All writers need to learn their craft and writing for children is no different. Your work must be carefully polished, fresh, entertaining, informative, vividly written and immediately intelligible. You need to understand children’s interests and the way their minds are attracted to a wide range of ideas and curiosities.

 

From the first lessons you will be set challenging exercises to get your ideas and writing flowing. Instruction ranges over a variety of material for children, and includes picture books, junior and teenage fiction, short stories, plays, non-fiction books and articles.

1. Getting Started: Why do you want to write for children?
2. Picture Books: Types of picture books
3. Junior Fiction: Guidelines
4. Short Stories: Length and other requirements
5. Teenage Fiction: Requirements, questions to ask yourself about novel writing
6. Writing Children’s Plays: Decisions, audiences, aims and language
7. Specialising: Humour, fantasy, science fiction, mysteries
8. The Business of Writing 1: Costing, checklist, negotiating fees, manuscript presentation
9. The Business of Writing 2: Non-Fiction: Time management, a weekly planner, interviewing
10. Keeping Up-to-date: The Ten Commandments of writing for children

Course Code:	WCHL
Prerequisites:	Open entry
Assessments:	10 lessons / 10 assignments
Duration:	This course must be completed within 24 months.
	Stotts is registered as a private training establishment by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) under the provisions of the Education Act 1989 and its subsequent amendments. This course has no National Qualifications Framework accreditation and no credits will be reported to NZQA upon completion.