Lisa Lerner

SATURDAYS, JAN. 28th - MARCH 4th |As the brilliant Madeleine L'Engle said, "You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grownups, then you write it for children."  Writing for kids is deeply impactful. Think back to your own childhood. Most likely, you were obsessed with the hero of a book, and you loved that book because it was hilarious, or thrilling, or made you feel as though you weren’t a weirdo living on the wrong planet. Maybe it taught you things you didn’t realize were possible. Maybe it even helped you survive. Human brains are wired for story, and story is the path to comfort and change.

In this workshop, you will learn how to create narratives that both inspire and delight today's impressionable young minds. Among other things, you'll learn the 6 Must Haves: memorable characters, unique voice, strong plot, deep emotion, a big idea, and FUN (seems obvious, but you'd be surprised).

Workshop level: best for non-writers/writers new to the children's literature genre OR artists who want to add text to their illustrations.

Though this class is introductory, the pace will be fast as we wrap our heads around some general kid-lit rules, learn from mentor texts, and write from prompts to develop a draft of a 600-word fiction or nonfiction picture book. The final class will explain how to find the best agent for you and detailed instruction on how to write a query letter that will sell your story as an absolutely irresistible read!

Added BONUS: you will have a credit for feedback on your completed 600-word picture book/early reader draft and one query letter until the end of time (barring any environmental disasters, acts of supreme beings, bed bugs, you get the idea).

Handouts will be given each week, so you don’t need to go crazy with notetaking. Workshops are not recorded but I will make every human effort to keep you up to speed.

Talking story is my happy place and this workshop will be jam-packed and full of passion. I give each student customized instruction, market advice, and lots of encouragement!

In the words of a current student: “I’m having a blast!”

This class will meet on Zoom. Registered students, please find the Zoom link for this class in your confirmation email.

Number of sessions: 6

Dates: Saturdays, January 28; February 4, 11, 18, 25; March 4

Time: 9:00am - 11:00am Pacific Time