Picture Books, with Catherine Laudone
August 18th, 2021 - September 17th, 2021
with Catherine Laudone
Preparing your work for submission? In this intimate workshop, you'll receive market and editorial feedback on a picture book manuscript from Catherine Laudone, associate editor with Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, and you will exchange critiques with a small group of peers.
This workshop is geared towards writers who are getting ready to query, agented and/or published.
How it works
You'll submit a single manuscript at the group start, then spend the next weeks critiquing peer stories. Catherine Laudone will submit her notes near the critique deadline. After critiques are complete, we will have a debrief call where each writer gets individual time with Catherine to address key feedback themes and brainstorm next steps for their manuscript.
The group workshop format accelerates learning because, not only will you receive feedback on your own work, you will also be able to see and hear Catherine's feedback on the group's stories, which you will have read and critiqued.
Each agent and editor event we offer also comes with a submission opportunity.
Workload
Participants should be sure they have at least 1 hour to give for critiquing each person's manuscript. Because this is a group of 9, this means you should have at least 8 hours available for your peers' stories.
Inked Voices and Catherine Laudone are pleased to offer a workshop spot free of charge to a writer of color or from a traditionally marginalized background. Apply by 7/25. https://inkedvoices.typeform.com/to/nmkxpa6L
Notes
Who this workshop is for: This workshop is best suited for agented writers and writers who are querying or preparing to do so
Focus: Children's - Picture Books - Fiction - Children's - Picture…
Group size: 8 writers
Submissions: Submit one picture book. Fiction submissions should be under 900 words; nonfiction should be under 1500 words.
Fee
Members: $88; Non-members: $102
About Catherine Laudone
Catherine is an associate editor at Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. She acquires and edits a wide range of picture books, middle grade, and young adult titles. For picture books, she is drawn to classic-feeling, character-driven stories with a commercial hook. She loves clever twist endings, fresh spins on timeless themes, and characters that make you laugh or cry. For nonfiction picture books, she looks for biographies featuring diverse role models and untold real-life legends, and narrative nonfiction that makes history and facts accessible to young readers. When not editing, she enjoys baking, making pottery and drinking chocolate tea. Follow her on Twitter at @CatherineLaud and on IG at @catherinelaudone.
About Catherine's Critique Style
When reading a picture book manuscript, I consider big picture elements first: Is there a clear narrative arc with a beginning, middle, and end? Does the character grow over the course of the story? Are the plot and emotional stakes high enough? I then consider micro elements such as dialogue, language choice, page breaks, etc. I also always make sure to point out what’s working well in a draft, before highlighting the craft elements that could be strengthened and offering suggestions for revision.
Schedule:
Wed, Aug 18th - Submissions due
Thurs, Sept 9th, 11:59pm ET - Critiques due
Mon, Sept 13th, 8-10:15pm ET - Debrief call
Fri, Sept 17th - Group closes