What Writers Need to Know to Survive with Quressa Robinson

by Brooke McIntyre

Literary agent Quressa Robinson emphasized grit and endurance as top skills needed by writers throughout their careers, as she gave the Professional Series lecture for January. Robinson came to agenting after five years as an editor at Macmillan, where she acquired adult fiction titles. Now at Nelson Literary Agency, she represents authors of young adult and adult fiction. Working with writers as both editor and agent has taught Robinson that “publishing is 99 percent rejection.”
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Agents’ Panel 2017

The November 2017 Agents Panel, an annual event sponsored jointly by SCBWI-Metro NY and The New School’s creative writing department, featured three literary agents responding to questions about the author-agent relationship.

Panelists Molly O’Neill of Root Literary, Carrie Pestritto of Prospect Agency, and Brooks Sherman of Janklow & Nesbit discussed how writers can, as Sherman put it, “negotiate their transformation from artist into small-business owner.” The panel was moderated by SCBWI-Metro NY volunteer Adria Quinones.
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Nick Bruel: How Did the Dog Find Out?

Nick_Bruel_WPby Judy Shemtob

Nick Bruel, author and illustrator of the Bad Kitty picture book series, advised SCBWI-Westchester attendees to be curious, compassionate, and brave at his Nov. 4th workshop, “The Three Things Necessary to Write a Story.” He treated participants to a Saturday afternoon of creating their own characters, cartoons, and stories as he brought out everyone’s creative self.

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Truffles, Tardigrades, Meteorites and Museums: Nonfiction with Jessie Hartland

by Annie Ruygt

Author and illustrator Jessie Hartland, the October speaker in the Metro NY Professional Lecture Series, often writes about icons: Steve Jobs: A Graphic Biography and Bon Appétít: The Delicious Life of Julia Child are two of her recent titles. Her bright, playful illustrations have a following that transcends the normal age bracket for picture books. What people don’t see is the months, sometimes years, of research Hartland pours into each book.

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Be the Hero of Your Writing Process with Kendra Levin

by Leah Heilman Schanke

Kendra Levin, Executive Editor at Viking Children’s Books, author of The Hero Is You, and the September speaker in the SCBWI-Metro NY Professional lecture series, shared how writers can use the hero’s journey model to create a “holistic, healthy, creative writing process.” Many writers struggle with process and experience dark moments where they wonder, “Why am I writing this?” Levin said. “Writers need to find ways to work organically and be their best selves.”
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First Pages with Agent Saba Sulaiman and Editor Kate Prosswimmer

by G. Myrthil

SCBWI Metro’s On-the-Road series returned to the First Baptist Church of White Plains, NY on Saturday, May 13, for a positive and informative First Pages workshop. Saba Sulaiman, literary agent at Talcott Notch Literary, and Kate Prosswimmer, associate editor at Sourcebooks, teamed up to critique a dozen or so first pages, ranging from picture books to YA, chosen at random from audience members’ submissions. Saba and Kate were lucky—all the first pages were really strong. Yet they still had helpful feedback and advice to share.

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