2026
Afternoon Session Descriptions
Full afternoon schedule coming soon!
Amanda West Lewis
Author
BREAKOUT SESSION #1
The Bodily Art: Written Language as Physical Experience
From earliest childhood, we used our bodies to create sounds, sounds that contained meaning. What a thrill for a child when they make a sound and realize it has been understood by someone! Soon, they learn that these sounds can be represented on a piece of paper. They learn to connect aural sounds with visual language.
As writers for children, it is vital to understand this connection between spoken language and written language. In this session, we’ll dive into the “bodily art” of making sounds to communicate meaning. We’ll explore your vocal apparatus, and how each sound you make conveys thought. We’ll dip into the science of reading and see how words are transformed into sound in your brain, even as you read silently. Finally, we’ll look at examples of how writers reflect sound and speech in their work, and brainstorm some ideas on how to incorporate this knowledge into your own writing.
BREAKOUT SESSION #2
Thrum, Hiss, and Warble: Making Each Word Count
Novelist Ian McEwan considers poetry “the superior and ultimate literary form.” Whatever genre we are writing in, diving into poetry helps us to connect to meaning at the deepest level. As McEwan says, “It derives from … the very pulse of our being.”
This isn’t a session in writing poetry so much as it is a warm bath with words. We’ll play with rhythm and sound and feel how they dance on the page. We’ll explore examples of prose poetry and make creative leaps into our own work. We’ll noodle around with poetry prompts, and tap, shimmy, bop, thrum, hiss, and warble our thoughts onto the page.
Candace Fleming
Author
PLENARY
Eric and Candy: Together and Apart: the Collaborative Process of Creation
Join author-illustrator team Candace Fleming and Eric Rohmann in a sneak peek, behind-the-scenes look at how they work in tandem to create joint projects. How do two experienced artists, who have worked on many projects individually, figure out how to tackle a project together? What do the differing opinions, talents, and tastes of each bring to the project? How does this affect the finished book? And how can you apply what they’ve discovered to your own work? This fast-paced plenary will provide plenty of tips and tricks as Candace and Eric lead you through their journey of discovery with energy, humor, and candor.
BREAKOUT
Make ‘Em Suffer: Adversity in Kids Books
Often, writers go too easy on their characters. They don’t want to see them suffer. But the truth is, a hero is more likeable the more she suffers. In this mini-workshop you will practice being mean (age appropriately, of course) putting your character through just about the worst thing that can happen to them. . . and having fun doing it!
Celesta Rimington
Author
BREAKOUT #1
Getting Your Muse Unstuck Through Deep Dive Research Research is the golden secret for fiction writers—not only for writing a believable story, regardless of genre, but also for getting unstuck! Are you struggling with character motivation, unsure about what makes the story unique, stuck on a plot point, at a loss for how to solve the conflict? I’ll show you real examples of how research has solved these concerns time and time again. We’ll examine how a deep dive into subjects that interest you or interest your characters can open up a wealth of insight and prime your creative brain to solve the pesky challenges that block writers from finishing or revising their books.
BREAKOUT #2
Writing Emotionally Resonant Fiction
At the intersection of character, plot, setting, and theme, we find incredible opportunities to craft fiction with universal emotional resonance. In this session, we’ll evaluate these four elements of story and how they work together to bring authentic emotion to your readers. We’ll discuss tools that help your audience feel deep, relatable, complex emotions, using examples of masterfully-written stories in both literature and film. You’ll leave this session with a wealth of exercises and actionable steps you can take with your own manuscripts to hook your readers and keep them talking about how your story made them feel long afterward.
Eric Rohmann
Author/Illustrator
PLENARY
Eric and Candy: Together and Apart: the Collaborative Process of Creation
Join author-illustrator team Candace Fleming and Eric Rohmann in a sneak peek, behind-the-scenes look at how they work in tandem to create joint projects. How do two experienced artists, who have worked on many projects individually, figure out how to tackle a project together? What do the differing opinions, talents, and tastes of each bring to the project? How does this affect the finished book? And how can you apply what they’ve discovered to your own work? This fast-paced plenary will provide plenty of tips and tricks as Candace and Eric lead you through their journey of discovery with energy, humor, and candor.
BREAKOUT
How Kids See Pictures
In this informal discussion we will look picture books and picture book illustration from the young reader’s point of view. What do kids see,? How does visual narrative tell stories that makes sense to them? What do they look at first? What compels them to keep looking?
Erin Jones Price
Author / Rights & Licensing Analyst
BREAKOUT
What Every Author Needs to Know About Copyright, Plagiarism, and AI
Have you ever wondered when and how to copyright your work, how much control you have over the rights in your contract, or what you can do to stop a tech company from using your book to train a language learning model? We'll cover the basics authors need to know about copyright, including how registration works for traditional vs. self-published authors, how to use quotes and images in your work without getting into legal trouble, what to do if others plagiarize your work, and yes, even how to deal with that thorny issue of AI plagiarization!
Heather B. Moore
Author
HANDS-ON WORKSHOP (HOW)
Bringing History to Life through Middle Grade Fiction
Join authors Heather B. Moore and Allison Hong Merrill as they discuss their research and co-writing process in creating the Young Readers Adaptation of The Paper Daughters of Chinatown. Heather and Allison will discuss contracts, collaborating on plot and character development, working on a deadline, marketing to educators and young readers, and why bringing history to life for young readers is a valuable endeavor.
HOWs (Hands-On Workshops) are 1.5-hour, more in-depth classes during the afternoon breakout hours.
Heidi Gordon
Agent
PLENARY
What I Learned Switching Sides: Lessons From an Editor Turned Agent
Moving from editor to literary agent revealed just how much of publishing remains invisible to writers. In this candid and informative session, I reflect on the insights I gained by changing roles—what surprised me, what stayed the same, and what writers most need to know about how their work is read and advocated for. This class will help writers better navigate submissions, manage expectations, and approach their careers with a clearer, more empowered understanding of the industry.
BREAKOUT
How to Become Market-Aware Without Killing Your Creativity
Writers are often told to “write for the market,” but what does that really mean, and how do you do it without sanding down what makes your work unique? Drawing on 20 years in publishing and current experience as a literary agent, this class breaks down how agents and editors think about marketability, trends, and positioning, and where originality actually strengthens a book’s chances. Attendees will learn how to understand market context, avoid the trap of trend-chasing, and make informed creative choices that serve both the story and a long-term writing career.
Kiri Jorgensen
Publisher & Senior Editor
BREAKOUT
Clarity of Character: Weaving Your Strongest Character Using Intentional Threads
In children’s fiction, character is everything. Crafting a strong character is what makes the difference between published or not. How do you build the protagonist kids will love? Intentionally weaving the elements of character in a unique pattern is the key. In this presentation, publisher Kiri Jorgensen will teach you the six elements of character, show you how to weave, and give you the tools to work your craft.
Morgan E. Iverson
Author
BREAKOUT
Manuscript CPR
Tired of rejection letters that don’t give you anything concrete to work on? Feel like there’s a gap in the level of writing between your manuscript and published books, but don’t know how to cross it? Join the club! I’ve been there, too. In this H.O.W., we’ll talk about the lesser-known tips and tricks that make your writing stand out in the slush pile. I didn’t learn these until my book got accepted and I started working with my editor. Now, you get to try them out for yourself! In this case, it’s the “little” details that make all the difference.
Come prepared with any questions you might have and (optional) a page from your WIP. The second half of this class will be designed live based around what you—yes, you—need to get out of it! (And just like my class last year, there will be homemade toffee and a new baby penguin.)
Samantha Millburn
Editor
BREAKOUT
It's Okay to Make Mistakes: Learning and Growing as a Writer
Every writer makes mistakes—published authors included. Embrace imperfections as you hear real stories about missteps, rewrites, and rejections that have helped shape stronger stories. You'll learn how mistakes are a vital part of the creative process, and you’ll discover tools for turning setbacks into growth.
Scott Rhoades
Author & WIFYR Lead Assistant
BREAKOUT
Rejecting Rejection: Persisting Past No
Rejection is an unavoidable obstacle when you write for publication, but you can’t let it block your path. No matter how strong your writing is or how many times you’ve been published, resistance will come from both gatekeepers and your own internal editor. In this session, we’ll rally around tactics to push through rejection, stay motivated, and fight for that “yes” when “no” keeps trying to stop you.
