"Revising and Re-Imagining Your Picture Book Manuscript" Special Feature: the "Work with Us" Option

Whenever we offer one of our revision workshops online, we also offer a way for students to get feedback on a manuscript or part of one, sometimes by paying extra. We may also offer feedback on any "homework" from the class that students do.

For this picture book webinar class, we are taking this approach a step further by offering a choice. Students who like to work on their own, or anticipate other demands on their time, can choose the "Work on Your Own" option. Students who want feedback on their work and a one-on-one consultation on a manuscript can choose the "Work with Us" option, which includes a "personal teacher." In this option, your personal teacher will be assigned to you at the beginning of the class and will play at least 4 roles:

Manuscript consultation: We are including a manuscript consultation at no additional charge. Students may submit a complete fiction or nonfiction picture book manuscript in standard manuscript format, including a cover or query letter if desired. Each student will talk about the manuscript with their teacher in a phone consultation scheduled during the course or afterwards (first come, first served: monthly slots are limited). Consultations last 15 minutes and are done by phone or UberConference, which allows for them to be recorded.

How could you use the one-on-one consultation? Here are some options. Others may occur to you:
--Discuss where you are with your manuscript and how to get the most from the class.
--Get general feedback on the manuscript.
--Focus on a scene you are struggling with and get suggestions.
--Focus on language and discuss ways to improve it.

Homework feedback: Each session of the class includes at least 1 "homework assignment"--the opportunity to try out a technique or tool, applying it to your manuscript or to a published book. In the "Work with Us" option, if you choose to do the homework, your teacher will review it and give you feedback on it.

Questions answered: We answer all questions asked during each online class, either via the ongoing chat room, in discussion at the end, or, when there are a lot of them, in the following class. But what if a question occurs to you later, or comes up after you missed a class and are reviewing the video recording? In the "Work with Us" option, you can contact your homework teacher by email and ask.

Planning ahead: As the class comes to an end, you can consult by email with your personal teacher on plans for what to do next with the manuscript you've been working on.

(Optional) Students can also request consultations on additional manuscripts at a flat rate of $75 per manuscript, during the class and for a period of six months afterwards. Teachers will schedule these when they have time available.

We intend for your personal teacher to help you get more out of the picture book revision webinar, and to help you take your lessons learned back into your daily practice as a writer and reviser.