Intimate and inspiring workshops for children's authors and illustrators.
877-288-3410
Intimate and inspiring workshops for children's authors and illustrators.
Please note: this course is full. Please click here to be placed on our waiting list. Join Us To: Prepare for the publication of your first book with this 16-week online workshop. Hear from publishing professionals, get downloadable resources, and ask questions in a supportive forum. Complete monthly assignments to reach your goal of a […]
Please note: this course is full. Please click here to be placed on our waiting list. Join Us To: Deepen your understanding of the pillars of a novel, and apply your knowledge as you workshop your own novel. Receive an in-depth critique of up to 50 pages (plus additional roundtable critiques) to get it ready […]
Join Us To: Get a comprehensive look at how the children’s book publishing industry works. Gain an understanding of the writing, revising, submitting, publishing, and marketing of a children’s or YA trade book. Learn details about the editorial development process, including what to do once you have a finished book. Receive a customized consultation from […]
Please note: this course is full. Please click here to be placed on our waiting list. Join Us To: Move your novel to the next level working one-to-one with editor Patricia Lee Gauch. What You'll Learn: Writing a novel is, like many of life’s challenges, a journey, through ideas, through beginnings and middles and ends. […]
Join Us To: Find ways to grow your craft, sharpen your voice, and expand your poetic and creative boundaries. Participate in guided workshops, intended to ignite your inner muse through discussion, lecture, and generative writing exercises. Replenish and restore with this creative retreat. What You'll Learn: As writers of books for children and teens, we […]
Join Us To: Learn the process of creating funny and/or emotionally satisfying picture books. Get feedback on two manuscripts: a one-to-one with a faculty member for the first and a group critique for the second. Hear presentations and do hands-on activities to prepare for submission. Learn craft tips: establishing your voice, accessing your inner comedian, […]
Join Us To: Engage children in the lives of others through captivating events and compelling narrative threads. Learn how to carve a storyline through your research that will fascinate and be accurate. Use the tools of the fiction writer to build character, explore theme, and shape a gripping informational story. Submit a chapter of your […]
A special workshop with Anna-Marie McLemore and Nova Ren Suma. Join Us To: Deepen the magic in your middle grade or young adult novel with this generative writing workshop. Hear in-depth craft lectures from experienced faculty authors. Generate new writing with writing exercises and prompts. Meet one-to-one with a faculty mentor to discuss your writing […]
Please note: this course is full. Please click here to be placed on our waiting list. Or please consider joining us for the Writing Retreat for Jewish Kidlit Authors in October. Join Us To: Explore where Jewish novelists fit in the business of writing for children and teens: What stories do today’s children need from […]
Join Us To: Play in paint, explore collage, and dive into textiles during this hands-on art retreat. Work alongside two experienced picture book author/illustrators to get a glimpse into their creative process. Use art as a springboard to make other creative leaps. Explore new techniques that can be used in illustration and/or in other creative […]
Join Us To: Work with two agents in hands-on sessions that will help you prepare your pitch, synopsis, and bio for the submission process. Through one-to-one manuscript critiques of ten page samples and synopses, identify weaknesses in your manuscript that must be addressed before you submit. Ensure that the premise of your story will make […]
Join Us To: Have the entire draft of your fantasy or speculative fiction novel read and critiqued prior to the workshop. Have a one-to-one meeting with your mentor to further discuss your manuscript and map out a revision plan. Hear lectures on craft and the marketplace. Make connections with fellow writers. Have free time to […]
Join Us To: Explore, revise, and polish your work-in-progress. Learn tools to strengthen your novel, with a focus on character development, plotting and outlining, revision, journaling, and improvisation/play. Receive a one-to-one critique with faculty for feedback and an individual "ask the editor" meeting with our guest editor. What You'll Learn: Two seasoned authors of middle […]
Join Us To: Create and deliver an impressive school visit with our faculty by your side. Learn how to take what you’ve written or illustrated and turn it into an attention-grabbing presentation for kids. Get strategies for creating and delivering engaging talks, information on developing materials for teachers and students, and guidelines for developing other […]
Join Us To: Brainstorm how you can cultivate creativity when you've been working in the industry for a long time. Talk about your careers, challenges, deadlines, and upcoming projects with your peers. Share the ways you wish to push the boundaries of your work. Please note that this workshop is for a limited number of published […]
Join Us To: Discover what makes a novel in verse successful. Generate pieces to add to or begin your novel. Finish or revise your novel in verse with mentor help. Have a one-to-one critique of 25 pages of your work-in-progress. What You'll Learn: A verse novel must play at the intersection of blank space and language. At […]
Join Us To: Understand the unique needs of books for children who are beginning to read independently, and discover what makes these books successful. Find out the differences between picture books, early readers, and transitional chapter books. Learn about the market and how to find the right publishing home for your work. Get one-to-one critiques […]
Join Us To: Discover how to craft a chapter book series that stands out and sells well. Learn how to make your series familiar and relatable. Learn what editors are looking for in a chapter book series. Find out how to submit a chapter book series to editors and agents. Get a one-to-one feedback on […]
Join Us To: Dig deep to dissect and understand current picture book bestsellers to find the best way to tell your story. Study picture book craft, format and components: character, plot, rhyme, audience and more. Get one-to-one critiques with all faculty and hear editor feedback from an acquiring editor. What You'll Learn: Everyone loves picture […]
Join Us To: Understand the guidelines for submitting to educational publishers. Learn techniques for meeting specs, leveling text, and producing submission packages. Receive one-to-one consultations with faculty and interact with editors at educational publishing companies. What You'll Learn: Would you like to have editors actually contacting you and asking you to write for them? Welcome […]
Join Us To: Build on your understanding of youth literature as you pursue equity in your communities, classrooms, and on the bookshelf. This workshop will inform attendees’ ability to engage with children’s literature in ways that disrupt the status quo. Continue the “Essential Conversations” we began at last year’s Building Cultural Competency Symposium (attendance at […]
Join Us To: Get daily feedback from your faculty mentor on manuscripts, ideas, and revisions. Hear daily faculty keynotes for learning and encouragement. Receive guidance on the submission process, including query-writing basics and overviews of the current children’s book market. Attend hands-on breakout sessions on topics of your choosing. Devote time to working on your […]
Join Us To: Get daily feedback from your faculty mentor on manuscripts, ideas, and revisions. Explore factual writing through a range of topics, including nonfiction voice, biography, memoir, nature writing, science writing, and narrative nonfiction. Receive guidance on how to submit nonfiction manuscripts to the publishers who want to see them. Engage in hands-on sessions […]
Join Us To: Immerse yourself in illustration techniques. Gain tools for storytelling. Explore the children's book market with authors, illustrators, and art directors currently in the field. Enjoy the camaraderie of fellow artists. Get your portfolio and/or dummy reviewed by a faculty mentor. What You'll Learn: You'll create: Learn new illustration techniques. Find and advance […]
Join Us To: Study the craft of writing powerful books and articles about science and nature for young readers. Learn how to submit both fiction and nonfiction science and nature work to editors and agents. Have one-to-one critiques from faculty mentors, and have a chance to submit work to all editors participating in this workshop. […]
Join Us To: Get feedback to improve the structure and marketability of your full-length poetry manuscript. Receive one-to-one critique from faculty. Learn how to perform and present poetry in ways that educators are looking for when booking poets for school visits. What You'll Learn: With mentor help, examine your manuscript with a look at organization, […]
Join Us To: Learn revision strategies to help you find problems in your picture book, chapter book, novel, or narrative nonfiction manuscript. Listen to feedback that might reveal problems of which you were not aware. Spend time putting the strategies to work and strengthening your manuscript in preparation for submission. Learn the value of critique […]
Join Us To: Find out what it takes to become a successful picture book author. Study the craft of writing picture books: scene, structure, characters. Learn the business: from submission to school visits, and everything in between. Get multiple feedback perspectives on your work, including a one-to-one faculty critique. Engage in lessons with a nonfiction […]
Join Us To: Have the entire draft of your novel read and critiqued prior to the workshop. Have one-to-one meetings with your mentor to further discuss your manuscript and map out a revision plan. Hear lectures on craft and the marketplace. Make connections with fellow writers. Have dedicated time to write or revise. What You'll Learn: […]
Join Us To: Explore the elements of storytelling through drawing, experimentation, and problem solving with picture making materials. Craft your own artistic style with leading industry professionals illustrators Anna Raff, James Ransome, and their special guests during an intensive weekend of in-depth one-to-one critiques, and discovery to expand your illustration practice. Please note that this […]
Join Us To: Take a look at what it means, holistically, to be a picture book creator. Open up what it means to tell a story. Find out how to inspire your creativity and get your stories flowing. Play! Generate words! Receive a written critique of your picture book manuscript or picture book dummy. What […]
Join Us To: Explore where LGBTQIA+ topics, heroes, characters and experiences fit in the business of writing middle grade and young adult novels. Hear panel discussions with publishing industry professionals. Enjoy free time to write and revise in this retreat-focused course. Sign up for optional one-to-one consultations with faculty. What You'll Learn: Understand the needs […]
Join Us To: Explore, revise and polish your middle grade sci-fi work-in-progress. Learn how to approach the genre for the middle grade audience and how to navigate the intricacies of introducing young readers to science fiction. Receive one-on-one synopsis consultation with a faculty mentor. Hear lectures from faculty that help you get past plot, theme, […]
Join Us To: Explore the Latinx experience in children's book writing and publishing: What stories do today’s children need from Latinx book creators and about Latinx people? What stories speak to our varied experiences? How can we diversify the existing body of Latinx children’s literature? What You'll Learn: Hear a series of faculty lectures, where […]
Join Us To: Explore using memorable characters, loads of heart, and a healthy dollop of humor to create contemporary novels. Discover the plot points needed to lead your readers to the heart of your sweet & sophisticated story. Learn how to create a compelling first chapter. Craft a realistic voice for your protagonist. Hone in […]
Join Us To: Have the entire draft of your fantasy or speculative fiction novel read and critiqued prior to the workshop. Have a one-on-one meeting with your mentor to further discuss your manuscript and map out a revision plan. Hear lectures on craft and the marketplace. Make connections with fellow writers. Have time to write […]
Join Us To: Prepare your manuscript for submission under the guidance of renowned editor Emma Dryden. Learn proven techniques for editing and revising your manuscript, and have time to put the techniques into practice. Deepen your understanding of the fundamentals of writing for children. What You'll Learn: At this workshop, you will: Learn and practice […]
Join Us To: Grow as a writer while honoring your illustration background. Discover the interplay of words and pictures. Work on the craft of writing: story arcs; beginnings and endings; character; and manuscript pacing and page turns. Receive one-to-one faculty feedback on your work. What You'll Learn: Topics include: What it means to be doing […]
Join Us To: Immerse yourself in writing poetry and working on your craft. Share your passion for poetry with peers and published poets in an intimate setting. Complete writing exercises to inspire new poems. Learn about the elements of poetry, from word choice to metaphor. Make new friends! What You'll Learn: In this course, we […]
Join Us To: Get feedback on up to 50 pages of your novel draft (line comments and an editorial letter.) Have a one-to-one faculty critique session. Hear from a guest editor about what they're looking for. Hear presentations on craft and the market. What You'll Learn: Lead faculty for this course are two experienced authors […]
Join Us To: Enjoy a working poet’s retreat in the woods. Have the time and space to focus on your individual writing in a nurturing environment. Foster your creativity and generate new poems with guided poetry prompts. Work on poems-in-progress with roundtable readings and group feedback. What You'll Learn: Less structured than a traditional workshop, […]
Join Us To: Study the craft of writing concept books: working with the patterns you create and the language you select to create highly visual books with tightly limited language. Explore the interplay between being visual for the child and also giving the adult the best language for reading the story aloud. Explore the differences […]
Join Us To: Acquire the confidence and craft knowledge to take your novel from brilliant idea to completed draft, whether it's a novel in verse, genre hybrid, or story that starts at the end. Pop open the hoods of acclaimed experimental YA and middle grade novels to see what makes them run. Through lectures, group […]
Join Us To: Discover how you can strengthen your plot by using the techniques perfected by screenwriters. Build a high-concept story. Use new techniques to access your plot. Get one-to-one feedback on your work-in-progress. Work in peer groups to strengthen beats and storylines. What You'll Learn: Tips and tools used by screenwriters to uncover your plot. How to examine your […]
Join Us To: Study the craft of creating picture books that resonate with the real world of today's children. Learn how to find the stories of people and events that have changed, or will change the world. Learn the process of writing and researching nonfiction picture books and picture book biographies. Hear presentations and do hands-on […]
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THE HIGHLIGHTS FOUNDATION
392 Boyds Mills Road
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