Writing Groups that Work: Give and Receive Feedback that Supports the Writer
Date/Time: Thursday, June 6, 2024, 7:00–8:30 PM (EDT) Cost: $30 US Delivery: Online with session recorded for later viewing
Get the scoop on writing groups that work. In fact, why not invite your writing group (or writing partners) to join?
A well-run writing group can be a training ground for collective growth, support, and motivation to write. But some traditional groups can be unintentionally off-base, judgmental, and even harmful. In this 90-minute session, you’ll explore how to set up a writing group that centers on each writer’s needs, including creating a discovery experience to explore a project – where it came from, where it’s at now, and where the writer is inspired to take it next.
This course will cover:
how to form your ideal writing group, including where to find members and how to set it up for success.
how a writing group can foster inclusion and support for a diverse range of experiences.
how to prepare for feedback on your writing, including the value of an artist statement to introduce a piece of writing.
how responder(s) can prepare for a feedback session.
how a group can co-create a safe, nurturing feedback experience.
the roles of the responder(s) and writer during feedback.
what to do with the feedback you receive on your writing (and when to set it aside).
This workshop is for any writer or writing group seeking ways to offer and receive targeted, constructive feedback that inspires revisions and meets writing goals.
To register, go to the Whale Rock website. While you’re there, please also check out their many wonderful offerings for new, emerging, and established writers for children and youth. And don’t forget to subscribe to the Whale Rock newsletter!
Guess what arrived? In June, illustrator Dawn Lo and I were honoured to win the 2023 SCBWI Crystal Kite Award in Canada for One Tiny Bubble, and I just received this lovely recognition of it!
I have so much gratitude to Owlkids Books for taking on this project. Karen Li first championed the project, Stacey Roderick was such a thorough and vigorous editor that she was a dream to work with, Dawn Lo brought one tiny bubble to life with the magic of her brush, Alisa Baldwin designed it so well that the book won second place in the Alcuin Society Awards for Excellence in Book Design (Children’s Category), and the marketing and publicity team at Owlkids have been on point and supportive at all times.
This book began during my MFA at the Vermont College of Fine Arts, and I want to acknowledge the wisdom of faculty advisor William Alexander and workshop leader Cynthia Leitich Smith, who enthusiastically welcomed my fledgling manuscript, as well as the support of my writing partners who read many early drafts of this manuscript.
Thanks also to Dr. William F. Martin, author of many scientific articles on life’s early evolution and professor at the Institute of Molecular Evolution in Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf. Dr. Martin enthusiastically reviewed the text and illustrations, and I greatly value his expertise.
And of course, I must recognize the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and its members. This award is implemented by the SCBWI and peer-selected by its members. I’m grateful for their support.
If you’d like to learn more about One Tiny Bubble, please check out these resources:
I’m excited to be heading to the July 21 to 29 residency for the Vermont College of Fine Arts as a Teaching Assistant in the Picture Book Intensive semester! This will be the first time the residency happens in Colorado Springs – a huge transition for everyone. I’ll be working with faculty member Loree Griffin Burns to support the students during residency and for the rest of the semester too. I’ll also be delivering a lecture and reading. It’s a great opportunity for me to learn more about how to mentor children’s writers. I’ve been prepping my lecture, and I can’t wait to share it. Plus, it’ll be wonderful to soak up all the wisdom and creative energy of an in-person residency. I’m especially excited to connect with my fellow Teaching Assistant Laura Obuobi, author of the fabulous picture book Black Gold, and to see so many friends deliver their graduating lectures. These writers are brilliant, folks.
Here’s my lecture topic. If it’s available to the public, I’ll be sure to share a link:
Generating Story Approaches: How Else Can You Tell It?
You’ve written a good story, or you have a good story idea. How can you make it great? One way is to improve the writing craft skills you’ll need to write it. Another is to consider the optimal approach to writing it. Taking the time to generate and assess alternative story approaches at the start of your writing process and during revision can elevate a good story to greatness. This lecture will explore the process of generating alternative story approaches using mentor texts as our guides.
Reading in Colorado Springs: Monster vs. Boy
While I’m in Colorado, I’ll also be visiting local bookstore Tattered Cover for a reading and presentation of my new middle-grade novel Monster vs. Boy, which will be published on July 11. If you’re around and available, I would love to see friends there!
When: Saturday, July 29 at 6 to 8 pm Where: Tattered Cover Book Store, 112 N. Tejon St, Colorado Springs
Many thanks to Anne-Marie Strohman for her insightful writing-craft review of my picture book One Tiny Bubble, illustrated by Dawn Lo. Anne-Marie and I both attended the Vermont College of Fine Arts, and she is certainly a writer to watch.
In her article, Anne-Marie looks at how my writing choices pull the reader into the story of LUCA – our Last Universal Common Ancestor – through the use of direct address, invitation to the reader, kid-friendly comparisons, alliteration, repeated sequences, and more. She begins:
“Non-fiction books are meant to provide information to young readers. But many non-fiction books also tell the reader a story. And some of the best non-fiction books go the extra mile to pull readers into that story. Exhibit A: One Tiny Bubble: The Story of Our Last Universal Common Ancestor by Karen Krossing.”
You can sign up for the KidLitCraft newsletter for more great content.
I first crossed paths with Anne-Marie Strohman when we both attended the Vermont College of Fine Arts (VCFA), and I quickly learned that she is an insightful writer and a fabulous community organizer. It was an honour to be interviewed by Anne-Marie on KidLitCraft, especially because she asked so many thoughtful questions. We discussed writing inspiration, what I learned at VCFA, writing quests, and more. Please take a look, and don’t forget to sign up for the KidLitCraft newsletter for more great content.
