craft Archives - Page 7 of 47

A new school year is starting. Are you ready to start YOUR new book? Work one-to-one with a developmental editor in the self-paced Children’s Novel Workshop.

The Children’s Novel Workshop is a two semester workshop. First semester = first draft / second semester = second draft

Here’s the math: Each semester has EIGHT 60-minute mentor meeting calls @ $99 each = $791 (USD) {$791 x 2 semesters = $1582}

NB: 60-minute critique calls outside the workshop = $199 (USD) each {8 x $199 = $1582 without any lessons}

This is a plotter / pantser workshop. A plotter studies and makes a plan. A pantser sits down and writes whatever comes to mind.

In the first draft semester, write the first draft of your chapter book, middle grade, or YA novel without revising it and study comps. After you complete your first draft, make a story map (and revise it) so you can make sure you have the landmarks that readers expect to see in books like yours.

In our first 60-minute mentor meeting, we will use the questions in this First Draft Mentor Meeting Worksheet as a guide to discuss the goals for your book — and this workshop.

See more here.

One of my writers emailed me over the weekend asking if I was teaching the Intensive Picture Book Workshop any more — so I brought it back for the summer.

I started teaching this workshop at Southern Methodist University in 1999, and it has gone through many iterations over the years. This version has 95 picture book lessons and SIX 30-minute Zoom meetings to develop the story arc of your fiction or nonfiction picture book as you write and revise in poetry or prose.

Q. What are the dates for the Summer 2026 Intensive Picture Book Workshop?
A. Enroll anytime between June 9 and July 10 for this self-paced workshop that ends on Saturday, August 29.

Are you writing a fiction picture book story?
Are you writing a picture book biography?
Are you writing a preschool concept book?
Are you writing an information book?
Are you writing poetry or prose?

There are lessons on the private site for EACH type of picture book, including rhyming picture books! Choose the lessons that match your manuscript.

In 2025, my writers published 172 books! (And most of them took this picture book workshop!)

To see a list of all my writers who published books, visit my former students page.
To see all of the Intensive Picture Book Workshop details, visit the workshops page.

Category: craft

Fall 2026 Children’s Novel Workshop

Summer 2026 Intensive Picture Book Workshop