Muse & the Marketplace 2019

The literary page turner: Not an oxymoron or a myth. Young adult author and GrubStreet faculty member Katie Bayerl will provide a framework for thinking about that elusive breed of novel (artful yet gripping, high-concept with heart) that publishers seem to always be seeking and writers often struggle to conceive and execute. She'll provide model texts that manage the balance well and will offer abundant practical advice you can apply to your writing process to keep yourself--and your readers--hooked as you explore the deeper themes and layers of your story. A brief set of writing exercises will get you started in applying those lessons to your own novel concept.

Content applicable to writers of young adult, adult (literary or genre), and middle grade fiction.