Hooked: Writing Compelling YA Fiction
Get ready to unveil the gripping storyteller within you and keep readers turning those pages! Dive into an exciting eight-week workshop focused on techniques to captivate young adult readers. We’ll look at everything from crafting vibrant characters and heart-pounding conflicts to honing structure and pacing in YA fiction.
For our first session, bring along a favorite YA novel to share with the group. By week two, be sure to have the first chapter of your work-in-progress (up to 10 pages) for some feedback exchange. By the end of the workshop, you’ll have a roadmap to your story, completed scenes, and an inciting hook for your novel-in-the-making.
Each session will incorporate a mix of writing prompts, critique sessions, exploration of writing techniques, sneak peeks into YA literature, and lively group discussions. We’ll be reading various writing styles, structuring vibrant dialogue, and feeling all the YA vibes. We’ll even take a sneak peek into the Canadian publishing world.
Valuable feedback from both the workshop leader and your fellow writers on your opening chapter will keep you motivated and inspired. Together, we’ll work at captivating readers.
Don’t forget your writing tools for each session. All writers, whether seasoned pros or fresh faces, are welcome! Short story, graphic novel and prose writers, you’re invited too!
The following Suggested readings will sharpen your writing skills, but are not necessary for the workshop:
Corner-Bryant, Helen, and Kathryn Price. On Editing: How to Edit Your Novel the Professional Way. John Murray Learning, 2018.
Prose, Francine. Reading like a Writer: A Guide for People Who Love Books and for Those Who Want to Write Them. HarperCollins, 2009.
Strunk Jr, William. The Elements of Style: Classic Edition. Spectrum Ink, 2018.
Truby, John. The Anatomy of Story: 22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller. Faber and Faber, 2008.
Lea Beddia is the author of Take Off! (Rebel Mountain Press) and Outta Here (Lorimer). She is also a storyteller, appearing regularly on stage with Confabulation. Born and raised in Montreal, she now teaches in Joliette, Quebec, where she lives with her husband and three children. With a passion for supporting literacy among young adults, especially for striving readers, Lea is releasing two fresh YA novels set to hit bookshelves in 2025 and 2026. Find out more at www.leabeddia.com, or say hi to Lea Beddia on Facebook or Instagram @BeddiaLea.