Picture Books with Miranda Paul
December 10th, 2021 - January 14th, 2022
with Brooke McIntyre
In this intimate workshop, you'll receive a written critique of a picture book manuscript from literary agent Miranda Paul of Erin Murphy Literary, plus get the opportunity to speak to Miranda individually in the live group call that follows critiques. You'll also exchange critiques within your group of up to 9 writers.
How it works
You'll submit your pages at the group start, then spend the next weeks critiquing peer stories. Miranda 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 Miranda 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.
We are pleased to offer a workshop spot free of charge to a writer of color or from a traditionally marginalized background. Apply by 11/28. https://inkedvoices.typeform.com/to/iazgqfku
Notes
Who this workshop is for: This workshop is best suited for writers querying, preparing to query, or who have an agent but are looking for a high level educational opportunity.
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: $96; Non-members: $115
About Brooke McIntyre
Miranda Paul (she/her) is an award-winning author of nearly 20 books for children, including the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award title, Nine Months, and the recently published Right Now: Real Kids Speaking Up for Change. She is a co-founding member of We Need Diverse Books and co-chairs its mentorship program. Miranda is also a literary agent at Erin Murphy Literary Agency, where she is open to all genres and ages of books for children through teens, including picture books that are original and superbly written (learn more at emliterary.com). She spends her free time gardening, rescuing and fostering animals of all kinds, and visiting schools and libraries around the world.
Critique style: As a former high school English teacher, Miranda can be old-fashioned in that she prints out first pages and critiques, then scribbles questions, praise, and suggestions in the margins with her pen as she reacts to the text. She is both constructive and gentle, but her feedback style can be bluntly honest and practical—because she wants to see all her students' and mentees' work published and in the hands of readers. Her notes often ask open-ended questions to ensure writers have considered the many playful possibilities for their words and ideas.
Schedule:
Fri, Dec 10th - Submissions due
Wed, Jan 5th - Critiques due
Mon, Jan 10th, 8-10pm ET - Debrief call