Summer Write-Along/Revise-Along
About the Class
Summer Write-Along/Revise-Along is a course for writers who have taken another KidLit Craft class (Writing MG, Write a Novel, Revise a Novel) to continue working on projects through the summer in a community of other writers. Designed primarily for encouragement, motivation, and camaraderie, the class will also incorporate mini-lessons and discussions on craft topics chosen by the group.
Who Is the Course For?
This course is for you if:
You have taken another KidLit Craft class
You don’t want the summer to whoosh by without getting writing done
You want to prioritize your writing
You want the encouragement of writing alongside others and access to expertise when you get stuck.
Not sure if this course is right for you? Schedule a call with me.
The Summer Slump
I always have grand visions for how much I will accomplish in the summer months. When my kids were small, the summer was so active that it was hard to prioritize my writing. Now that they’re teenagers, I have to admit that I often put off writing and before I know it, the summer has flown by and I have little to show for it. And writing is one of the things that’s most important to me.
For me, taking a class helps me focus my writing energies. Just by signing up, I’ve already given my writing a better chance. And I find the energy of being around other writers infectious. It makes me want to write even more.
I’ve designed this course to focus on your and your writing, with timely topics for teaching and discussion, in a small community of writers so we can encourage each other and find our rhythm in the summer months.
What to Expect
Each week, we’ll meet for a 75-minute class on Zoom, where we’ll talk about writing craft and process, focused on whatever topics are coming up for you in your writing or revision.
You’ll set your own writing or revision goals each week, with check-ins on our dedicated Slack workspace.
While the focus of the class is working on your writing project, I’ll provide sidewriting prompts each week to help you dig deeper into character, character relationships, setting, and key events.
Classes will be recorded, in case you need to miss, but the beauty of the course is in connecting with others live. (But no worries if you have to miss a week or two–you are still welcome!)
Time Commitment
In addition to the 75-minute class each week, you’ll need time to work on your project. You’ll need to figure out when and how much time you can fit into your schedule. There’s no minimum time required–that’s up to you. But I encourage you to take a realistic look at your schedule to see where writing will fit. We’ll talk about ways to create space for writing into a busy schedule, and how to make the most of the time you have.
Ready to Register? Sign up now.
Course Details
8 weekly class meetings
Maximum 12 students
Led by KidLit Craft founder Anne-Marie Strohman
Upcoming Session:
Summer 2025
Mondays, June 9-July 28
9:30-10:45am Pacific/12:30-2pm Eastern
“This course provides a safe and encouraging space for writers to both plan and draft their novels. The course provides the perfect balance of inspiration and concrete craft technique to launch writers into productivity. I highly recommend it.”
– Kristi Wright
Your Instructor:
Anne-Marie Strohman, KidLit Craft founder
I am a teacher at heart. I have eight year’s experience in course design and teaching at the college level. I hold an MA in English Literature, including courses in writing theory and pedagogy; a PhD in Renaissance Literature; a certificate in Professional Editing; and an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults. I’ve led book group discussions, lectured on various craft topics, and written numerous articles about writing craft.
More importantly, I’m a writer. I write everything from picture books to young adult, and short stories for adults. I’ve published flash fiction and short stories, and my YA short story, “What You Don’t Know Now” was recently nominated for a Pushcart Prize.
I started KidLit Craft as a way to share what I was learning. The website has grown to over 400 posts on the craft of writing for children. My co-writers and I analyze mentor texts to figure out the mechanics of how writers do what they do so we can apply it to our own work. (Really, this means we just nerd out about writing a lot.) This year I’ve been working on a podcast with KidLit Craft contributor Erin Nuttall.
I’ve been a speaker at regional conferences on topics such as flash fiction, reading like a writer, getting emotion on the page, and the impact of vulnerability in writing. In 2022-23, I served as SCBWI SF/South’s Scholar in Residence. I find my best ideas when I’m hiking on my favorite trails on the SF Peninsula.
Not sure if this course is right for you?
What You’ll Get in This Masterclass:
Personalized classes, up to 12 students, to ensure that you can ask any question you want in a friendly environment
Guidance through the process of writing a first draft or revising a novel
Craft input when it’s relevant to your work
Weekly accountability check-ins
The opportunity to choose topics for mini-lessons and discussions
The option of having me read up to five pages of your novel twice during the class
Access to recordings and slides/handouts of craft materials immediately after each class session
Access to a class Slack channel for mid-week discussions
Outcomes – What This Course Will Do for You:
You’ll work on your project, meeting (and possibly exceeding) your goals, and re-setting goals when needed.
You’ll meet other writers developing their craft and can forge connections that could lead to critique groups, reading groups, and more.
You’ll have access to me and each other through weekly Zoom meetings and a dedicated conversation space for mid-week questions and discussions.
All sessions will be recorded and available, along with slides and handouts, for lifetime access.
Not sure if this course is right for you?
Course Add-Ons
While this course does not include critiques, you can choose from these course add-ons. Prices include an enrolled student discount.
First 20 pages critique ($230 $190): Send in your first 20 pages, and I’ll give you detailed written feedback on what is working, what questions I have, what questions you might consider as you move forward. I’ll look at both the scene shape and structure and the first pages as a set-up for the whole novel. After you’ve had a chance to digest my comments, we’ll have a 45-minute Zoom meeting where you can ask any questions you have, or where we can talk through new ideas you have. Use within six months of completing the course.
20 pages from anywhere critique ($230 $190): Send in 20 pages from anywhere in your novel as well as a brief synopsis and a brief description of where the scene fits in context, and I’ll give you detailed written feedback on what is working, what questions I have, what questions you might consider as you move forward. I’ll look at both the scene shape and structure, as well as how the scene elements (dialogue, description, interiority, etc.) fit together. After you’ve had a chance to digest my comments, we’ll have a 45-minute Zoom meeting where you can ask any questions you have, or where we can talk through new ideas you have. Use within six months of completing the course.
Novel structure review ($320 $250): Send in a brief pitch for your novel, a 1-2 pages synopsis, and brief summaries of your seven key scenes. We’ll have an hour-long Zoom call to talk through your plan. Afterward, I’ll send a written summary of our discussion and a set of questions that can guide you to next steps within a week of our meeting, unless otherwise specified.
Individual Coaching Session ($200 $150): We’ll schedule a 60-minute call during the last half of the course so we can talk through any questions you have or go over your drafting or revision plan. You can submit up to 10 pages of writing before the call to guide our discussion. You’ll have the option of recording the call, and you’ll have lifetime access.
Select add-ons at checkout.
What past students are saying about KidLit Craft Classes:
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“Through mini-lessons, writing prompts and spotlight opportunities where participants gain insights specific to their stories, the course provides the perfect balance of inspiration and concrete craft technique to launch writers into productivity. While attending this course, I completed a major revision to a current project (start to finish) and made significant headway in planning a new novel. If you find that encouragement and community plus a healthy spoonful of craft tips helps you get writing done, this is the right course for you. I highly recommend it.”
—Kristi Wright, author of The Basker Twins in the 31st Century series and KidLitCraft contributor
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“It's like a mini-MFA! There's so much craft content and an opportunity to put it into practice and receive feedback. It gives you the tools and confidence that you need to move from PB to longer work.
The course decreased my fears about taking on such a big project. It helped me break things down into manageable chunks that feel doable
Anne-Marie is a gifted teacher who presents complex concepts in an accessible way. I've taken other writing classes and learned bits and pieces of craft content, but this course puts those concepts together in a way that really makes sense. For the first time I feel like writing a novel is within reach.”
--Ann Bonwill, picture book author
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“This was one of the best craft classes I've ever taken. The content, the pacing, the thoughtful use of mentor texts and suggested homework – I now have everything I need to dig in to writing my middle grade novel, including the confidence to do so!
This class leverages what you know about writing picture books to help you understand how to write a longer narrative. And you learn about craft in a way that helps you better understand your own process.”
—Casey W. Robinson
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“Anne-Marie is a very generous and articulate teacher. Even though I've taken other MG courses and workshops before, I feel that I've learned so much more from Anne-Marie's specific and detailed lessons. After taking her course, I felt a sense of confidence and ease that I didn't have before.”
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“Anne-Marie is both a master at craft and an excellent teacher. She explained concepts in a way that was easy to understand and put so much time into finding examples to demonstrate the concepts. She broke the complex process of writing a middle grade novel into digestible classes. She also continuously amazed me by the breadth of her knowledge and recall of so many different concepts and stories in which they could be found to help clarify and deepen our understanding of the concepts we learned.”
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“Anne-Marie is a fantastic teacher. She is organized, thorough, and handled our myriad of questions and writerly woes with skill and grace.”
--Darshana Khiani, picture book author
Join Me! Register Now!
Not sure if the course is right for you? Schedule a call with me.