Winter Term Begins

Today is the first day of DePauw's three-week Winter Term - it begins today and then ends on Wednesday, January 25. For the first time ever, I'm teaching a full-length course on writing children's books. I've done four week one-evening-a-week classes on writing children's books for Lifelong Learning (adult continuing education) in Boulder; I've been a retreat leader/facilitator; I've given countless talks on craft at various writing conferences; and I've mentored seven writers through the terrific mentorship program run by the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. But this course is my most ambitious venture to date: it meets four afternoons a week from 1-4 for the three weeks of Winter Term. That is a lot of class time!

I've planned some fun things. One fun thing is an outing to the Putnam County Public Library (just two blocks from campus), where the fabulous children's librarian there will present to us her favorite of the newest crop of recently published children's books. Another fun thing is going to be an evening of reading aloud stories to one another up at the Prindle Institute fireplace, while sipping hot chocolate and eating cookies: the wearing of pajamas will be encouraged. In fact, I just bought a new nightgown for this very purpose: a Lanz of Salzburg flannel nightgown ordered from the Vermont Country Store (see above). Of course, I'll also give my talk on Peppy Pacing and Sturdy Structure - and play an entertaining "show, don't tell" game - and do a great character-development exercise borrowed from children's author Denise Vega (where you get two cards, one with a character trait and one with a situation, and have to write a short scene showing how that character trait could be exhibited by your protagonist in that situation). And we'll write tons, and read tons, and do tons of critiquing.

I'm not sure that I'll be able to use the Story Goose I blogged about yesterday. I may put cookies in her, after all. I'll just have to see.