Writing Kid Lit and Raising the Stakes – 2 in-person workshops this September

Guest speaker Anne Shone

Writing for Children and for Young Adults

  ~ The world’s hottest market

With Scholastic Books Executive Editor

  ~ Anne Shone 

Saturday, September 12, 2020
10:30 a.m. – 4:15 p.m. {or maybe a bit later}

St Stephen’s on the Hill, 998 Indian Rd, Mississauga, Ontario, in the Common Room (Map here)

If you want to write the next best-selling children’s books or just want to create stories for your own kids, this workshop is for you. Learn how to write stories kids and young adults will love and find out what you need to know to sell your book. Be sure to bring all your questions – we'll have lots of time for interaction.

Special option: You may, but don't have to, bring 3 copies of the opening couple pages (first 500 words) of your children’s book or young adult novel (or up to 750 words if that gets you to the end of your picture book or to the end of your first chapter.) If you’re not currently working on a children’s story, don’t worry, we’ll get you started on the spot!

Note: This workshop was originally scheduled for June in Alliston, but we needed a larger space to allow for physical distancing. But even with the larger space, we will still need to be a small group, so this will be an outstanding opportunity to network and get feedback on your manuscript from one of the most experienced Kid Lit editors in Canada.

Guest speaker Anne Shone is the Executive Editor at Scholastic Canada, where she acquires books for publication. Scholastic Canada does not usually accept un-agented manuscripts, unless you’ve heard Anne speak at a workshop, so for anyone considering submitting to Scholastic, this workshop is a great opportunity.  

Anne has worked in book publishing for over twenty years, concentrating on children’s books for the last fifteen. In that time, she has worked with many of Canada’s top children’s book authors and illustrators. 

Recent highlights include: picture books (Friends for Real by Ted Staunton, illustrated by Ruth Ohi; Can You Imagine? by Wallace Edwards; and Nibi’s Water Song by Sunshine Tenascoc , illustrated by Chief Lady Bird); novels (My Best Friend and Other Illusions by Suri Rosen; Waiting Under Water by Riel Nason; and the Almost Epic Squad series); nonfiction (Keep Up, Katmai by Barrett Hedges and Pili Palm-Leis; and It Seemed Like a Good Idea….  by Ted Staunton and Will Staunton), to name just a few. 

Fee: $45.13 + 13% hst = $51 paid in advance by mail or Interac

or $48.67 + 13% hst = $55 if you wait to pay at the door

To reserve a spot now, email: brianhenry@sympatico.ca

Raising the Stakes

How to increase your story's tension 

Saturday, September 26, 2020
1:00 – 4:30 p.m.

St. Elizabeth Anglican Church, 5324 Bromley Rd, Burlington, Ontario (Map here)

Ever stayed up all night reading a book? In this workshop, you’ll learn you how to build that kind of tension.  And we'll help you put into practice the techniques professionals use – on every page and in every kind of story – to create drama and raise the tension in each scene they write.

Note: To allow physical distancing, we will of necessity be a small group and enjoy ample opportunity for interaction. Participants are asked to wear a mask, and I'll bring the hand sanitizer.

Fee: $40.71+ hst = $46 paid in advance 

or $44.25 + hst = $50 if you wait to pay at the door

To reserve a spot now, email: brianhenry@sympatico.ca

Workshop leader Brian Henry has been a book editor, author, and creative writing instructor for more than 25 years. He publishes Quick Brown Fox, Canada’s most popular blog for writers and is the author of a children’s version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Tribute Publishing Inc). But his proudest boast is that he’s has helped many of his students get published. 

"Brian’s the real deal.  He isn't just an inspiring teacher – he's plugged into the publishing world! He got me an agent who sold my first novel, to publishers around the world.  My 13th novel, The Awakening – a YA urban fantasy –  hit number 1 on the New York Times bestsellers list. Currently, Random House Canada, Bantam U.S. and Little Brown in Britain have contracted my next seven books.  So it looks like I’ll be writing for a while."

~ Kelley Armstrong, Aylmer, Ontario

Read reviews of Brian’s classes and workshops here.

Note: Don't ever miss a post on Quick Brown Fox. Fill in your email in the box to the right under my bio, and get each post delivered to your Inbox. ~ Brian

See Brian’s complete current schedule here, including online and in-person writing workshops, weekly writing classes, and weekend retreats in Algonquin Park, Alliston, Bolton, Barrie, Brampton, Burlington, Caledon, Collingwood, Georgetown, Georgina, Guelph, Hamilton, Jackson’s Point, Kingston, Kitchener-Waterloo, London, Midland, Mississauga, Oakville, Ottawa, Peterborough, St. Catharines, Southampton, Sudbury, Toronto, Windsor, Woodstock, Halton, Muskoka, Peel, Simcoe, York Region, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.