The Building Blocks of Story with Jessica Vitalis
May 03, 2025
Billings Public Library, 510 N. Broadway, Billings, Montana (Community Room)
SCBWI Montana in partnership with the Rocky Mountain Kid Lit Festival presents The Building Blocks of Story. Using the building blocks of story, we’ll work through a flexible pre-writing strategy that provides authors with a framework to draft a novel without bogging them down or making the drafting process feel too prescriptive. If you are not (yet) a premium member, that's OK. But you'll need to create a free SCBWI preview account in order to register.
Saturday, May 3 | 9:15am - 10:15am
The Building Blocks of Story
Using the building blocks of story, we’ll work through a flexible pre-writing strategy that provides authors with a framework to draft a novel without bogging them down or making the drafting process feel too prescriptive.
*Please note this is an adults only (18+) workshop. A children’s activity will be available in the library during this event if you need childcare. Contact Jodi Hausen, RA at [email protected] to register your child (ren) for the kids activity.
About the Instructor Jessica Vitalis
Jessica Vitalis is an award-winning, Columbia MBA-wielding middle grade author represented by Greenwillow/HarperCollins. Her books have been translated into three languages, received multiple starred reviews, Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selections, and a 2025 NCTE Notable Verse Novel designation. In addition to appearing on “Best Book” lists for Kirkus and CCBC, Jessica has also won the Reading the West Book Award, the WWW 2024 WILLA Literary Award, and the High Plains Book Award. An American-Canadian, Jessica currently lives and writes in Ontario but speaks at schools, conferences, and festivals all over North America.
The Building Blocks of Story is part of the Rocky Mountain Kid Lit Festival.
Other activities being held on Saturday, May 3rd during the festival include free workshops and an evening reception.
The Schedule:
9:15am (BPL Community Room) - Adult Writing Workshop with Jessica Vitalis (sponsored by SCBWI - registration, payment required)
10:30am (BPL Community Room) - Youth Writing Workshop with Jessica Vitalis (free and open to the public, geared toward kids aged 10 or older)
3:30pm (BPL Community Room) - Self-Publishing and Small Press Panel (open to the public)
5:00-7:00pm - Reception at This House of Books (open to the public)
We hope to see you there!
We Are Proud to Partner with
This House of Books and The Billings Public Library to present the Rocky Mountain Kid Lit Festival 2025