Imaginative Quill

After 13 years at my part-time day job, which has been entirely grant funded, the grant is ending and my position is being phased out at the end of August.

Although it's a little scary to not have the consistent income coming in, I'm also excited about the prospect of having more time and bandwidth for my creative work. I've been giving some thoughts to establishing other revenue sources such as teaching writing workshops and freelance writing and editing. If you have any leads/suggestions, please send them my way!

Natasha

After my previous agent announced in December that she was stepping away from agenting! It was back to the querying trenches. But I am happy to announce that I'm now represented by the lovely Marisa Cleveland and Joyce Sweeney from The Seymour Agency!

Last month, it snowed — in Ukiah! It only happens about once every two years or so, and by the afternoon, the snow had melted. But it sure was pretty when it was coming down and dusting my backyard with soft, powdery flakes. Wintery scenes make me want to hunker down and write. How about you? Imagine yourself trudging through the snow in a forest or getting stuck in a desolate, wintry landscape. How did you get there? What happens?

Check out these Great KidLit titles that highlight diversity, the experiences of underrepresented characters and their creators!

Spring—a time of rebirth and renewal. It's an apt metaphor for our creative work as well. Uncover those manuscripts that have been collecting dust in a drawer, re-kindle the story that you've put aside because you got stuck in the muggy middle, and re-energize the scenes you've given up on because you couldn't make them work. I find that some of the best ways to renew creative energy and find inspiration is to connect with my writing community. And what better way to find your creative hive than to attend writing conferences and workshops? Here are some for kidlit writing as well as more general writing and publishing conferences.

Golden Gate Fest 2026 at the Farallon Room at Skyline College in San Bruno from 9am - 5pm on Saturday, April 11, 2026.

Skyline College

The Farallon Room

Building 12

3300 College Drive

San Bruno, CA 94066

The Farallon Room is in Building 12, at the back of the campus, closest parking lot to the Fallaron Room is Lot L.

Register HERE.

Spring Spirit Conference is back in Sacramento County!

Barbara Morse Wackford Community Center

9014 Bruceville Road, Elk Grove, CA 95758

Saturday, April 18, 2026, 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM for workshops and panels geared toward writers and illustrators of all experience levels. EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION EXTENDED UNTIL FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2026.

Register HERE.

Managed by WDW executive director Chuck Sambuchino as well as director Brian Klems, both former longtime Writer's Digest staffers, Writing Day Workshops coordinates full-day “How to Get Published” writing events that happen all around the United States throughout the year. Read below to learn more about our conferences, and important FAQ information.

ABOUT THE CONFERENCES

These writers conferences (1-2 days, some virtual and others in person) are a wonderful opportunity to get intense instruction over the course of one day, pitch a literary agent or editor (optional), and get your questions answered.

We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome.

This event is designed to squeeze as much into one day of learning as possible. You can ask any questions you like during the classes, and get your specific concerns addressed. At each event we will have multiple literary agents onsite to give feedback and meet with writers, as well.

By the end of the day, you will have all the tools you need to move forward on your writing journey.

PRESENTERS/INSTRUCTORS

We find accomplished writers and editors, who are leaders in the field, to run the all-day workshops. For details about who is instructing where, refer to each specific location.

EVENT LOCATIONS & DATES

CLICK HERE for a list of locations and dates that is updated every month. As of early 2021-2022, our writers conferences are temporarily online/virtual to keep everyone safe. But please understand a virtual conference has ALL elements of an in-person writers conference, including one-on-one video pitches with attending literary agents. If you want to learn more about the basics of an online writers conference, click here to understand how things work, and then please click here to read feedback from those who have attended our recent virtual events.

Register HERE.

Registration Deadline: March 27, 2026

Saturday, March 29, 2026

11:00 am. - 12:30 pm. PST

Speakers/Presenters

Nadia Salomon

Jennifer Lynn Alvarez

Natasha Yim

(see flyers for bios)

Ending a relationship with a literary agent can feel overwhelming, emotional, and

risky. After all, it may have taken you a long time to find an agent. In this candid and

practical webinar, picture book authors Natasha Yim and Nadia Salomon, and

novelist Jennifer Lynn Alvarez will discuss their decision-making process when

choosing an agent, how they know when something isn’t working, when it may be

time to move on, how to part ways professionally, and what steps to take before and

after making the decision. Learn how to protect your career, preserve your

reputation, and position yourself for future opportunities—so you can move forward

with clarity and confidence. This webinar is perfect for writers and illustrators at any

stage who want to better understand the business side of publishing and advocate

for their creative careers.

More events will be added soon as dates are finalized. Please visit my website: www.natashayim.com for up to date events.

Email: natashayim@icloud.com

Website: www.natashayim.com