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Writing for Beginning Readers: First Chapter Books and Early Readers

Highlights Foundation Campus 392 Boyds Mills Road, Milanville, PA

Overview In-person 4-Day/3-Night Workshop and Retreat Do you want to bring joy and confidence to kids who are picking up a book on their own for the very first time?  Whether fiction or nonfiction, learn how to bring your stories to life for these beginning readers. This is an in-person workshop at our Retreat Center with presentations, […]

$1299

Making Magic: Writing and Refining Fantastical and Otherworldly Stories

Highlights Foundation Campus 392 Boyds Mills Road, Milanville, PA

Overview In-person 4-Day/3-Night Workshop and Retreat Deepen the magic in your middle grade or young adult novel with novelists Anna-Marie McLemore and Nova Ren Suma.  In this generative writing workshop, you’ll enjoy in-depth craft lectures from experienced faculty authors, small group workshopping, 1:1 faculty consultations, and ample private time to retreat so that you can write, wander, and […]

$1299

Craft & Heart of Writing Poetry for Children

Highlights Foundation Campus 392 Boyds Mills Road, Milanville, PA

Overview In-person 5-Day/4-Night Workshop and Retreat If writing poetry for children is your passion, join celebrated poets Georgia Heard and Rebecca Kai Dotlich for this 5-day/4-night retreat to work on your own poetry through guided writing exercises, peer workshopping and sharing, lectures, and a private consultation. We also include ample private retreat time so that you can write, wander, and connect […]

$1399

Latinx Voices: An In-Community Retreat

Highlights Foundation Campus 392 Boyds Mills Road, Milanville, PA

Overview In-person 4-Day/3-Night, In-Community Retreat This in-community retreat is for writers and illustrators from the Latinx Diaspora. It is an informally structured retreat where the focus is on your own projects, plus a celebration of community, sharing ways to amplify and support Latinx voices. This is an in-person retreat for Latinx creatives who currently (or […]

$799

Rainbow Retreat: An In-Community Experience for Creatives

Highlights Foundation Campus 392 Boyds Mills Road, Milanville, PA

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 […]

$799

Whole Novel Workshop: An In-Person Retreat for Novelists (November)

Highlights Foundation Campus 392 Boyds Mills Road, Milanville, PA

The Highlights Foundation Whole Novel Workshop offers writers the rare opportunity to have the entire draft (up to 80,000 words) of a novel read by faculty, with detailed written feedback and a private consultation provided. This Whole Novel Workshop is specifically designed for writers of novels for children and teens.

$2799

2023 Jewish Symposium: Writing Jewish Novels, Finding Jewish Joy

Highlights Foundation Campus 392 Boyds Mills Road, Milanville, PA

An In-Community Experience for Jewish Creatives This 4-Day/3-Night in-community symposium engages in the rich and important discussions of what it means to grow as Jewish writers, tending to our Jewish joy with care, intention, and faith. This is an in-person symposium for Jewish storytellers and professionals in the children's book industry, with inspiring and engaging […]

$1199

Workshops for Writers & Illustrators

> Online
> In-Person
> On-Demand (Self-Paced Online)

New to the Highlights Foundation? Try these:

About Children's Publishing | The Whole Novel Workshop | Summer Camp

Questions?

Need help deciding on a workshop?  Ask an ambassador!

Visiting Our Campus

Our campus (The Barn at Boyds Mills) is tucked away in the foothills of the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania.  It's a few hours from both New York City and Philadelphia, but worlds away from everyday life.

Line drawing of the Barn at Boyds Mills

Our Mission in Action

Scholarships
Equity & Inclusion in Kidlit
Sustainability

The Highlights Foundation positively impacts children by amplifying the voices of storytellers who inform, educate, and inspire children to become their best selves.  Learn more about our impact.

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