Craft and Business Workshops - Session One

Description: Maurice Sendak defined the picture book as “an ingenious juxtaposition of picture and word, a counterpoint . . . Words are left out – but the picture says it. Pictures are left out – but the words say it.” This session will look at the dance between words and pictures by some of the most acclaimed makers of the form today. Participants will explore the footwork of these picture books, delving into the behind-the-scenes creation, and discussing the counterpoint, page turns, design, and paratext – everything that makes a visual story that is intended to be read aloud. Attendees will come away with a deeper understanding of the art form as well as some helpful takeaways and inspiration for their own work.

Skill level: All levels

This workshop is best/beneficial for participants . . . who are aspiring or published picture book authors, illustrators, or author-illustrators. 

Prerequisites and advanced preparation: No prep needed.

Description: Before capturing a young reader’s attention, most writers need to capture an agent’s or editor’s attention. Which is why your pitch must do more than just summarize plot—it must capture what makes your story distinctive and sell both you and your project. In this session, participants will learn how to identify the most compelling elements of their book and practice how to shape them into a clear, concise, persuasive pitch. In addition, participants will explore how to sharpen the hook, highlight what sets a project apart, and avoid common pitfalls that can dilute even a strong idea. Through examples, practical techniques, and hands-on exercises, writers will figure out how to make their pitch memorable and effective. We will also tackle that elusive tool known as the one-pager and touch on the use of AI in creating pitches. Participants will leave ready (or very nearly ready!) to hit SEND on their subs. 

Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate

This workshop is best for participants…who have completed their project and are ready to query agents or have already queried and are now looking to tweak their pitch 

Prerequisites and Advanced Preparation: bring a working version of your pitch materials (e.g. the cover letter or main body text of your submission email) and three to five comp titles for your project. 

Description: The scene is the primary building block of story. To master it is to master a large share of the craft. In this two-hour workshop, you’ll learn a single system for building scenes that work. Through live demonstration, close reading, and hands-on work on your own pages, we’ll trace what actually makes a reader lean in—the tension that’s tied to what a character needs, the setting that carries meaning, and the moment so alive a reader says it out loud. You’ll leave with a scene-planning and scene-revision system you can use to guide anything you write next.

Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced

This workshop is best for participants… who are novelists who have drafted seriously, who sense their scenes are competent but not yet fully alive, and are curious what deeper, MFA-level study of craft feels like. If you’ve written a lot and want a tool that will become your new “scenic route," this is for you.

Prerequisites and Advanced Preparation: 1–2 pages of a scene you’ve already drafted that you’d like to see more clearly. You’ll diagnose it live using the system, so a scene that isn’t quite working is more useful than a polished one. Bring it printed or on a device you can read and mark up. No other preparation is needed.

Description: STEM books are important for kids and teens for an endless number of reasons. They can inspire future scientists and engineers, help readers understand complex ideas, encourage critical thinking… AND they can also be entertaining, introducing readers to topics they never knew they were interested in! In this session, we’ll focus on helpful tools to include in a STEM writers toolbox whether you are writing fiction or nonfiction, picture books or novels. We’ll discuss strategies to find STEM topics that work for your writing, brainstorm new ideas, and test their viability by digging deeper. We’ll explore ways STEM topics can be introduced into stories considering format and genre, structure and setting, and premise and plot. By the end of the class, you’ll have a framework for your next (or first!) STEM book.

Skill level: All levels welcome!

This workshop is beneficial for: anyone who writes STEM or wants to write STEM books (fiction or nonfiction, picture books up to YA novels).

Prerequisites and Advanced Preparation: Bring a STEM-related fun fact you are willing to share with friends.

Description: This TWO-PART illustration workshop will focus on visual storytelling with paper and paint. Come prepared to take an artistic journey in building your picture-making skills and strengthen your composition, color, space, shape, value skills, and understanding of how abstraction can help advance your narrative art. Working with recycled, purchased, and hand-designed patterned papers, participants will build on their unique artistic aesthetics. This workshop will focus on creative thinking and will help students approach collage-making with the eyes of an artmaker, rather than simply emphasizing technique. You’ll leave with a clearer understanding that collage is more than just taking parts of old photos and rearranging them to make wacky, weird images. Throughout this workshop there will be group and individual critiques as well as demos. PLEASE NOTE: Participants who register for Part One must also register for Part Two.

Skill Level: All levels

This workshop is best for participants… Who are looking to sharpen their creative skills and add spark to their portfolio. 

Prerequisites and Advanced Preparation: Bring in sketches for a character that you would like to place in a story (story environment).

Materials List:

• Bristol board Pad or any paper thick enough to hold mixed media (11x14 or 14x17 are okay) You will need 4 to 6 sheets
• Paper – white and colored copy paper
• Decorative papers (buy one or two sheets of decorative paper from your local art store or online. You can also bring gift wrappings or a few magazines or newspapers and junk mail. Magazines and newspapers
• Found- any papers that you like the pattern of (any size or amount) and or that brown paper bags that’s holding your lunch, your tissue box
• Acrylic paints (5-7 variety of colors)
• Bring in a drawing pad or sketch book– 9 x 12” or 11x 14”, To make your own patterns. Students are welcome to make a few patterns before class starts and bring them in, but this is not required.
• Paint brushes - various sizes
• Container for water or Bucket – for washing brushes
• Paper towels
• Glue sticks or other adhesives a
• Palette paper or some surface for mixing paint
• Colored pencils
• Scissors
• Ruler (metal is best) for measuring or straight- edge
• White artist tape is preferred (make sure its low adhesive tape)
• Finally bring your bag of goodies for making art - Crayons, pencils, pens, ink, any type of paints, brushes, pastels, colored pencils and other things that I couldn’t image you could use to make art with. The most important thing is to bring yourself, bright eyed and ready to CREATE!
•  Do not bring: Oil paints or spray mount

Description: For illustrators, your portfolio is your job application. It showcases your storytelling and design skills and demonstrates the consistency of your work. Your portfolio tells publishers that you are ready to work with them. In this session, you’ll learn how to create a portfolio that communicates your unique voice and technical skills as a children’s book illustrator. If time allows, Angela will offer feedback to anyone who wants their portfolio reviewed in front of the group.

Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate. 

This workshop is best for participants…  who are new illustrators breaking into the industry or newly published. 

Prerequisites and Advanced Preparation: Bring your current portfolio (either digital, physical, or both.)

Description: Join three marketing executives as they discuss the marketing long game – exploring strategies for marketing campaigns, book launches, social media engagement and more! Learn about what published authors can expect from in-house marketing teams and what authors need to do on their own to market their books to readers in today's "attention economy."

Level: Intermediate to advanced

This workshop is best for participants… who are published or soon-to-be-published and wish to learn about ways to market their books.

Prerequisites and Advanced Preparation: bring a marketing plan for your book (if you have one) and bring your questions!

Description: What makes a graphic novel idea work? How do you take the seed of a story and develop it into something narratively and visually compelling? In this session, Samia Garcia-Fakih will present what she’s learned both as an editor of graphic novels and a creator of them. Participants will explore what makes graphic novels different from prose, how to find the story beneath an initial idea, and the creative and practical choices that shape a graphic novel, from age group and genre, to story structure and visual storytelling. We’ll also go over what you need to do to develop your idea into a beautiful pitch for publishers. You’ll have the opportunity to workshop your own story idea and will leave with a clearer blueprint for where to take it next.

Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate

This workshop is best for participants… who are interested in writing, illustrating, or developing graphic novels, whether they are starting with a brand-new idea or looking to organize and strengthen an existing one.

Prerequisites and Advanced Preparation: Bring a graphic novel story idea or concept you’d like to develop. If you don’t have one yet, come prepared to brainstorm! Bring something to write with and an openness to asking questions and participating in the activities.