Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Middle Grade Writers: A Generative Retreat!

What kind of picture book are you writing? With @nikkishannonsmith.bsky.social concept, it’s easy to distinguish the difference between the two! To learn all things picture books, join Nikki and special guest Esther in the 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀: 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁, 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 Online Workshop

🔉 Sound on! 🔉 You can hear the bees busy at work, buzzing through the bushes!

September & October Minis are here! 🍂 Two-night online workshops for just $59! Head to the link in our bio for more details.

Check out this blog written by Jennifer Swanson: "5 Ways to Make Your Nonfiction Manuscript Capture an Editor or Agent’s Attention" 🗓️ Join Jennifer online this October for Intro to Writing Nonfiction: History, Biography, STEAM, and Much More! www.highlightsfoundation.org/2025/08/06/5...

Registration is open! This is the class for you if you are looking for accountability, community, and opportunity! We will help you get words on the page! www.highlightsfoundation.org/workshop/jus...

helpful article for #kidlit peeps working on picture book manuscripts: How do you know if you've written a picture book? smart #craft tips! Thanks @darcypattison.bsky.social @lesliehelakoski.bsky.social and @highlightsfound.bsky.social www.highlightsfoundation.org/2018/03/08/h...

Attended the @highlightsfound.bsky.social Whole Novel writing retreat last week in Pennsylvania, and it was LIFE CHANGING! #amwriting #writingcommunity #amediting you need to check this out for next fall (scholarships available)! The braintrust groups and mentors are amazing! (blog post to follow!)

I'm at @highlightsfound.bsky.social and my brain is swirling! saraharonson.substack.com/p/a-place-fo...

Centerville -> CVG -> IAD -> Scranton -> Milanville Grateful to @highlightsfound.bsky.social for the gift of a week to write and be in community #amwriting #booksky

It’s so good to be back. @highlightsfound.bsky.social

Word garden inspiration: Let Children Laugh Forever! 💙💚

FREE event! #HFGather: Writing for and Writing WITH Kids Join authors Valerie Bolling and Diana Ma to learn ways to enhance your school visits, strengthen community engagement, and honor the voices of the aspiring storytellers you inspire! Click the link in bio to register for this FREE event!

Grill night! A summer camp tradition with Chef Amanda and Megan 🌲⛺🔥

Help us pave the way! 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗬 𝗚𝗜𝗩𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗝𝗘𝗖𝗧: 𝗣𝗔𝗧𝗛𝗪𝗔𝗬𝗦 𝗧𝗢 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 Our Executive Director, George Brown, shares a little about our goals with this project by creating a series of paved pathways linking buildings (and people) across our 66-acre campus www.highlightsfoundation.org/pathways-to-...

July & August Minis are here! Two-day online workshops for just $59. Head to the link below for more information! www.highlightsfoundation.org/upcoming-wor...

Halfway through 2025, with six months to go! Now’s the perfect time to refocus on your creative goals. Book your personal trip to campus to rest, recharge, and turn the rest of the year into your most creative yet!

#amwriting @highlightsfound.bsky.social

I have nothing but incredible things to say about the Highlights Foundation and I already miss it so much 🥰😭 THANK YOU to @highlightsfound.bsky.social for all the love and inspiration ❤️ 📚 #highlightsfound #kidlit #amwriting

Come hungry, leave happy!

No cooking. No cleaning. No distractions. No schedule. Just peaceful days filled with creating and inspiration! Book your 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙍𝙚𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩 today and give your story the space it deserves!

What's your favorite creepy crawly? "Ode to a Slug" is based on a little friend I saw outside the barn at @highlightsfound.bsky.social on Thursday. And yes, I know slugs are not bugs, but the rhyme is to delicious to resist. #watercolor #collage #coloredpencil #digitalart #poetry #kidlit #sluglove

Spotted: a toad soaking up the sunshine on a Word Garden rock labeled ‘Red Eft.’ 🐸 Nature’s little coincidences are the best!

Our 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 Programming Schedule! 📘𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽 𝗶𝗻 𝗜𝗹𝗹𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 📕𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗞𝗶𝗱𝘀 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶 📙𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 📗𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼 𝘁𝗼 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 📘𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽 𝗶𝗻 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 (𝗦𝗢𝗟𝗗 𝗢𝗨𝗧) 📕𝗣𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗘𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶 Click the link in bio for more information!

Another wonderful retreat at @highlightsfound.bsky.social in the books! (Three books, to be exact.) 😉

Good news to begin my day: the collection of stories I've been working on is going to contract! My recent residency and retreat at Highlights Foundation Retreat Center brought it home. Thanks, Highlights!

Join Alicia and other amazing faculty for the Whole Novel Workshop, August 17th- 22nd! This is a rare chance to have your entire manuscript (up to 80,000 words) read with in-depth written feedback, two private consultations, and an inspiring retreat at our campus. 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟑𝐫𝐝!

Join us TONIGHT for our #HFGather: The Resilient Writer—Writing Through Trauma and Grief with author Heather Demetrios. This is a FREE event! Click the link below to register. www.highlightsfoundation.org/workshop/fre...

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Revision Retreat!

Please join @jashammonds.bsky.social and me this summer @highlightsfound.bsky.social! We look forward to seeing you! www.highlightsfoundation.org/workshop/bla...

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Highlights Foundation alum and faculty member Meg Eden Kuyatt on her new MG novel in verse, The Girl in the Walls, out now! Learn more about Meg Eden Kuyatt's publishing journey with The Girl in the Walls on our blog. Link in bio! @medenkuyatt.bsky.social

May is Mental Health Awareness Month Our faculty members, Crystal Allen and Katie Keridan, have created a powerful booklist of middle grade and young adult novels that highlight the diversity of representation in mental health narratives for kids and teens. Click the link in bio for the full list!

If you write nonfiction, @jacquilipton.bsky.social and I will be teaching a course on Building Brilliant Book Proposals with @highlightsfound.bsky.social on June 3 and 5. The workshop will be recorded if you can't make it live. More info at www.highlightsfoundation.org/workshop/bui... #kidlit

Helpful Tips for Authors! 📚 Stephanie Gibeault shares how she approaches writing a nonfiction book proposal! Learn more from her and Jacqui in their workshop Building Brilliant Book Proposals! Sign up now! www.highlightsfoundation.org/workshop/building-brilliant-book-proposals-a-two-night-mini/

FREE event! #HFGather: The Resilient Writer—Writing Through Trauma and Grief Join author Heather Demetrios for a powerful #HFGather. Click the link below to register for this FREE event! www.highlightsfoundation.org/workshop/fre...

I told someone about a #writing retreat I experienced at @highlightsfound.bsky.social and how amazing it was. Now, I just want to go back. So much. 💗 #writersofbluesky #writerslife #writingcommunity

Share your story, inspire a child! It was great having the Muslim Storytellers on campus! Check out Rhonda, Miriam, and Jamilah in our sweatshirts in front of the new art wall!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Asian and Asian American In-Community Retreat!

Had a great time this past weekend at the Asian and Asian American Voices Retreat @highlightsfound.bsky.social #kidlit Thank you @authorgracelin.bsky.social and @debbimichiko.bsky.social for hosting!

Editor Harold Underdown shares what you can expect during the weekly office hours in Crash Course in Children’s Book Publishing. Starting soon! Ask your questions and get answers right away! Sign up for Crash Course now! Starts May 28.

Our 𝗝𝗨𝗡𝗘 workshop schedule! 📕𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗣𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 📘𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶 📗𝗥𝗵𝘆𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶 📙𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶 📘𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Click the link in bio for more information!

Amazing! We love these pearls of wisdom.

My amazing agent @jacquilipton.bsky.social and I have a blog post on nonfiction book proposals on the @highlightsfound.bsky.social blog. There's a bonus video chat too. Please check it out if you have questions about book proposals! #kidlit www.highlightsfoundation.org/2025/04/28/t...

Still processing and feeling the glow from last weekend spent at @highlightsfound.bsky.social Ion campus in Boyd’s Mills, PA with @epascbwi.bsky.social Im humbled by the incredible talent and generosity of attendees, speakers, and faculty, and the charm and beauty of the campus. #kidlit #writers

Auction closing in 2 days! Don't miss out! champ.ly/xSRrqf-V #charity #nonprofit #donate #makeadifference #diversebooks #childrensbook #autism #autismacceptance #adhd #ocd #adhdsupport #neurodiversity #writingcommunity #writinghelp #ptsd #anxiety #mentalhealth #booksky @highlightsfound.bsky.social

Is your manuscript stuck in the slush pile? Try these 5 tips from our friend, longtime editor and faculty Harold Underdown! @hunderdown.bsky.social Want to know more about children's publishing? Join Harold and special guests for our 𝐂𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐡 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩! Starts May 28th.

One week later and I am still on a writing roll thanks to the lift from @highlightsfound.bsky.social!

Great looking course on #rhyming #picturebook writing taught by the inimitable @sudiptabq.bsky.social & @annemariepace.bsky.social via the @highlightsfound.bsky.social Registration available at www.highlightsfoundation.org/workshop/rhy... #amwriting #kidlit

🌏 Happy Earth Day! 🌏 Fun Fact: Our campus runs primarily on solar energy! Take a walk through our solar array and biodiversity plantings next time you’re here.