2005 Writing For Young Readers Conference

It's that time again and I KNOW you just cannot wait to see what is going on this year at our Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers 2005 Workshop at BYU in Provo, UT. So mark your calendars for June 13-17/18. We have a fantastic line-up and you're going to want to be involved. More and more people are publishing from contacts made at this conference. This is an exciting place to spend a week of your summer if you want to write for children and young adults.

As in the past, mornings consist of four-hour blocks of time in a class with the teacher of your choice (if you register soon enough) and less than fifteen students. Here you will work on your manuscripts, learn terrific writing tips, and critique what you have written. This is an intense work session where you can prepare your manuscript for publication.
Afternoons are packed with presenters offering more writing advice. Keynotes are from editors and the agent. There are writing contests, gab sessions, plenty of people available to talk shop with and even writing time, so you can make the best of this week possible.

Starting us off in the picture book section is Jim Aylesworth (author of more than 40 books for children). He'll be teaching beginning picture book. Carmen Agra Deedy (whose picture books are garnering all kinds of awards) will teach those who have been to the conference before. If we get enough attendees this year, we will open one more picture book section with Rick Walton.

Our novelists include Michael O. Tunnell (who has written several award-winning picture book texts as well as novels), Dean Hughes (who has published more
than 70 novels for children) and John H. Ritter (who was one of our very first presenters).
If you are dabbling in several genres at once, you will want to spend your week with Laura Torres, a multi-million book seller. She's teaching the General session.

Our non-fiction class teacher is Candace Fleming who writes award winning non-fiction, as well as novels and picture books. Tracy and Laura Hickman are back to teach another fun session of Fantasy and Science Fiction. If you want to know the ins and outs of this genre, this is the class for you.

If you're not sure if you can write at all, but have always dreamed of being a children's writer, come spend the week with Chris Crowe and Carol Lynch Williams. These award-winning authors will talk about all the genres out there in the marketplace.

Our illustrator is Eric Rohmann, Caldecott and Caldecott Honor winner. Not only does Eric illustrate, but he also writes his own texts, so he will be able to help shape your words as well as your drawings.

We have two editors, both looking for new talent and new work. Lisa Mathews from Peachtree and Rebecca Waugh from Dial. Our agent Amy Jameson is looking for
clients to represent.

This year promises to be lots of fun and hard work. But the pay-off is terrific. Many people have published because of contacts made at this week-long workshop, some individuals even selling multiple books.

Registration has already begun and classes are filling. Don't wait! This is the last year we will be offering this terrific week-long workshop for under $400.00.

Oh yes-and this is our second year for the Saturday session with our two editors. This day-long workshop is an extra fee but you will have a chance to sit with an editor, talk with her and learn what her publishing house is looking for. Class size is limited, so if you an interested, sign up for that day, too.