Making Light: Humor’s Serious Place in Children’s/YA Literature

Portland, OR

In this panel discussion, we dispel two myths: that humor is insignificant because it is lighthearted, and that with humor you’ve either got it or you don’t. We discuss the craft of humor and demonstrate how to purposefully write funnier. From our experience as writers with wide knowledge of children’s/YA lit, we examine how humor…

Tone, Voice, and Mood: Not Just for Angsty Teens

Comstock Public Schools Administration Building 3010 Gull Road, Kalamazoo, MI, United States

So often, agents, editors, and well-meaning critique group members provide vague feedback along the lines of “the voice on this piece doesn’t feel genuine,” or “this doesn’t strike the right tone,” without any specifics to back up their statements, as if knowledge of tone, mood, and voice is built into a writer’s DNA. This session…

Free

SCBWI Europolitan Conference 2019

Zurich, Switzerland , Switzerland

“Making Light: Humor’s Serious Place in Children’s/Young Adult Literature” with Jay Whistler Jay dispels two myths: that humor is insignificant because it is lighthearted, and that you’ve either got it or you don’t. She’ll discuss the craft of humor and demonstrate how to purposefully write funnier. She’ll talk about how humor lies at the intersection…

CHF300 – CHF400

Elements of Desire: What Your Protagonist Wants, Needs, and Doesn’t Even Know She is Missing

Biochemistry Building Room 208 603 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI, United States

Romance novels have given a whole different connotation to the word “desire,” but desire in literature doesn’t have anything to do with intimate relationships or lust. Without it, there is no character growth, no forward movement of plot, no obstacles to be overcome. In this workshop, we’ll do hands-on exercises to learn what the three…

Free

Character Desire: What Your Character Wants, Needs, and Doesn’t Even Know She Is Missing

Ann Arbor District Library Downtown Branch 343 S. Fifth Ave., Ann Arbor, MI

Romance novels have given a whole different connotation to the word “desire,” but desire in literature doesn’t have anything to do with intimate relationships or lust. Without it, there is no character growth, no forward movement of plot, no obstacles to be overcome. In this workshop, we’ll do hands-on exercises to learn what the three…

Free

Character Desire: What Your Character Wants, Needs, and Doesn’t Even Know She’s Missing

Traverse Area District Library 610 Woodmere Ave, Traverse City, MI, United States

Romance novels have given a whole different connotation to the word “desire,” but desire in literature doesn’t have anything to do with intimate relationships or lust. Without it, there is no character growth, no forward movement of plot, no obstacles to be overcome. In this workshop, we’ll do hands-on exercises to learn what the three…

Free

World Building: Your Contemporary Realistic Story Needs It, Too

Santa Monica Public Library-Ocean Park Branch 2601 Main St., Santa Monica, CA, United States

Worlds with dragons, fairies, or tesseracts all need careful world building in order to create a realistic experience that pulls the reader in for the long haul. But the same elements that make for successful story in speculative fiction also apply to contemporary realistic fiction as well. We'll discuss the psychology and emotion of world…

Free

Tone, Voice, and Mood: Not Just for Angsty Teens

Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center 900 E Market St., San Antonio, TX, United States

So often, agents, editors, and well-meaning critique partners or beta readers provide vague feedback along the lines of “the voice on this piece doesn’t feel genuine,” or “this doesn’t strike the right tone,” without any specifics to back up their statements, as if knowledge of tone, mood, and voice is built into a writer’s DNA.…

$55

Character Desire: What Your Character Wants, Needs, and Doesn’t Even Know She’s Missing

Heritage Park Visitor's Center 24915 Farmington Rd, Farmington Hills, MI, United States

Romance novels have given a whole different connotation to the word “desire,” but desire in literature doesn’t have anything to do with intimate relationships or lust. Without it, there is no character growth, no forward movement of plot, no obstacles to be overcome. In this workshop, we’ll do hands-on exercises to learn what the three…

Free

Show, Don’t Tell: Using Deep POV to Hook Your Reader

Maestro 261 E Kalamazoo Ave, Kalamazoo, MI, United States

We've all heard the "show, don't tell" admonition. But what exactly does it mean? And if you've already said your protagonist was afraid because she heard a scary noise under the bed, why isn't that enough? In this presentation, we'll learn the difference between showing and telling, see how to get deep into your characters'…

Free