Writing for Young Readers I

WRITING X 446.2E

Get a strong introduction to writing for children, from picture books through complex young adult novels, in this workshop perfect for beginners.

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What you can learn.

Learn the standards for writing for distinct age groups and audiences
Identify basic storytelling principles like structure, plot, character development, and dialogue
Discover your niche as a writer for young readers
Complete a draft manuscript, chapter, or outline for longer works
Get an overview of publishing books for young readers

About this course:

If you want to write for kids, you need to think like a kid and enjoy the process of returning to the imaginative, possibility-filled world of childhood. This course introduces you to all major categories of writing for young people, including concept books, picture books, beginning readers, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult (YA) novels and nonfiction for all age ranges. You learn the basic storytelling principles of story structure, plot, character development and dialogue as it applies to each genre, and discover your own niche in the world of children's publishing. You also learn how to tailor your work to the psychological and emotional development, reading abilities, and interests of each age group. The goal is to complete a draft of a manuscript for a picture book or a sample chapter and chapter outline for older readers. Query letters, marketing and resources for children's book writers are also covered in detail.