Advanced Picture Books, with Feather Flores
July 21st, 2022 - August 19th, 2022
with Feather Flores
Apply for this group by March 2nd at 11:59pm PT. You must be an Inked Voices member, and you must meet one of the following for this editor workshop: 1) traditionally published or under contract; 2) agented (or previously agented in the past 2 years); or 3) querying and getting requests for additional manuscripts. APPLY.
In this intimate workshop, you'll receive a written critique of a picture book manuscript from Feather Flores at Chronicle Books for Children, plus get the opportunity to speak to Feather individually in the live group call that follows critiques. You'll also exchange critiques within your group of up to 6 writers.
How it works
You'll submit your pages at the group start, then spend the next weeks critiquing peer stories. Feather will submit her notes near the critique deadline. After critiques are complete, we host a 2-hour group debrief, in which each writer gets individual time with Feather to dig into feedback, brainstorm next steps, and discuss any writing questions.
Our goal with these events is to help writers become stronger storytellers. That said, each opening pages event we offer also comes with a submission opportunity.
About the group workshop format
Participants should be sure they have at least 1 hour to give for critiquing each person's manuscript (plus reading time). Because this is a group of 9, this means you should have at least 8 hours available for your peers' stories.
This makes for an intense workload for the few weeks of peer critique. However, we've also found that this format accelerates learning because you are able to read a professional's feedback on each story you have read and critiqued, and you will listen to each one-on-one in the debrief. Many writers have told us that listening and learning from the professional's notes to others has been just as beneficial to their learning as the feedback on their own work.
Notes
Who this workshop is for: This workshop is an advanced group best suited for agented, published, and querying writers and writers.
Focus: Children's - Picture Books - Fiction - Children's - Picture…
Group size: 9 writers
Submissions: Submit one picture book. Fiction submissions should be under 900 words; nonfiction should be under 1500 words.
Fee
Members: $96; Non-members: $115
We are pleased to offer a spot free of charge to a writer from a historically marginalized group. Applications for this scholarship have closed.
About Feather Flores
Feather Flores joined Atheneum Books for Young Readers (an imprint of Simon & Schuster) as an editor in 2022, after a four-year stint at Chronicle Books. She works on smart, joyful picture books; middle grade romps with coming-of-age themes; and bold, open-hearted YA that reimagines everything our identities can be. Her list encompasses fiction and nonfiction, with an emphasis on stories by, about, and for people from marginalized communities.
Across the board, Feather gravitates to voice- and character-driven narratives with high-concept plots and solid command of their readers’ emotional responses. She champions books that challenge and inspire; provide hope and comfort; and depict the beauty and diversity of the human experience—the humor, the complexity, the curiosity, the magic. Anything that encourages young readers to be more fully and unapologetically themselves, she wants to see it.
Feather edits from the San Francisco Bay Area. You can find her expressing endless enthusiasm on Twitter @featherfully and explore her full manuscript wishlist at featherflores.com.
Critique style:
"Editing is a form of active listening! As such, I aim to reflect back to each project’s creator(s) what I observe the work doing, particularly on an emotional level; where I see it succeeding and where I see room to hone in further; and what I don’t see the work doing, but feel it may want to. I strive to approach each project I critique with curiosity, openness, and enthusiasm. Above all, my role as a creative partner is to support creators in aligning every element of a story closer to its underlying heart—while also positioning the finished book to ensure it finds its widest range of readers."
Schedule:
Thurs, July 21st- Submissions due
Thurs, Aug 12th- Critiques due
Tues, Aug 16th, 7:30-9:45pm ET- Debrief Call
Aug 19th- Group officially closes