More and more young adult novels are tackling mature themes such as systemic racism, the #MeToo movement, and drug addiction. What may come as a surprise is that these themes are becoming more common within middle grade novels as well. Many tough topics are acceptable in children’s literature, as long as they are handled with sensitivity and care.
In this workshop with critically acclaimed author Janae Marks, we’ll discuss what is taboo—and what isn’t—when writing for these age groups, and how to incorporate mature themes into your own YA/MG novels in an age-appropriate manner.
This online workshop is limited to students and faculty within the School of Creative Writing. Please register using the link below.
Speaker Biography
Janae Marks is the author of the critically acclaimed middle grade novels From the Desk of Zoe Washington and A Soft Place to Land, as well as the forthcoming novel On Air with Zoe Washington. She has an MFA in Writing for Children from The New School, and lives in Connecticut with her husband, daughter and miniature schnauzer named Cookie. Janae is part of the Renegades of Middle Grade and is a co-founder of Middle Ground Book Fest.
Visiting Writers Program
The School of Creative Writing’s Visiting Writers Program provides an opportunity for our students, alumni and faculty to connect with insightful writers in small group settings. We encourage everyone in Creative Writing to take advantage of this opportunity – it’s a unique benefit of being involved in the School.
This online workshop is limited to students and faculty within the School of Creative Writing. Registration is required.
