Are you a kid at heart? Got a great idea for a picture book? This course is designed with you in mind! 

The children’s book publishing market is alive, thriving, and very competitive. So, how do you make sure your manuscript stands out? Let’s explore! 

By reading and discussing award-winning books and ones that simply touch hearts, we will investigate why and how writing for children is different from—but not easier than—writing for adults. Please bring one of your favorite children’s books to the first class (hard copies or pdfs acceptable). We will sort out the “rules” of picture-book writing as we discern what makes these books work.   

In addition, we will examine craft tips about writing for children from experts in the field. There will be in-class writing prompts and assignments to complete after class. We will “workshop” (students read and comment on each other’s work compassionately) the writing generated inside as well as outside of class. The focus will be on fiction, but we will also touch on tips for children’s nonfiction. 

This course is for new writers and/or writers who are new to picture-book writing, as well as those who have written a picture book manuscript but have not yet published one. (Participants may have previously published works for adults.) Through our readings, group discussions, and writing prompts, and by workshopping the writing you generate, you will come away brimming with ideas. You’ll leave the week with a draft manuscript and/or ideas for revising a manuscript you already have in the works. 

We will also touch on the world of traditional publishing and marketing. (Disclaimer: I have no experience with self-publishing.) 

In this workshop, we will generate new writing through guided exercises and prompts; offer feedback/first impressions on writing you produce in our week; workshop writing you bring from home. We will do it all!