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January Picture Book Jumpstart

  • USM and Online Portland (map)

WAITLIST only. Email programs@mainewriters.org.

A HYBRID Picture Book Workshop

ALL LEVELS

Is 2024 the year to get your picture book dream/draft/dummy in gear?

Welcome to your Picture Book January Jumpstart!

This dynamic, high-energy online session will send you back to the writing desk or studio brimming with creative tools and momentum for the picture book project you've been sitting on, dreaming on, or actively drafting. Come with an idea in your head, a working draft, or anything in between. You'll explore your story's authentic core and reasons for being through a series of visual and writing exercises, plus identify the next steps for your project, and learn best practices for manuscript formatting and revision, thumb-nailing even if - especially if - you don't draw, dummy books, and preparing your picture book for submission or independent publishing.

Lucky Platt will provide a crash course in the elements and principles of picture book making, resources for accessing the big beautiful picture book creators' community, and advice on publishing traditionally vs self vs hybrid options. Participants will not share their work or receive feedback from each other, but all will have the option of emailing a manuscript, thumbnails, or dummy book to the instructor for feedback. This feedback opportunity is included in the course fee, but material must be sent by January 26, hence the jumpstart!

+ PLEASE NOTE This workshop will occur IN-PERSON AND ONLINE. The week of the workshop, attendees will be emailed the zoom link for the class and the exact location at USM.


Lucky Platt's stories and narrative art explore themes of resilience, healing, positive self expression and inclusion through many forms, including picture books, animation, murals, paper sculpture and crankies. Her debut children's book, Imagine a Wolf (Page Street Kids 2021) was a 2022 Maine Literary Awards Finalist in Children’s, a 2022 Ezra Jack Keats Award Finalist in New Writers, a 2021 New England Book Award Finalist, and has been translated into several languages. She has presented narrative art and writing workshops for children and adults through Maine Media Workshops & College, Maine Crafts Association, Waterfall Arts, Schoodic Arts for All, The Harlow, Ecology Learning Center and many Maine libraries and indie bookshops. Lucky is a recipient of three Maine Arts Commission Project Grants (2016, 2020 and 2022) in literary and visual arts, and a founding board member of Unity Public Library in Unity, ME, where she is also the artist-in-residence.


ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED
All MWPA workshops require advanced registration. We accept registration by phone, mail, and online via our website. We cannot guarantee registration in the final 24-hours before a workshop, and can rarely accommodate day-of registration.

PAYMENT & CANCELLATION POLICIES
If you need to withdraw from a class after registering for any reason, please email or call the MWPA immediately. You may be eligible for a partial refund or credit, depending on how far in advance you cancel. → MORE INFORMATION

QUESTIONS
For any questions regarding this workshop, please contact programs@mainewriters.org.

REGISTER BY PHONE
Call 207-228-8263 and register with your VISA or MasterCard.

REGISTER BY MAIL
If you prefer to pay by mail, please print this registration form (downloadable PDF) and mail it to the MWPA with a check or credit card information.


$95 Members/$135 Nonmembers


SCHOLARSHIP
The MWPA is proud to offer one partial scholarship to this workshop for members-only. Scholarships are awarded on a combination of need and merit. Email programs@mainewriters.org to see if the scholarship is still available. Application Due by December 23rd at 9:00 a.m.
→ MORE INFORMATION

MWPA WORKSHOP POLICIES
Registration in any MWPA workshop, program, or event constitutes your agreement to our terms and conditions. → MORE INFORMATION

Earlier Event: January 6
Start Fresh: Smart Revision Strategies
Later Event: January 8
Fiction Bootcamp