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Milanville, PA 18443 United States Get Directions
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Intro to Verse Novels: A Virtual Tour of Limitations and Liberations of Verse Novels

Online 392 Boyds Mills Road, Milanville, PA

Overview Multi-Week Online Course Join verse novelist Cordelia Jensen for a five-week online course to explore the fundamentals, celebrations, and challenges of writing novels in verse. You’ll be introduced to using this form to its utmost advantage, while taking into consideration the general foundations of storytelling. Live Lectures (with closed captioning) Tuesdays at 1 – 2:30pm EST (April 18, […]

$499
Just Do It

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

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

social media for illustrators

Getting Strategic About Social Media for Illustrators: A Two-Night Mini

Online 392 Boyds Mills Road, Milanville, PA

Overview A Two-Night Mini Online Course How do you build a social media following? Where should you focus your time to best connect with publishers and fellow artists? And is there a way to monetize your social activity? Join webcomic team Lisa Burdige and John Hazard to learn how illustrators can get the most out of their posts without […]

$59
Picture book essentials

Rhyming Picture Books: A Two-Night Mini

Online 392 Boyds Mills Road, Milanville, PA

Overview A Two-Night Mini Online Course Take a look at stories that sing with rhythm and rhyme, and learn how to accomplish the structure and skills needed in your own work with Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen and Anne Marie Pace. Tuesday, May 2, 2023 (7pm – 8:15pm Eastern) Thursday, May 4, 2023 (7pm – 8:15pm Eastern) Webinar-style program with closed […]

$59
Plotting over alphabet letters

Picture Book Plotting A – Z

Online 392 Boyds Mills Road, Milanville, PA

Overview An Online Course with Pre-recorded & Written Lectures, Writing Exercises, and Live Discussion/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 assignments for each letter of the “Picture Book Alphabet,” plus weekly LIVE Zoom sessions for all of your course related questions. Pre-recorded […]

$499
Photo of volume buttons

Turn Up the Volume on Quiet Picture Books: A Two-Night Mini

Online 392 Boyds Mills Road, Milanville, PA

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. Tuesday, May 16, 2023 (7pm […]

$59
The Crash Course Illustrator's Edition Featured Graphic. Yellow Book with Paint supplies.

The Crash Course in Children’s Book Publishing: Illustrator’s Edition

Online 392 Boyds Mills Road, Milanville, PA

Overview Multi-Week Online Course Join lead faculty Pat Cummings and Harold Underdown for this special Illustrator's Edition of our Crash Course in Children's Publishing. At the end of the course, you will understand how the children’s book publishing industry works for illustrators and author/illustrators, including ways to build your portfolio and engage with art-directors. 9 weeks […]

$499

Rainbow

Writing the Rainbow: An Online Intensive for Picture Book Storytellers

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
keyboard and paintbrushes

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
Whole Novel Workshop Featured Graphic

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

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

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 to Sketch

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
Blank Page with a pen on it.

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

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
pencil

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

Crash Course Featured Image - Yellow Book with "The Crash Course" over the cover.

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
Empty conversation bubble

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

Workshops for Writers & Illustrators

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> On-Demand (Self-Paced Online)

New to the Highlights Foundation? Try these:

The Crash Course | The Whole Novel Workshop | Summer Camp

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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.

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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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