I’ve attended CYA for several years now, and each time has been an amazing experience. Not only does it offer fantastic opportunities to receive feedback from industry experts and potentially get a foot in the door, but it also helps you build knowledge and connections that support a long-term writing career.

I began writing picture book manuscripts in 2017 and have since built a portfolio of work. One of the ongoing challenges for me has been figuring out which manuscript is the right fit for which editor or publishing house. You can do all the research you like, but you rarely know what publishers already have on their lists or what’s currently in development. Most other writing conferences usually offer only one manuscript assessment per event, which can make the process of getting your work out there painstakingly slow. That’s why I’ve always appreciated that CYA allows you to present multiple pieces and meet with several publishing professionals at once.

Time-travelling back to 2021: I had a manuscript assessment with the lovely Kate Stevens, who was the Associate Publisher for children’s books at Hachette Australia at the time. She fell in love with one of my manuscripts, Grandmother from the East, Grandmother from the West. Kate was always warm, understanding and responsive, and we built a strong connection and rapport quickly. Her passion and belief in the project further strengthened my desire and commitment to work with her and Hachette.

In 2022, I received an official offer from Hachette after it successfully went through the acquisition process. It was wonderful to hear that the whole team loved the story too. Then we had Freda Chiu, our dream illustrator onboard to bring it to life. While Kate was no longer with Hachette when we began the illustrations in 2024, I had the most wonderful time collaborating with our editor Annie Zhang, publisher Jeanmarie Morosin, book designer Hazel Lam, and of course Freda, who poured her heart and soul into every page. Writing can be such a solitary pursuit, and I feel incredibly lucky to have had the best team of people who truly honoured and championed the vision of this book.

Grandmother from the East, Grandmother from the West was released in March this year, and we’ve had such a warm response to the book. I'm deeply grateful to everyone who’s been part of the journey and helped bring this story into the world.

Reflecting honestly on my writing and publishing journey, it’s taken a long time to get to where I am. I’ve had to develop persistence, perseverance, and a lot of patience—traits I can’t say I was naturally born with! It’s been tough to pick myself up after each “no,” and after a number of close “yeses,” and just keep going. Writing is more of a marathon than a race, and I wish I had known that earlier.

And it’s okay not to love it all the time, and to lose motivation - I am allowed to take breaks. I’ve definitely grown in wisdom, maturity, and self-awareness through the long wait and the practice of delayed gratification. Ironically, the many “no’s” I’ve received have actually helped me clarify my values, strengthen my voice, and build greater conviction - not just in my work, but in myself.

None of the time spent was wasted, it has all poured back into who I am, not just as a writer, but as a person. And while I still sometimes struggle with the gap between my vision and where things are at, I’m learning to meet myself and my journey with greater acceptance and compassion.

Writers & Illustrators Conference

CYA

Presenters

Success Panels

Angie Cui

Camille Booker

Di Taylor

Emma Pignatiello

Jacinta Liu

Jess Horn

Billie Rooney

Debra Tidball

Elizabeth Pulsford

Fiona White

Jennifer Horn

Jevita Nilson