Fall Workshop & Critique 2026
Oct 24, 2026
Millcreek, Utah
You can build your day with what you need most for your writing and illustrating. You can have a day of critiques, a day of workshops, or mix and match them. With an amazing faculty, you’re sure to walk away with a breadth of new knowledge and direction. The workshops will be taught by special guests: executive art director Brian LaRossa, agent Sophie Sheumaker, and editor Mary Colgan. In addition to our workshop faculty, XXX will also be leading the some of First Look Critique Sessions.
First Look Critique Sessions will run like our SCBWI critique groups, but led by a special guest! Learn from your own manuscript/illustrations and from others in your group. It's a great learning experience!
Participants will have the opportunity to send queries to each of our special guests for a specific amount of time after the event!
Located at the Sons of Utah Pioneers building at: 3301 E. Louise Ave, Salt Lake City, UT 84109
SCBWI member pricing: $189 (early bird $169)
Non-member pricing: $209 (early bird $189)
Workshop Descriptions
Writing with Humor
with Sophie Shoemaker, associate agent, BookEnds Literary Agency
Humor: As book bans rise and literacy rates fall, the publishing market for little readers has become harder and harder to break through. But we've gotten some consistent feedback from editors on what they're wanting to see right now. And that's fun! Silly books that have fun with the reader. This workshop will dive into the craft of writing with humor; what a funny book is, what to watch out for, and how to have fun with it all.
Sophie Shoemaker
Sophie Sheumaker is an associate agent at BookEnds Literary Agency. She studied writing, literature, and publishing at Emerson College, graduating in the spring of 2023 and has been building her list of authors and illustrators since 2024. She has an eye out for the quirky, the fun, and the magical, and can always be found browsing the children’s section of the library for new reads.
Sophie Sheumaker's Wishlist
I’m not the best fit for nonfiction projects or anything firmly contemporary. But if it’s silly, fun, whimsical, and has anything from a tiny thread of magic to a full-fledged high fantasy world, I would love to take a look. Funny PBs are my favorite thing, with witty word-play and messages that don’t veer towards being didactic. Big, complicated feelings, messy relationships, female friendship. I’m good for the darker things too—from Halloween spookiness to real horror. PB through YA!
Kid Lit Illustration Best Practices
with Brian LaRossa, Executive Art Director, Scholastic Inc.
Learn kid lit illustration best practices from an executive art director with over two decades of professional experience. You’ll come away with actionable ways to strengthen your website, social media, portfolio, deal, and process. You’ll also learn actionable ways to strengthen your picture book dummies, improving the odds that they’ll be acquired.
Brian
Brian LaRossa is an executive art director on the hardcover picture book team at Scholastic Inc. After hours, he teaches critical writing at The City College of New York and typography at Pratt Institute. His essays have appeared in publications such as Design Observer and AIGA’s Eye on Design. He also volunteers for We Need Diverse Books, manages his own display font foundry—which developed a typeface for Google Fonts—and writes fiction. Brian’s writing is represented by Liz Nealon, founder of Great Dog Literary. His illustration and design work has received awards from the Type Directors Club, the Society of Illustrators, American Illustration, PRINT magazine, and his conceptual poetry is included in the permanent collection of The Museum of Modern Art. He lives and works in New York City.
Brian LaRossa's Wishlist
I'm best equipped to offer feeback on finished picture book dummies and illustrator portfolios.
Story Structure for Middle Grade and YA
with Mary Colgan, senior editor, Chronicle Books
A craft-focused workshop about how to structure a middle grade or YA novel by creating a story concept strong enough to drive a novel, developing a main character with believable and layered motivations, determining strong plot points, and avoiding a sluggish middle.
Mary Colgan
Mary Colgan began her career as an editorial intern on Highlights magazine. From there, she segued to book publishing as an editorial assistant at Chronicle Books, followed by a year in New Zealand, where she fell into a job editing leveled readers for McGraw-Hill. Upon returning to the U.S., she worked for Boyds Mills Press, editing middle grade and YA novels and picture books, before returning full circle to Chronicle Books, where she edits the Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site series as well as chapter books and fiction and nonfiction for middle grade readers. She is an avid traveler, horror movie junkie, and reader and writer of dark fiction.
Mary Colgan's Wishlist
Middle grade and YA novels, particularly horror, magical realism, and reality-based stories with speculative elements. Please note that while I am open to critiquing YA, Chronicle Books currently does not publish YA other than graphic novels.
Refund Policy
If you need to cancel your registration:
By October 1st - 100% refund for registration, less a $25 administration fee.
After October 1st - NO REFUNDS.
Email [email protected] with questions.