Young Adult Spring Workshop with Estelle Laure

April 29th, 2024 - July 26th, 2024

with Estelle Laure

Group started

A two and half-month workshop for writers seeking story-level feedback on their Young Adult projects to take their work to the next level.

In this workshop, you will work with developemental editor, Estelle Laure at Folio Literary, and a small group of writers (up to 4 others) on the first 12,500 words of your novels in process, over two rounds. The workshop includes written feedback from Estelle and your peers, live calls to debrief each round, and a group discussion board where Estelle will answer questions.

The workshop begins with an introductory group call to meet the other members and discuss workshop expectations. Then you will submit the first 7,500 words of your project for feedback, plus a short synopsis (this is for your readers and will not be critiqued). You have three weeks to read and post your written critiques of participants work. Round 1 critiques are followed by a group debrief call where you can dig into questions about the notes and/or brainstorm with Estelle about revisions. You will then submit your next 5000 words for peer and professional feedback. The group concludes with a one-on-one call. 

Participants may opt to share a third submission for critique from Estelle and optional peer critique. This is an additional charge and you will be able to make this choice at the end of the workshop. Additional submissions may be either the next section of your project or a revision of material you submitted earlier in the workshop. 

What to expect from your written critiques: Estelle will provide a detailed critique on your pages addressing character development, plot development, pacing, and sentence-level writing tips to take your story to the next level. 

*This workshop has a zero tolerance policy against racist, sexist, harassing, or otherwise offensive behavior. Writers who engage in this behavior against the instructor or fellow writers, or present material that promotes this behavior, will be removed from the workshop without a refund.

<p>Writers may register for one YA workshop per season. The spring season runs from April 15th - August 14th. If spaces are available one month prior to a workshop starting, writers will be able to register for a second workshop.</p>

Notes

Who this workshop is for: <p>This workshop welcomes writers working on YA fiction stories. Estelle is excited to read submissions in prose or verse, across genres.</p><p>Writers are expected to be at an intermediate level of writing craft, or above. Writers may have achieved&nbsp;this through self-study of books and exercises, or organized instruction such as classes, workshops, or webinars. Writers should be familiar with elements of craft such as characterization, plot, internal arc, pacing and voice in order to offer craft-rooted feedback to their peers.<br></p>

Focus: Children's - Young Adult - Contemporary fiction - Children'…

Group size: 5 writers

Submissions: <p>For prose, you will submit 12,500 words (over 2 rounds) with an optional further 5K (3rd round). For verse you will submit 5000 words (over 2 rounds) with an optional further 3350 words (3rd round). You will also submit a synopsis at the workshop start. This will not be critiqued, but is for context only.</p><p><span style="font-weight: 700;">Changes and Withdrawals Policy:&nbsp;</span><br></p><ul><li>2 months or more&nbsp;ahead of a workshop start: you will be credited the full amount of the workshop, less a $15 change fee.</li><li>Under 2 months to 15 days ahead of a workshop start: you will be credited for the full workshop cost less a $15 charge if we are able to replace you. If we can't replace you, you will receive a credit for 50% of the workshop cost.</li><li>Withdrawals within 2 weeks&nbsp;of a workshop start will not be credited even if you are able to be replaced. Your payment will go towards our scholarship program.&nbsp;</li></ul>

Fee

Members: $315; Non-members: $370

About Estelle Laure

Estelle Laure is the author of ten published picture books and young adult novels, including acclaimed novel This Raging Light and Disney's City of Villains trilogy. She has been an Indie Next pick, a BEA Buzz Book author, a Junior Library Gold Standard Selection, A SLJ Reluctant and has worked for nearly a decade as Senior Content Development Editor-at-Large with Folio Jr./Folio Literary Management. She’s taught workshops and retreats with SCBWI and contributed articles to Bloomsbury’s Writers & Artists, Uproxx, Huffington Post, and LitHub to name just a few. She holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts and a BA in Theatre Arts from New Mexico State University. She lives in Taos, New Mexico (the best place on earth) with her family, and has been translated into more than fifteen languages around the world. 

 As an editor, she specializes in picture books, middle grade, and young adult, some of which have gone on to win awards, have been made into movies or TV shows, or have been bestsellers. She has also ghostwritten for Pixar and has IP projects in both the YA and adult  spaces with Alloy Entertainment and Disney.  

 

Schedule:

Round 1:

  • Mon,  April 29th, 6-6:30 pm ET - Introductory call
  • Wed, May 1st - Round 1 submissions (7,500 words, plus synopsis) 
  • Wed, May 22nd - Critiques due
  • Wed, May 29th, 6-7:30 pm ET- debrief call

Round 2:

  • Wed, June 12th - Round 2 submissions (5,000 words)
  • Mon, July 1st - Critiques due
  • Mon, July 8th, 6-7:30 pm ET - debrief call

Week of July 22nd - Individual 15-minute calls to be scheduled with Estelle (Writers who opt for a 3rd round of submissions would hold their individual call until the end of the 3rd round)