More exciting programmes coming your way!

10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Reviewing the Book You Love (or Hate)

THIS SESSION HAS BEEN POSTPONED FOR AFCC IN FUTURE YEARS.

FOR: Anyone who would like to do a book review
MATERIALS TO BRING: Two books you would like to review, a pen, your notebook

Longing to review a book you love (or hate)? Leonard Marcus will discuss the responsibility of the reviewer to the author, the book, and the reader. Let Leonard guide you through practical suggestions for crafting well-balanced, accurate, and useful book reviews, and emerge from this Masterclass a much better book reviewer.

Polishing and Refining: The Role of the Editor in Creating Great Books for Young Readers (Seminar Room 3.1, School of Social Sciences, SMU)

Sarah Odedina (Publisher)

FOR: Anyone who would like to learn some editing
MATERIALS TO BRING: Notebook 

The role of the editor in the publishing process will be examined through both discussion and practical exercises in this day long masterclass with Sarah Odedina. Be prepared for an immersive learning experience about this important and creative role in making books for children. This masterclass will focus on fiction for children from age 8 to YA books.

Worlds Within Words: Writing Fantasy for Young Readers (Seminar Room 3.2, School of Social Sciences, SMU)

Cynthia Leitich Smith (Author & Faculty, MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults at Vermont College of Fine Arts), Gabriela Lee (Author)

FOR: Aspiring and established writers who are interested in writing for young readers within the fantasy or speculative fiction genre. Applicable for those creating content for children aged 10-12 years and young adults.
MATERIALS: Please bring your laptop. Paper and writing materials will be provided at the venue.

Waiting for the right moment to pull the world out of your imagination and on to the page? Let authors and teachers Cynthia Leitich Smith and Gabriela Lee help you build the foundations of your fantasy world and teach you how to craft working narratives that can eventually transform into longer fictional forms. Participants are encouraged to bring existing ideas and works-in-progress to the workshop.

Picture Book Masterclass: From Image to Story (Classroom 4.1, School of Social Sciences, SMU)

Calef Brown (Author and Illustrator)

FOR: Visual artists, illustrators, designers. 
MATERIALS TO BRING: One or more sketchbooks and drawing and colouring materials of your choice (e.g. pens pencils etc. and portable paints like watercolors and even gouache. Please refrain from bringing colouring materials that take a longer time to dry, such as oil, acrylic etc.)

For those who think of themselves primarily as visual artists, what are some strategies for writing picture book manuscripts? This will be an intensive workshop dealing with generating stories, creating engaging characters, and worlds out of a daily sketchbook/journal practice, and refining your voice and style as a picture book illustrator. Bouncing back and forth from sketching to writing, identifying characters and themes that can be expanded upon, and finding and refining appropriate voice will be investigated. Calef will discuss his own process and approach to these ideas, and lead exercises designed to inspire and open possibilities. There will also be significant time allowed for one-on-one consultations and critique with the instructor.