Access to the recorded masterclass and all the handouts for only $20 to raise money for CBA scholarships!

Never a Dull Moment
In Your Kidlit Writing or Artwork

Hi gorgeous creative, as you probably already know, we are always cooking up fun, new, kidlit instructional trainings and this time we're cooking up something extra-juicy and helpful, especially for picture book creators, but there will be helpful instruction in it for whatever level you write or illustrate. Because, this was such an awesome event, we're going to continue using it as a scholarship fundraiser. 
 
Humans, and especially children, like things that are new and shiny that keep them engaged. In other words, they don't like dull moments unless it's for a story about dullness (of course). 

So here are some of the not-dull aspects of writing and illustrating wonderful and marketable children's books that kids will love, that we'll be teaching you about:

• How to get the drama out of your life and onto the page. Think about anything you’re passionate about, anything you’re expert in, or anything you want to learn about - this is what you want to focus on. What are some challenges you’ve had or embarrassing moments where you've had to overcome something? Learn how to purge and transform those painful or embarrassing childhood memories or experiences into children's book magic with your writing and/or your art!
  
  
• How to create surprise and drama. Something that's clear and easy and super appealing. We'll show you how to give your picture book a universal theme, which is usually a concept that  applies to all kids using techniques that create unpredictability and catch-your-breath suspense. We'll also show you some books that create surprise and unspoken in the text.
  
  
• How to control pacing with text and images. What is the core important universal thing that your story is really about? What is the journey that your main character or characters go on and why do we want to go with them? How can you speed up or slow the story down with your art or words to convey more emotion or action?
  
  
• The power of the page turns. What is the exciting reason/motivation that leads the reader through your story in an almost invisible way but that forms a foundational structure? How do you create cliff hangers and hints at what may or may not happen next to keep your reader hooked whether it's fiction, nonfiction, or a concept book?
  
  
• The beauty of controlled chaos. We've been talking about plot, how you start with a hook that draws the reader in and with a plot-driven book that hook is usually a problem or the great desire that's REALLY important to the main character who is a stand-in for the child reading the story. But controlled chaos is something entirely different that often occurs in a cumulative story that keeps building. Learn about this juicy technique in Never a Dull Moment. 
  
  
•  Cultivating Humor through words and images. The reason picture books are called “picture” books is because the art is so important. The illustrator shows what the author doesn’t tell, and brings their own uniquely creative perspective to the work envisioning what the author wrote while also bringing in telling details with body language, expression, environment and so much more. They often embed their own visual stories into the images, which we'll show and tell about in this masterclass.
  
  
• Eliciting emotion. Remember that emotion lies at the heart of most good children's books and even a problematic character has to have redeeming qualities. This is known as saving the cat (originated by Blake Snyder), where early on in the story, the character does something good like saving the cat so that we care about them – or they need to be incredibly charming. The key is we have to care about your characters to want to spend time with them. But that's just the beginning, how do you make the reader care enough to want multiple re-reads using your words and/or image skills? And the answer to that is twofold - actions and emotions. We'll be exploring them both in this amazing live and recorded event!
  

This incredible masterclass is co-taught by the amazing faculty of the upcoming The Craft & Business of Illustrating (& Writing) Children's Books.

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Dr. Mira Reisberg is a multi-published award-winning children's book illustrator and author whose books have sold over 600,000 copies. Besides running the Children's Book Academy, she is also an acquiring Editor and Art Director at Clear Fork Publishing's children's book imprint Spork. Mira is also a former children's literary agent, and a university professor who taught kid lit writing and illustrating courses as well as teacher ed. She has a PhD in Education and Cultural Studies with a focus on children's literature and has helped MANY writers and illustrators get published. Her job at Spork allows her to help even more people (although of course she can't guarantee that everyone will get published, many of her former students have).

Red Fox Literary Agent Kaitlyn Sanchez loves working with both author-only, and author-illustrators, as well. She particularly enjoys character-driven, concept, and creative new format ideas for fiction. Kaitlyn connects with poignant, lyrical writing (rhyme and non-rhyme) as much as laugh out loud humor, and of course, the best are those magical books that mix humor and heart. She also enjoys nonfiction STEAM books and super interesting picture book biographies, especially ones about underrepresented people. Kaitlyn is an editorial agent who works with her clients to optimize their chances for a long, strong and happy career. In her free time, she plays soccer, binge-watches shows on Hulu, and, of course, reads. Kaitlyn's LOVES picture books! Especially when she and her husband and daughter all cozy up and read together. Her blog on this website consists of her original pieces, reviews, contests, and author interviews!

Chantelle and Burgen Thorne are internationally published illustrators with over 25 years experience in publishing. Avid bookworms, they take great delight in the visual storytelling of picture books, art and text working together, every word and every image adding to the reader’s experience. Both have fond memories of being read to as children and this inspires them to make their illustrations as engaging, honest and relevant to young readers as they possibly can! Chantelle and Burgen took this course 3 years ago to help move from Work for Hire Educational publishing to Trade publishing, which pays better and allows more creative freedom. Since then they have illustrated and published seven trade books and their careers are zooming! Including all their education work, Chantelle and Burgen have published OVER ONE THOUSAND CHILDREN'S BOOKS and have tons of experience, wisdom, skills, techniques and heart to share.

Here are some of Chantelle & Burgen's recently published trade works:

These four amazing co-teachers will help guide and inspire you on your kidlit writing and illustrating journey in really fun and insightful ways - all for only $40.

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