From Inspiration to Realisation: Bringing Words and Images Together in a Book with Bex Sheridan

Course Content

This course explores how a visual creative may find their way in the book world as a writer and illustrator. The course will explore the phases of creative process from beginning to end. By the end of this 6-week course, learners will have developed a story and illustration style for an audience of their choosing and have the tools necessary to approach agents and publishers with their developing work.

Target Audience: Early Career Creatives, Artists and Storytellers

Course Outline

Participants will focus on understanding how to develop visual narratives for books. Once they have identified their audience, participants will explore how to develop work to align with that audience. They will develop the foundational storytelling skills necessary to connect with readers in addition to understanding and enhancing their own visual style, before generating a package of work suitable for submission to agents and publishers.

Week 1
Introduction
Understanding influences
Understanding self
Understanding market

Week 2
Finding Stories
Ideation
Outlining

Week 3
Drafting
Writing
Planning

Week 4
Thumbnailing
Storyboarding
Style

Week 5
Bringing it all Together
Redrafting

Week 6
Pitching
Submission package
Final thoughts

Each week participants will produce a body of work suitable to that stage of the creative process. This will begin with research and loose ideation before progressing into writing and illustrating.

Workshopping will take place in class and the opportunity to obtain further feedback will be offered to those who produce additional work in their own time.

Course Outcomes

On completion of this course, it is intended for participants to have a presentable concept for an illustrated book, inclusive of outline, draft text, layout plan and a stylistic approach with sample artwork ready to pitch for representation, publication or funding application for continued development. Where burgeoning creatives require more time to develop their work, the course will provide them with all the tools necessary to work independently on a project for when they are ready to take it to the next stage.

Bex Sheridan is an author, illustrator, designer and educator. With a background in Visual Communications, she spent nearly a decade as a publishing professional. Now a lecturer in creative digital media, she continues her creative pursuits as an illustrator and graphic designer, partnering with various publishers. Bex is also an accomplished author and illustrator of children’s picture books, adding firsthand publishing experience to extensive industry expertise. When not creating and teaching, she explores narrative and engagement, presenting research across academic settings.

Booked out? To be added to the waiting list for this course, please email info@irishwriterscentre.ie.