Begins Tuesday, September 1, 2026

Live Seminar via Zoom from 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM ET

🌍 Class Times by Time Zone: Los Angeles (PDT): 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM / Chicago (CDT): 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM / New York (EDT): 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM

Now Enrolling!

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Instructor Bio

Instructor Meg Eden Kuyatt is the award-winning author of the 2021 Towson Prize for Literature-winning poetry collection Drowning in the Floating World and the forthcoming obsolete hill (Fernwood Press, 2026) and children's novels, including the Schneider Family Book Award Honor-winning Good Different, The Girl in the Walls, and Perfect Enough, all with Scholastic. When she isn't writing, she teaches creative writing students. 

Who is this class for?

This online writing seminar is ideal for intermediate writers who are interested in learning how to send their work to literary agents, or for those who have been querying and want strategies to help their submissions stand out from the slush pile. The class focuses on the kidlit industry, but any writer interested in querying agents is welcome. The seminar is best suited for writers who have a completed, edited kidlit manuscript that is ready for querying, though having a current project is not required.

What to expect:

This live Zoom seminar will equip you with everything you need to know about the current state of the children's book industry, help you determine when your work is ready for querying, and teach you how to create a strong and compelling query submission. You'll learn about the roles of agents and editors, what they're looking for in new work, and how to make your manuscript stand out through polished query letters, pitches, and bios.

Meg brings a unique dual perspective to this online writing class, having worked on both the author and publicity sides of the publishing industry. She'll share firsthand experience on how to most effectively approach submitting books from both angles, giving you practical, insider knowledge you can apply immediately to your own querying process.

What are the writing goals?

In this course, students will learn how to write a strong query letter as well as a concise elevator pitch for their book. Students will be equipped to create a submission list for querying literary agents and will gain tools for discerning which agent is the right fit for their work.

COURSE OUTLINE

Segment 1: The Current State of the Kidlit Industry An overview of the children's book market, including what agents and editors are looking for right now and how the landscape is evolving.

Segment 2: Is Your Work Ready for Querying? How to assess whether your manuscript is polished and ready to submit, and what benchmarks to look for before entering the query process.

Segment 3: Crafting a Strong Query Letter The anatomy of an effective query letter — what to include, what to leave out, and how to make your submission shine.

Segment 4: Pitches, Bios, and Submission Materials How to write a concise elevator pitch and a compelling contributor bio, plus an overview of what a complete submission package looks like.

Segment 5: Building Your Agent List and Next Steps Strategies for researching agents, building a targeted submission list, and discerning which agent is the right fit for you and your work.

COURSE TAKEAWAYS:

• An understanding of the current state of the kidlit publishing industry and what agents and editors are seeking
• The ability to write a strong, compelling query letter tailored to your manuscript
• A concise elevator pitch for your book that captures its essence
• Tools and strategies for building a targeted agent submission list
• The knowledge to discern whether your work is ready for querying and which agent is the right fit for your project

PAYMENT OPTIONS:

Tuition is $75 USD. You can pay for the course in full or use Shop Pay or Affirm to pay over time with equal Monthly Payments. Both options are available at checkout.

ONLINE COURSE STRUCTURE:

• Instructor: Meg Eden Kuyatt
• Begins Tuesday, September 1, 2026
• One-session live seminar via Zoom, 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM ET
• Tuition is $75 USD.