Writing Childrens Books

Lesson 1: The World of Children's Literature. 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.

Lesson 2: Assessing Your Writing Skills. Fundamental grammar, punctuation, and other important elements; assessing your strengths and weaknesses; figures of speech; stylized expression; voice.

Lesson 3: Beginning the Writing Process. 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.

Lesson 4: Analyzing Your Audience. The reading abilities and personalities of children in various age groups; fiction versus non-fiction; timeless appeals; appropriate and inappropriate material.

Lesson 5: Picture Books. An analysis of good and poor examples of concept books, picture books, and story books; how to use pictures effectively with words.

Lesson 6: Easy Readers. 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.

Lesson 7: Chapters 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.

Lesson 8: Specialty Books. 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.

Lesson 9: Writing Non-Fiction and Writing for Magazines. Non-fiction categories; doing research; non-fiction writing techniques; quoting, paraphrasing, and documenting sources; writing and submitting to magazines.

Lesson 10: Developing a Writing Project Proposal. 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.

Lesson 11: Writing Skills I – Creating Characters. Practical procedures and special techniques for developing believable characters; making your characters memorable through description and dialogue; establishing a unique point of view.

Lesson 12: Writing Skills II – Developing Plot. Practical exercises for developing the theme, setting, plot, and other vital story components; sequencing descriptive action; developing conflict and suspense; keeping the action going.

Lesson 13: Writing Skills III – Saying It With Style. 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.

Lesson 14: Writing the First Draft. 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.

Lesson 15: Revising and Rewriting: Part 1. 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.

Lesson 16: Revising and Rewriting: Part 2. 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.

Lesson 17: Editing and Proofreading. 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.

Lesson 18: Submitting Your Manuscript. 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.

Lesson 19: Preparing the Manuscript for Publication. What to expect if a manuscript is accepted; understanding publishing contracts; copy editing; looking at and revising galley proofs; expected earnings; subsidiary rights.