Middle Grade with agent Kelly Dyksterhouse, (Opening Pages) Winter 2026

<p>You may take one middle grade workshop per season. Winter season includes workshops with 'Winter' in the title. If there is space in a workshop 1 month prior to it starting, you may register for a second workshop.<br></p>

Submissions: <p>There will be one submission of your first 3750 words of prose, or 2500 words of verse (approximately 15 pages) at the workshop start. Participants should also plan to share their pitch/short summary with their pages. Your pitch is not included in the word count and will not be critiqued.</p><p><span style="font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: 700;">Changes and Withdrawals Policy:&nbsp;</span></p><ul><li>2 months or more ahead of a workshop start: you will be credited the full amount of the workshop, less a $20 change fee.</li><li>Under 2 months to 14 days ahead of a workshop start: If we are able to replace you, you will be credited for the full workshop price less a $20 change fee. If we can't replace you, you will receive a credit for 50% of the workshop cost.&nbsp;</li><li>Withdrawals within 14 days of a workshop start: If we can replace you, you will receive a credit for 50% of the workshop price. If we cannot replace you, you will not receive a credit. Your fee will go towards our workshops and scholarships.&nbsp;</li></ul>

Members: $150; Non-members: $175

About Kelly Dyksterhouse

Kelly Dyksterhouse is a literary agent at Tobias Literary Agency, where she brings a spirit of intentional care to every partnership. With an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults, Kelly is passionate about guiding creators who craft meaningful, imaginative, and uplifting stories for young readers. She represents an array of authors and illustrators whose work spans board books, picture books, middle grade and young adult novels, graphic novels, and captivating nonfiction. Kelly is dedicated to nurturing voices that inspire wonder, spark joy, and leave a lasting impact on the next generation.

 She is actively building her middle grade and young adult list. For middle grade, she loves books with ensemble casts, books about good kids making bad decisions and then having to get themselves out of it, quests and hijinks, spooky stories and mysteries, and historical novels that feel relevant. For YA she is looking for much of the same, and is drawn to books with atmospheric settings, lush writing, and books with romance threaded through but not the primary plot. She is particularly interested in middle grade and young adult fantasy told from a unique perspective, ghost stories, accessible sci-fi, magical realism, contemporary stories that challenge assumptions and ask hard questions, and she will forever be on the lookout for a good heist.