“The Essentials of Kidlit Craft” with Meg Eden Kuyatt
May 21, 2025 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM CDT
$59.00 – $119.00
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This Event is for Members only.
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$59 for Members
$119 for Non-Members
PLEASE NOTE: This class recording is now only available for purchase by our Members from now until Monday, June 30 at 11:59 PM CDT. The class recording will be made available to watch (and rewatch) until July 31, 2025. Become a member here.
In this course, we’ll explore some of the key components that make for good writing in kidlit craft. Our examples will largely come from middle grade and young adult novels, but principles will still apply to other genres including nonfiction and picture books. We’ll partake in exercises to strengthen our own craft, while also reading and dissecting specific examples from contemporary kidlit for what they do well (and in some cases, perhaps not as well). We’ll discuss topics including:
- The Hook (openings)
- Plot, energy and “The Bones” (narrative structure)
- Voice and Personality
- Point of View
- Form and Objects
- Revision
By taking this course, students will receive writing prompts and exercises, optional recommended readings, and in-class time for questions and conversations about kidlit craft.
TAKE THIS CLASS IF:
- You are curious about writing for children but don’t know where to start.
- You have been writing kidlit but would like to get your work to the next level.
- You would like to connect with fellow kidlit writers.
- You would like prompts and encouragement for getting back into a kidlit writing project.
The deadline to buy this class recording is Monday, June 30 at 11:59 PM CDT.
CONTINUING YOUR WRITING JOURNEY
SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION
The WLT is committed to making our online classes accessible to all writers including writers who do not have the financial means to pay for programming. Five (5) seats in this class have been set aside for scholarship recipients to attend free of charge. Please fill out this application no later than 2 days prior to the class to be considered for one of the scholarship seats. We do not ask for any corroborating documents; we only ask that you help us understand your situation. If you are selected for one of the available seats you will be notified via email (from wlt@writersleague.org) no later than 24 hours before the start of the class. Please note, each writer is limited to no more than four (4) total scholarship seats per catalog season.
Instructor
Meg Eden Kuyatt teaches creative writing at colleges and writing centers. She is the author of the 2021 Towson Prize for Literature winning poetry collection Drowning in the Floating World, the forthcoming obsolete hill (Fernwood Press) and children’s novels including the Schneider Family Book Award Honor-winning Good Different, and the forthcoming The Girl in the Walls (Scholastic, 2025). Find her online at megedenbooks.com.
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The Writers’ League of Texas is dedicated to providing harassment-free spaces for everyone, regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, race, age, or religion. We do not tolerate harassment in any form. Violating these rules may result in expulsion from WLT programs without a refund at the discretion of the WLT staff.
Harassment includes, but is not limited to:
- Comments that reinforce social structures of domination (related to gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, race, age, or religion);
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Participants asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately. If a participant engages in harassing behavior, event organizers retain the right to take any actions to keep the event a welcoming environment for all participants. This includes warning the offender or expulsion from the event with no refund. Event organizers may take action to redress anything designed to, or with the clear impact of, disrupting the event or making the environment hostile for any participants. We expect participants to follow these rules during all events and event-related social activities.
Reporting
If someone makes you or anyone else feel unsafe or unwelcome, please report it as soon as possible. Reports can also be made via email at wlt@writersleague.org. We’ll handle any and all reports as respectfully as possible. You won’t be asked to confront anyone, and we won’t tell anyone who you are.
Accessibility Policy
Closed captioning is available for all online classes and special events.
The WLT is committed to making its programs & services accessible to all writers. Please contact us at wlt@writersleague.org or at 512-499-8914 for more information or to discuss accommodations you may need.
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Writers’ League of Texas classes and workshops are also funded in part by the Texas Commission on the Arts – Investing in a Creative Texas. For more information, go to www.arts.texas.gov.