2025 Children's Lit Conference

July 15-19, 2026 (5 days)

Workshops in Writing Picture Books, Middle Grade and YA Fiction 

"If you're dreaming of becoming the next J. K. Rowling, we've got the perfect place for you—the Southampton Children's Literature Conference." – School Library Journal

The Southampton Children's Lit Conference provides a unique forum in which to study and discuss the craft of writing for children.

World-renowned authors, illustrators and editors offer inspiration and guidance through workshops, lectures, group discussions and special presentations on the beautiful campus of Stony Brook Southampton, a stone's throw from the gorgeous beaches  and historic villages of the Hamptons. 

Writing workshops are the heart and soul of the conference experience, meeting every morning for a total of five 3-hour sessions, from Wednesday-Sunday. Enrollment is limited to 12 students per workshop. Remaining hours are devoted to electives - lectures, readings, and panel discussions featuring faculty members and distinguished visiting authors, editors, publishers, and agents. Participants also enjoy a rich schedule of social gatherings— author receptions, open-mic nights, breakfasts, lunches and dinners “under the tent.” During free time, participants can draw inspiration from the Hamptons’ beaches or explore our charming nearby towns.

Scholarship deadline: March 15

General Deadline May 15.

Gayle Forman: Find your voice; find your story

(Middle Grade/YA)

What do classic books for children and young adults have in common? Voice. Whether it's Beverly Cleary's Ramona books, Jerry Craft's New Kid, Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games, or Elizabeth Acevedo's The Poet X, these timeless stories all feature a compelling, clear, and utterly authentic voice of a young person that immediately draws readers into the narrative. That’s because young readers can smell BS a mile away. Paradoxically, in spite of the fact that 100 percent of all writers were once children, capturing that kid or young-adult voice can be the most challenging aspect of writing for young audiences, and is often the key to unlocking both characters and their worlds. This course will help writers at the beginning of their young-adult more middle-grade projects excavate their character's voice, while helping those further along in their projects to refine that voice. It will demonstrate how capturing this voice can illuminate all the other essential elements of a compelling story and look at how to use dialogue and narration to create indelible characters in expansive stories.

 

Award-winning author and journalist Gayle Forman (she/her/hers) has written 13 bestselling middle grade and young adult novels, including those in the Just One Day series, Where She Went, and the #1 New York Times bestseller If I Stay, which has been translated into more than forty languages and was adapted into a major motion picture. Her first middle grade novel, Frankie & Bug, was a New York Times best children’s book of the year. Her second middle grade novelNot Nothing has been hailed as a “masterpiece” and the “book we all need at the time we all need it.” Her most recent YA novel, After Life, was published in 2025. A former journalist, Gayle’s work has appeared in The New York Times, People, Elle, Time, Seventeen and more. A fierce advocate for children, Gayle is one of the founding members of Authors Against Book Bans. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her family. 

Peter H. Reynolds: Listening to your story

(Picture Book)

Peter H. Reynolds returns to the Southampton Writers Conference after ten years to lead a picture book workshop grounded in curiosity, craft, and creative courage.

This workshop welcomes writers and illustrators at all stages—from those just beginning to imagine their first picture book, to experienced creators ready to question habits, take risks, and push their work further. Peter’s teaching style is intentionally that of a guide on the side: offering structure, thoughtful prompts, and personal insights from his own creative and publishing journey, while making space for each participant to discover what their story is asking to become.

Through gentle exercises, shared reflection, and close looking, participants will explore how picture books hold big ideas, emotional truth, and simplicity at the same time. Peter will also speak candidly about process, revision, doubt, and perseverance, and about finding a sustainable, meaningful path in the publishing world.

Each participant will receive individual one-on-one time with Peter to review their work and talk through next steps—whether starting something new, re-seeing a work in progress, or letting go of what no longer serves the story.

This is a workshop for listening deeply, working bravely, and reconnecting with the quiet joy of making books that matter. 

 

Peter H. Reynolds is an author, illustrator, and creative mentor whose picture books are known for their simplicity, emotional honesty, and enduring messages about courage, creativity, and empathy. He is the creator of The Dot, Ish, Be You!, and many other books that have reached millions of readers around the world and are widely used in classrooms to spark conversation, reflection, and creative confidence. 

Peter is also founder of the interactive media studio in Boston: FableVision www.fablevision.com And his owner of a bookstore in his hometown of Dedham, Massachusetts www.bluebunnybooks.com And his non-profit, www.ReynoldsTLC.org leads many creative initiatives, including International Dot Day which was celebrated in 190 countries last year. 

Peter’s work has been translated into dozens of languages, adapted for the stage and screen, and celebrated by educators, librarians, and young readers alike. In addition to his work as a book creator, he has spent decades teaching, mentoring, and collaborating with writers and illustrators—helping them find their voice while also navigating the creative and professional realities of publishing.

A meaningful chapter of Peter’s teaching journey began at a previous Southampton Writers Conference, where he met Susan Verde, then an emerging writer. Through mentorship and collaboration, Peter supported Susan as she developed her first picture book, launching a publishing career that has since grown to include many acclaimed titles. Together, they have collaborated on numerous books, including the bestselling I AM series, which has helped countless readers explore mindfulness, empathy, and emotional awareness. This experience reflects Peter’s deep commitment to nurturing new voices and helping stories find their way into the world.

Peter brings to his workshops a generous, guide-on-the-side approach—blending practical insight from his own publishing journey with curiosity-driven exercises that invite risk, play, and discovery. He lives and works in Massachusetts and continues to create stories that encourage people of all ages to make their mark.

Peter is represented by Pippin Properties in NYC.