Intensive Picture Book Workshop

The Intensive Picture Book Workshop is now included in the Show, Don’t Tell #kidlit Revision Workshop

Revise your children’s book as you explore how published #kidlit authors actually “show and tell” their board book – YA stories in this one-month workshop with a 60-minute ONE-to-ONE developmental critique in Google Meet. ($199 USD)

*Use this WIP Picture Book Critique Worksheet for young illustrated books with pictures: board books, picture books, and easy readers.

*Use this WIP First Chapter Critique Worksheet for a FIRST chapter critique from your early chapter book, middle grade, or young adult book.

After we make sure that the first chapter sets up the rest of the book, you can sign up for another chapter critique ($149 USD) as needed.

Schedule

March 1-31 is now enrolling
April 1-30 is now enrolling

Q. Can you sign up early and read ahead?
A. Yes. After you sign up for your 60-minute meeting, the calendar app will send you the Google meeting code and login instructions to the private workshop site so you can start reading and revising right away.

Comps will help you revise — and prepare for your query. (Agents and editors use comps to help them decide if they want your book!)

Show, Don’t Tell #kidlit Revision Workshop Syllabus

01. Tell Me a Story

Show, don’t tell is standard writing advice, but like so many pithy sayings, it’s not quite accurate. To fully understand a story, readers need context, they need information — and in a story, information is told, not shown. To write a complete story, you need to show and tell the story.

02. Read as You Revise

In this workshop, I use comps from each children’s book category (board book – YA) to show you how published writers show and tell in their books. I invite you to do the same. Find books like yours to see how published authors show and tell a story.

03. Study Story Beats

A story beat is the most basic part of a story. It’s the smallest part of a story that you can see.

04. Check the Voice

How can you use all three voices – your writer’s voice, the character’s voice, and the story’s voice – in your book?

05. Watch the Time

Time is an essential part of every story. How you show time in a book changes as your readers grow older.

06. Show and Tell

The difference between showing and telling is the difference between scene and summary. Scene shows readers a picture they can see. Summary uses the author’s words to tell readers something about the story. There is a time and a place for both.

Workshop meetings take place during my office hours: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday 9:00-11:30am and 1:30-4:00pm (Pacific Time). The calendar app will only show your time zone.

After you sign up for your 60-minute meeting, the calendar app will send you:

A confirmation email with the Google meeting code
An instructions email with the login to the private workshop site

If something comes up and you need to change your critique time, just use the Reschedule button at the bottom of your confirmation email. The calendar app will send both of us the new time and Google meeting link for your critique.

Our critique call meeting will show a “SCREEN SHARE” of your manuscript — so I can make notes ON your manuscript as we talk. As we discuss your work, we’ll come up with new ideas for your next draft. It happens every time!

At the end of our meeting, I’ll share a link to the file so you can download our notes.

Q. How long will you have access to the private site?
A. You will have LIFETIME access to the private site.

If you want to talk about the same book –or a new one– you can sign up for another critique ($149 USD). Some writers check in once a month while others check in with a new revision weekly or biweekly until they are ready to send their book out. It’s up to you!

As you’re writing, your story WILL change — mine always does! You’ll discover new aspects of your characters and new threads or ideas to weave throughout the book. And that’s a good thing! A fully-developed story is what agents and editors want to see — and that takes time to create! Let your story grow as you write and revise day by day.

Just getting started? If you’re not sure if your idea can become a children’s book, download a copy of this free e-book, Write Your Next Children’s Book Without Writer’s Block and write a ZERO draft first. Then sign up.

TERMS: By enrolling, you agree to respect the copyright of this workshop and not distribute any materials to others. If you sign up for a workshop and need to cancel *before* you log in to the private workshop site, please be advised that I charge a $20 handling fee for cancellations. After you log in to the private workshop site, fees are NOT REFUNDABLE. If you are unable to meet at the time you selected, please click on the Reschedule button in the reminder email and choose another time. Thanks.

I’ve been helping #kidlit writers since 1999. See a list of former students and critique callers who have published books here.