Online: Writing Children’s Books

Writing for children is big business. Despite the oft-forecast demise of reading, demand for quality children’s books is strong and there has been significant growth in this market over the past few years.

If you’re keen to write stories that will keep children reading under the covers after lights out, if you’re interested to know more about the puzzling business of publishing, or if you harbour dreams of being the next Sally Rippin or Andy Griffiths, this online course with Jacqueline Harvey is for you.

Through short writing exercises, peer and tutor feedback, you’ll develop the skills and insights needed to write compelling children’s books: from goal-setting and understanding what you want to achieve, to finding your voice and knowing how to grow your story.

This course is suitable for writers of picture books, chapter books and middle grade fiction. 

The course will cover everything you need to get started including:

• Understanding your potential audience

• Finding and developing ideas

• Creating believable characters

• Developing plausible plots

• Using dialogue effectively

• Literary devices

• The importance of editing

• Advice on getting published

• The business of being a writer.

A series of practical exercises will give budding writers opportunities to explore style, voice and other key elements of writing for children as well as demystifying the publishing process.

This course, Online: Writing Children’s Books with Jacqueline Harvey, will take place online.