When it comes to kidlit, age is more than just a number. Our readers span the developmental stages from first steps to leaving the nest (with countless important moments in between) and our writing must keep pace. Understanding age categories is a vital part of our writing and illustrating practice, especially in the current climate of book banning. In this session, we’ll discuss the key differences of kidlit age categories, from board book to young adult, and why these distinctions matter now more than ever. Then, we’ll explore relevant examples and do hands-on exercises to practice what we’ve learned.
Last year, I discussed how using a "Bridge," like those used in music, can keep your story from sagging in the middle. This year, I'm going further. I'm explore the structure holding that bridge up. It's called a Problem Nest: The problems that the protagonist faces as they move from the midpoint to the final act of the story. We'll analyze the Problem Nests of popular movies and, more importantly, the archetypes of the allies solving these problems for the protagonists, as defined in Christopher Vogler's THE WRITER'S JOURNEY. With the aid of these problem-solving archetypes, the protagonist crosses the bridge, and enters the climax a character that readers can't wait to cheer for.
When first writing, everyone imitates, but how do we get past that to create interesting stories? What’s the difference between an homage, a pastiche, a ripoff? Everybody borrows. Discover how to put your own spin on tired old cliches.
Is this your first writers conference? Classes with a ✅ in the title like this one are especially good for newcomers.
Female characters written to be strong are often swinging a sword, or wearing a pantsuit, or girl bossing it up. And that’s wonderful. But we can go further. We can reflect a whole range of female strength in our writing. In this class, we will explore different forms of strength, and complex traits, you can give your female characters. Come learn how to get your leading lady leaping off the page and becoming lifelike.
This session teaches writers how to borrow narrative techniques from fiction—like pacing, tension, and "the hook"—to build a compelling structure that keeps readers turning pages. Learn how to bridge the gap between raw research and a finished manuscript that anchors every chapter.
How do some authors do it? In just a few sentences, they evoke a kaleidoscope of emotions, set the mood, or draw an entire character. After dissecting the work of some incredible authors, this class will exercise their own writing abilities by workshopping a few underdeveloped passages into powerful ones. In the process, you’ll fill your sentence structure toolbox to improve your flow, style, tone, and impact.
Brooke Fossey was once an aerospace engineer with a secret clearance before she traded it all in for motherhood and writing. She’s a past president and an honorary lifetime member of DFW Writers’ Workshop. Her work can be found in numerous publications, including Ruminate Mag... Read More →
Helen Dent's career as a writer began at age nine, when her grandfather paid her a dollar a page for what turned into quite a lengthy story. She studied monster theory (among other things) in graduate school, taught English at a Chinese university, and toured the Scottish Hebrides... Read More →
Saturday October 3, 2026 3:10pm - 4:00pm CDT Room 1
WRITING FOR KIDS THESE DAYS examines current reading/publishing trends in the YA spaces through research data and anecdotes from 7th grade readers. This class is designed to equip authors with the tools needed to create a youthful engaging voice to write a story “kids these days” are interested in reading.
