Overview A One-Night Mini Online Course Writers fill their wells with stories: stories from the everyday happenings around them, and stories from fellow writers. Middle grade author Eric Bell asks, "Do you read like a writer?" We invite beginning writers to join Eric for a fun, webinar-style class on ways to improve your writing through […]
Overview Multi-Week Online Course Characters are the foundation for every aspect of your story. They’re also the vehicle through which readers will connect with your story. Use this course to deepen your understanding of your characters in picture books through novels to unlock secrets and make decisions about point of view, plot, pacing and more. […]
Overview A Two-Night Mini Online Course 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. Tuesday, March 14 (7pm – 8:15pm EST) Thursday, March 16 (7pm – 8:15pm EST) Webinar-style program with closed captioning available and limited interaction in the […]
Overview In-person 4-Day/3-Night Workshop and Retreat Join editor and writer Sunita Apte (Reycraft Books/Benchmark) and award-winning, bestselling authors Emily Jenkins and Elise Broach for this writing retreat focused on creating funny and emotionally satisfying picture books. There will be three opportunities for feedback, and ample private retreat time so that you can write, wander, and […]
Learn the tools and strategies writers need to dig into research with confidence.
Overview A 4-day Online Intensive with Lectures, Discussion, Discovery, & Read Alouds This workshop is designed to bring LGBTQIA+ creators and allies together to craft picture books with clear LGBTQIA+ themes. You will learn to create books that celebrate joy, respect, and appreciation for children in today’s world, showing beauty and strength in our rainbow […]
Overview A Two-Night Mini Online Course Picture book writers must make the most out of each and every word. Bringing readers into your story is just as important as the impact you leave them with at the end. Join picture book author Valerie Bolling to open the book on picture book beginnings and endings. This program is a […]
Overview A Two-Part Intensive Online Course Whether you’re writing fiction or nonfiction, focus your research with this two-weekend online intensive. Join Stephanie Gibeault, Jolene Gutiérrez, Anita Yasuda and special guests agent/author Jacqui Lipton and editor/author Feather Flores for interactive lectures, discussions, Q&A with an editor and agent, a 1:1 consultation, and resources for all writers. Live Presentations via Zoom (with […]
Overview A 3-Part Online Course Join editors Harold Underdown and Eileen Robinson for this 3-part online course that offers the skills and space you need to revise, rebuild, and enliven your story. You’ll make real progress in weekly online sessions + a 1:1 consultation with faculty (Part 1), faculty-supported independent revision planning (Part 2), and a culminating virtual […]
Overview A Two-Part Mini Online Course Join author Aminah Mae Safi and editor Kat Brzozowski to explore a Voice that is uniquely your own. A Voice that comes from within— inner conflicts, outside pressures, personal values, experiences, identity, and so much more. This program is a great fit if you’re looking for a short course of […]
Overview A Two-Night Mini Online Course First pages offer a promise to our readers. No matter the genre, no matter the form—a first page is an invitation to your entire book. Join young adult author Laura Sibson and agent Leslie Zampetti for this short course to understand the promise in a powerful first page. Tuesday, […]
Overview Application-Based Online Program for Muslim Storytellers This application-based, in-community program has been created to invite new Muslim voices into the children’s book industry through a multi-week, online course. This program is funded by a grant from the Doris Duke Foundation through its Building Bridges Program. The Building Bridges Program supports national efforts, working with […]
Overview A 5-Week Online Course with Pre-recorded & Written Lectures, Writing Exercises, and Live Discussion/Q&A From A is for ARCHETYPES to Z is for ZONE, this 5-week online course with Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen features engaging pre-recorded and written lessons with character-focused writing exercises. You'll meet weekly for live sessions with Q&A that will help you explore every aspect […]
Overview In-person 4-Day/3-Night, In-Community Retreat This in-community retreat is designed to bring to LGBTQIA+ creatives together. It is an informally structured retreat where the focus is on your own projects with room to celebrate and cultivate the joys of this community! Hosts Jas Hammonds and Rob Costello will lead informal evening activities. Special guest Antonio […]
Overview In-person 4-Day/3-Night, In-Community Retreat This in-community retreat is designed to bring to Jewish creatives together. Days are for your personal projects and to connect with fellow Jewish writers and illustrators who care about creating authentic books for children and teens. This is an in-person retreat for Jewish creatives who currently (or wish to) write […]
Overview A Two-Night Mini Online Course Poetry has the power to give voice to our inner stories. Whether we are looking to engage in our memories, our grief, our joys, and/or our traumas, verse can unblock the flow to access and empower our words. Join award-winning authors Padma Venkatraman and Aida Salazar for this short course […]
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 Picture book writers must make the most out of each and every word. Bringing readers into your story is just as important as the impact you leave them with at the end. Join award-winning picture book author Valerie Bolling to open the book on picture book beginnings and endings. This program […]
Overview A Two-Night Mini Online Course Board books, novelty books, and concept books bring the world to the youngest minds. ABCs, counting, shapes, sizes, opposites, and so much more, these important books weave together language and visuals to engage caregivers and children in the book, the world, and one another. Join author/illustrators Merrill Rainey and […]
Overview A Two-Night Mini Online Course New readers love to laugh! When we consider crafting humor for picture books, early readers, and chapter books, it's important to learn the "why," to help your story connect and resonate with this age group. But then how do you find the right level of funny? How do you […]
Join us for a Q&A webinar about attending in-person programs at the Highlights Foundation in 2024. It's a great session to attend if you've never been to a program on our campus before and would like to learn more about what to expect, or if you have questions about which options might be right for […]
Overview In-person 4-Day/3-Night Working Retreat Join the creative duo of Denise Fleming and Ashley Wolff for time to create and connect. Denise and Ashley will be joined by special guests Merrill Rainey and Retreat Assistant Rofa Shuhratzoda. This Working Retreat is lightly structured with one lecture each day, generative activities, optional consultations with faculty, and […]
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 A Two-Night Mini Online Course Picture books can be filled with Pride! Join celebrated authors Lesléa Newman and Rob Sanders for this short course designed to bring LGBTQIA2S+ creators and their allies together to study the craft of picture books, and build confidence to create picture books with LGBTQIA2S+ characters and/or themes. The two […]
Overview A Two-Night Mini Online Course Secondary characters play a vital role in storytelling, enriching the narrative in ways that are often overlooked. While protagonists drive the plot forward and capture our attention, secondary characters provide depth, complexity, and nuance to the fictional world. Join author Sarah Aronson to explore one of her favorite topics: The […]
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 In-person 4-Day/3-Night Working Retreat Join celebrated poets Charles Waters, Irene Latham, and their guests for time to create and connect during this Working Retreat. We invite writers with a passion for solo poetry collections, poetry anthologies, stand alone poems, and more for an immersive experience where productivity meets inspiration! A Working Retreat is lightly structured […]
Overview A Two-Night Mini Online Course Join editor Emma D. Dryden for an intensive look at world-building from the inside, out. This program is a great fit if you’re looking for a short course of two, 75-minute sessions offering limited interaction with the community, and loads of information. Tuesday, August 20 (7pm – 8:15pm Eastern) […]
Overview In-person 5-Day/4-Night Working Retreat This retreat for experienced authors and illustrators has been thoughtfully crafted to share, grow, and cultivate creativity when you've been working in the industry for a long time. Come retreat in-company with your peers about your career, challenges, deadlines, upcoming projects, and new dreams. This Working Retreat is lightly structured […]
Overview A Two-Night Mini Online Course As literary stewards we know that Social and Emotional themes are important in KidLit. As humanitarians, we know that what impacts one human, impacts all. As children's book writers, how do we navigate the space between the human story and emotional themes with care and hope? How do we […]
Overview A Two-Night Mini Online Course Creative thinking and storytelling go together like, well, Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen and Mike Ciccotello! This dynamic duo of real-life brainstorming partners will showcase the many ways you can brainstorm characters and concepts for picture books, getting you from stuck-->idea-->outline (or first draft!) more quickly. This program is a great fit […]
Overview A Two-Night Mini Online Course Research is the backbone of nonfiction. It also adds depth, detail, and accuracy to fiction. Join authors Stephanie Gibeault, Jolene Gutiérrez, and Anita Yasuda as they share the tools and strategies writers need to dig into research with confidence. This program is a great fit if you’re looking for a short course […]
Overview A Two-Night Mini Online Course Picture books can follow a plot that depends heavily on the emotional shift from the beginning to the end of the story. That leaves writers with a lot of work to do on the middle! Join award-winning author Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow to unpack ways to develop the middle of your […]
Overview A Two-Night Mini Online Course Have you ever searched the internet for "picture book word count," and found advice that conflicts even with itself—offering more exceptions than it does rules? Have you gotten feedback from editors or agents that your picture book manuscript is "too long for today's market"—but you're not sure exactly what […]
Overview A Two-Night Mini Online Course Join prolific picture book author Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen for this short course to advance your picture book manuscript. Learn how you can increase emotional resonance and foster connection with your readers by revising elements like plot, pacing, character, and more. This program is a great fit if you’re looking for a short […]
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-Night Mini Online Course Picture book journeys aren’t one size fits all, and that’s a good thing! Join children’s book author Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen and literary agent Rachel Orr to celebrate alternative approaches to picture book structures. This program is a great fit if you’re looking for a short course of two, 75-minute sessions […]
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 An Online Course with Pre-recorded & Written Lectures, Writing Exercises, and Live Discussions with Q&A Are you ready to do a deep, deep dive into picture book structure? This online course with Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen features pre-recorded and/or written lectures, along with assignments for each letter of the "Picture Book Alphabet," plus weekly LIVE Zoom […]
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 […]
Overview In-person 4-Day/3-Night Working Retreat Picture books speak to young readers like nothing else. Whether you are writing fiction or nonfiction; lyrical, humorous, serious, or anything in between, this retreat is meant for you. Join fiction and nonfiction picture book authors Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen and Rob Sanders along with their guest Kaz Windness to immerse yourself in […]
Overview A Two-Night Mini Online Course To rhyme or not to rhyme… a question that fills the picture book writer’s mind! Join Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen and Anne Marie Pace for this two-night mini to gain beginning knowledge about rhyming picture books in today's market. This program is a great fit if you’re looking for a short course of two, […]
Overview A Two-Night Mini Online Course Reconnecting with inspiration and creativity can be a challenge for all storytellers, especially in difficult times. Join author and teacher Laurie Calkhoven for this short course with the goal of using meditation to recommit and reconnect with your muse. There will be mini-presentations on character and plot, along with strategies […]
