Intensives
Sunday, September 27 – Intensive Workshops
Each intensive is $60
Observe-only Illustrator Intensive is $30
To register for intensives, please check the appropriate box when registering for the conference online. Intensive registrations are non-transferable, and there will be no refunds.
INTENSIVE SESSION I
12:00-1:30 p.m. | Tracy Shaw – Character Design Illustrator Intensive (Limit 12. Observe-only, Limit 30)
Limited to 12 full participants. This workshop is a deep dive on what makes a successful character in a picture book (or illustrated work.) We’ll discuss both visual/physical details as well as building personality and authenticity. Full participants will bring sketch materials and a character you are developing to work on during the Sunday intensive. Comments on full participants’ work in progress will be delivered during the intensive. Observe-only participants are welcome to ask questions in general on character design, but will not bring work to share. No advance work will be necessary.
12:00-1:30 p.m. | Jennifer March Soloway – Standing Out in a Sea of Slush
Part 1: Tips for crafting a “got-to-read-this” pitch
So you've finally finished your novel or picture book, and you're ready to query agents. Or maybe you've been querying, but you've only received rejections or worse, not heard back at all. Now is the time to revisit your pitch to make sure it's enticing and succinct. In this session, I'll give insight about what it's like to read submissions and how I manage my query box, including the types of projects I find most compelling. We will discuss what it takes to stand out in a sea of slush and do several exercises to help you identify which elements of your story to pitch, as well as what not to include, to best hook your reader (or an agent or editor).
Part 2: Tips for crafting a dynamite logline and a memorable title
Now you've got a dynamite pitch. But can you say it in one line? And what about the title? Does it capture your story in an accessible, memorable way? In this session, we'll talk about how to boil down your pitch into one succinct logline that immediately conveys the main gist of the story. And then, we’ll talk about titles—what works, what doesn’t, and why—but more importantly, how to brainstorm to uncover that perfect compelling word or phrase to pull the reader in. From pitch to logline to title, we’ll have you ready to start querying by the end of the class—or at least well on your way.
Please bring one or more pitches for your work(s) in progress (WIP) for several writing exercises.
INTENSIVE SESSION 2
1:40-3:10 p.m. | Alan Gratz – The Magic Eight Block
Plotting out a book from beginning to end is an insanely complicated task. The Magic Eight Block is here to help! Join author Alan Gratz as he shares the scaffolding tool he's used to outline, write, and revise a dozen bestselling middle grade novels. Are you a plotter? The Magic Eight Block will get you from blank page to manuscript. Are you a pantser? The Magic Eight Block is an amazing tool you can lay over a finished manuscript to figure out what's not working. This intensive will benefit everyone, from pre-published authors to seasoned pros. Come join the cult of the Magic Eight Block!
1:40-3:10 p.m. | Mary Reaves Uhles – Don’t Let Your Dream Illustrator Say No. . . leave them a little blood in the gutter
As a writer, you’re imagining all your scenes and characters for months, even years, before the illustrator comes into the picture. When your editor hands over your manuscript to this new part of the process, how do you let go of all those mental images and make sure your dream illustrator won’t roll their eyes while quickly texting back a polite decline? On the other side of the desk, illustrators are told not to repeat the text with illustrations, so when you get a manuscript, how do you know what to show and what to let the reader imagine? This intensive will focus on leaving space in your manuscripts for the artist (and the reader) to come in. Bring some works in progress to practice with during the intensive.
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