Level Up!

THE PIECE BY PIECE OF REVISION ⭐ We writers sometimes cringe at the ‘R’ word. Rejection? No. The other ‘R’ word: REVISION. With over a dozen traditionally published picture books, author Stephanie Shaw is well-acquainted with the revision process. And it starts with being sure the manuscript is Revision-Ready. Join Stephanie as she talks through all the steps leading to revising a pb manuscript. What’s the difference between ‘editing’ and ‘revising’? How do we use multiple critiques and suggestions without creating a ‘Frankenstory’? When does a story actually need revising? When do we push back on an editor’s suggestions or should we? This Level Up is for brave beginners and intrepid intermediates and anyone who has been tied up in knots about revision. ⭐ An Oregon native, Stephanie completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Education at Oregon State University and her Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology at Lewis and Clark College. Her career has included being a teacher of children with severe emotional disabilities, school counseling and school administration. As a picture book author, Stephanie loves getting first dibs on the very youngest of readers. Her books range from quiet to quirky, poetry to prose, each with the goal of driving parents crazy with little ones’ demands to hear the story again (and again and again). A member of SCBWI since 2008, she may be known best for dubbing the writing world “The Bi-Polar Express” for the depths of self-doubt and the peaks of reward through which authors and illustrators travel. Stephanie makes her home in the beautiful wine country of McMinnville with her husband and her dog Milo. ⭐ Registration closes December 2nd. (This webinar will be recorded and available to view for one month for registered attendees.)

GRAPHIC NOVELS 101 ⭐ This will be a jam-packed introduction to the world of children’s graphic novels. We'll discuss topics like: How are graphic novels different from picture books? What’s the difference between “comics” and “graphic novels”? Why are graphic novels so popular? What’s selling particularly well in the category right now? What do you need to include in an effective graphic novel submission? How do you format a graphic novel script? What are agents and editors looking for? Who are the major players in kids graphic novels? Which publishers are doing what, and where might the industry go in the future? ⭐ Janna Morishima is a literary agent specializing in graphic novels and visual storytelling. She is also the founder of Kids Comics Unite, an online community and learning platform for graphic novel writers and artists. Janna started her career at Scholastic, where she was a co-founder of the Graphix imprint and worked with comics creators like Raina Telgemeier, Jeff Smith, and Kazu Kubuishi. Later, she was the director of the Kids Group for Diamond Book Distributors, and launched a city-wide literacy initiative for the NYC Department of Education. She currently represents a range of creators through her agency, Janna Co., including Misako Rocks, Shauna Grant, Andi Watson, Claudia Rueda, Debbie Fong, and Rivkah LaFille, among others. ⭐ Janna also is offering a submission opportunity for one month following the event for author/illustrators only ~ until February 12, 2025. ⭐ Registration closes January 8th. (This webinar will be recorded and available to view for one month for registered attendees.)