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FAQs

Please read our FAQs below. If you have a question that is not covered below, please contact us.

First Page Feedback

Bring the first page of your manuscript to the fair and sign up at the SCBWI stand for a quick 5-minute feedback session with a published author or publishing representative on site. Sign up early as slots are limited – and free! (Sign up times and session times will be announced at a later date). Please ensure that your manuscript, written in English, follows these SCBWI guidelines.

  • Bring the first page of your manuscript to the SCBWI stand at the time you signed up for earlier
  • At the top of the first page, write the type of work (picture book, nonfiction picture book, chapter book/easy reader, middle grade novel, young adult novel)
  • Include the title of the work and chapter title if there is one
  • Using standard manuscript formatting (ie halfway down page, type your title (centred and in Caps) then after a space of few lines type the first 150 words of your manuscript)
  • Use Times New Roman font 12, double spaced with 1 inch margins.

First View

Sign up at the SCBWI stand for 5 minutes of feedback on your portfolio (16 pages max) or picture book dummy, with a published illustrator or publishing representative on site.

Sign up early as slots are limited - and free! (Sign up times and session times will be announced at a later date).

Are the First Page Feedback and First View sessions open to everyone who attends Bologna?
The First Page Feedback and First View sessions are open to ALL.

Showcase

Where is the SCBWI showcase?
The SCBWI Showcase is the SCBWI booth at the Bologna Book Fair in Pavilion 26 Stand A/66.

I am an SCBWI PAL member. How can I present my work at the Showcase?
Please refer to the Showcase page to apply. Make sure you discuss how you plan to present your work. One or two-hour slots are given to SCBWI regions and SCBWI PAL members whose proposals are accepted. This will be advised in January 2012.

SCBWI regions decorate their table with local flair and may provide food samples and music, and organize activities. Please remember that the SCBWI Showcase is really a forum for a presentation and so much more than a collection of books.

How can I have PAL book displayed at the Showcase? Is there a charge? Do I mail it in?
SCBWI is committed to displaying books from PAL members around the world. There is no charge for a book to be displayed at the showcase. Do not mail your book.

If you are an SCBWI PAL member please take the following steps to have your book on display at Bologna.

  1. All books must be brought to the SCBWI Stand the day before the fair. SCBWI volunteers will be present at the stand from 4pm – 7pm on March 18th.
  2. If you will not be in Bologna, your book can be brought by your publisher, agent, regional advisor or another member who is attending the fair.
  3. All books on display must meet the following criteria:
    1. Written or illustrated by a current SCBWI PAL member
    2. Published by a PAL publisher
    3. Rights information clearly displayed in the back cover (see below)
  4. All books must display the following information on the back cover:
    1. Rights holder (required)
    2. Contact information for rights holder (required)
    3. Rights available (optional)
    4. Bologna Book Fair Booth / Agents Center for the fair (optional)
  5. SCBWI will make an effort to display all books throughout the fair. In the case of series or multiple titles, titles will be rotated. Each SCBWI volunteer will be responsible for rotating books and displaying books during their shift.
  6. SCBWI is not responsible for books offered for display
  7. At the end of the fair all books will be donated to the International Youth Library

What does the term "SCBWI PAL member" mean?
The PAL category is for SCBWI members who are Published and Listed. SCBWI keeps a list of traditional, university, and independent book publishers and a list of children's and teen magazines that have large circulations. If an SCBWI member publishes with an established publishing house / magazine, they are recognized as PAL. Unpublished and self-published members are not PAL members. Please see the SCBWI Levels of Membership for more information on the different types of membership and official descriptions of membership categories.

Do editors come to visit the SCBWI booth and seek us out or must we circulate with our stories?
Often it is the Rights Managers, Art Directors, Agents and Publishers who attend the fair. We had many professionals visit our booth in 2008 and 2010. Several found books they were potentially interested in acquiring rights to. A great way to find out what is happening in publishing throughout the world is to walk through the fair - it is amazing!

Illustration Display Portfolio

Is the Illustrator Display Portfolio the same thing as showcasing my illustrations?
No. The Illustrator Display Portfolio is a separate collection of submitted illustration works that will be on display at the SCBWI stand throughout the fair. Submission for the IDP is open to PAL (Published and Listed) SCBWI members of all regions. For details of how to submit please see Illustrator Display Portfolio.

Can submissions to the Illustrator Display Portfolio include published or soon-to-be-published work?
SCBWI does not prohibit published illustrations or soon-to-be-published work. We advise you check with the publisher about the submission in advance.

Symposium

In 2012 the SCBWI will not be holding a symposium.

Lodging

Does SCBWI have a conference hotel for Bologna?
No, SCBWI does not have a conference hotel in Bologna. Please check the Bologna Children's Book Fair website for information as well.

Do you have any tips for finding lodging in Bologna?
Bologna is a convention city and has a variety of rooms to rent, from pensions with bathrooms down the hall to 4 star hotels. Be sure to understand the location of the hotel and the room's price and features before you book.

Price
Remember the rates for the hotels really jump during fair time. So your first and last night may be a lot less expensive. If you notice the same price for all nights you may want to let them know the fair dates. The hotels are allowed to increase prices during fair weeks. Even if you made your reservation they will change the rates with little notice by simply informing you "there is a fair." The change in rates can be as little as a 50% increase or as much as 300%. So be sure they know you are reserving during the fair week.

Location
It is a good idea to map your hotel to make sure it is close enough to the fair (some hotels that are far from the fair may be less expensive but not have adequate taxi service to the fair or may have the additional cost of using a hired driver - yes, really!). For more information see the Bologna Book Fair webpage.

Amenities & Confirmation
Read reviews of your hotel / apartment before confirming. Trip Advisor is a good source for hotel reviews. Write to the hotel with any questions and keep copies of the email to take with you!

Fair Hotels
There are two hotels that are just outside the fair in the back of the fair grounds:

Both hotels are walking distance to the fair grounds. There is no bus service to this side of the fair grounds. You will have a long walk around the Fairgrounds to your hotel after fair hours, as taxis are often in great demand. In addition, when you want to go into town to eat, you will need to call and wait for a taxi to arrive. Thus, these two hotels are expensive and convenient to the Fairgrounds (during opening hours) but they are not so convenient after hours.

Book Fair and Publishing Related Questions

Do I need to buy a ticket to showcase my books at the fair?
Yes, If you are presenting your books at the SCBWI Showcase you will need to purchase a ticket to enter the fair from the Bologna Book Fair site.

Should I plan to attend the book fair as well even if I am not showcasing my books at the SCBWI stand? Would this be helpful? If so, for how many days?
Yes, the book fair is a great way to learn more about the children's publishing industry worldwide. At least one day to two days are needed to see what the fair is about. SCBWI has its own booth at the fair this year. We call this the SCBWI Showcase. Events are scheduled at the booth throughout the four days of the fair. Details will follow in the future ….

I'm an unpublished writer, how do I get a book contract at the fair?
It is important to remember that at the Bologna Book Fair agents and editors are searching to for RIGHTS (i.e. the right to take a book from Japan and publish it in the UK, or to turn a book from France into a movie in the US.) And while it isn't unheard of for an unpublished writer to get work from the fair, it is very rare. Publishers aren't searching for unpublished manuscripts at the fair. They are looking for published or contracted work.

Can you book me with a publisher to sell my manuscript?
No, SCBWI does not book appointments at the fair with publishing professionals. The professionals at the fair are there to buy and sell rights to published or already contracted work.

Can you book an appointment for me with art directors?
No, SCBWI does not book appointments with art directors, though many publishers have time set aside to review artists' portfolios. You may be able to find more information about this on the Bologna Book Fair website and on the websites of publishing houses or in the programme the first day of the fair. The Bologna Book fair also has an Illustrators' Corner for illustrators to meet up, post samples of their work, and share advice.

The SCBWI Showcase will host five minute FIRST VIEW reviews for illustrators to share their work with another experienced illustrator in order to gain valuable feedback. This is a free event and sign-up times will be available at the SCBWI Showcase on the first day of the fair.

Is this book fair also for stories written in Italian or is it only for English?
The book fair is for selling rights to books in all countries. Italian publishers have a large presence at the fair. US and UK publishers are also prominent.

What is the best way for writers / illustrators to get publishing contracts at the fair?
Typically publishing contracts are not offered at the book fair, but come after a publisher has had time to review your work. The "best way" to eventually land a contract for your work is to use your time at the fair to learn all you can about the publishers present. Study the books presented, look through catalogues, if the booth is not crowded look through some of their books. If you have an opportunity to speak with someone, be polite and professional. If you think your work is a good match, ask who to send it to and how to send it (often the people at the fair are not the same people who acquire work or hire illustrators). Illustrators are advised to contact specific publishers in advance of the fair to see if any editorial staff / art directors are available to meet by appointment. Certain publishers from other countries including France and Italy are willing to view artwork at certain times. Bring labeled samples to give them if they show interest. Large-sized portfolios are discouraged.

What is the best way for writers / illustrators to sell rights at the fair?
It is not the writers or illustrators who sell the rights. Typically it is the writer or illustrator's agent / publisher that has rights to the work and attempts to sell it at the fair. What you can do in advance is let your agent and publisher know that you will be at the fair.

Are the programs through the Illustrator Café in English?
The Illustrator Café during the Book Fair is run by the Bologna Book Fair organizers and is a small, open, round theatre with tiered seating, usually near the main entrance. It's not closed off and is near the Illustration exhibition area, and the famous illustrator wall where visiting illustrators can pin up a small sample of their work.

The Café is very informal, with passers-by coming and going during talks. It's worth checking out the programme of talks when you get there - they sometimes change it at the last minute. You can go and sit through any number of talks by different people and organizations across the world. They usually have simultaneous translation into English as many nationalities attend and speak.

Do you have any suggestions for illustrators on how to best plan our time at the fair?
The book fair is made up of several halls (the size of airplane hangars), which contain publishers' booths from countries all over the world, including our SCBWI booth in one of the US areas.

You'll walk a lot so bring comfortable shoes and a lightweight, big bag to pick up catalogues of publishers that inspire you, and you can ask at the booth of art directors whom you might want to contact later. The Bologna Book Fair Catalogue lists publisher and agent names and contacts too - worth buying if you're there. UK and US publishers don't always have their editorial staff there although you can check their websites in advance to find out. Some other countries like France tend to have editors and art directors there, although as it is a rights fair, their main task is to buy and sell foreign editions of their books. Most SCBWI members who attend are there, to learn and check out than to promote my own work. Some people get appointments and some art directors have visiting hours. English is spoken by most publishers.