Whale Rock Workshops

Join master-instructor Phyllis Root for a six-week deep dive into picture book writing. 

Whether you're an experienced picture book writer or whether you're at the beginning of your picture book writing journey, this six-week survey workshop will examine multiple mentor texts per week and use those texts as a springboard for inspiration. Writers will participate in on-the-spot writing prompts and discussions and will have a weekly assignment to draft a picture book. 

Class will focus on deconstructing picture books and examining the elements that make a manuscript successful from plot to language and syntax to emotional resonance, including investigating the hearts of our stories.

Post-workshop students may select one of their six manuscript drafts to submit to Phyllis, who will provide editorial feedback.

Come prepared to read lots of picture books. Come prepared to write. Come prepared to discuss. Come prepared to take your stories to a deeper level.

Topics covered in our six weeks together:

• Plot and structure
• Narrative voice
• Character and point of view
• Setting and story
• Tools of language
• Creating a dummy: the drama of the turning page
  

You will complete the workshop with:

• A community of fellow picture book authors
• New ways to tell your picture book stories
• Six picture book drafts
• One picture book dummy
• One manuscript with editorial feedback
  

This workshop is for you if:

• You’re a published picture book author looking to improve your craft
• You’re a published picture book author aiming for that starred review
• You’re a published picture book author who is feeling stumped and uninspired
• You’re an aspiring picture book author looking to hone your skills
• You’ve almost been signed by an agent but keep getting sent back for revisions
• You’re getting good feedback on your books but haven’t sold one yet
  

Classes will run approximately 60-to-75.minutes, and workshop sessions will be recorded if you are unable to attend a session.