Transform Your Ideas into Stories
and Reach Your Creative Potential
with Makers Pro
Get Training and Story Coaching from Award-Winning Storytellers
Introducing the Makers Membership
1. COURSES
In-depth foundational courses and craft-based intensives (mini-classes) help you master the art of storytelling.
2. COMMUNITY
Join a group of passionate storytellers. Ask story coaches and your fellow SA members anything through our workshops, community forums, and our members-only Facebook group.
3. COACHING
Get guidance and feedback from published pros. Reach your creative goals faster with mentored critique groups, written critiques, and one-on-one story coaching.
What's Inside Makers Pro?
- Get instant access to nine foundational courses on writing and illustrating picture books (with a tenth class coming third term).
- Join interactive virtual workshops, each with an expert story coach during the term.
- Submit your work for live critiques at workshops.
- Three terms of education are available each calendar year.
- All access to craft-based intensives (mini-classes). A new intensive launches each month!
- Intensives are followed by a "Live Review" of student assignments, where you can get your most important questions answered.
- Step-by-step guides, checklists, and workbooks help guide you through the creative process.
- Join a SA critique group.
- Free Zoom links are available for critique groups with 3 or more Makers Pro members.
- Makers Pro members get to sign up for mentored critique groups first.
Some of our Award-Winning Books...
Elaine’s Success Story
“By making the dummy, however, I could see exactly how my manuscript was working and where it wasn’t working.”
How It Works
Master the Art of Storytelling
Choose a Track
Whether your goal is to become a published author or an author/illustrator, we've got a plan and curriculum to help you hone your craft. The tracks have been carefully designed to help you build your storytelling skills without overwhelm.
Take Courses and Mini-Classes
Choose from any of the nine courses (ten by the end of the year) or from the intensive library to hone your craft. If you're unsure where to start, we recommend the Crafting Picture Book Stories course. It provides a solid story foundation to build upon.
Join Workshops
At the Makers Pro level, you can join LIVE workshops. Before the workshops, you can submit stories and artwork for review. Although only a few stories are chosen each week for review, you'll grow as a storyteller by meeting the deadline to submit your work each week. You'll also have an opportunity get your questions answered. All workshops are recorded, and the replay is always available.
Get Story Coaching
Grow even faster with story coaching. You can join mentored critique groups that are limited to 5 participants, buy written critiques, or get one-on-one coaching.
Unlock Your Creative Potential
Term 3 Courses and Workshops
Starts: August 22, 2020 | Ends: October 23, 2020
(All Times in Pacific Daylight Time)
Saturdays: 8/22, 8/29, 9/12, 9/19, 10/3, 10/10
Live Classes: Picture Book Masters with Melissa Manlove @ 9:30 - 10:30 AM
Tuesdays: 8/25, 9/1, 9/15, 9/22, 10/6, 10/13
Live Classes: Makers Pro Business Series with Arree Chung @ 11:00 - 12:00 PM
Workshop: Drawing 2: Drawing in 3D with Alex Leon @ 5:00 - 6:00 PM
Wednesdays: 8/26, 9/2, 9/16, 9/23, 10/7, 10/14
Workshop: Picture Book Wordsmith with Carter Higgins @ 4:00 - 5:00 PM
Workshop: Writing Picture Book Manuscripts with Jim Averbeck @ 6:00 - 7:00 PM
Thursdays: 8/27, 9/3, 9/17, 9/24, 10/8, 10/15
Live Coaching: Makers Pro Business Series with Arree Chung @ 11:00 - 12:00 PM
Workshop: Crafting Picture Book Stories with Arree Chung @ 5:00 - 6:30 PM
Vicky’s Success Story
“Since taking the class in 2017, I'm excited to say that I've signed 3 book deals with a total of 7 books coming out, including board books, a picture book, and an early chapter book series!”
Abi’s Success Story
“As it turns out, Arree is one of my People Angels. And thanks to Arree and Storyteller Academy, I have my first picture book coming out from Viking Children's Books in 2020, with a second book to follow in 2021!”
Who Should Join the Membership?
Parents
If you have ideas that pop into your head for stories, or if you want be more creative, Storyteller Academy is the place for you. We'll help you turn your ideas into stories.
Writers
At the heart of Storyteller Academy is storytelling for children. If you're writing stories for children, you belong here. Our story coaches will help you develop your stories and hone your skills.
Educators
As an educator, you know anything is possible with knowledge. At Storyteller Academy, you'll learn the creative process so that you can see your book on the shelves of libraries and bookstores everywhere!
Artists
As an illustrator, you already are a storyteller. We'll help you craft words to complement your storytelling.
Join the Makers Pro Waitlist
We will notify you when enrollment is open.
Frequently Asked Questions
Makers Pro is the perfect option. You get to participate in course workshops and mini-classes reviews.
Makers Pro members also get the benefit of being placed into critique groups. Critique groups with 3 or more Makers Pro members are eligible for a free Zoom link for their meetings through Storyteller Academy.
Our courses are designed to be completed over a 9-week period if you’re allocating an hour or two a day to the course materials. You can complete the courses over 7 days if you are consuming the content full time.
Our mini-class are designed to be completed over a 2-day period.
All of Storyteller Academy’s training occurs online. To access courses, you will need a personal computer or tablet. We hold LIVE workshops on Zoom. We recommend having a computer with a camera and microphone for an optimal experience in workshops.
Workshops occur weekly during the term, and we release a new mini-class almost every month. We also have new 9-week courses every year. But don’t feel like you have to consume everything the moment it’s released. Everything we create is archived in the members area, so there’s no rush or pressure to access it in “real time.” Think of your Makers membership as the Netflix for storytellers. 🙂
Makers Pro members can submit their work for live review during workshops, but there is no guarantee that work will be chosen. If you would like more support, you can purchase more direct feedback through a mentored critique group or one-on-one coaching.
- You get all 9 classes in addition to all of the mini-classes. The workshops are the classes that are running in a term with “LIVE WORKSHOPS” which serve as support workshops for Makers Pro members and folks who buy the class.
9 weeks long. You watch the pre-recorded lessons on your own and then attend the scheduled workshops.
You can cancel anytime. And there's a 30 day money back guarantee, so you can try it risk free. You can sign up monthly or for the year.