Making Facts Matter Nonfiction Workshop
Writing Story-Driven Nonfiction for Picture Books and Middle Grade with Ryan G. Van Cleave
Service Description
$655 MAKING FACTS MATTER: Writing Story-Driven Nonfiction for Picture Books and Middle Grade I love diving into the deep ocean of research. But finding the facts isn’t the hard part. The hard part is making facts matter—giving them shape, voice, and a reason to live on the page. That’s what we’ll work on together. I’ll share examples and challenges from my own writing (The Witness Trees, Decide & Survive: Agent 355, and many others) and from books I’ve edited at Bushel & Peck (Stuck! The Story of La Brea Tar Pits, The Museum on the Moon, Heroes of World War II, and more). Together, we’ll look at what makes nonfiction sing and what makes it stall. We’ll cover the essentials—structure, pacing, scene—while digging deeper into craft that makes the difference: Information layering—what goes where, and why Metaphor—making the abstract land Persona—because even true stories need a guide worth following Through mini-lessons, discussion, writing exercises, and workshop feedback, we’ll generate pages, strengthen drafts, and talk about what editors are actually looking for. No advance submission required, though you’re welcome to bring a work in progress. Or bring an idea (or a pile of ideas). Or come with an open mind and an open heart, ready to create something new during the week.
Upcoming Sessions
Cancellation Policy
We understand not all circumstances can be anticipated. However, our faculty and staff put in a considerable amount of time critiquing registrants’ manuscripts and organizing Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers long before the conference begins. All refund requests must be made in writing. Please email carolloveswifyr@gmail.com to make the request. WIFYR Handling Fee Rates January = 20% February = 20% March = 25% April = 50% After May 1 = No refund Morning Class Deposit Refunds: If you make a deposit on a class and decide to withdraw, there will be a $200 non-refundable fee. Payment Plans: JANUARY & FEBRUARY ONLY! If you sign up by January 31, you can take advantage of a 4-month payment plan, and if you sign up by February 28, you can have a 3-month payment plan. Subsequent payments will be made by February 15 (if you sign up in January), March 15, and April 15 (final payment). Late payments may result in losing your spot in the class and a partial refund (see refund policy). Please only use this option if you're confident you are able to pay on time and in full by April 15, 2026.