TREAT OF RETREAT by Suzette Garvey

Logo by Sara Kendall

Getting away to grow a talent means leaving your busyness and self doubts behind. It means being vulnerable and bold, too. This 2018 SCBWI Michigan and Indiana Writers and Illustrators Retreat recap highlights just how good it can be to treat yourself for a change.

DAY ONE: FINDING YOUR RHYTHM AND PEOPLE

Nearly 100 attendees experienced an immediate sense of welcome through the retreat’s peaceful destination at Potawatomi Inn, nestled within Indiana’s Pokagon State Park. An array of educational sessions and activities rounded out a sense of excitement for what lie ahead.

The evening’s activities were well paced for transitioning creatives into their best rhythms. Hours sauntered forward with a group writing session and countless cozy nooks dotted with individuals immersed in their craft. Energy and contentment of imagination coursed through every hallway. Friendly faces confirmed attendees were among their people. Even if they’d never met until that weekend, they understood one another … coffee addictions and quirky humor, included.

Survey Feedback

"I liked how the flexible time frame allowed us to meet with the presenters and attendees without the mad rush often experienced during conferences and retreats."

Writing with a view

Jay Whistler

DAY TWO: REVELATIONS, REMINISCENCE AND RICH RELATIONSHIPS

Attendees eagerly began their morning workshops with a bustle of conversation and schedule comparisons. Sometimes it worked out to divide and conquer, taking notes for one another. Other times, attendees just had to hear the presentation gems for themselves.

These are some of the "ah-ha" moments from Day Two sessions:

●      Get out of the slush pile

○      Demonstrate a knowledge of the fiction market by listing comparison titles in your query letter.

●      Create a master guide for plot and structure

○      Know the strongest source for your idea, your hero’s greatest challenges and his or her outer goal and inner change.

●      Uncover your controlling idea and elevator pitch

○      Define your theme — the controlling idea or “message from the author.”

Midday creative time, plein air sessions and critique sessions soon blended into the evening. Lisa Wheeler wrapped up the day’s official activities, reminiscing on former childhood fiction favorites and their cultural trends of the day … often in contrast to the rights and principles you may now hold dear. By late evening, friends – old and new – shared workshop revelations, laughs and confessions of their favorite characters and stories prior to resting up for the final day ahead.

Survey Feedback

"Surprised by the quality of speakers. They were excellent."

Jeff Jantz with Story Sculpting supplies

Nick Adkins

DAY THREE: CLIMBING MOUNTAINS TOGETHER

Ample, amazing workshops made it easy for attendees to make the most of the final conference day. Presenters shared their challenges, successes and manageable steps toward climbing the mountains you, too, may be facing.

Here’s a sampling of encouragement and expertise from Day Three:

●      Utilize book proposals for fiction

○      Convey affinity by noting comparison titles from within the last five years and establish authority through endorsements and reader quotes.

●      Build your fictional world around its unique peculiarities

○      Make your world the best place for your story by walking through “Eight Worldly Requirements” (e.g. natural resources, norms, power brokers, advancements).

●      Find and refine the fickle facet of “heart”

○      Heart, hurt, hope and humor work together and hurt is most effective when you demonstrate physical space and a sense of being alone for your character(s).

Survey Feedback

I loved the early morning talks to get you revved up for the ample work time. I also was enthralled by the setting. What a beautiful locale."

One last round of paid and peer critiques, networking and creative time added further depth to Day Three. At the end of this rewarding weekend was a shared excitement for one another to succeed and bring more well-crafted stories to life. Hey, and if the added treat of seeing so many lucky door prize winners left you wanting more, you’ll get your chance to treat yourself to the Wild Wild Midwest Conference next May. See you there!

Suzette Garvey is a marketing strategist, copywriter and parent of three. Garvey owns Storybent Creative, a content marketing firm in Grand Rapids, Mich. As a non-published member of SCBWI since 2006, she’s completed one middle grade novel, has two young adult novels in the works and thanks SCBWI for connecting her with an incredible writers' critique group all these years.

Stay tuned for updates about the Wild Wild Midwest Multi-Region Conference, May 3-5, 2019 in Chicago; planning is underway. 





















Registration is now open for the SCBWI 20th Annual Winter Conference in New York. And today, Oct. 26th, is the last day for SCBWI-MI members to apply for Shutta's scholarship:  

https://michigan.scbwi.org/2018/10/19/shuttas-scbwi-ny-winter-conference-scholarship/