Overview A Two-Night Mini Online Course Discovering the inner life of your story's main character can be hard work. Join award-winning authors Kekla Magoon and Laurie Calkhoven for this short course designed to help you get to know the inner secrets of your main characters. This deeper understanding will unlock new aspects of your story, […]
Overview A Two-Night Mini Online Course Writing about mental health is about both the impact for our readers, and the experience of our writers. How do we translate our lived experiences while keeping our youth audience centered? Join middle grade novelist Crystal Allen and young adult author and pediatric neuropsychologist Katie Keridan to consider what it […]
Overview A Two-Night Mini Online Course Picture books open the world of information to readers. Join children’s book author Heidi E.Y. Stemple and editor Eileen Robinson to explore the many ways to infuse emotion into your nonfiction picture book, and hook and inspire your readers. This program is a great fit if you’re looking for a short course […]
Overview In-person 4-Day/3-Night Working Retreat Join Kekla Magoon and Laurie Calkhoven for a retreat built to spark inspiration through meditation and creative play, and then give you time to harness that spark in your own projects. A “Working Retreat” is lightly structured with one lecture each day, generative activities, optional consultations with faculty, and plenty […]
Overview A 4-Week Online Course Each novel begins with a new idea, a new page, a new chapter, and countless choices about character, plot, and pacing. This course is designed with those choices in mind. Work with celebrated novelists, Rajani LaRocca, Leah Henderson, and Chris Tebbetts to begin (or begin again) your novel in 2025. […]
Overview A Two-Night Mini Online Course Sometimes feedback whispers, “This book is too quiet.” But what does that really mean? And, is there a place in the market for a “quiet” book? Join award-winning author Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow to learn ways to embrace your “quiet” book, turning up the volume for your audiences. This program is […]
Overview A Two-Part Mini Online Course Today’s readers are desperate to learn the true and complex history of the world that they inhabit, and novels in verse provide a powerful vehicle to explore difficult periods of history. Join verse novelists Nadine Pinede and Kip Wilson to discover strategies for weaving history into the structure of a novel in […]
Overview A 3-Part Online Cooperative This supportive program takes all creatives (nonfiction or fiction, picture books, novels, essays, and more) from goal-stating to finished drafts. Together, we’ll move through live sessions, writing prompts, mindfulness guidance, studio dates, daily inspirations, check-ins, and feedback with Sarah Aronson, Chris Tebbetts, and Daria Peoples, and their special guests! This […]
Overview A Two-Night Mini Online Course Nonfiction picture books offer a unique way to present factual information in engaging and accessible ways for readers. Join celebrated nonfiction authors Mélina Mangal and Rob Sanders for this short course that connects writers to the endless possibilities for topics and forms in nonfiction picture books. This program is a great fit […]
Overview Multi-Week Online Course Join novelists Jennifer Gennari and Lisa Moore Ramée for a six-week online deep dive into revision, where you'll learn to enhance emotion, sharpen action, and refine your novel’s impact. Through live sessions, structured assignments, community support, and personalized feedback, you'll build the skills needed to enrich your novel. Live Lectures (with […]
Overview In-person 4-Day/3-Night Retreat + 3 Live Pre-Workshop Zoom Presentations Join celebrated editors Emma Dryden, Eileen Robinson, and Harold Underdown for a deep dive into strategies for revision and a chance to reimagine, enliven, and rebuild your picture books, novels, or nonfiction at the Highlights Foundation retreat center. This is an in-person retreat for writers […]
About the Program This 3-night/4-day retreat is designed to spark your creativity and foster connections with fellow storytellers. Join Valerie Bolling, Jas Hammonds, and fellow storytellers for this in-community retreat for Black writers and illustrators. With a loosely structured schedule, the Black Voices retreat allows you ample time and space to engage in writing, illustrating, […]
Overview A Two-Night Mini Online Course Whether you want to set up school visits, participate in literary festivals, and/or pitch your ideas to storyteller organizations, Alyssa Reynoso-Morris wants to help you “get the gig and get your bag.” Alyssa booked 67 events in 2023, making an extra $19,000 in income. In 2024, she booked 48 […]
Overview An Online Course with Live Presentations, Pre-recorded Lectures, Writing Exercises, and Q&A Are you ready to write nonfiction for teens and children, but don't know where to start? Join award-winning authors Jennifer Swanson and Christine Taylor-Butler for an in-depth exploration of the craft of nonfiction writing for young readers. With their guidance, you'll build […]
Overview A 4-Week Online Course Thinking about writing a picture book, but don’t know where to start? Already started a picture book and feeling stuck? Join author Nikki Shannon Smith to kickstart your picture book project, with an overview of picture book formats and structures, plus strategies for idea implementation, drafting, and revising. This four-week […]
