Whispering Woods Workshop 2025
Whispering Woods Workshop
September 20, 2025
During July of 2025 at Our Lady of the Prairie Retreat in Western Iowa, I attended my first children’s picture book workshop.
Hosted by children’s book authors, Linda Skeers and Jill Esbaum, around nine participants join them every summer for four days in the serene Iowa countryside. Although I live in Iowa, traveling to a remote location and spending time with other children’s book writers inspired incredible fresh possibilities for more focused paths I could pursue.
I hope you are inspired too, in whatever style or voice you write, to keep pressing forward toward the goal you set this year for your writing life.
THANKS!
Before I share more details of the workshop, I offer thanks to several people who made this trip possible.
Immense gratitude for generous microgrant awarded to me by my dear friends at the WCCW.
West Coast Christian Writers Membership affords a plethora of opportunities including the honor of sending an application for a mini-grant specifically for consideration for a writing workshop. Thank you from the depths of my heart.
Blessing and increase to the ministry of The Congregation of the Humility of Mary and their retreat center, Our Lady of the Prairie Retreat, for gifting me housing for the week. Thank you for everything! Your center provided welcoming home away from home, incredible warmth, spacious rooms, and sparkling service. The hostesses and cooks were amazing, gracious, and kind.
And most of all to Linda Skeers and Jill Esbaum for bringing the nine of us together at the 2025 Whispering Woods Workshop for this exploration and adventure.
INTRODUCTION
Do you write for children? Specifically children’s picture books?
I have an opportunity for you for 2026.
I discovered Whispering Woods Workshop—an appropriate alliteration for a children’s picture book intensive—from a referral by author, Michelle Medlock Adams after visiting with her during the Florida Christian Writers Conference in 2024. The enticing nature of the event provided a venue with equal wistfulness in the remote and quaint setting in Western Iowa, nestled between prairie grasses and corn fields.
What an absolutely perfect setting for photographs and memories.
The workshop is offered annually by Jill Esbaum and Linda Skeers.
Here is a clip from the website:
“We’ll study the elements of successful picture book stories and provide you with the tools necessary to make yours rise to the top of the dreaded slush pile. We’ll discuss characterization, conflict, dialogue, language and word choice, plot structure, point of view, snappy beginnings and unexpected endings, winning titles, marketing strategies, and why stories have to be close to perfect to snag the eye of an editor.
Join us at Our Lady of the Prairie, a retreat center nestled in the wooded hills of Eastern Iowa, for a weekend of learning, writing and FUN. Aside from studying the craft of writing with Jill and Linda, you’ll participate in peer critiques, have time to write and revise, socialize, walk among the trees, sit by the pond, or just relax on the porch with a cup of tea and enjoy the cardinals and gold finches so abundant on the property.”
READING ALL TYPES OF PICTURE BOOKS
Writing picture books requires reading and evaluating what makes a picture book shine.
We did plenty of reading sprinkled with dialogue and commentary. In fact one of the homework assignments to read 30 books and choose why our top 3 titles appealed to us, inspired me to review over 50 KidLit titles before the workshop.
How many books do you think we read during our 4-day workshop?
Reading & Evaluating Picture Books Together
I wonder how many books we read over the 4-day workshop?
CRITIQUING ONE ANOTHER’S MANUSCRIPTS
I learned a great deal during another highlight, and a highly recommended activity. Nine separate critiques comprised our homework and included a live conversation during the first part of the week.
If you want to write for children, I encourage everyone to find critique partners or a group critique. I joined WCCW Critique group for a few months, but reverted back to my original three groups with Word Weavers International. I guess three critique groups were my limit. I belong to a kidlit crit group, a multi-genre group, and am president of a poetry group. Deadlines and meeting them regularly helps me thrive and grow in the Christian writing world.
We had a few exercises for our own work after hearing critiques from the group. One such exercise included writing a blurb and a short synopsis for our manuscript.
CLASSTIME and WORKSHOP SESSIONS
Whispering Woods Workshop held many classes and workshop sessions. I felt as if I had stepped into the deep end of pool after spiraling down the water slide. Splashes of familiar content blended with new topics and clever writing exercises.
Some of my favorite titles were:
Make ‘Em Cry - Adding Heart
Make Your Manuscript Stand Out
12 Tips to Make a Story Shine
The Power of Page Turns
Yank ‘Em In Openings
… And many more
Each workshop featured our favorites, reading examples, and practical next steps for our own work.
I took copious notes and gathered an extended list of picture book titles to my growing list of styles and types of writing for children. We even explored the differences between a picture book and a magazine article.
WORKSHOP ATTENDEES and FRIENDSHIPS
And here’s to the eight other picture book writers that joined me at the 2025 workshop.
Workshop attendees pictured from left to right: Sara, Andre, Maggie, Patricia, Heidi, Linda, Luan, Carla, Alessandro, Jill, and Kitty.
We had a mother - son duo attend. Can you guess who?
2025 Whispering Woods Workshop in Iowa
Workshop attendees from left to right. Sara, Andre, Maggie, Patricia, Heidi, Linda, Luan, Carla, Alessandro, Jill, Kitty
TAKE-AWAYS and NEXT STEPS
I enjoy writing in a variety of genres.
I gravitate toward poetic story telling.
My favorite 5 books before the workshop.
The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, and The Horse by Charlie Mackesy
The Book of Mistakes by Corinna Luyken
Trying by Kobi Yamada
You Are Mine by Max Lucado
Catching Thoughts by Bonnie Clark
More favorite titles after attending the workshop.
Catching Thoughts by Bonnie Clark
What Do You Do With A Problem by Kobi Yamada
Twirl by Emily Lex
The Invisible String by Patrice Karst
The Big Bad Wolf in My House by Valérie Fontaine
Ten Beautiful Things by Molly Beth Griffin
I’m not yet ready for a Kickstarter Campaign, but I will keep pressing on.
I need to schedule time to illustrate and layout my kid’s book similar to Charlie Mackesy’s books.
I need to take a break from a couple of groups for 3 months in order to plan for 2026.
I want to finish a YA novel to see if I can truly write a full length novel and be accountable to keep progressing.
I discovered I love sharing resources more than I thought. I want to keep applying to teach and speak at Christian Writers’ Conferences and events.
And I definitely want to illustrate my words. So that probably means the self-publishing path.
THANKS FOR READING AND sHARING
Thanks for taking time to read and share my article today.
It means the world. We need one another. Let’s connect. Leave a comment below if I can pray for you, if you have a favorite children’s book you’d like to share with me, or if you’d just like to say hello.
Love always because God loved us first,
Thanks again.
Patricia Tiffany Morris
Me trying to pose for an outdoor photo and helping the photographer learn patience! LOL.
DO YOU WANT TO ATTEND NEXT YEAR?
CONTACT JILL if you’d like to be added to next year’s waiting list for the annual Whispering Woods Workshop for picture book writers.
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