What You’ll Learn

• Through presentations, hands-on workshops, one-on-one manuscript critiques, ample writing time, and sessions with acquiring editors, this workshop will give you the tools and insights you need to advance on your path to success.
• Plenty of time for writing, revising and networking.
• Ideas: How to generate, evaluate, and shape them to engage and attract agents and editors.
• Hands-on: Creating proposals, researching content and photos/images, and the big picture on NGSS/Common Core.
• Writing: Formats and genres, including science-inspired fiction, narrative nonfiction, expository nonfiction, concept books, poetry, and everything in between.
• Craft: Work with experts to improve the accuracy and depth of your writing; draw on your research to write cohesive, energetic, nonfiction and fiction books, articles, or other science-based works for picture book, middle grade, or young adult age categories.
• Attendees will be able to submit to all editors participating in the workshop.

Who Should Attend

This course is for beginning, intermediate or advanced authors or author/illustrators who:

• Want to learn the dynamics of engaging fiction and nonfiction science-based writing for children and teens.
• Would benefit from receiving multiple feedback perspectives from faculty.
• Would like to meet with editors and have an opportunity to submit to them.
• Want to find out about new markets for their writing or illustration.

Agenda

Presentations include:

• STEAMing into Fiction and Nonfiction: Finding exciting and timely topics that will knock the socks off your agent or editor. Targeting the right age group for your content: different formats for nonfiction STEM writing and what works for younger versus older readers.
• Nuts and Bolts of Submitting: Polishing the dreaded cover letter, preparing a proposal, finding photos, and figuring out where to send your work.
• Analyzing a scene–what it is and what it’s not…i.e. A scene is a microcosm of a novel. if you can write a scene you can write a chapter. If you can write a chapter, you can write a book.
• Building out science-based content for middle grade and YA readers (nonfiction and fiction).
• Getting Creative: “Play” Before “Work”–A look at IDEAS and trying new formats.
• Character-Based, Narrative Writing: Telling engaging fiction science-related stories.
• Concept Picture Books: Conveying information without a traditional plot or characters.
• All About Back Matter: How to add in-depth back matter to make your fiction or nonfiction book come alive.
• The Importance of Narrative Nonfiction, or, How to Trick Children into learning about Science
  Getting Creative–Action Rhymes, Poetry, & Short Formats: Learning how to blend science topics into engaging, short formats for younger readers or listeners (age 8 and under) through reading/performing.
• An exploration of magazine and online publishing opportunities.
• Concept Picture Books: write engaging science books that aren’t necessarily “story” books with characters. A look at creative nonfiction picture books, and discovering ways to balance the concepts, facts, and illustration with text that accompanies a 32-page picture book format. We will also explore “back matter” and what kinds of information might be good to include along with a concept picture book submission or pitch.
• Educational vs. Trade Publishing Panel: The difference between and Educational to Trade.
• From Submission to Shelf: The process of creating a picture book.
• Researching your Nonfiction book: Writing a proposal, photos, and speaking with experts.
• Fictional Characters, Nonfiction Content: narrative science-based picture books. From picture book biographies of scientists to fictional series such as The Magic School Bus, join us for a study of narrative science-based picture books and chapter books.

Interactive sessions:

• One-on-One Manuscript Consultations and Critiques
• Nature Walk–Notice the Science All Around You
• Science Trivia and Board Games Fireside (S’mores Science)
• Skype sessions with editors (who will accept submissions)
• Q & A Panels

Resources

Jennifer Swanson: Setting a Scene with a STEM Book
Miranda Paul: Making Science Fun (or Funny)
Jennifer Swanson: Science Writing…It’s Not Just for Nonfiction
Miranda Paul: The Intersection of Science & Social Studies: Can Creative Combinations Enhance Your Writing?
Jennifer Swanson: STEAM-ing Into Nonfiction
Jennifer Swanson: 3 Myths About Why Writing Science Books for Kids is Hard
Carol Hinz: Elements of Excellent Science Books

Testimonials

“All the faculty, especially Miranda Paul and Jennifer Swanson, were fantastic! They were warm, fun, and knowledgeable. They all seemed to take a personal interest in helping us further our career and were always accessible.”

“It could not have been better, no way, no how. I was amazed and mesmerized and my brain almost exploded (in a good way)! Why did I wait so long? Glad I found out about these workshops!”

“Miranda Paul and Jennifer Swanson were thoroughly prepared, worked hard on their presentations, and were so nurturing of all the writers there. The whole workshop was very well thought-out. You could tell that the session leaders had spent a great deal of time preparing for the week.”

“I appreciated having two authors who do very different types of writing – as well as four editors (the Skype conferences, though short, were very good) and an agent.”

“Their willingness to critique participant manuscripts is invaluable. Miranda Paul was exceptional in her ability to not only point out flaws, but to help steer a writer toward re-envisioning a better product.”