’s books.
8pm—Free time
Please help yourself to free tea/coffee and biscuits in the tea room any time you like. There is an entertainment room that includes billiards and ping pong plus a piano. Please be courteous of those who would like an early night!
SATURDAY OCTOBER 7
6.00am-9.00am—BREAKFAST
7.00am-7.45am—Yoga or walking (Optional)
9.00am-10.00am—From concept to conception: Exploring ways to plot a story for every age group presented by Clare, Zoe and Mary
Using case studies, our publishing professionals will show how a story develops from an idea to a finished picture book, junior fiction novel or novel.
10.00am-11.30am—Peer Group Session: Exploring Plot
In this session, we will be focussing on the one page synopsis to be critiqued by group. Each group will be given a list of Pixar rules they may like to consider in reworking their synopsis.
Morning tea will be from 10:30am so please feel free to grab a drink and snack.
11.30am-12:30pm—Free Writing/Drawing Time
12:30-1:30pm—LUNCH
1:30-2.30pm—Opening With a Bang presented by Clare
Tips for the opening page. How can we create killer pages that make our readers want to read more. Case Studies of PB and novels.
2.30pm-4.00pm—Peer Group Session: The Opening Page
Participants are invited to share the opening page of their manuscript or their first pages of text or images for picture books.
Afternoon Tea is available from 3.00pm so please feel free to grab a drink or snack.
4.00pm-5.00pm—Free Writing/Drawing Time
5.00pm-6.00pm—Bush Reading
This will be an opportunity to share with the wider group a piece of writing to a maximum of one page or an illustration you have developed at the retreat.
6.00pm-7.00pm—DINNER
7.00pm-8.00pm—Structural Editing for PB and Novels with case studies presented by Zoe and Mary
8.00pm-8.30pm—The 30 Second Pitch
Can you crystallise your idea in a 30 second pitch? You have thirty seconds to ‘pitch’ your children’s book idea to your fellow SCBWIies, which will include a silent vote for the best pitch. Three bowls to put votes. The three best pitches will receive our admiration and prizes.
9:30pm—Free Time
Please help yourself to free tea/coffee and biscuits in the tea room any time you like. There is an entertainment room that includes billiards and ping pong plus a piano. Please be courteous of those who would like an early night!
SUNDAY OCTOBER 8
6.00am-9.00am—BREAKFAST
7.00am-7.45—Yoga or walking (Optional)
9.00am-10.00am—Getting to Know Your Character presented by Clare and Zoe What is your character good at? Throw the polar opposite at them. Challenge them. How do they do?
10.00am-11.30am—Peer Group Session: Getting to Know Your Character
Morning tea will be from 10:30am.
11.30am-12.30pm—Peer Group Session or Free Writing/Drawing Time
12:30pm-1:30pm—LUNCH
1:30-2:30pm—What’s your X Factor? Clare, Zoe and Mary
This will be our final chance to share our work from the weekend. Invite people to share their X Factor.
2:30pm Farewell
End of Retreat
*program subject to change.
Bookings for the Retreat
Tickets include presentations, meals and 2 nights accommodation. Ticket price varies according to choice of room. All rooms include an ensuite. SCBWI Members only.
$590— Single occupancy room with an ensuite
$550— Double occupancy with an ensuite
If you select a double occupancy room you can indicate a choice of roommate at the time of booking and we will do our best of accommodate your request.
Some rooms are on the same floor as the entrance, dining room and the conference rooms, so please indicate at time of booking if you have mobility issues and you require one of these rooms.
Vegetarian, dairy free, lactose free, gluten free and nut free dietary requirements can be catered for. The dietary requests that you make at the time of booking will be communicated to the centre.
Feel free to bring any supplementary food or alcohol. The centre is non-smoking.
Covid Policy:
If the retreat cannot go ahead due to covid restrictions, we will refund the cost of the retreat but you will be responsible for recouping all other costs, including travel. In the event the bulk of delegates cannot be there due to covid, we will consider postponing the retreat. Please do not attend if you are unwell. We have to be especially careful of each other in not spreading any illnesses. Your understanding is greatly appreciated.
Tickets for Retreat
Click Here for Tickets at Trybooking SCBWI Members Only.
Tickets will become available on Sunday 9 July at 8:00am. This is an automated opening of the tickets so first in best dressed.
The Faculty
Clare Hallifax—Publisher, Walker Books
Clare Hallifax is the publisher at Walker Books Australia. Prior to joining Walker, she spent almost 12 years at Scholastic Australia, as publisher of Omnibus Books, Scholastic’s literary imprint, and also as managing editor and publishing manager in the publishing division. Clare Hallifax has been appointed publisher of Walker Books Australia and New Zealand, replacing Linsay Knight, who has been in the role for five years. Walker Books Australia president Angela Van Den Belt said: ‘Clare’s integrity, passion and commitment to children’s books is inspiring. I could not be more thrilled to have Clare join our team. Her knowledge and enthusiasm will bring our Australian publishing to a new level. Walker Books Australia recently launched a new imprint, Walker Studio.
Zoe Walton—Publisher, Penguin Random House
Zoe Walton is a publisher of books for young readers at Penguin Random House Australia. Zoe edits New York Times bestselling author John Flanagan, whose Ranger’s Apprentice and Brotherband series have sold fifteen million copies worldwide. She also publishes many popular and award-winning Australian authors, including Deborah Abela, Tristan Bancks, Fleur Ferris, Emily Gale, Tim Harris, Belinda Murrell, Elliot Perlman and Renée Treml – as well as up-and-coming authors Catherine Greer, Nat Amoore and Gavin Aung Than, who have exciting new books launching in 2023.
Mary Verney—Senior Editor, Young Readers, Penguin Random House
Mary Verney has been working in publishing for almost eighteen years. She left her job as a bookseller in Queensland to move to Sydney and work with Pan Macmillan and then Walker Books. Mary is currently a Senior Editor in the Young Readers team at Penguin Random House, working with authors including Belinda Murrell, George Ivanoff, Renée Treml and A.L. Tait. Area of interest: Mary is looking for junior and middle-grade fiction and nonfiction, as well as young adult manuscripts. She is looking for standalone stories, in particular, rather than series. Mary is not looking for picture books at the moment.
Bruce Whately - Author Illustrator
Bruce entered the world of picture books after a career in advertising as an Illustrator and art director working in London then Sydney. His award winning titles include The Ugliest Dog in the World, Looking for Crabs, Diary of a Wombat, The Little Refugee, Flood, Fire, And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda and Cyclone. He uses a variety of illustration medium including gouache, pen and ink, pencil, oils, watercolour and more recently CGI software. Bruce completed his PhD, in 2008 Left Hand Right Hand: implications of ambidextrous image making looking at the image making of the non-dominant hand discovering that in most people the ability to draw lies in using the ‘other’ hand. He has since illustrated 3 books with his non-dominant left hand.
The Venue
Mt Carmel Retreat Centre
247 St Andrews Road
Varroville, NSW, Australia
(02) 8795 3400 or 0435 857 690
Website: https://mtcarmel.com.au/
Mt Carmel is a conference & retreat centre set in the scenic hills of the Macarthur region of Sydney. The centre offers a range of bedroom configurations, from bunk-style to hotel-style, even yurts. All bedrooms have en suite bathrooms and fans to keep you cool. The kitchen staff is highly experienced and passionate about providing fresh delicious food, and can provide for vegetarian, dairy free, lactose free, gluten free and nut free dietary needs. There are breakout spaces equipped with games and lounges to relax, unwind and catch-up with SCBWI friends.
IMPORTANT Information and Things to Bring!
What to Bring: All linen, towels and bedding will be supplied but please bring your own toiletries.
Pen and Paper: This is a writing retreat, so please bring several pens, journal or notebook or a tablet or laptop if you prefer to write or draw this way.
Meals: Breakfast, morning tea, lunch and dinner will be fully catered. There is coffee and tea provided 24/7 available in the tea room.
Vegetarian, dairy free, lactose free, gluten free and nut free dietary requirements can be catered for. The dietary requests that you have made on your registration form will be communicated to the centre.
Yoga Mats: Please bring a towel or yoga mat if you would like to participate in the optional morning yoga.
Torch with extra batteries: The centre is in a country setting and even though there is path lighting a torch would be most useful for moving around the area at night.
Drinking water bottle: Please bring your own water bottle to refill.
Free Wifi: Is available throughout the centre.
Walking Trails: Please bring appropriate footwear for optional bushwalking.
Getting There
Only a 45 minute drive from Sydney CBD, there will be plenty of onsite parking at the centre.
If you are taking public transport, the closest train station is Minto. Train times are approximately 1 hour and ten minutes with a 15 minute UBER/TAXI ride. We recommend travelling with friends to car pool from Minto Station.
Terms and Conditions
SCBWI is a not-for-profit volunteer run organisation and all proceeds from these tickets are committed to Event expenses. Unfortunately we are unable to provide refunds in normal circumstances (please see covid policy below).
Covid Policy:
If the retreat cannot go ahead due to covid restrictions, we will refund the cost of the retreat but you will be responsible for recouping all other costs, including travel. In the event the bulk of delegates cannot be there due to covid, we will consider postponing the retreat. Please do not attend if you are unwell. We have to be especially careful of each other in not spreading any illnesses. Your understanding is greatly appreciated.