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Writing the Rainbow: Crafting Picture Books With LGBTQIA+ Themes

Online 392 Boyds Mills Road, Milanville, PA

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 […]

$399

From Pencil or Paint to Pixel: A Two-Night Mini for Beginning Illustrators

Online 392 Boyds Mills Road, Milanville, PA

Overview A Two-Night Mini Online Course Beginning illustrators can join children’s book author/illustrator Courtney Pippin-Mathur to talk about approaches to using different media (traditional and/or digital) in your illustrations, and special guest Aram Kim for ten tips about submitting work to an art director (tradition and/or digital).  This program is a great fit if you’re looking for a short […]

$59

Picture Book Beginnings & Endings: A Two Night Mini

Online 392 Boyds Mills Road, Milanville, PA

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 […]

$59

Whole Novel Historical: A Virtual Course for Historical Novelists

Online 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.

$2199

Picture Book Essentials: A Two-Night Mini

Online 392 Boyds Mills Road, Milanville, PA

Overview A Two-Night Mini Online Course Everyone loves picture books! But writing stories that sell means going beyond a fun idea.  Join award-winning picture book author Darcy Pattison and author/illustrator Leslie Helakoski for this short course of two, 75-minute sessions offering limited interaction with the community, but loads of information. Tuesday, July 18, 2023 (7pm […]

$59

An Introduction to Engaging Kids with Podcasts

Online 392 Boyds Mills Road, Milanville, PA

Overview A Short Intensive Online Course Thinking about starting a podcast for kids, but don’t know where to start? Join librarian, writer, and podcast innovator Matthew Winner to find the heart of your podcast for kids. This online intensive workshop will include presentations, small group discussions, a Q & A gathering, and more! Live Lectures (with closed […]

$299

From Idea & Sketch to Dummy & Submission: An Author/Illustrator Online Course

Online 392 Boyds Mills Road, Milanville, PA

Overview Multi-Week Online Course If you are illustrating AND writing your own book, and wondering how to prepare your dummy for submission, this is the course for you. You will focus on the craft of writing and illustrating a picture book with an intense level of feedback. Participants who complete all assignments should be able […]

$599

Shape Your Story: A 6-Week Novel Intensive with Author & Agent Linda Epstein (Fall)

Online 392 Boyds Mills Road, Milanville, PA

Overview A Six-Week Online Course with Pre-recorded Lectures, and Live Discussion/Q & A/Writing Exercises Mold your middle grade or young adult novel into the story only you can tell, with senior literary agent and writer Linda Epstein. Pre-recorded lectures released on Fridays (August 11, 25; September 1, 8, 15, 22) Live sessions via Zoom (with discussion/Q […]

$699

Just Do It! Your Collaborative Support Group for Finishing Your Draft (Fall)

Online 392 Boyds Mills Road, Milanville, PA

Overview A 3-Part Online Cooperative This supportive program takes all writers (nonfiction or fiction, picture books, novels, essays, and more) from goal-stating to finished drafts.  Together, we’ll move through live sessions, writing prompts, daily inspirations, check-ins, and feedback with Sarah Aronson, Chris Tebbetts, and special guests Diana Ma and Meera Trehan. This is an online course in three parts: Part […]

$399

Line Editing Your MG or YA Novel: An Online Course (Fall)

Online 392 Boyds Mills Road, Milanville, PA

Overview Multi-Week Online Course Join novelist Jennifer Gennari for this six-week online course to build the skills needed to revise and enrich your novel. The course features live sessions with faculty, structured assignments, community interaction, and goal-setting. Live Lectures (with closed captioning) Wednesdays at 7-8pm EST (September 27, October 4, October 11, 18, 25, and […]

$599

Revising Your Novel in Verse: An Online Course

Online 392 Boyds Mills Road, Milanville, PA

Overview A 3-Part Online Course The verse novel is an art all its own—sculpted through story and the act of revision. If you’ve done the hard work of drafting your novel in verse and are now ready to immerse yourself in revisions, we invite you to join Cordelia Jensen for this three-part program. We are thrilled to […]

$599

The Crash Course in Children’s Book Publishing (Fall)

Online 392 Boyds Mills Road, Milanville, PA

Overview Multi-Week Online Course Join lead faculty Harold Underdown and special guests for a Crash Course in Children's Publishing. At the end of the course, you will understand how the children’s book publishing industry works, including submitting, publishing, marketing a book for children, teens, or young adults, and beginning ideas about craft and critique. 10 weeks […]

$499

From Scripts to Panels: An Introduction to Graphic Novels

Online 392 Boyds Mills Road, Milanville, PA

Overview A Short Intensive Online Course Wondering where and how to start your graphic novel? Do you need to be an author/illustrator? Do images come first, or a script? Join storytellers Jacqueline Barnes and Kayden Phoenix with special guest agent Janna Morishima to discover ways to bring your idea for a graphic novel to the page. This online intensive […]

$399

Becoming a Nonfiction Writer: A 3-Part Online Course

Online 392 Boyds Mills Road, Milanville, PA

Overview A 3-Part Online Course You are ready to begin your work in writing nonfiction for children and teens.  But where should you start? Join celebrated authors Jennifer Swanson and Teresa Robeson and special guest editor Eileen Robinson to open yourself to the wonderful world of nonfiction books. This course has 3 parts: two back-to-back weekends (Thursday evening, Friday evening, and […]

$599

Workshops for Writers & Illustrators

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

New to the Highlights Foundation? Try these:

The Crash Course | 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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