Writing for Children

This is a highly specific and practical course. The children’s books and story market is a competitive one, so you need to learn the right techniques if you want to succeed. You must learn to see the world from the viewpoint of your audience, not that of an omniscient adult. Our course helps you to do just that: to adopt the right approach, to develop character and plot, and to inject a liberal helping of magic, mystery, humour or even horror – whatever is appropriate for the age group at which the story is aimed. Children are more discerning and questioning than ever before, so books have to excite the imagination and compete with the immediate visual stimulus of television. They do not want to be patronised, but they still yearn for adventure and (usually) a happy ending. 

If you want to write a full length children’s book, rather than shorter stories, you can do so. The approach is flexible. Your tutor will comment on and guide you through each chapter, until the finished product has been polished and perfected. Similarly, if you are aiming at a particular niche in the market – such as non-fiction, educational books or even comic scripts – this can easily be accommodated. Your tutor will also give you professional guidance and expert advice on illustration and marketing.

Modules: