Learn how to turn a simple premise into a full-length story for children
Who is this course for?
- Complete beginners
- Writers who want to delve into a new creative project
- Writers who want a flexible short course to fit around their schedule
What you’ll learn
- The children's book market and how to pitch your book
- Explore your own narrative voice and narrative techniques and tools that appeal to younger readers
- Get to know the characters in your story on a deeper level and learn how to communicate those details to the reader in an engaging and accessible way
- Understand the importance of dramatic tension and what tools authors use to create it in their stories
- How to plot effectively
- How to feel confident taking your next steps in the world of publishing and writing for children
About the course
Learn how to turn a simple premise into a full-length story for children. Develop your voice, build recognisable worlds, and create unforgettable characters.
This six-week course is perfect for anyone who has ever thought about writing for children. It’s suitable for complete beginners with no writing experience or knowledge of the publishing industry. The course will consist of six written tutorials covering everything from narrative voice, characterisation and plotting, to how to get your stories published.
Every week you’ll be given a writing exercise, which…
Learn how to turn a simple premise into a full-length story for children. Develop your voice, build recognisable worlds, and create unforgettable characters.
This six-week course is perfect for anyone who has ever thought about writing for children. It’s suitable for complete beginners with no writing experience or knowledge of the publishing industry. The course will consist of six written tutorials covering everything from narrative voice, characterisation and plotting, to how to get your stories published.
Every week you’ll be given a writing exercise, which your fellow students will be able to read and critique, you’ll also have editorial feedback from your course tutor. There’s also have a live video chat once a week where you can ask questions, receive feedback and bounce ideas around.
Perfect for beginners, lovers of children’s books and for those with a passion for storytelling.
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Course Content
Lesson Name & What’s Included
An Introduction to Children's Books
In our first week we’ll take a practical look at the children’s book market and the sub-genres within it. What works well and who the best-selling authors are. What do children want to read? How can we as authors find a story to tell in a crowded marketplace? This week we’ll look at writing ‘elevator pitches’ for stories and explore whether it’s better to follow current publishing trends or not.
Narrative Voice
What tools can an author use to create an original narrative voice that appeals to younger readers? How will you tell your story, through the first person or third person narrative? Will your narrative focus on just one character or a few? These are a few of the topics we’ll be discussing this week.
Characterisation and Dialogue
At the heart of every story are relatable and memorable protagonists. In this week’s tutorial we’ll look at how we can create fully rounded characters on the page and how we can give them a unique voice through dialogue.
Creating Dramatic Tension
What is dramatic tension, why is it so important (especially in children’s books!) and how does an author create it? This week we’ll look at how you keep your young readers turning the page by creating suspense, jeopardy and a sense of drama in your writing.
Plotting
You have an idea for a story, but how do you then develop that into fully formed plot? This week we’ll look at the structure of plots, how to pace a story and what methods you can use to ensure you’re communicating your ideas effectively.
The Path to Publication
In the final week of the course, we’ll look at the process of getting your story published. We’ll talk about what literary agents are and how you go about acquiring one, and what the path to publication commonly looks like for authors. We’ll also use the knowledge and techniques we’ve acquired over the course to draft the first 500 words of a story!
Instructor
Eleanor Hawken
Eleanor is the published author of nine children’s books, which include the Sammy Feral’s Diaries of Weird series. Eleanor has also written numerous books and novels under pseudonyms and as a writer-for-hire for licensed brands such as Disney, Warner Brothers and Universal. Eleanor is also an experienced children’s fiction editor, having worked in the publishing industry for over 15 years. She has worked on a wide range of books from young fiction through to YA. Eleanor has been working as a children’s editor for Jericho Writers for three years and has had the privilege of working with many new and aspiring authors during that time. She has a passion for storytelling, children’s books and helping other writers find their narrative voice and navigate the path to publication.
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