Master Skills Workshop with Esteemed Editor Patti Gauch and Noted Author Gary D. Schmidt
ONLINE: November 10 - November 16, 2024
THIS WORKSHOP IS FULL
Gary Schmidt and Patti Gauch team up for two novel workshops given from the coziness of your home AND by the glorious shores of Lake Huron. Writers will come together for a week of workshops, craft talks, one-on-one editing and mentoring sessions, and readings.
The heart of our days will be good writerly work. In large group sessions, we'll talk about the major elements of fiction and how those might be used in your stories. In small group sessions, we'll focus on your writing, workshopping it and testing it for voice, for meaning, for alternate perspectives and for point of view. You'll learn to hone your writing skills as we workshop and come away, we hope, with a stronger sense of writerly gifts, with a new community of writers, and with pieces that might be sent out into the world to reach young audiences.
This class is for experienced writers ready to work hard! You will write and learn from morning until night. You will be given on the spot prompts and writing assignments with short turn around times, and you will be expected to make revisions and edits as well. If you are someone who does not like writing under pressure, this is not the workshop for you, and we encourage you to explore our mentorship and retreat programs which are more self-driven.
“The morning sessions with Gary and Patti doing one long one shorter presentation was pure gold! Patti and Gary get deeper into the writing process and give perspectives I’ve never heard anywhere else. Every session was a pure delight and such a revelation. ”
“It was magic. It would be hard to overstate how valuable the insight and input from Patti and Gary were. Having access to their brilliance for a week is an unparalleled situation. ”
Our Instructors
Gary D. Schmidt
Patricia Lee Gauch
What You’ll Learn
Join other children’s literature authors for a week designed to help you dive deep into your craft and take your writing to the next level. Each year our instructors bring new lessons, new prompts and new exercises created to help you master new skills.
Our week includes:
Four master lectures
Four on-the-spot writing prompt sessions
Feedback on a 15-page submission
An additional three-page writing assignment
Four one-on-one meetings with our instructors - two with Gary Schmidt and two with Patti Gauch.
Book discussion on a novel chosen by instructors
Nightly readings
“Profound. I feel so much more ready and able to write my story to the end now. Patti and Gary have been integral to my writing process all along but this week was particularly special. I feel like something has finally broken free and I am ready to write this story to the end! And the community of fellow writers makes me feel like I have a writing home I cherish. Thank you so much for an awesome week — every detail was perfect. ”
This Workshop Is For You If
You’ve almost been signed by an agent, but keep getting sent back for revisions
You’re getting good feedback on your books, but haven’t sold one yet
You keep getting great feedback on your writing, but can’t seem to reach your goals
You’re a published author looking to improve your skills and take your writing to the next level
You’re a published author aiming for that starred review
You’ve lost momentum on a manuscript
You’ve published a book (or two, or three), but you’re stuck on your next idea
You look forward to an intense writing experience that will keep you on your toes and possibly push you outside your comfort zone.
Cost, Deposit, & Refunds
Online cost 2024: $1725
($50 discount for paying by check or bank transfer)
In-person workshop cost 2024: $2425
($70 discount for paying by check or bank transfer)
Our workshop takes place in Lexington, Michigan. Lunch and dinner are included in this price, but lodging is not. (We will supply you with a list of lodging options ranging in price and distance from our workshop location.)
*Students may be asked to wear masks for events that need to be moved indoors where we cannot guarantee air-flow.
There is a $500 non-refundable deposit for this event regardless of whether you participate in-person or online only.
Refund Policy:
Before and March 1, 2024 (in-person) and August 15, 2024 (online) applicants may withdraw from the workshop with no additional penalty, except the $500 non-refundable deposit.
After March 1, 2024 (in-person) and August 15, 2024 (online), tuition is 50% refundable, unless we can fill the spot from our wait list. If we can fill the spot, applicants will be refunded full tuition, minus $700 ($500 deposit and a $200 penalty for late withdrawal). You may put your $200 towards another event during the same calendar year.
After May 15, 2024 (in-person) and October 1, 2024 (online) and tuition is non-refundable, unless we can fill the spot from our wait list. If we can fill the spot, applicants will be refunded full tuition, minus $700 ($500 deposit and a $200 penalty for late withdrawal). You may put the $200 towards another event during the same calendar year.
LAST MINUTE ILLNESS POLICY: Please note, as of 2024, there will be no exceptions to our refund policy for students who become ill at the last minute. Students will be given access to the virtual workshop's videos that they can watch at a later date. Students will be able to schedule one-on-one meetings with Patti and Gary at a later date.
Model
The seven-day online workshop includes virtual lectures, meetings and breakout sessions. All one-on-one meetings for virtual students will take place on Zoom. In-person students will attend lectures in outdoor space. One-on-one meetings for in-person students will be held on-site. In-person participants will be expected to follow safe COVID-19 practices, including mask wearing when appropriate and social distancing. Zoom may be used during inclement weather.
Workshop Size
Gary and Patti will accept no more than 13 writers in our virtual workshop and no more than 13 writers for our in-person workshop.
Writing Samples
New students’ applications must contain a 1000-word writing sample. You do not need to be published to be considered for this program, but we are looking for committed, experienced writers. Gary and Patti will read the writing samples, and writers will be informed whether they have been accepted.
“It was wonderful! Both are so positive and encouraging, but also specific and helpful with feedback. I left every meeting knowing exactly what to work on next, but never feeling defeated or like I couldn’t do it ….I loved every minute - best workshop I’ve ever done, and 100% worth it. ”