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Picture Book Workshop

for Adults, with Award-Winning Author Nancy Viau

Registration REQUIRED for this 3-week course.

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An informative and fun program for aspiring writers and illustrators—or anyone interested in learning how writing and art come together to create a children’s book.

Writing a 32-page picture book is easy, right? Or is it?! During this series of workshops, participants will brainstorm universal ideas and create a “dummy” (professional talk for a work-in-progress picture book). Paying attention to construction, word choice, content, length, page breaks, and the role illustrations play, aspiring authors and author-illustrators are given the tools they need to be creative in this form. No experience required—just a love of books and a desire to learn the “nuts and books” of book development from an award-winning author.

MATERIALS:

Patrons need to bring the following:

• 16-20 pieces of plain paper (8 1/2  x 11 size or bigger)
• A package of Post-It notes (any color)
• Pencils, crayons, markers, colored pencils, pastels, and/or art pens
• Patrons may wish to bring a laptop or tablet to write down ideas and plot the story, but a majority of the work (which focuses on an economy of words) will be handwritten (writers) and/or sketched (illustrators). 

This is a 3-class series being held Mondays, 6pm-7:30pm at the Stone Harbor Library:

• Session 1: July 13th
  • Techniques specific to a 32-page picture book
  • Brainstorming characters, setting, and plot
  • Defining the target audience
  • What to do to make the story engaging
  • Simple sketches (for those who think visually)
• Session 2: July 20st
  • Creating a book “dummy”
  • Proofreading, editing, feedback
  • Critique groups, sharing
• Session 3: July 27th (open to ANYONE interested in publishing a book for children OR adults. Participants need not attend previous 2 sessions.)
  • The business side of writing
  • Finding editors and publishers
  • Self-publishing v. traditional publishing
  • Social media
  • Q and A

NANCY VIAU is the award-winning author of the following picture books: Hanging Out with Gram (2026), Splish, Splash! First to Last, Pruett and Soo, Today Is a Beach Day!, First Snow, City Street Beat, Storm Song, and Look What I Can Do! Her novels for grades 3-7 include: Something Is Bugging Samantha Hansen, Samantha Hansen Has Rocks in Her Head, Just One Thing! and Beauty and Bernice. A former teacher and forever a kid-at-heart, she loves to visit schools, libraries, and bookstores across the U.S. to lead storytimes, workshops, and assemblies about her journey to publication and her writing process. Nancy has called Stone Harbor her part-time residence for decades and as a world traveler, believes it is truly "The Seashore at Its Best." Connect with Nancy Viau on Instagram: @NancyViau1 or via her site: www.NancyViau.com. 

Check out Nancy's works from the library!

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