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Creative Labs

Take your craft and marketing to the next level.

The Creative Labs are the heart of the Winter Conference, offering an in-depth exploration of the business or craft of illustrating and writing children's books. Conference attendees will select TWO labs – one on Saturday and one on Sunday. These longer sessions provide more time with instructors, more time with your fellow creators and more high-level information, writing and illustrating time, and professional feedback.

Click on the links below to read a detailed syllabus of each lab.

Saturday's Creative Labs (Choose One)

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Draft Two, Is That You? - Strategies for Revising Early Drafts of Picture Books with Editor Luana Horry

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Building Character in Early Readers and Chapter Books with Editor Katie Heit

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I Can Show You the World: Making Your Worldbuilding Come Alive with Editor Tiff Liao

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Embracing the Mess: Transitioning to Traditional Media from Digital with Illustrator Suzanne Kaufman

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Creating Characters Your Readers Love with Author Erin Entrada Kelly

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Marketing Boot Camp For Busy Illustrators: Promoting Your Art and Your Books Without Burnout with Illustrator Debbie Ridpath Ohi

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Writing in the Educational Market as a Pathway to Trade Market Success with Authors Sandra K. Athans, Mike Downs, and Dorothy H. Price

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Follow Your Yellow Brick Road-Alternative Roads to Publication: A Deep Dive Into Self-Publishing with Publisher Michele McAvoy

Sunday's Creative Labs (Choose One)

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Embarking on Your Revision Journey with Editor Kat Brzozowski

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A Closer Look at Picture Books: A Focused Look at Books We Love (Including Our Own!) with Author Jolie Stekly

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The Picture Book Puzzle: Putting the Pieces Together to Create Your Picture Book Dummy with Art Director Sharismar Rodriguez

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Drawing in Black in White: Mastering the Art of Light and Shadow in Storytelling with Illustrator Cátia Chien

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Your Writing Career Can be Bigger (and More Lucrative) Than You Think: Taking on Ghost Writing and IP Projects with Editor Sara Sargent

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Graphic Novels: Get Drawing with Illustrator Sharee Miller

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The Best Nonfiction Lesson (I Learned): A Narrative Nonfiction Lab with Author Susan Campbell Bartoletti

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Crafting Characters that Make us Laugh and Cry: Getting Under A Character’s Skin To Make Our Way into Readers’ Hearts with Author Padma Venkatraman

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Invest in Your Craft!