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Participate in a guided retreat for writers (published and unpublished) of middle school age and young adult literature led by celebrated writers; David Elliot and Maria Testa, Candlewick Press publisher; Mary Lee Donovan, and book publicist; Kirsten Cappy. Learn the secrets of how to turn your words into a published book.
JULY 25-27
PARTICIPANTS: Writers (published or not) of middle grade or young adult novels or short stories in progress.
PARTICPANT SELECTION: Submission of ten pages or work-in-progress with application.
Upon registration, send work to:
Fort Lyon
Attn: Shore Lines
P.O. Box 441
Portland, ME 04112
(Please note that work will not be returned)
NO OF PARTICPANTS: 35 writers
Cost: $499
Includes marine transportation, workshop fees, facility use, and room and board.
To learn more about the logistics of the weekend, see our FAQ Page
Faculty
Authors: Maria Testa and David Elliott
Editor: Mary Lee Donovan
Book Consultant & Publicist: Kirsten Cappy
SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY 7/25/08:
FRIDAY 7/25/08:
2:30 PM Welcome at dock for orientation and boarding
3:00 PM Prompt Boat Departure from Portland
4:00 PM Arrive on Cow - Settle In
5:00 PM Island Tour
6:00 PM Dinner
7:00 PM Introductions
7:30 PM David Elliott Lecture & Reading: Why Children's Literature Needs a Better Sense of Humor
9:00 PM Fire Circle with optional readings of passages from participant's favorite children's books. (Limit 5 min. each)
SATURDAY 7/26/08:
8:00 AM Breakfast
9:30 AM Maria Testa Workshop:
On Living, Working and Being (a Writer):
In this workshop, we will discuss writing in terms of both lifestyle and process. Through a series of short, fun exercises, we will examine our approaches to the act of writing with special emphasis on developing the voice of our characters.
11:30 PM Lunch
12:30-3:30 Open Writing Time
1:00-3:00 PM Peer Writer Review led by Kirsten Cappy (Optional)
1:00-4:00 PM Faculty Critique: 15-20 minute one-on-one critiques by faculty of writer's submitted 10 pages.
3:30 PM Kirsten Cappy Lecture: "Required Reading" for Novelists: A Review of Children's Novels That Demonstrate Characterization, Sense of Place and Voice.
6:00 PM Dinner
7:30 PM Maria Testa Lecture & Reading: Inhabiting the Voice of Your Characters: An Annotated Reading with Conversation
9:00 PM Fire Circle with optional readings of passages from participant's favorite children's books. (Limit 5 min. each)
SUNDAY 7/27/08:
8:00 AM Breakfast
9:30 AM David Elliott Workshop:
The Life of the Novel:
Just after the publication of her novel, Heir to the Glimmering World, Cynthia Ozick noted that the life of a book is in its language. While Ozick is an adult novelist, this notion is also true for picture books, middle grade and YA novels. By analyzing the language of four novels written for young people, and then applying what we discover in a series of writing exercises, we will explore Ozick's interesting observation. In order to get the most out of the workshop, participants should have some familiarity with the following: Tuck Everlasting, (Natalie Babbitt), Feed (M.T. Anderson), The Hanged Man (Francesca Lia Block) and What Jamie Saw (Carolyn Coman).
11:30 PM Lunch with Open Q&A with Faculty
12:30 PM Mary Lee Donovan Lecture: Finding the Stories the Sing: What an Editor Looks for in a Manuscript
1:30-3:30 PM Open Writing Time
1:30-2:30 PM Faculty Critique: 15-20 minute one-on-one critiques by faculty of writer's submitted 10 pages.
3:30 PM Departure
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