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Tassy Walden Writing and Illustration Free Workshop Offered

As the 18th annual New Voices in Children’s Literature/Tassy Walden Awards competition for unpublished children’s book writers and illustrators gets underway, Shoreline Arts Alliance is offering a free workshop for entrants who are preparing their work for submission. The workshop will be at the E. C. Scranton Memorial Library at 801 Boston Post Road in Madison on Monday, Nov. 13, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The competition is open to all unpublished Connecticut writers and illustrators aged 16 and older.

The free workshop will be conducted by founding members of the Tassy Walden Awards committee and winners and finalists of past competitions. They will review the submission guidelines and the current industry standards and will answer questions related to submitting work to literary agents and publishers. Reservations are requested and may be made by email to tassy@shorelinearts.org or by phone at 203-453-3890. Additional workshops may be added. Check www.shorelinearts.org for updates.

This statewide competition offers opportunities in five categories for those aiming to make their first forays into the profession of creating children’s literature. The categories of the juried competition are Picture Book (text only), Illustrated Picture Book (author and illustrator must be same person), Children’s Book Illustrator Portfolio, Middle Grade Novel, and Young Adult Novel.

All submissions that meet the competition’s guidelines will be sent for the first tier of judging to literary agents who are prominent in the industry. The works of the finalists selected by the agents are then sent to notable editors and art directors at major publishing houses of children’s literature; these judges, at their own discretion, select the winners and/or honorable mention awards in the second tier of judging. The postmark deadline is Feb. 1, 2018. Entrants can download entry forms at www.shorelinearts.org.