If you’ve written a Young Adult novel, a Middle Grade novel, a chapter book for early readers, or a picture book, the first thousand words are what will capture a potential publisher or agent. They have to be pitch perfect.
Or maybe you’ve started a new project and you’re not sure if the opening is working.
CANSCAIP Sask is here to help. Submit the first thousand words of your manuscript and up to two questions and our team of experienced, published authors will give you editorial feedback so you can polish those pages or find out if you’re headed in the right direction.
The edits will be done anonymously as Tracked Changes in a Word Document, as professional publishers use. Your pages will be returned to you within six weeks, with comments alongside the text, and with edits done on lines that need them.
The cost for CANSCAIP Members or Friends is $45, and $65 for all others. One manuscript per registration, but you can register up to two times. The funds raised will go towards the CANSCAIP Prairie Horizons Conference in 2023.
This offer will be open from January 1st until January 31st or until 100 registrations have been received.
Registration now closed, as 100 registrations have been received.
CANSCAIP Sask’s Prairie Horizons Conference will be held May 19 -21, 2023 at the Queen’s House of Retreat in Saskatoon, Sask. Registration opens Feb. 1.
Not sure about attending? Check out the amazing schedule!
SCHEDULE:
Friday, May 19
4:00 pm – Arrival and settling in at Queen’s House
4:30-5:30 pm – Registration in conference room
5:30 pm – Supper
6:45 pm – Greeting and Opening Remarks
7:00-8:30 pm – Writing and Illustrating Diverse Characters Panel, with Bev Brenna, Kristine Scarrow, Miriam Körner, and Michael Hutchinson – Moderated by Alice Kuipers – Three authors and an author/illustrator will discuss “What are the challenges in writing and illustrating diverse characters? What advice do you have for authors and illustrators who want to be more authentically inclusive in their writing and illustrating?”
8:30 pm – Socializing
Saturday, May 20
7:00 am – Optional writing time
8:00 am – Breakfast
9:00-10:15 am – Challenges and Choices in Marketing Your Books and Promoting Yourself, with Art Slade – You have a great book. You want people to buy it. But what’s the best way to do that? Arthur Slade will examine the various types of social media and how they can be used to get the word out about your books. He’ll also look at the best ways to do that and to still have time to write and be yourself.
10:15 am – Break
10:30-11:45 am – Book Dummies, with Miriam Körner – In this workshop you will learn how a book dummy helps illustrators to organize text and illustrations, to create rhythm and flow and aids writers to plan, edit and revise a manuscript to create the best picture book possible. (Illustrators are invited to bring their book dummies and Miriam will give them 10 minutes of feedback after the workshop.)
12:00 pm – Lunch
1:00-2:15 pm – Screenplays and Puppets and Scripts, Oh My! Panel, with Judith Silverthorne, Crispi Lord (Wide Open Puppet Workshop), and Sharon Plumb – Moderated by Alice Kuipers – Three writers of different types of drama will discuss the differences and similarities to writing for books, and to each other’s specialties.
2:15 pm – Break
2:30 pm – Group Photo
3:00-3:45 pm – Performance, Wide Open Puppet Workshop
3:45 – Break
4:00-5:15 pm – Challenges and Choices in Publishing Panel, with Bev Brenna (Red Deer Press) and Jeanne Martinson (Wood Dragon Books) – Moderated by Alice Kuipers – Two publishing house editors will discuss the challenges and choices they face, and what authors and illustrators can do to better their chances of publication.
5:30 pm – Supper
7:00-8:15 pm –Writing Difficult Subjects for Children, Keynote Address, with Michael Hutchinson – Even though they may be young, children may still have to face all the good and bad that life has to offer. Writing about difficult subjects for children can be daunting. Michael Hutchinson will discuss his methods and thinking when writing to help young people better understand negative events in history and their impact on today’s relationship between First Nations and Canadians.
8:15 pm – Break
8:30-9:30ish pm –Open Mic – Moderated by Dianne Young.
Sunday, May 21
7:00 am – Optional writing time
8:00 am – Breakfast
9:00-10:00 am –Occupational Health and Ergonomics for Desk-bound Creators, with Ryan Dueck –Prolonged computer use and static postures is a significant risk factor for developing muscle and joint problems. This presentation will review the essential ergonomic principles when setting up your computer workstation, help you select appropriate ergonomic mouse devices and keyboards, and provide a step by step guide to set up your chair. Demonstration of key exercises for reducing pain in computer users will also be reviewed.
10:00 am – Break
10:15-10:45 am – Conference wrap-up, selection of new conference committee for Prairie Horizons 2025 (can be from any province), and door prizes!
10:45-11:15 am – Biennial General Meeting for CANSCAIP Sask (Sask members only), including election of officers.
Can you guess which Saskatchewan author, illustrator or performer this little darling grew up to be?
I was born in Reedley, California. I now live in Regina. I am an author who has published picture books, early chapter books, middle grade and young adult novels, magazine articles, and poetry. I wanted to become (in chronological order) a children’s book illustrator, a gas station attendant, a pharmacy worker, an author, and a band teacher when I grew up. I became a writer and a music teacher.
Can you guess which Saskatchewan author, illustrator or performer this animal lover grew up to be?
I was born in Surrey, B.C. I now live in Swift Current. I am an author, illustrator and performer who has published picture books. I wanted to become an actress when I grew up. I became a librarian, an editor, an author, and an illustrator.
CANSCAIP Sask 