KidLitCon 2011: Wrap-Up Post

I'm still digging my way out after my trip to Seattle for KidLitCon 2011 (which was followed by a quick cross-country trip for a family event). I've been reading the wrap-up posts that other people have shared on the Kidlitosphere Central website, and continuing to following the #KidLitCon hashtag on Twitter. Much as I would love to, I don't have the bandwidth to do a detailed wrap-up, talking about all of the sessions, and all of the people I met, and friends I reconnected with. Only so many hours of babysitting time are available to me, and most of those need to be spent on work. But here are a few comments:

• Colleen Mondor and Jackie Parker-Robinson are marvels. KidLItCon 2011 was highly successful, thanks to their tireless efforts. The hotel was beautiful, the service was excellent, and the meals were delicious. The number one food hit was definitely pudding cups. The only miss, logistics-wise, was on the hotel's part, in not providing a cash bar downstairs during the reception (one could go upstairs and into the hotel restaurant, but this was time-consuming). But that was a tiny issue - overall everything was great.
• The conference booklet, prepared by Colleen and Jackie with the help of Sarah Stevenson, was both beautiful and useful. (My one tiny suggestion for next year would be to include the presenters' Twitter handles right there with the session titles - that would have saved a step in the live-tweeting).
• The sessions were all excellent. I didn't find any that I attended to be a waste of time. I spent much of the conference live-tweeting, and could barely keep up with the witty sound-bytes and useful suggestions. If you have time, do check out the #KidLitCon hashtag on Twitter, from Friday afternoon until Saturday night. There is a ton of great stuff there. (Perhaps someone could archive that portion of the chat stream?)
• Scott Westerfeld, the keynote speaker, was brilliant. Smart and funny and completely accessible. He was able to attend a big chunk of conference events, and I think that he now finds himself with a host of new and newly invigorated fans.
• We together raised more than $1700 for RIF, between donations prior to the event and 10% of book purchases during the conference. Isn't it great when you can do good while enjoying yourself? Many thanks to everyone who donated and/or bought books.
• As usual, the best part of KidLitCon was spending time with old and new friends. Hanging out with Colleen, Jackie, Pam Coughlan, Liz Burns, Anne Levy, and Kelly Jensen on Thursday night, doing a bit of last-minute setup. Planning our conference session over lunch on Friday with Maureen Kearney and Melissa Fox (and missing Terry Doherty, who wanted to be there). Being able to present on Moving Beyond Google Reader with Carol Rasco (and missing Melissa Wiley and Greg Pincus, who wanted to be part of the panel). Meeting Els Kushner and Chris Singer for the first time. Talking over lunch Saturday about the impact of school librarian layoffs on state booklists with Roseanne Parry and Sarah Stevenson. Talking Cybils with Anne, Jackie, Sarah, Mary Ann Scheuer and Sheila Ruth. And seeing so many other friends, and meeting new ones - I could keep going on and on, but you get the idea.

And here are a few take-home messages from the panels that stuck with me:

• Although publishers prefer for bloggers to write full reviews, they also appreciate the mentions on Twitter and Facebook about books, anything that gets conversation started (from Bloggers and Writers and Pubs! Oh My!, by Pam Coughlan, Liz Burns, Zoe Luderitz, and Kirby Larson)
• In some cases, publishers are interested in reviews for backlist titles, outside of the standard six-month time window in which press is emphasized for new books. (From comments during my session with Maureen Kearney and Melissa Fox on blogging both newer and older titles).
• Thoughtful critical reviews (not mean reviews) are valuable for teachers and librarians, lend credibility to your blog, and (if professionally done) will not hurt your relationship with publishers. (From Going Deep: The Hows and Whys of Blogging Critically by Kelly Jensen, Abby Johnson, Julia Riley, and Janssen Brandshaw, though this topic was also discussed elsewhere)
• We have the power to use our blogs to help causes that we care about. (From Chris Singer's wonderful talk on Building a Better World With Your Book Blog)
• There was a LOT more, but you'll have to dip into the Twitter stream, or go and read other people's wrap-up posts to find it, I'm afraid. Because I have to get back to work.

Bottom line: as with the other KidLitCons, KidLitCon 2011 for me was well worth the time and money. It was rejuvenating to spend time with so many people who feel the same way that I do about children's books and literacy. The sessions made me eager to get back to my blogging, and make it better, more diverse, and more thoughtful. And best of all, I was able to spend time with people who have become, over these six years of blogging, close friends. KidLitCon 2012 will be in New York City (details to be announced as soon as possible). You may be sure that I will do everything in my power to be there.

Comments

[Saints and Spinners]

I appreciated your session, Jen, and added a "subscribe by email" option to my blog that actually seems to work. Thanks for coming to Seattle.

[Terry Doherty]

It sounds like a wonderful weekend, Jen!! I wish we could just bottle it and have "all the same stuff" next year (ha!).

New York will be great ... you'll have to bring Mheir and Baby Bookworm. Can't be that close to Boston and not have them nearby;-)

[Beth Kephart]

Thank you for this. I feel as if I was almost there. I know I wish I could have been.

[Jen Robinson]

I'm so glad to hear that, Farida. I hope it helps you and your readers ;-)

And Terry, you know I wish you could have been there. Next year for sure. I am thinking of bringing Mheir and BB along on the trip - we have relatives in NY/NJ, actually, so it would make sense. Then again, it's been kind of fun to get away on my own these past 2 years... Will have to see.

Beth, I wish you could have been there, too. You were there in spirit, ad people were talking about your new book. Perhaps you'll be there next year!

[aquafortis]

It was a wonderful weekend, wasn't it? I scribbled down so many notes for what to do to improve and reinvigorate my blogging, and ways to tweak my various blogs/sites for the better.

It was so nice to see everyone. I'm still working on finding time to write a wrapup (I always end up so behind after these things) but I suspect mine will be like yours--some key highlights. :)

[Janssen]

I so desperately wish I could have been there. What a great event.

[Scope Notes]

Thanks for the recap, Jen - great to hear that everything went so well. Man, I gotta get to KidLitCon in 2012...

[Rasco from RIF]

Thanks, Jen, for a great summary; I keep thinking a summary is going to be prepared by me but somehow the work week flooded over and through me as I returned to the office...soon, I hope soon a posting will be made as it was as you note a terrific experience. Thank you also for including me on the panel with you.

[Jackie Parker]

It's not KidLitCon without you Jen. Thank you so much for all of your help with it.

[Melissa (Book Nut)]

I agree: it was well-worth the time and money spent to go. It always is. And thanks, again, for your session on connecting with readers; between a new email subscription and timed tweets, I'm hoping to connect to more people. Who knows: maybe I'll even give tumblr and G+ a try...

Until next year, anyway, when I get another boat-load of ideas.

[Jen Robinson]

Definitely a wonderful weekend, Sarah. So many new ideas that a wrap-up post is a bit overwhelming. But if you share even a few thoughts, you can get lots of nice comments from your friends, so it's totally worth it ;-)

Janssen, it was nice having you there onscreen for the presentation, but in person is much better. Maybe next year. I can recommend it as a nice break from baby care.

Travis, I would love to meet you someday. KidLitCon 2012 would be the perfect time :-)

Carol, thank YOU for doing the panel with me. I had a lot of fun with it. And comments like Melissa's, people who found it useful, make it even more worthwhile.

Jackie, I hope it never is KidLitCon without me. When I contemplated not going this year, I was so, so sad. The sooner we can get it scheduled for next year, the sooner I will lock it in stone on my calendar.

[Cheryl]

Every year, I miss this and am sad when all the recollection posts start popping into my feeds :-(
Alas, maybe next year......

[Jen Robinson]

It would be great if you could come next year, Cheryl. We'll be in New York, if that helps :-)

[Els Kushner]

It was great to meet you, Jen--and I admire your post! I've been so overwhelmed by the wonderfulness (and the work I've been doing since I got back) that I haven't even done a wrap-up post. But soon...maybe even on my own old book blog, for a change ;-)

[Jen Robinson]

Great to finally meet you, Els. I felt overwhelmed at first, too. But I'm glad that I was able to put at least some of my thoughts about KidLitCon down. I'll keep an eye out for your wrap up post, if you have time for it (I don't think I did one at all last year).

[Michelle]

Sounds like it was another great event. So sad to have missed it but so glad you all shared with the crowd at home with Twitter and these fantastic recap posts.