This KidLit Events listing focuses on webinars, courses, and conferences that are accessible for a majority of people. Most are online, but I have included larger in-person events. I update this list continually, so please let me know if I am missing or incorrect information.
THE KIDLIT WEEKLY: You can now receive weekly KidLit events in your Inbox
every Thursday morning for the following week.
You can find now and sign up for The KidLit Weekly on Substack!
JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC
DESCRIPTION OF EVENT CATEGORIES
Webinar: a single session class online
* Cities noted refer to location of in-person events.
Workshop: one-to-two session intensive
Online Course: multiple-session class online
Online Program: longer-term or ongoing programs
Conference: multiple courses within a single event
Hybrid Event: in-person event with an online option
Contest: submission opportunity where winner(s) are selected
Pitch Event: opportunity to pitch projects to editors/agents
Challenge: timed event set to accomplish a certain project(s)
Blog Event: special blog series that run for a short period of time
FEBRUARY 2026
(1-28) NONFICTION FEST
Online Event: Nonfiction Ninjas
(19) THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED: SUCCESS STORIES
Free Webinar: Writing and Illustrating for Kids
(19) IF THERE’S NO HOOK, THERE’S NO BOOK: TIPS AND TOOLS FOR WRITING NONFICTION
Webinar: SCBWI Rocky Mountains
(19) WRITING CHARACTER INTERIORITY
Webinar: Good Story Company
(19-22) KINDLING WORDS EAST SYMPOSIUM
Plymouth, MA: Kindling Words
(20) CHILDREN’S ONLINE RESEARCH CONFERENCE
Online Event: Children’s Literature Assembly
(20-22) BIG SUR CHILDREN’S WRITERS WORKSHOP
Big Sur, CA: Big Sur Children’s Writers Workshop
(21) DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION IN WRITING CHILDREN’S BOOKS
Webinar: SCBWI San Diego
(21) NOT YOUR GRANDMA’S NONFICTION
Webinar: SCBWI Oregon
(21) DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION IN WRITING CHILDREN’S BOOKS
Webinar: SCBWI San Diego
(21) KIDLIT 101: UNDERSTANDING THE BASICS OF KIDLIT WRITING
Webinar: SCBWI Arizona
(22) THE GRAPHIC NOVEL: WORKSHOP FOR WRITERS
Online Course: Whale Rock Workshops
(22) ONE HOLIDAY – THREE BOOKS
FREE Webinar: SCBWI Israel
(23) MG & YA OPENING PAGES with Tricia de Guzman
Online Course: Inked Voices
(24) MG OPENING PAGES with Kelly Dyksterhouse
Online Course: Inked Voices
(25) THE MIDDLE GRADE BLUEPRINT
Webinar: SCBWI Nebraska
(26) A COLORFUL TALE: STORYTELLING WITH COLOR THEORY
Webinar: SCBWI New York Metro
(26) #MSWL DAY
BlueSky Event: Manuscript Wish List
(26) THE LONG GAME: WHY GREAT STORIES TAKE TIME (AND THAT’S OKAY)
Webinar: SCBWI Rocky Mountains
(27) PB RISING STARS MENTORSHIP PROGRAM OPENS FOR APPLICATIONS
Online Event: PB Rising Stars
(28) CRAFT A COMPELLING FIRST CHAPTER & SYNOPSIS
Webinar: SCBWI San Diego
(28) STYLE – AN ILLUSTRATOR’S TOOL
Parkville, MO (Hybrid): SCBWI Kansas-Missouri
(28) EARLY CHAPTER BOOK SERIES with Scholastic Editor Katie Carella
Webinar: SCBWI San Francisco
(28) AGENT MEETS PITCH with Julie Romeis Sanders
Webinar: SCBWI Nevada
(28) HOW THE HECK DO YOU TALK ABOUT YOURSELF?
Webinar: SCBWI New York Eastern
MARCH 2026
(1-31) MARCH ON WITH MENTOR TEXTS
Online Event: Rate Your Story
(1) WRITING FOR CHILDREN CONTEST OPENS
Contest: CANSCAIP
(2-3) 50 PRECIOUS WORDS
Contest: Vivian Kirkfield
(4) JUST DO IT! FINISHING YOUR DRAFT
Online Course: Boyds Mill (Highlights Foundation)
(4) GETTING PUBLISHED WITHOUT AN AGENT
Webinar: At-Home Author
(7) TRICKING YOUR BRAIN INTO PLOTTING FOR MG & YA
Webinar: SCBWI Indiana
(7) THE INS & OUTS OF EDUCATIONAL AND NONFICTION IN CHILDREN’S LITERATURE
Webinar: SCBWI Austin Texas
(7) BOOK CAMP 2026 with Editor Anna Parsons
Omaha, NE: SCBWI Nebraska
(7) FIRST PAGES with Lynn Marie
Webinar: SCBWI Long Island
(10) NONFICTION PICTURE BOOKS with Ariel Richardson
Online Course: Inked Voices
(10) DIGGING DEEPER: USING SUBTEXT TO ADD DEPTH TO YOUR STORY
Webinar: Whale Rock Workshops
(10) PANEL BY PANEL: HOW TO WRITE COMICS AND GRAPHIC NOVELS
Webinar: SCBWI Wisconsin
(10) UTILIZING CONFLICT TO CREATE IMPACTFUL STORIES
Webinar: SCBWI New Mexico
(10) PICTURE BOOKS with Elizabeth Lazowski
Online Course: Inked Voices
(10-12) PUBLICITY AND MARKETING FOR STORYTELLERS
Online Workshop: Boyds Mill (Highlights Foundation)
(12) POINTING YOUR VIEW AS YOU START AND END YOUR MANUSCRIPT
Webinar: SCBWI New York Westchester
(12) WRITING AN IRRESISTIBLE QUERY
Webinar: Good Story Company
(13) PB RISING STARS MENTORSHIP PROGRAM CLOSES FOR APPLICATIONS
Online Event: PB Rising Stars
(14) ANATOMY OF A QUERY LETTER
Webinar: SCBWI San Diego
(14) ART DAY STORY BLOOM
Laguna Beach, CA: SCBWI Southern California
(14) CRAFTING IRRESISTIBLE NONFICTION BOOK PROPOSALS
Webinar: SCBWI Canada East
(17) PB PARTY CONTEST SUBMISSIONS
Contest: Mindy Alyse White
(17) YES AND … with Corinna Luyken
Webinar: SCBWI Rocky Mountains
(19) DIVING DEEPER INTO PICTURE BOOKS: GETTING READY FOR SUBMISSION
Online Course: Boyds Mill (Highlights Foundation)
(19) PICTURE BOOKS with Kayla Cichello
Online Course: Inked Voices
(21-22) CHILDREN’S WRITERS & ILLUSTRATORS FESTIVAL MASTERCLASS
Online Event: Bloomsbury Writers & Artists
(23-29) THE WRITERS WORKSHOP CONFERENCE
Online Event: The Writer’s Workshop
(24) NOT A YES, NOT A NO: HOW TO HANDLE AN R&R
Webinar: SCBWI Pennsylvania East
(24) CREATE YOUR INSIDE OUTLINE: STRUCTURE THAT MOVES YOUR NOVEL FORWARD
Online Workshop: Boyds Mill (Highlights Foundation)
(25) THE NOVELTY OF GRAPHIC NOVELS
Webinar: SCBWI Oregon
(25-27) SPRING PITCHFEST
Online Event: Savvy Authors
(27-29) SEEDS OF INSPIRATION SPRING CONFERENCE
Decatur, GA: SCBWI Southern Breeze
(28) BUILD A KIDLIT SERIES THAT LASTS
Webinar: The Writing Barn
(28) PUBLISHING 101: UNDERSTANDING THE BASICS OF KIDLIT PUBLISHING OPTIONS
Webinar: SCBWI Arizona
(28) AGENT SUMMIT
Online Pitch Event: Ready Chapter 1
(30) BUILDING PICTURE BOOKS FROM THE MIDDLE
Webinar: Inked Voices
APRIL 2026
(4) HOW TO TALK TO BOOKSELLERS
Webinar: Jessica Whipple
(7) CHILDREN’S BOOK WRITING I
Online Course: Gotham Writers
(10) SPRING THAW PITCH EVENT
Online Event: SCBWI Illinois
(11) GOLDEN GATE FEST
San Bruno, CA: SCBWI San Francisco South
(13) PICTURE BOOKS with Carina Licon
Online Course: Inked Voices
(14) STORIES AS SPRINGBOARDS: USING PICTURE BOOKS FOR CROSS-CIRCULAR LEARNING
Webinar: SCBWI Wisconsin
(14) YA/CROSSOVER WORKSHOP with Estelle Laure
Online Course: Inked Voices
(14) THE PAGE TURNER’S TOOLBOX: REVISING FOR TENSION AND FLOW
Online Course: Whale Rock Workshops
(14-16) WRITING A PICTURE BOOK 101: GET TO THE HEART OF YOUR STORY
Online Workshop: Boyds Mill
(15) NOVELS IN VERSE: CREATING AN IMAGE SYSTEM
Online Course: Boyds Mill
(15) CHILDREN’S BOOK WRITING II
Online Course: Gotham Writers
(15) MIDDLE GRADE OPENING PAGES with Monica Rodriguez
Online Course: Inked Voices
(15) PICTURE BOOKS with Michelle Lee
Online Course: Inked Voices
(15) BRANDING FOR KIDLIT AUTHORS
Webinar: At-Home Author
(16) EMBRACE YOUR INNER INTUITIVE WRITER TO FUEL YOUR WRITING
Online Workshop: Boyds Mill
(16) PICTURE BOOKS with Elizabeth Lazowski
Online Course: Inked Voices
(16) WRITING IRRESISTIBLE FIRST PAGES
Webinar: Good Story Company
(17-18) SCBWI OKLAHOMA-ARKANSAS SPRING CONFERENCE
Tulsa, OK: SCBWI Oklahoma-Arkansas
Online Event: SCBWI Oklahoma-Arkansas
(17-19) RECHARGE YOUR WRITING RETREAT
Conception, MO: SCBWI Kansas-Missouri
(20-22) POETIC FLOW STUDIO: GENERATIVE WRITING SESSION FOR POETS
Online Workshop: Boyds Mill
(21) THE ART OF DIALOGUE with Erin Entrada Kelly
Webinar: SCBWI Rocky Mountains
(22) PICTURE BOOKS with Christie Megill
Online Course: Inked Voices
(22) REVISE YOUR PICTURE BOOK MANUSCRIPTS
Online Course: Whale Rock Workshops
(23) RULES, REBELLION, & PICTURE BOOK MAGIC
Webinar: SCBWI Texas Houston
(24-26) POCONO & THE THREE BEARS: IN SEARCH OF JUST RIGHT
Milanville, PA: SCBWI Pennsylvania East
(25) YALL WEST BOOK FESTIVAL
Santa Monica, CA: YallFest
(26) EIGHT WAYS TO WAKE UP YOUR POETRY
Webinar: Inked Voices
(27) ADVANCED PICTURE BOOKS with Sarah Stephens
Online Course: Inked Voices
(27) MIDDLE GRADE OPENING PAGES with Anjali Bisaria
Online Course: Inked Voices
(29) #QUESTPIT
Pitch Party: QuestPit
(30) WHOLE NOVEL WORKSHOP: MG & YA WRITERS
Online Course: Boyds Mill
(30) REVISE YOUR PICTURE BOOK MANUSCRIPTS
Online Course: Whale Rock Workshops
MAY 2026
(2) THE HEART OF THE STORY with Editor Melissa Manlove
Webinar: SCBWI Wisconsin
(2) TOGETHER IN STORY KIDLIT CONFERENCE
Seattle, WA: SCBWI Western Washington
(4) PICTURE BOOKS with Lisa Rosinsky
Online Course: Inked Voices
(5) PICTURE BOOKS with Wendy McClure
Online Course: Inked Voices
(6) PICTURE BOOK PLOTTING FROM A-Z
Online Course: Boyds Mill
(7-10) CELEBRATING ASIAN AND ASIAN AMERICAN STORIES
Milanville, PA: Boyds Mill
(11) PICTURE BOOKS with Elizabeth Lazowski
Online Course: Inked Voices
(11-18) KINDLING WORDS WEST
Whidbey Island, WA: Kindling Words
(12) CHILDREN’S BOOK WRITING I
Online Course: Gotham Writers
(12-14) CHARACTER DESIGN BASICS FOR ILLUSTRATORS
Online Workshop: Boyds Mill
(19) PICTURE BOOKS with Emma Sakamoto
Online Course: Inked Voices
(19-21) WRITING NONFICTION: HOOKING YOUR READER & FINDING SUCCESS
Online Workshop: Boyds Mill
(20) STORYSNOBS PITCH CONTEST
Webinar: Good Story Company
(21) MG/YA OPENING PAGES with Kortney Nash
Online Course: Inked Voices
(21) PICTURE BOOKS with Kaitlyn Sanchez
Online Course: Inked Voices
(27) FICTION PICTURE BOOKS with Gianna Lakenauth
Online Course: Inked Voices
(31) CELEBRATING LATINX STORIES IN KIDLIT
Milanville, PA: Boyds Mill
(31) CANSCAIP WRITING FOR CHILDREN CONTEST DEADLINE
Contest: Canadian Society of Children’s Authors, Illustrators and Performers
JUNE 2026
(3-6) ALL ABOUT PICTURE BOOKS
Milanville, PA: Highlights Foundation
(3-9) MGHub Pitch Party
Discord Event: MGHubPitch
(3) CRASH COURSE IN CHILDREN’S BOOK PUBLISHING
Online Course: Boyds Mill
(8-10) PICTURE BOOK MIDDLES: BRIDGING BEGINNING AND END
Online Course: Boyds Mill
(11-14) SPOTLIGHT ON THE MIDDLE OF YOUR NOVEL
Milanville, PA: Boyds Mill
(12-14) EXPERIENCE REVISION RETREAT
Hiawatha, IO: Nonfiction Ninjas
(15-18) CELEBRATING NATIVE AND INDIGENOUS STORIES IN KIDLIT
Milanville, PA: Boyds Mill
(15-19) WIFYR CONFERENCE
Draper, UT: Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers
(16) WRITING TOUGH TOPICS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Webinar: SCBWI Wisconsin
(25) WRITING FOR THE EDUCATIONAL MARKET
Online Course: Boyds Mill
JULY 2026
(8-12) SUMMER CAMP FOR WRITERS AND ILLUSTRATORS (Session One)
Milanville, PA: Boyds Mill
(9-12) GREEN GULCH WRITING RETREAT
San Francisco, CA: Katherine Rothschild
(11-12) CYA WRITERS & ILLUSTRATORS CONFERENCE
Brisbane, AUS: CYA Conference
(12-16) SUMMER CAMP FOR WRITERS AND ILLUSTRATORS (Session Two)
Milanville, PA: Boyds Mill
(23) WRITING CHARACTER INTERIORITY
Webinar: Good Story Company
(24) #QUESTPIT
Pitch Party: QuestPit
AUGUST 2026
(9-12) WRITING SHORTER: WHY (AND HOW) LESS CAN BE MORE
Milanville, PA: Boyds Mill
(15-20) THE WHOLE NOVEL WORKSHOP RETREAT
Milanville, PA: Boyds Mill
(20) WRITING AN IRRESISTIBLE QUERY
Webinar: Good Story Company
(25) THE HISTORY OF CHILDREN’S LITERATURE
Online Course: Whale Rock Workshops
(26) STORYSNOBS PITCH CONTEST
Webinar: Good Story Company
(27-30) CELEBRATION ASIAN AND ASIAN AMERICAN STORIES
Milanville, PA: Boyds Mill
SEPTEMBER 2026
(2) FROM IDEA TO SKETCH TO DUMMY
Online Course: Boyds Mill
(16) FEELING IT: CREATING EMOTIONAL DEPTH IN YOUR NOVEL
Online Course: Whale Rock Workshops
(16-19) PICTURE BOOK AUTHORS AND ILLUSTRATORS RETREAT
Milanville, PA: Boyds Mill
(17) WRITING IRRESISTIBLE FIRST PAGES
Webinar: Good Story Company
(18-19) AUTHOR AND THE ROUNDTABLES
Asheville, NC: SCBWI Carolinas
OCTOBER 2026
(1-4) MIDDLE GRADE WRITERS RETREAT
Milanville, PA: Boyds Mill
(6) WHOLE NOVEL WORKSHOP: MG & YA WRITERS
Online Course: Boyds Mill
(8-10) ENGAGING STORIES CONFERENCE
Green Lake, WI: SCBWI Wisconsin
(18-23) WHOLE NOVEL WORKSHOP RETREAT
Milanville, PA: Boyds Mill
(22) WRITING IRRESISTIBLE PICTURE BOOKS
Webinar: Good Story Company
(23-26) EARLY READERS AND CHAPTER BOOKS RETREAT
Milanville, PA: Boyds Mill
(26-29) NOVELS IN VERSE RETREAT
Milanville, PA: Boyds Mill
(30) BIG SUR CHILDREN’S WRITERS WORKSHOP
Cape Cod, MA: Big Sur Children’S Writers Workshop
NOVEMBER 2026
(1-6) CABOOSE FARM RETREAT
Sabillasville, MD: Whale Rock Workshops
(4) #QUESTPIT
Pitch Party: QuestPit
(5-8) POETRY PALOOZA
Milanville, PA: Boyds Mill
(8-14) MASTER SKILLS WORKSHOP
TBD: Whale Rock Workshops
(8-10) PICTURE BOOK APPROACHES: CONCEPT BOOKS, BIOGRAPHIES, AND MORE
Online Workshop: Boyds Mill
(19) EVALUATING YOUR WIP AND MOVING FORWARD
Webinar: The Good Story Company
DECEMBER 2026
(27) ROCK YOUR WRITING GOALS
Webinar: Good Story Company
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CAROLYN BENNETT FRAISER 