Craft and Business Workshops Session Three

Description: If you have a picture book concept you love but need to decide on the best approach to telling the story, then channel the courage to revise and reimagine. Find your way from a strong premise to an equally strong execution by staying openminded to changing the structure, POV, narrative focus, and more, while never losing the core purpose of your story. In this session, editor Danielle Collins will share examples of picture book projects she's edited that have undergone significant revising and reimagining from the initial submission concept to the final published or to-be-published work. Participants will have a chance to explore various revision prompts and techniques with their own picture book manuscripts, dummies, or concepts.

Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate

This workshop is best for participants… who are authors or author-illustrators at any stage of their publishing journey looking to sharpen their revising skills and explore new approaches to telling their stories.

Prerequisites and Advanced Preparation: If participants would like to take part in some live revision prompts and activities, they should bring either A) an in-progress picture book manuscript or dummy, B) an excerpt from an in-progress picture book, or C) a picture book premise or various premises they’d like to explore.

Description: One of the most common questions you’ll hear from agents and editors is “what is your hook?” In this course you’ll learn how to craft a hook and concept that is not only commercial but can be developed into a full length and compelling novel.

Skill Level: Beginner 

This workshop is beneficial for... MG or YA novelists prepping a new idea and looking for a path to traditional publishing. This session is not as helpful for picture book writers.

Prerequisites and Advanced Preparation: No prep needed. However, if you have a list of ideas/pitches for works-in-progress, please be ready to share.

Description: There is no golden path to success in the publishing industry. Book creators need to be self-starters, and to have confidence in themselves. This two-hour workshop is packed with 5-minute writing prompts designed to help participants know themselves better as writers, to grow their self-confidence, and to help them brainstorm what they can do to take charge of their publishing journey and move their careers forward. 

Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced

This workshop is best for participants… who have honed their writing craft.

Prerequisites and Advanced Preparation: Please bring a pen and paper or a computer to take part in the writing prompts.

Description: The ability to write across diverse genres expands an author’s audience while fueling creativity, sharpening research techniques, and refining writing skills. Newbery Honor author Lesa Cline-Ransome will explore craft strategies that reach across multiple age categories. Whether you currently write fantasy, realistic fiction, historical fiction or nonfiction, or write for picture book, middle grade, or young adult audiences, discussions in this interactive workshop will include navigating theme and word count, exploring emotional stakes and narrative arcs all while maintaining your own unique writing voice in every genre and for every audience.  

Skill Level: All are welcome.

This workshop is best for participants who are… pre-published and published authors who want to experiment and expand their writing portfolio.

Prerequisites and Advance Preparation: Pen and notebook for guided prompts and writing exercises.

Description: In this hands-on workshop, Caldecott Medalist Cátia Chien will guide participants in creating a short comic, exploring how to create images and sequencing that shape a story’s emotional journey in an impactful way.

Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced

This workshop is best for participants… who have published a few books and are ready to deepen their visual storytelling practice.

Prerequisites and Advanced Preparation: Bring a mood board—a collection of images that evoke feelings, moods, or themes you’d like to explore in your comic. Have a loose idea of the story you would like to explore but we will also work on sparks and prompts if you don’t have one ready. Bring favorite art mediums you like to work in. Digital is also ok.

Description: In the past, nonfiction books got shelved in the “BORING BUT IMPORTANT” section of school libraries and bookstores. Not anymore! Today’s editors want informational books that are high-concept, multi-modal, and kid-friendly but that also provide relevant, well-researched, and accurate information in a fresh and lively way. It’s all about the voice! In this hands-on, discussion-based session, we’ll explore revision tools that will make your voice sparkle and add energy and humor to your writing. We’ll look at examples from recently-published nonfiction and informational fiction books that successfully use these techniques. We’ll discuss why these books work and how you can apply similar techniques to your own writing.

Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced

This Workshop is best for… writers of picture books through middle grade—published or prepublished--who want to fun up their nonfiction (or informational fiction) writing voice.

Prerequisites and Advanced Preparation: Bring something to write with and we’ll work on tips to turn your brainstorm list or your work-in-progress into something editors will want to acquire and kids will want to read over and over.

Description: Getting a book deal is a life-changing event, but how do authors and illustrators make a living between the books? This session will help attendees unpack their relationship with money, examine their creative superpowers, and begin positioning themselves as entrepreneurs. We will discuss long-term art business planning - including budgeting, taxes, time management strategies, web presence, and building multiple income streams. 

Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced

This workshop is best for participants… who are interested in learning about art business strategies

Materials List:

• Web site
• Notebook
• Portfolio