Fall Writer's Summit

Sally Morgridge (she/her) loves working on books for children of all ages. Recent highlights include Banned Together, a YA anthology edited by Printz Honor author Ashley Hope Pérez, illustrated by Ignatz-nominee Debbie Fong, and recipient of five starred reviews; early reader graphic novel and Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor book Owl and Penguin, by Vikram Madan; and Table Titans Club, a middle grade graphic novel by Eisner Winner Scott Kurtz, which landed on six state award lists. Sally's list is mostly middle grade, along with select picture books, graphic novels, early readers, nonfiction, and YA. Her taste is character driven, so she gravitates toward distinct, memorable voices supported by exemplary writing. She’s a particular fan of sneaky mysteries, heart-stopping plots, sharp humor, and fresh takes on coming-of-age stories. Sally lives in New York City with her family, where she spends her free time cooking, running, and exploring city parks.

Who are your favorite middle grade and YA characters of all time? In this workshop, we’ll analyze beloved characters and reflect on what makes them special. We will look closely at how voice, distinctive details, and purposeful language bring memorable literary stars to life. Using these tools, you’ll be ready to write a character that sticks with your reader!

What is a "revise & resubmit" request, and what do you do when you get one from an agent or editor? This path to publication is more common than you might think, but it doesn't always look the same. We will go through the ins and outs of R&Rs from all angles—why an author might do one, what risks might occur, how an editor thinks about them, and what the ultimate outcome might look like.

Andrea Colvin founded Andrea Colvin Creative Agency in 2025 after three decades in the publishing industry. For the past 15 years she has held a variety of editorial leadership roles. She founded Little, Brown Ink, the graphic novel imprint from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, was editor in chief at the inclusive comics publisher Lion Forge, and spearheaded Andrews McMeel Publishing’s push into children’s books. She is best known for having acquired and published the graphic memoir Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe, one of the most banned books in the US for the past half decade, and for her development role in Jerry Craft’s New Kid, the first graphic novel to win the prestigious Newbery Award.

Selling your book today means battling for attention. First in the querying trenches, then in the submissions pile, then for the focus of sales reps and bookstore buyers, and finally in the consumer sales channel, where readers have thousands of book choices. This is why you need to grab your readers by the eyeballs from the very first page. This session will look at what works and what doesn’t for your opening pages, and how to sell the promise of your book from the very start.

A logline is a single, clear, specific statement that makes the reader think, “Oh, I get it, and I want to know more.” Your logline sells your book over and over—to the agent, the editor, the retailer, and the consumer. A logline is also a writing guide—effective storytelling can always be distilled into an effective logline. This session looks at how to craft a logline that works, and how to use it to guide your storytelling.

Erin Entrada Kelly is a two-time Newbery Medalist and National Book Award Finalist whose work has been translated into more than a dozen languages. She is a New York Times-bestselling author and teaches in the Master's Program in Writing for Young Readers at the University of San Francisco. She has a bachelor's degree in liberal arts from McNeese State University, an MFA in fiction from Rosemont College, and an honorary doctorate of fine arts from Moore College of Art and Design. She lives in Delaware.​

Together, we will plot an entire novel based solely on the traits of the main character. We will begin with a blank slate and end with a fully-fleshed story idea. This workshop will demonstrate how stories come alive when we know our characters better than they know themselves.

Ronald L. Smith is the Coretta Scott King award-winning author of several middle grade novels including Black Panther: The Young Prince Trilogy; Hoodoo; Where the Black Flowers Bloom; Gloomtown; and The Owls Have Come to Take Us Away. He has also contributed to the anthologies The Hero Next Door, Hope Wins and Recognize: An Anthology Honoring and Amplifying Black Life. Ronald grew up on Air Force bases and has lived in Japan, Maine, Alabama, Michigan, South Carolina, and a bunch of other places he doesn’t remember. As a boy, he loved to read, especially fantasy and science fiction, and this inspired his lifelong passion for the fantastical. The book that inspired him to write more than any other was The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet by Eleanor Cameron. Before becoming a full-time writer, Ronald worked in advertising and wrote television commercials for big corporations, helping to sell everything from cheeseburgers to automobiles to airlines. Without a doubt, he’s much happier writing for kids. These days, you can find Ronald writing in coffee shops because sitting in a quiet room gives him the creeps.

Middle Grade Author Ronald L Smith (Hoodoo, Black Panther, Gloomtown) will take attendees through his method for staying motivated and dealing with the ups and downs of being a writer. Topics include dealing with internal barriers and rejection, agent do’s and don’ts, staying motivated and knowing when your work is ready to send.