The Middle Grade Market: The Business of Writing and Publishing Books for Kids

June 26

There are many expectations surrounding content, narrative structure, and character development when it comes to writing for the Middle Grade market. If you want to be an author in this category, you need to be seeking answers to the following questions: What components make up a bestselling Middle Grade book? How can you make your book stand out in the crowded Middle Grade market? What kind of Middle Grade projects are editors looking to acquire at major publishing houses? How can the pitch for your Middle Grade manuscript catch the attention of literary agents? This live webinar offers answers to all of these questions and more.

Agent One-on-One: First 10 Pages Boot Camp

July 10 - 14

As many writers know, agents and editors won't give your work more than ten pages or so to make an impact. If you haven't got them hooked by then, it's a safe bet you won't be asked for more material. Make sure you've got the kind of opening they're looking for! In this invaluable event, you'll get to work with an agent to review and refine the first ten pages of your novel or non-fiction book. You'll learn what keeps an agent reading, what are the most common mistakes that make them stop, and the steps you need to take to correct them. The best part is that you'll be working directly with an agent, who will provide feedback specific to your work.

Today's Key Book Publishing Paths

July 17

Over the last decade, the publishing industry has undergone tremendous evolution due to the growth of online retail and digital books, as well as the power of any author to publish and distribute their work at the click of a button. But which path is right for you and your book—and how do you sift through the increasing number of hybrid publishers and services that make a lot of promises, but cost you a lot upfront?

Jane Friedman discusses everything you need to know about how book publishing operates today, in plain English, to help you understand the pros and cons of every major publishing path available.

Novel Writing Toolkit

June 26 - September 4

Writing a novel can be a long and arduous process, taking weeks, months, or even years of work. How can you maintain your momentum, enthusiasm, and thoughts all moving in the same direction over the course of that entire time? Building a tool kit for each book can get you through those difficult scenes, unforeseen transitions, and soggy middles.

Comp Titles Intensive: The Essential Tool That Can Launch Your Career

June 26 - July 3

This one-week intensive will walk you through the process of finding comparable titles and authors. The class covers what the industry uses comps for and why they are so important. Then it shows HOW to find the titles with the best sales numbers by using readily accessible online tools.

Advanced Novel Writing

June 26 - October 9

Push yourself beyond your comfort zone and take your writing to new heights with this novel writing course, designed specifically for novelists who are looking for detailed feedback on their work. When you take this online course, you won't have weekly reading assignments or lectures. Instead, you'll get to focus solely on completing your novel.