SCBWI: A New Hope

I arrived at day one of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators anual conference a bundle of nerves running on three hours of sleep and no coffee. As it was Redmond, the city was still asleep and there was no coffee to be had, even though I got there a keen hour early. However, I overcame this setback to have...

a totally awesome day. I even overcame my inert fear of everyone and everything to talk to each person I shared a table with, in ever class. Score, like, eighty kajillion on the Megan Effort Scale.

Thankfully, I was not alone. The back of the pamphlet included a "get to know your neighbor" list of questions, numbering well past fifty. Number two was "How do you overcome your introversion in order to network?" This was certainly a place of writers.

Along with ingenius editing tips, editor pet peeves, and meeting a woman who is actually Actively looking for someone who writes like Roald Dahl, about DEAD ANIMALS (my notes on this person included FUCK YES), I also discovered that Adam Rex is brilliant. And he got his start illustrating Magic the Gathering cards. He had this to say:
"It wouldn't be called bottom feeding if there wasn't food down there."
Also: "Aim low. Shoot for the knees."

And tomorrow is another day. I will try my darndest to get more than three hours sleep this time.