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“Our Aim Was to Raise the Standard”

An exclusive Authorlink Interview
With SCBWI President Stephen Mooser
by Barbara J. Odanaka
August, 2001 New York City

In the Summer of ‘71, a group of children’s writers gathered in Santa Monica, Calif., for the first-ever conference of the Society of Children’s Book Writers. Jane Yolen and Sid Fleischman were keynote speakers. Rooms at the host Miramar Hotel were $12 a night. And bellbottoms, baby, were de rigueur.

For Stephen Mooser and Lin Oliver—the Society’s president and executive director, respectively—the event inaugurated what would become one of the largest writer’s organizations in the world.

That first conference had its share of interesting moments. During a session on “minority” books, a heated discussion broke out over whether it was appropriate for authors to write outside their own culture—a new idea at the time. Voices raised, tempers flared, and suddenly a woman in the audience stood and belted out an impassioned rendition of “The Farmer and The Cowboy Should Be Friends,” from the musical Oklahoma!

“It was our first conference and we were totally unprepared,” says Mooser. “Luckily an editor, Francis Keene, interrupted and said some things should not be squelched and the discussion continued.”

Three decades later, SCBWI (the “I” was added to signify the inclusion of illustrators) celebrates its 30 ^th Annual National Conference Aug. 10-13 at the Century Plaza in Los Angeles. Authorlink children’s book columnist Barbara J. Odanaka chatted with Mooser via e-mail about SCBWI’s early days:

Authorlink: What motivated you to form an organization for children’s authors?

Stephen Mooser: Lin and I were writing a reading series [ Reader Rabbit]. We didn't know much about the field of children's books, discovered there was no organization for writers and illustrators and, printed up a one-page brochure and took out an ad in Writer’s Digest. Some of the early members—Sue Alexander, Sid Fleischman and Jane Yolen—provided valuable encouragement and advice and we were on our way.

Authorlink: What were the biggest issues for children's authors back then?

Mooser: In those days, books were coming off the golden years of government money brought on by the war on poverty, etc. The Nixon years cut back on library funding, so many writers were struggling. At the same time, the easy money had meant many marginal books had been published and so our aim was to raise the standard of writing and illustrating.

Authorlink: Did you ever imagine it would grow into a worldwide organization of 16,000 members?

Mooser: No, we had no idea. We were all volunteers, and most continue to be so. It was worthwhile to continue because of the good friends, the mutual support and the good work being done. After 10 years, we had 1,000 members, so growth was slow and no one noticed we were becoming a large, perhaps the largest, writer’s organization in the country.

Authorlink: How do you think SCBWI will differ thirty years from today?

Mooser: I have no idea—the whole field is constantly changing. I hope we are still an active influence in our members, and in publishers’ lives.

Authorlink: What have been the most satisfying moments for you personally?

Mooser: Most satisfying has been seeing so many first-time authors and illustrators sell first books, often with the help from the SCBWI. Also, I believe children's books are better today because of us.

For more on SCBWI, go to its website at: www.scbwi.org.

Barbara J. Odanaka covers the children’s book industry for Authorlink.com. She can be reached through www.skateboardmom.com, a website focusing on the children’s book industry. For more on this and other interviews, visit skateboardmom.com.