Career Diploma in
Writing Children's Books

Trends in children's literature; why people write for children; traits of a children's writer; what makes a best seller; the life cycle of a work of children's literature; avoiding common pitfalls.

Fundamental grammar, punctuation, and other important elements; assessing your strengths and weaknesses; figures of speech; stylized expression; voice.

Using personal computers, word processing software, and typewriters; planning and researching your writing project; setting a timetable and goals; proven writing techniques; overcoming writer's block; ways to generate ideas; drafting, revising, proofreading, and editing your work; exercises for building your writing skills.

The reading abilities and personalities of children in various age groups; fiction versus non-fiction; timeless appeals; appropriate and inappropriate material.

An analysis of good and poor examples of concept books, picture books, and story books; how to use pictures effectively with words.

An analysis of good and poor examples of books in the easy reader category; how to appeal to first- and second-graders; establishing a more "grown-up" approach with fewer illustrations; bridging the gap between picture books and full-fledged chapter books.

An analysis of good and bad examples of chapter books; characteristics of chapter books; what appeals to children ages 7 to 10; understanding and writing for the pre-young adult category.

How to be more productive and work more efficiently.

An analysis of good and poor examples of specialty books; an examination of today's most popular specialty book categories, including pop-up books, puzzle and game books, poetry and verse, and plays.

Non-fiction categories; doing research; non-fiction writing techniques; quoting, paraphrasing, and documenting sources; writing and submitting to magazines.

Choosing the subject and target audience; selecting an age-appropriate genre; organizing your ideas; summarizing your story. You'll submit a writing project idea for evaluation by your instructor.

Practical procedures and special techniques for developing believable characters; making your characters memorable through description and dialogue; establishing a unique point of view.

Practical exercises for developing the theme, setting, plot, and other vital story components; sequencing descriptive action; developing conflict and suspense; keeping the action going.

Techniques for improving your literary exposition skills; choosing the right words; using dialogue effectively; adding sensory language; developing your own voice and style; using humor.

Getting motivated; avoiding procrastination; pacing yourself. Using the techniques you learn in Lessons 11, 12, and 13, you'll produce and submit a rough draft of your selected writing project.

Organizing your ideas; maintaining focus; development; style; unity; coherence; practical revision exercises and techniques. You'll revise your initial draft using the skills you learn in this lesson.

How the revision process works; analyzing material as you go; revision exercises; checklists. You'll use your instructor's evaluation and suggestions from your first draft to improve and strengthen your writing project.

Grammar review; exercises to improve your editing skills; using editing and proofreading checklists. You'll apply the skills you learn in this lesson to edit and proofread the latest draft of your writing project.

What editors want; finding your niche; identifying potential publishers; proper submission format; preparing query and cover letters; dealing with rejection. To accompany your final manuscript draft, you'll write a cover letter to be evaluated by your instructor.

What to expect if a manuscript is accepted; understanding publishing contracts; copy editing; looking at and revising galley proofs; expected earnings; subsidiary rights.