Send me your conference ideas
Hey, gang, we’re going to include some workshops discussion groups/forums (thanks to Sheila Ruth for correcting me) in this 1st Annual Kidlitosphere Conference.
I’ve already gotten some discussion ideas from people via e-mail, but I’d like to hear more. I’m thinking we’ll schedule three or four (or maybe more, if there’s interest–run them in two separate rooms) for Saturday, then have our dinner that night.
Here are some of the ideas I’ve heard so far:
– Collaboration. Does the internet/blogging make it easier for writers to collaborate on projects? In multiple art forms? What are the pitfalls? Perks?
– Breaking down barriers. The world of publishing has been so status conscious, and a lot of conferences are still “Us, the published” and “You, the not.” How can we restructure and/or add to existing conferences so that writers have meaningful interactions with each other? With readers? With bloggers?
– Techie-type stuff about blogging. “I think a lot of us have just enough knowledge to get ourselves online but not to do anything all that exciting, you know?”
– Copyright issues–fair use in terms of quotes and book covers and whatnot.
– Brainstorm suggestions for increased promotion of the Kidlitosphere as a whole, as a resource for readers/parents/authors.
– Meet the author sessions. “Stick the authors at tables, and let people ask them questions. Kind of a few-on-one live interviews.
– A presentation by someone about writing for kids.
– A presentation or roundtable discussion about reviewing children’s books on a blog (how do you get review copies, should you post negative reviews, should you notify the author and publisher after you post, is it ok to include spoilers, etc.).
– Publishers’ perspectives on the importance of blogs–how do blogs and blog reviews rank in their world?
So there’s some great ones to consider, but let’s brainstorm some more. What would you like to hear discussed? Whom would you like to be on those panels (either by name or category)?
Thanks!
Technorati Tags: 1st Annual Kidlitosphere Conference
Barry and I would certainly be willing to put together a program “Exploring the Possibilities: Relationships Between Librarians and Local Authors”
I crack myself up. It’s so sad.
Wow. I’m impressed. I was just going to crack stupid jokes and maybe throw Mo’s name around a lot. This seems kind of official.
My thinking is that they’d be more like forums or meetings than workshops. More everyone sharing ideas and less instruction, though it would be helpful for different people to take the lead on areas in which they excel. In that case, there might need to be a “Cracking Stupid Jokes and Name-Dropping for Fun and Profit” workshop, because that’s all I could lead with any authority.
Okay, MR, that will be your panel.
I think you’re right–these are forums rather than lectures. Unless there are some topics that people want to hear from others outside the kidlitosphere about–like that suggestion about how publishers feel about the blogosphere.
Molly, *sigh.*
I’m not sure how I feel about workshops. It seems to change the whole tone of the thing. The “top down” nature of workshops doesn’t seem to me to really fit with the democratic nature of the Kidlitosphere. However, I could really see us having some roundtable discussions on things like how we – bloggers, publishers, authors, booksellers, librarians – in the kidlit world can best work together, and how we can encourage literacy in kids (Jen?)
macrame.
Sheila Ruth, well said. You’re right–they need to be forums or discussions, not workshops. Thanks for that.
Annette, you’re on your own. Now if you’d said pottery . . .
Yes, I would love to talk about that Sheila. Of course. And I’m completely with you on the discussions being round-table type talks. I think that we share common interests, and it will be good to talk about them.
Hmmm. Macrame sounds fun to me.
Robin, thanks for clarifying. I really wasn’t correcting you so much as musing out loud. And reading back through the comments, I see that MotherReader said essentially the same thing before I did. I think the whole thing sounds great and I sure hope I can come.
And I’m all for inviting authors (and publishing people) who aren’t necessarily bloggers. I think it would really help us get some synergistic discussions going.
Here’s some more discussion ideas for you:
- Sex in teen/tween lit: pros and cons, where do we draw the line, and how can we help kids and parents find books at an appropriate level
- Addressing the needs of under-represented groups in kid/teen lit.
Thanks, Sheila Ruth (should I call you Sheila or Sheila Ruth? I never know with multiple first names). Those are some good topics.
And I meant “correcting” as in “yeah, she’s right,” not as in “SR was picking at me.”
If I can do a storytelling program, the Kidlitosphere Conference can be a tax deduction for me.:) I’ve not bought my plane ticket yet (I’ll have to wait awhile for that for $$ reasons), but I’m really, really hoping to go.
Alkelda, we all hope you can go, too. I keep hearing that Southwest has some great prices to Chicago. Maybe see?
I’m checking out Expedia now.
So far, the plane ticket prices look good. I’m going to wait to finalize plans until I find out about the hotel rates and such. Yippee!
I’m still looking at airfare & trying to figure that out. Did I miss it; do we have an idea of hotel(s)?
Hey, Alkelda, remember that Southwest doesn’t show up on Expedia or any of the other travel sites. They have their own website at southwest.com.
Glad you and Liz are looking! Liz, we’re working on the hotel right now. Hope to have that sorted out by Monday.
Southwest also uses cattleprods to get you seated on the plane in a timely fashion.
Some people would pay extra for that.
Actually, Sheila is my first name and Ruth is my last name (married name, actually). Like Babe Ruth (no relation). A lot of people get mixed up, and some people just call me Ruth, so I pretty much answer to either. But you can just call me Sheila.
Thanks for clarifying, Sheila!
Patrick, I’ve been a moo many times in my life. It’s not so bad.
are we all clear that “macrame” is code word for “other”?
Hey! What about inviting Debbie Reese to be a keynote speaker? She blogs, and she’s right in Chicago:
http://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/
When this was a bunch of crazy people getting together for a potluck dinner it sounded cool, and possibly even worth a road trip.
No offense, folks, but to me, a person whose only connection to kidlit is having a run lately on website design jobs for kidlit/YA authors, this whole thing sounds about as appetizing as a root canal. I don’t even go to conferences in my OWN industry.
I’m now a definite no.
I hope y’all have fun.
That’s okay, BJ. Except for the root canal thing.
bj, i too am a civilian, actually MORE of a civilian than youself and I’M going, and i was kinda hopin’ we’d be roomies (sigh). think of the sad sight, poor little me, alone, on the train, going to the zoo and art institute and frank llyod wright’s house, all by myself (sigh)–can’t wait!
Aw, Annette, make me feel bad, why don’tcha?
You’ll just have to come with Robin to NYC someday, and we’ll all get to run away from a raid together while buying knockoffs at an illegal shop in Chinatown. Or something.
I don’t know when people are flying in, but I’ll be in Chicago a couple days early and was thinking it might be fun to get some folks together to do something along the lines of eating pizza and going to Improv Olympic or something on Friday night. (Last time I went to an IO show, I laughed myself right into an asthma attack, which was GREAT! I’d love to do it again; that’s what inhalers were made for!)
I’d love to talk censorship in kidslit…especially after the whole scrotum thing. And I love the idea of reader’s advisory for the tween set.