Wordcrafters: How to write for young readers to encourage empathy and compassion

When: 5:30- p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Monday, May 13

Where: Springfield Public Library, 225 5th St. Suite 301, Springfield

Details: Learn how to craft characters that build empathy in young readers in this workshop with Melissa Hart. Based on Hart’s Better with Books: 500 Diverse Books to Ignite Empathy and Encourage Self-Acceptance in Tweens and Teens (Sasquatch, 2019), this workshop teaches writers of children’s and YA literature how to craft characters that build empathy in readers. Using examples from diverse bestselling children’s and YA literature, we look at how authors write what they know and create characters that reflect kids’ real lives and experiences. This technique helps young readers to develop insight and compassion. We’ll talk about the #ownvoices and We Need Diverse Books movements, then mine our own experiences for inspiration to ensure that the characters we create represent an authentic and respectful portrayal within a compelling plot.

Cost: Free

Information: wordcrafters.org/event/writing-childrens-ya-literature-to-build-empathy/