You're invited to an online Kid Lit workshop with Karen Li of Groundwood Books

The Prisoner and the Writer
by Heather Camlot, illustrated by Sophie Carson
published by Groundwood

“Writing for Children and for Young Adults”

~ with guest Karen Li, Publisher at Groundwood Books

(Note: Our guest was going to be Nan Froman, Editorial Director at Groundwood, but Nan had to bow out and Karen is taking her place.)

Sunday, September 22, 2024
 1:15 – 5:00 p.m.
Online via Zoom and accessible wherever there’s Internet

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.

This is your chance to speak with someone within a publishing company in a small group setting and to pull back the curtain and see how it all works. Be sure to bring your questions – we'll have lots of time for interaction.

Special option: Participants are invited to submit the opening couple pages (first 500 words) of your children’s book or young adult novel (or up to 800 words if that gets you to the end of your picture book or to the end of your first chapter). Email your pages to me prior to our workshop.

Karen and I will publicly critique about half a dozen submissions so everyone can see what works, what doesn’t, and how to improve your story-telling. Get your pages in early if you want to be part of this. If you’re not currently working on a children’s story, don’t worry, we’ll get you started! ~Brian

Guest speaker Karen Li is the Publisher of Groundwood Books, an independent Canadian children's publisher that is part of House of Anansi Press. Groundwood publishes literary picture books, fiction, poetry, nonfiction and graphic novels from Canada and around the world. The press is home to award-winning authors and illustrators, such as Deborah Ellis, Marie-Louise Gay, Sydney Smith and Jillian Tamaki, among many others. 

Before coming to Groundwood, Karen was the editorial director of Owlkids Books for eight years, where she helped debut exciting new voices in children’s literature, including Thao Lam, Naseem Hrab, Sophie Gilmore, Monica Arnaldo.

Karen lives with her family in Toronto, Ontario.

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.

Read reviews and reflections on Brian’s retreats, classes and workshops here.

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

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

See all of Brian’s upcoming weekly writing classes, one-day workshops, and weekend retreats here.