Creative Writing: An Introduction to Writing for Children

A Certificate of Participation is awarded to participants who contribute constructively to weekly discussions and exercises/learning activities for the duration of the course. This tutor-led, cohort-based online course is 7-weeks in duration and is made up of 5 teaching units. Unit 1: What’s the story? Learning objectives: - To explore what a story is and how to shape one. By studying this unit the students should have an understanding of the necessary structure of story. Unit 2: Character and plot Learning objectives: - To gain an understanding of how character powers plot. - To explore the tools with which to create character through words. - To gain the experience of writing a story opening that establishes character and sets a plot in motion. Unit 3: Voice Learning objectives: - To gain an understanding of different writing styles, and the effect those different styles can create. - To gain experience in trying some of those different styles. - To gain experience in assessing those styles, when written by others. Unit 4: Words in partnership with illustration and design Learning objectives: - To gain an appreciation of how words and pictures can work together to communicate story in picture book form. - To gain an experience of writing with illustration in mind. Unit 5: Aiming for publication Learning objectives: - To gain an understanding of the markets for children’s books. - To gain an understanding of the different requirements from publishers aiming different formats of books for different ages of children and different markets. - To gain knowledge about how best to approach publication.