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Southampton Children’s Literature Conference

July 11 – 15, and July 18 – 29

The Southampton Children’s Literature Conference provides a unique forum in which to study and discuss the craft of writing for children.

World-renowned authors, illustrators and editors offer inspiration and guidance through workshops, lectures, group discussions and special presentations. Open to new, established and aspiring writers, the Conference is located in the Hamptons at the Eastern End of New York’s Long Island—a resort area of natural beauty. The Children’s Writing Workshops are led by authors and editors of the first rank.

Our workshops and faculty for 2012 are:
Session 1:
Picture Book – #1 New York Times bestselling author/illustrator Peter H. Reynolds
Middle Grade Novel – New York Times bestselling/Horn Book Award-winning author Kate McMullan
YA Novel – New YorkTimes bestselling authors Cynthia Leitich Smith and Greg Leitich Smith
Session 2:
YA Novel – National Book Award finalist and ALA Best Book of the Year Award-winning YA author Patricia McCormick

GUEST SPEAKERS AND SPECIAL EVENTS
In the afternoons, participants choose from a wide range of elective sessions with distinguished authors, editors, publishers, and agents. Because the Childrens Literature Conference runs concurrently with the Southampton Playwriting and Screenwriting Conferences, as well as with adult workshops in poetry, memoir, novel and creative non-fiction, evening events feature well-known authors, playwrights, and filmmakers. The schedule of formal and informal social gatherings is rich—from author receptions to an open-mic night—with a few surprises, too. Previous guest presenters include the award-winning authors and/or illustrators Arlene Alda, Julie Andrews, Jules Feiffer, Amy Krouse-Rosenthal, Kate and Jim McMullan and Emma Walton Hamilton, as well as editor Cindy Kane, children’s lit historian Leonard Marcus, marketing guru Susan Raab, children’s lit expert Connie Rockman and award-winning poet Julie Sheehan.

We’re pleased to offer graduate credits to eligible students.
Workshop size is limited; scholarships available.

APPLICATION GUIDELINES

Session 1: July 11-15, 2011 (5 days)
Picture Book, Chapter Book & Middle Grade Novel, Young Adult (YA) Fiction
Session 2: July 18-29 (12 days)
Young Adult (YA) Fiction

Materials to Submit:
Please fill out the application form. (Download the application here)

Acceptance to a workshop is based primarily on the promise of your writing sample, as follows:
Picture Book applicants should submit a sample or draft picture book manuscript, up to 1000 words, double-spaced, in 12-point font, with your name and page numbers on every page.
Illustrators should submit 3-5 sample illustrations.
All others should submit 10-20 pages of prose, double-spaced, in the genre to which you’re applying. The sample should be in 12-point font with your name and page numbers on every page.
You may attend both sessions, taking two workshops. Please note on your application that you are applying to both, and include a second writing sample if you’re hoping to work in two different genres.
Secondary consideration is given to an indication of how you will benefit from the experience of joining us. Please provide a statement of purpose describing what you hope to accomplish in the workshop and what motivates you to apply.
Partial scholarships are available. To apply for a scholarship, please include a letter of recommendation attesting to the strength of your work along with the other materials. Members of the MFA program who enroll in both sessions are eligible to apply for financial aid. Visit the SBU financial aid office for more information.
Make checks or money orders, drawn on a U.S. bank, payable to Stony Brook Foundation. Include the workshop in the Memo line of the check.

Guidelines for Application form:
Date of birth: All applicants, including non-credit, must be at least 18 years of age and must register for the entire duration of the course.
Question 1: We recommend that you stay on campus, to immerse yourself in the experience. The schedule is packed, with events all day and every evening. For commuters, breakfast and lunch is included in the cost of tuition. Dinner is not included.
Question 2: Partial scholarships are generally modest, and are intended to defray the costs of staying on campus.
Question 3 and its subsets: Workshops may be taken for 3 graduate-level academic credits. To earn the credits, participants must attend all workshop meetings, complete all assignments, earn a passing grade, and attend all electives, including evening events. Stony Brook undergraduates who are accepted can get permission from their departments and the Graduate School to apply these credits toward their Bachelor’s. Students at other universities should check with their institutions for how to apply these credits. Out-of-state students will pay $786 for the credits.
Question 4: We have a terrific program, if you’re interested in studying year round.
Workshop Preferences: Please mark your first and second choices. Note that courses are offered in two separate sessions, one meeting July 11-15 for 5 days and the other July 18-29 for 12 days. If one of those session dates doesn’t work for you, please choose workshops from the other session. If you would like to attend BOTH sessions, select a first and second choice from among Session 1 offerings and another first and second choice from among Session 2 offerings.

Deadlines:
Early Acceptance: April 15
For Scholarship Consideration: May 1
All Other Applications: May 12
Early application is encouraged, as workshop space is limited. Notification of acceptance will ordinarily be mailed within four weeks. Applications received after May 12 will be considered on a rolling basis if space is available.

Tuition and Fees:
Application Fee: $25 (non-refundable)
Session 1, ON-campus (tuition, room & board): $1655
Session 1, OFF-campus (tuition & partial board – breakfast & lunch): $1355
Session 2, ON-campus (tuition, room & board): $2595
Session 2, OFF-campus (tuition & partial board – breakfast & lunch): $1875
Sessions 1 & 2 combined, with bridge housing: $4550
Out-of-State residents eligible for graduate credit: Additional $786 per 3 credits
Optional Single Room Guarantee: $375/session (non-refundable). Depending on enrollment, there is the possibility that some participants will be placed in singles without paying this fee, but this payment guarantees you will not be doubled.

Deposits, Payments and Refunds:
• A non-refundable tuition deposit of $400 is due upon acceptance.
• Refunds cannot be provided for those who must leave the conference early.
• Tuition deposits received after a workshop fills will be returned promptly.
• Remaining tuition and fees must be received by June 15, 2012.

Via Stonybrook.edu.

Location: Stony Brook Southampton, 239 Montauk Highway, Southampton, NY 11968

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