Workshops

Everything You Need to Know About Children’s Book Publishing: A Crash Course 2017 | March 24 – March 26, 2017

Join us for a special weekend: start writing or revising your children’s book and learn all you need to know about the children’s book industry!

This intensive weekend is designed to give you a comprehensive look at how the children’s book publishing industry works. You will gain understanding of all processes associated with submitting, producing, and selling a trade book or magazine article. You will also learn from and make connections with children’s publishing insiders.

Workshop leader Harold Underdown will share details about the editorial development process, including what to do once you have a finished book. Tracey Baptiste, and guest editors will join Harold to sit down with you, answer questions, and provide you with the tools you need to advance your writing career.

Topics include:

• How to select a publisher
• Trade book and magazine markets
• The mechanics of submitting your work
• The editorial process
• The design process
• Contracts
• Selling systems and promotion
• Opportunities in e-book and self-publishing

In addition, there will be time to meet with one-on-one with a mentor about your manuscript and ask any publishing questions you may have.

Preliminary schedule:
Friday
Optional tour of Highlights for Children and Boyds Mills Press
Hors d’Oeuvres and Dinner
Introductions and favorite book sharing

Saturday
Morning session: Genres of books, types of publishers, types of markets, including magazines; fiction vs. nonfiction, flat fee vs. royalties, school & libraries.
Morning session: Getting help before you submit: books, conferences, critique groups, beta readers, children; mistakes to avoid.
Afternoon session: Mistakes to avoid; submissions rules and practices.
Afternoon session: Writing a query letter.
Afternoon session: Art Department: Layout, Design, and Illustration
Hors d’Oeuvres and Dinner
Guest speaker after dinner

Sunday
Morning session: The magazine market.
Morning session: Q&A about self publishing.
Morning session: Getting started as a professional.

Faculty & Special Guests

Harold Underdown

Tracey Baptiste

Channing Kaiser

David Richardson

Lindsay Barrett George

Alison Green Myers