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A workshop for serious beginners: learn all you need to know about the business of publishing children’s books!
Overview:
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, selling, developing, and marketing a trade book or magazine article. You will also learn from and make connections with children’s publishing insiders. Our goal is to answer ALL your questions!
What You’ll Learn:
Who Should Take This Course:
Blog posts of interest:
Faculty Interview: Leah Henderson
Harold Underdown: 7 Quick Tips for Beginning Writers
Behind the Scenes With a Bookseller: Dave Richardson
Harold Underdown:How to Start Revising That First Draft
Harold Underdown: Getting Out of the Slush Pile
Questions to ask BEFORE you submit your story or art
Sample Schedule:
Thursday
Afternoon
Optional tour of Highlights for Children and Boyds Mills Press.
Evening
Hors d’Oeuvres and Dinner
Introductions and favorite book sharing
Friday
Morning
Breakfast
Show and Tell Overview
Genres of books, types of publishers, types of markets, including magazines; fiction vs. nonfiction, flat fee vs. royalties, school & libraries.
Getting started, Part 1
Getting help before you submit: books, conferences, critique groups, beta readers, children.
Afternoon
Lunch
Getting to Know Your Character Inside and Out
Optional Peer-to-peer critiques
Getting started, Part 2
Mistakes to avoid; submissions rules and practices.
Evening
Hors d’Oeuvres and Dinner
Saturday
Morning
Breakfast
After the contract is signed
Editorial development process, copyediting, production, finished book.
Leaving Room for Your Illustrator
How an illustrator is chosen, the illustrator’s role in the process, putting it all together.
Afternoon
Lunch
Behind the Scenes with a Bookseller
Advance reading copies; price point; discover how to approach a bookseller and what works for getting a buyer’s attention; create a proposal for an in-store event.
Submitting to magazines
Markets; submissions; contracts; selling to magazines.
Evening
Hors d’Oeuvres and Dinner
After dinner: Getting Started as a Professional
Sunday
Morning
Breakfast
Overview of self-publishing
Opportunities and mistakes to avoid with self-publishing.
Writing a Query Letter
One-on-one consultations with faculty
Final faculty Q&A
Afternoon
Lunch and farewell.