Fiction author Robin Brande talks about writing, reading, and other vital matters

Hey, in case you haven’t heard, there’s a great conference coming up for those in the Children’s and Young Adult literature/blogging field. If you’re a YA/Kidlit blogger, aspiring blogger, author, illustrator, teacher, librarian, editor, publisher–anyone who blogs about YA/Kidlit or would like to blog about it–this conference is for you.

It’s the third-annual Kidlitosphere Conference, taking place October 17th in Arlington, VA. Hosted this year by master blogger Mother Reader, it’s going to feature some of the following breakout sessions:

* Building a Better Blog: Best Practices, Ideas, and Tips
* Building a Better Online Presence
* The Blog Within: An Interview With Your Inner Blogger
* Split Reviewer/Author Sessions:
* It’s All About the Book: Better Book Reviews
* It’s Not About Your Book: Writing Ideas for Blogging Authors
* Social Networking for Fun (and Profit?)
* Authors, Publishers, Reviewers (and ARCs): A Panel Conversation
* Coming Together, Giving Back: Building Community, Literacy, and the Reading Message (KidLitosphere Central/PBS/RIF/Literacy)

There will also be a “Meet the Author” time during the day, where writers and illustrators can share their books, and bloggers can meet with them one-on-one.

There’s also dinner, a party, a tour of the Library of Congress, breakfast, talking until you’ve lost your voice–seriously, it’s so much fun and learning packed into one weekend, you won’t believe it. I went the first year, and I’m telling you the best part was getting to hang out with a whole huge group of fun, funny, charming, smart, creative, warm, sharing kidlit-ish people, which is a rare and wonderful thing. Nothing feels so good as mingling with your own pack. And I know I’m not the only one who came away with tons of ideas–the breakout sessions were fantastic.

I’m sorry to say I won’t be able to go this year, but it’s for the un-sorry reason that that’s the weekend of my book launch event for FAT CAT. But I know this year’s conference is going to be spectacular, so I hope the rest of you can go!

So check it out. Go to the Kidlit ’09 page and see who’s coming–what a list! Then go here to fill out the registration and sign up. If you’re serious about your blogging life, this is a great chance to improve your skills, network with others in the field, and have a rip-roaring time while you’re at it. GO!!!

Posted on Thursday, September 17th, 2009 at 5:55 am under Uncategorized . Subscribe to responses: RSS 2.0 Comment Feed. . Comment, or trackback.