Aims of the course:
- To explore the range of fiction and book formats for different ages and stages of childhood.
- To show how to shape and write stories, sometimes to work with illustration.
- To allow participants to develop an understanding of the market, and how to pursue publication.
Learning outcomes
As a result of the course, within the constraints of the time available, students should be able to:
- understand what a story is, and how it works;
- appreciate why different stories and styles suit different stages of childhood and book format;
- make an informed attempt at writing for children of different ages;
- understand what is involved in getting a story published.
Course content overview:
- This course will consider children of different ages and stages, and the books suited to them.
- An understanding of story will be developed, considering character, plot and writing voice appropriate to the young audience and readership.
- Information will be given in targeting different potential publication openings.
Schedule (this course is completed entirely online):
Orientation Week: 17-23 February 2025
By studying this week the students should have:
- become familiar with navigating around the VLE and from VLE to links and back;
- tested their ability to access files and the web conferencing software and sorted out any problems with the help of the eLearning Helpdesk;
- learnt how to look for, assess and reference internet resources;
- contributed to a discussion forum to introduce themselves to other students and discuss why they are interested in the course, what they hope to get out of their studies and also to respond to News item sent out by tutor.
Teaching Weeks: 24 February-30 March 2025
Week 1 What’s the story?
Purpose: To explore what a story is and how to shape one. By studying this week the students should have an understanding of the necessary structure of story.
Week 2 Character and plot
Purpose: To show how character and plot are intertwined to achieve story. By studying this week the students should have:
- an understanding of how character powers plot;
- the tools with which to create character through words;
- the experience of writing a story opening that establishes character and sets a plot in motion.
Week 3 Voice
Purpose: To explore how different writing treatments can achieve different effects. Narrative voice, first person, use of dialogue, letters and diary entries. By studying this week the students should have:
- an understanding of different writing styles, and the effect those different styles can create;
- experience in trying some of those different styles;
- experience in assessing those styles, when written by others.
Week 4 Words in partnership with illustration and design
Purpose: To show how pictures showing story can work together with words telling or animating a story. To demonstrate how book design can present story to dramatic effect. By studying this week the students should have:
- an appreciation of how words and pictures can work together to communicate story in picture book form;
- an experience of writing with illustration in mind.
Week 5 Aiming for publication
Purpose: To introduce the complex world of children’s book publication, highlight potential openings, and teach how best to approach publication. By studying this week the students should have:
- an understanding of the markets for children’s books;
- an understanding of the different requirements from publishers aiming different formats of books for different ages of children and different markets;
- knowledge about how best to approach publication
Feedback Week: 31 March-6 April 2025
Each week of an online course is roughly equivalent to 2-3 hours of classroom time. On top of this, participants should expect to spend roughly 2-3 hours reading material, etc., although this will vary from person to person.
While they have a specific start and end date and will follow a weekly schedule (for example, week 1 will cover topic A, week 2 will cover topic B), our tutor-led online courses are designed to be flexible and as such would normally not require participants to be online for a specific day of the week or time of the day (although some tutors may try to schedule times where participants can be online together for web seminars, which will be recorded so that those who are unable to be online at certain times are able to access material).
Unless otherwise stated, all course material will be posted on the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) so that they can be accessed at any time throughout the duration of the course and interaction with your tutor and fellow participants will take place through a variety of different ways which will allow for both synchronous and asynchronous learning (discussion boards,etc).
Certificate of Participation
A Certificate of Participation will be awarded to participants who contribute constructively to weekly discussions and exercises/assignments for the duration of the course.
What our students say
"Pippa's weekly feedback was excellent. So thorough and considered. She was very honest and constructive which is much appreciated. Her insider knowledge is so interesting and useful. I think most of all she seemed genuinely invested in our development."
“The course content exceeded my expectations. It managed to cover a lot of detail about how to write and what makes a good story, as well as more practical matters.”
“I enjoyed the challenges and they were pitched at the beginner level which suited me well."
“Every week I found myself challenged and encouraged with insightful information, exercises and feedback.”
