Breaking into YA Fiction with Judy Goldschmidt
Thanks to blockbuster hits like Twilight, The Hunger Games, and Divergent, YA fiction continues to thrive and expand. Teen readers are buying more books than ever, and agents, editors, and Hollywood producers are forever on the lookout for the next big thing in YA. Even adults are choosing to read YA over traditional Adult books in record number. So, what’s so special about YA? Whether you’re working on a passion project, or considering YA, from a practical standpoint, this workshop will help you understand this category and determine whether it’s the right place for you. And for those of you who are already working on a manuscript or just tossing around ideas, we’ll workshop and hone your concept until it’s so awesome and kickass you’ll be dying to get it submission ready as soon as you possibly can.
*Middle Grade will also be covered for those who are interested
Class Details...This class will cover:
- What’s so special about YA?
- Which genres are hot right now
- Hone your log-line through laser coaching
- Brainstorming techniques to help you come up with new concepts
- Dirty little secrets and tricks of the trade from the frontline
- Point of View—who’s telling the story and how
Followed by a Q&A
Instructor: Judy Goldschmidt has been a children’s book publishing professional for seventeen years. She began her career as an editor/developer at the premier children’s book packager, Alloy Entertainment, where she edited the NY Times bestselling series The A-List.
After that she was an editor at Penguin Group Young Readers, before returning to packaging at Full Fathom Five, where she edited the New York Times Bestselling series, Dorothy Must Die, as well as The Kicks.
She’s also the author of the critically acclaimed Raisin Rodriguez trilogy.
Date & Time: TBA
Cost: TBA
Location: TBA
Investigative Interviewing: Best Practices for Reporting with Katherine Wessling
Whether you’re writing a nonfiction book, a magazine article, or checking the facts about anything that really matters to your health, home or livelihood, the ability to cultivate and interview sources can be more authoritative than anything you can find on the internet. Getting original information out of experts is key to tapping into the premium fees offered for investigative features and non-fiction book advances.
Class Details...This class will cover:
- Basic interview manners, charm and protocol
- Discussion of “off” vs. “on” the record
- How to get information out of your sources (even reluctant ones)
- How to get a sense of whether you can rely on the information you get
- Cultivating sources
- In-class practice via role-playing
Instructor: Katherine Wessling has spent more than two decades as a fact checker and reporter. She honed her skills as a researcher at Esquire magazine working with writers such as Tom Wolfe, Jim Harrison, John Berendt, Pete Hamill and Peter Maas. Since then, she has created the research department at Good Housekeeping magazine, been a research editor at O, The Oprah Magazine, gone in-house as a research consultant for Mediabistro and freelanced in the research departments of over a dozen other major national media outlets. As a corporate communications consultant for News Corp., Katherine mined online news sources and blogs daily to create the go-to list for media news. She has also done primary research for playwright Eve Ensler, YA writer and style journalist Veronica Chambers, investigative journalist and New York Times bestselling author Vicky Ward, and others.
Date & Time: TBA
Cost: TBA
Location: TBA
Advanced Internet Research: Fact-Finding for Your Writing–and Your Life! with Katherine Wessling
How do you know what is real information anymore? Whether it’s researching a company you want to work for, finding reliable information about a medical condition or vetting a statistic for an article, quality intel is all. High-quality info gives any writer a major commercial edge that is reflected in the premium fees offered for investigative features and non-fiction and historical fiction book advances. However, many don’t have skills beyond simple Google searches and Wikipedia.
Class Details...This seminar will cover:
- Basic online reporting skills overview
- Advanced Google search tricks
- The difference between search engines (Bing vs. Google vs. Yahoo, etc.)
- Info on for-pay research services (LexisNexis, Factiva, etc.)
- How to evaluate quality sources
- Using Wikipedia as a jumping-off point for actual reporting
- Dealing with dead-ends
- Creating alerts to keep you in touch with your topic
Instructor: Katherine Wessling has spent more than two decades as a fact checker and reporter. She honed her skills as a researcher at Esquire magazine working with writers such as Tom Wolfe, Jim Harrison, John Berendt, Pete Hamill and Peter Maas. Since then, she has created the research department at Good Housekeeping magazine, been a research editor at O, The Oprah Magazine, gone in-house as a research consultant for Mediabistro and freelanced in the research departments of over a dozen other major national media outlets. As a corporate communications consultant for News Corp., Katherine mined online news sources and blogs daily to create the go-to list for media news. She has also done primary research for playwright Eve Ensler, YA writer and style journalist Veronica Chambers, investigative journalist and New York Times bestselling author Vicky Ward, and others.
Dates & Time: TBA
Cost: TBA
Location: TBA
Public Speaking: How to Kill (Not Die) In a Room & On the Internet with Katherine Wessling
In today’s multi-media world it’s essential to effectively present yourself in front of various audiences—be it in-person or on video. Most people fear public speaking more than death itself, but you can learn to ace those stressful scenarios be they book readings, live panels, speed dating events, business presentations, Skype job interviews or TV appearances. In this class you will get a sense of how you come across to others—your personal brand. Via lecture, exercises, discussion and a few laser coaching examples, you will learn tips on how to remain calm and grounded, and how to project your message (and your personal brand) to your target audience.
Class Details...This seminar will cover:
- Exercises to help you relax and focus
- Improv games to develop your self-confidence and ability to be in-the-moment
- Preparing via research and rehearsal
- Using your voice, body language and message to capture the attention of your audience
- In-class practice and feedback
Instructor: Katherine Wessling has taught seminars for the Hearst Corporation, Princeton Review, Mediabistro and other organizations, and appeared in close to 40 episodes of the comedic business training series Cutting Edge. She studied improv with Amy Poehler and other geniuses at the Upright Citizens Brigade and has been a member of two improv troupes. Katherine’s acted in close to 30 plays and over a dozen films.
Date & Time: TBA
Cost: TBA
Location: TBA