Most worthy and affecting coming-of-age stories depend on one significant thing: a compelling young character on the precipice of change. This rings true from YA to adult to books that cross over and dangle between audiences. In this online craft webinar taught by New York Times bestselling YA author Nova Ren Suma, writers will gain tools to aid in embodying young characters with complexities, histories, and layers.
We will consider the ways to build a satisfying, memorable coming-of-age story and delve into methods to deepen your young characters and illuminate their inner journeys. We will spotlight character-focused craft elements such as voice, perspective, motivation, and transformation, and we will consider exercises that can be used to uncover your characters’ interconnected wants, fears, histories, and ultimate needs, showing how the plot can organically stem from these discoveries. Writers will leave with hands-on character prompts that can be continued and expanded beyond the session. This webinar is for writers of all genres who want to go beneath the surface and write riveting and resonant character-driven coming-of-age stories.
Who should take this class:
- YA writers drafting or revising a novel
- Writers working on coming-of-age novels for adult, crossover, and upper middle-grade audiences
- Writers looking for hands-on exercises and prompts to generate new pages
- Writers wanting to strengthen their manuscripts before querying agents
- Writers who enjoy deep text analysis and craft exploration
- Writers who want to work with award-winning authors
Date & Time:
Friday, August 22nd 2025; 11-12:30pm CT
About Nova Ren Suma:
Nova Ren Suma is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling The Walls Around Us as well as A Room Away from the Wolves, both finalists for an Edgar Award, among other acclaimed novels. She was co-editor of the story & craft anthology FORESHADOW: Stories to Celebrate the Magic of Reading & Writing YA, and her own short stories appear in various anthologies. She has taught creative writing at the University of Pennsylvania, Vermont College of Fine Arts, and Columbia University, and has led novel workshops with the Fine Arts Work Center, the Highlights Foundation, Tin House, the Writing Barn, and elsewhere. Her new novel Wake the Wild Creatures, a coming-of-age survival story with a touch of the fantastic, is now out from Little, Brown. For more about Nova, visit novaren.com.