Apply for The Verge
Submit Your MAnuscript CRITIQUE for Industry Engagement Day by June 20!
If you can't put your finger on what's missing in your picture book, it's probably an all-important ingredient: emotion.
Often, a manuscript already contains the seeds of an emotional moment—but the moment isn't fully developed or the story moves past it too quickly. The good news? Creating deeper emotional impact doesn't usually require a complete rewrite. Sometimes, a carefully crafted micro-moment is all it takes.
Have you ever gotten a comment like this from an industry professional?
- “I didn’t connect with the story.”
- “I wasn’t emotionally invested.”
- “The story didn’t make me feel anything.”
- “Solid writing. Good concept. But there’s something missing.”
In this hands-on webinar, you'll learn how to:
- Track the emotional highs and lows of a picture book manuscript
- Identify powerful micro-moments of emotion in mentor texts
- Apply five practical techniques for creating stronger emotional impact
- Strengthen reader connection without major rewrites or restructuring
- Practice these strategies on your own work-in-progress
About Writing Barn Craft Webinars:
Industry professionals: authors, agents, editors, etc. facilitate these events. Price points are low and attendance is high, anywhere from 50-200+ attendees. Writing craft and industry engagement are explored. *REPLAYS are made available for all registrants 2 business days after the event and are available for a limited time.*
Rob Sanders, from Brandon, Florida, is a teacher who writes and a writer who teaches. Known for his funny and fierce fiction and nonfiction picture books, he is recognized as one of the pioneers in the arena of LGBTQIA+ literary nonfiction picture books. Rob’s nonfiction books continue to break new ground, including the first picture books about the Pride Flag, the Stonewall Uprising, a transgender Civil War soldier, a gay presidential candidate, and the first gay marriage in America. His work also continues to introduce readers to heroes of the LGBTQIA+ community—from Harvey Milk to Gilbert Baker, from Cleve Jones to Bayard Rustin, and more. His fiction explores friendship, relationships, standing up for others, and being allies. Blood Brothers, his first middle grade novel, written in powerful, raw verse released in July 2022 and was named an NCTE 2023 Notable Novel in Verse. 2025 releases included the warm-hearted story, Book Comes Home: A Banned Book’s Journey and the award winning nonfiction picture book André: André Leon Talley—A Fabulously Fashionable Fairy Tale, co-authored with Carol Boston Weatherford. 2026 will see the release of A Family of Readers (Charlesbridge) and Play Proud: Fiercely Fabulous Queer Athletes (Beaming Books). Rob believes in paying it forward. He serves on the SCBWI Impact and Legacy Fund Steering Committee and is a frequent speaker, teacher, mentor, coach, and critiquer. Rob is represented by Rubin Pfeffer and Amy Flynn of Aevitas Creative Management.
About Rob Sanders
