PYI 2022 Sessions: LIVE-STREAMED ON Saturday, October 29, 2022

An inspiring keynote that will focus on imagination, inspiration and how we help build a path forward for humanity in the stories we write and tell.

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Dull or dynamic? Flawed or flat? What makes some characters live on in readers’ minds after the last page? In this session, we’ll look at beloved characters and why they work, then discuss how to craft well-rounded, believable characters with an emphasis on their inner selves.

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It is more important than ever to know how to sell your work effectively. Learn how to approach and work with editors from pitch to published, how to keep pitching while waiting for that Yes!, how to understand and adapt a boilerplate contract and other business basics to jumpstart your writing career.

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Sara O’Leary and Qin Leng share their experience of working on A Family is a Family is a Family (2016) and its companion, A Kid is a Kid is a Kid (2021). You’ll learn about how a cast of characters existing only in a manuscript -- each with only a single line of dialogue and never described -- were brought to life on the page. We’ll also discuss the choices that were made in both writing and illustration to make these books as inclusive as possible.

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SARA O’LEARY, QIN LENG

Mark Twain’s ‘never let the truth get in the way of good story’ has a slight twist for great literary non-fiction: don’t let facts get in the way either. Sigmund Brouwer shares methods of research and writing as well as story presentation to help you deliver solid non-fiction book proposals and manuscripts that live up to the promises of your proposals.

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Can you hear that? Musicality and vocal performance are important elements to in picture book writing. This workshop will provide techniques for enhancing picture book manuscripts through lyricism, rhythm, flow, beat and (gulp) even rhyme, and will encourage writers to listen to the sound of their story.

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Interested in developing a new style and taking a non-traditional illustration approach? In this workshop, we will explore what a diorama is, how it is made, why Soyeon Kim chose dioramas to illustrate picture books, and the pros and cons of non-traditional illustration approaches. Through this workshop, Soyeon hopes to inspire you to venture new materials and techniques to play with non-traditional illustration style!

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Our panel of newly-published kids book creators tell you how they got started, how they got there, and offer specific, practical advice.

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DANIEL ALEMAN, ANDREA BLINICK, LISELLE SAMBURY

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As a society, we need young readers who can ask smart questions. Authors Cylita Guy and Tanya Lloyd Kyi believe science books are the perfect way to create engaged and inquisitive citizens of the future. In this interactive presentation, we’ll explore ways to prompt discussion, encourage experimentation, spark discovery and turn dense source material into fascinating books for kids.

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Nature is often used simply as a narrative backdrop, but it can also be depicted as a complex and dynamic character in its own right. In this session, we’ll explore how to use colour, line, and careful observation to breathe life into illustrated nature and science stories.

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Consistently the most popular session at PYI, every year this panel features a new group of kid lit experts.

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STACEY KONDLA (The Rights Factory), BEVERLEY BRENNA (Red Deer Press), JENNIFER STOKES (Owlkids Books), PATRICIA OCAMPO (Kids Can Press)

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Want to write scenes that will have your readers holding their breath from the first page to the last? Marty Chan shares his tips to creating tension that will keep young readers on the edge of the seats and have them coming back for more.

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What makes a memorable illustration? One that tells a story! In this workshop we discuss using composition, color and characters to visually communicate. We will break theories down to practical usable tools for your future projects. You will learn how to talk to your audience though illustration.

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