Menu
Menu
This course is ideal for: Anyone who wants to write fiction for readers aged 8 to 13
You will:
Learn the key elements of a novel for children
Create believable characters and dialogue
Find the right voice to suit your reader
Receive feedback on your writing
Explore the children’s book market and all publishing options
“This is a great course to get you started on the road to writing children’s novels. From opening scenes to character and plot development, it’s got it all covered. And the feedback is awesome!”
– Sharon Boyce, Writing Children’s Novels graduate
This course is ideal for: Anyone who wants to write fiction for readers aged 8 to 13
You will:
Learn the key elements of a novel for children
Create believable characters and dialogue
Find the right voice to suit your reader
Receive feedback on your writing
Explore the children’s book market and all publishing options
“This is a great course to get you started on the road to writing children’s novels. From opening scenes to character and plot development, it’s got it all covered. And the feedback is awesome!”
– Sharon Boyce, Writing Children’s Novels graduate
This course is ideal for: Anyone who wants to write fiction for readers aged 8 to 13
You will:
Learn the key elements of a novel for children
Create believable characters and dialogue
Find the right voice to suit your reader
Receive feedback on your writing
Explore the children’s book market and all publishing options
“This is a great course to get you started on the road to writing children’s novels. From opening scenes to character and plot development, it’s got it all covered. And the feedback is awesome!”
– Sharon Boyce, Writing Children’s Novels graduate
| Opens | Duration | With | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Course details: | |||||
| Online with tutor Learn from anywhere at your convenience. | Monday 3 October 2022 Start any time during the week |
5 weeks Allow 3–4 hours per week |
Suzanne O'Sullivan | $450 | |
| Bookings close soon | |||||
In this online course, you’ll discover how to write memorable stories for readers who have moved on from chapter books but are not ready for YA fiction. These books can be called middle-grade fiction, younger reader books, or simply children’s novels. From books by Enid Blyton to Anne of Green Gables to the Diary of a Wimpy Kid to Jessica Townsend’s Nevermoor, this type of story is what most people mean when they say ‘children’s books’.
Books in this age group are very popular and have seen a surge in popularity in recent years. It’s an age when readers are curious, they love to learn and they enjoy reading about protagonists they can relate to. It’s also an age where you can start exploring more complex topics, take your characters on epic adventures and have fun with humour.
You may have kids of your own. Perhaps you know someone who does. Maybe you once saw some in the street. Whatever the case, it’s really important you understand your audience – and this course will show you how.
There’s a special craft in writing fiction for young readers. They respond strongly to stories that amuse, challenge or entertain but also never talk down to them. In this course, you’ll learn the dos and don’ts of writing for children, what topics are acceptable and you’ll have a blueprint for succeeding in this market.
Each Monday, a module covering a new topic is unlocked, complete with exercises which help you practise related skills. A small weekly assignment is due each Sunday night – with direct feedback from your online tutor – an expert in the world of children’s fiction.
You’ll discover more about the children’s novel and how it fits into publishing for children. You have a unique voice and that’s what’s going to make you special as a writer. This course will help you capture the appropriate voice to suit the age of your character (and your reader). You’ll learn how to make your characters as believable as possible – complete with dialogue, back stories, appearance and motivations that drive their decisions.
Point of view is the heart of fiction, so it’s crucial to get it right! You’ll learn how point of view works – including how to avoid glitches and common pitfalls. You’ll also discover how to write from a child’s point of view – and how that differs from writing an adult point of view.
You need to grab the attention of young readers from the first page so it’s vital that you write a compelling beginning. This module will help you nail your beginnings – not only of the whole novel, but of individual scenes as well.
Once the story is up and running, it’s all about three things – character, plot and pace. In this module, you’ll look at how to manipulate each of these elements to create desired narrative tension that will keep your young reader engrossed (under the covers, with a torch). Along the way, you’ll look at the three-act structure and controlling pace, as well as why the number of scenes is so important.
A good story has a strong main character. A great story usually also has a diverse and interesting supporting cast. In this module, you’ll learn how to ensure that all of your characters are just as interesting as your protagonist.
There is no prior reading required for this online course. However, we recommend visiting a local bookstore or library (or your child’s bookshelf!) to get acquainted with the current selection of books on offer for children and teenagers.
Writing Children’s Novels has been designed as an introduction to writing fiction for children aged 8 to 13 – appealing to a range of aspiring writers. People like these:
Elizabeth has written all her life, with notebooks crammed full of half-finished stories. Now in her 40s, she finds herself drawn to writing fantasy middle-grade stories and would love some direction to start turning these threads into a novel.
Ross lives to doodle and write silly stories in the style of book series like Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Weirdo or Treehouse. He dreams of getting his own series off the ground, but first wants to ensure he gets the basics right.
Ursula has two boys aged 8 and 10 and has been enjoying seeing them devour popular middle-grade books. She has some ideas for a middle-grade series and would like help creating authentic-sounding characters and a course format that fits her busy family life.
Bianca has decided she wants to become a bestselling author of fiction for ‘older readers’ (10-13). She knows it’s a competitive market, so is keen to gain any insights and knowledge that will help her succeed. She finds she does her best writing at 5am!
Q: I don’t know what age group I want to write for. Should I look for a more general course?
A: All the techniques and skills in Writing Children’s Novels can be applied to writing for other children’s age groups, so this is also the course we recommend if you know you want to write for children but aren’t yet sure of exactly which age group you want to focus on.
Q: I’m a complete beginner. Is this course right for me?
A: It’s a great place to start. Most students simply have a love for writing fiction for young people and that’s all the experience that is required.
Q: Do I need to have a story idea?
A: Not at all. This course will teach the techniques to writing great stories, but you don’t need one at the start.
Q: What kind of books will this course help me write?
A: Anything aimed at readers aged 8 to 13 – because many of the concepts are common to all young fiction. This includes the popular middle-grade fiction and expanding ‘tween’ market. However, if you’re not sure what age group you want to write for, this course covers all the basic skills you will need to write for any age group.
Q: How many others will be in the class – and are they all experienced writers?
A: The online classroom is a supportive learning environment and we purposefully keep classes small to make everyone more comfortable (no more than approx. 20 per class). Everyone is there to learn and no experience is necessary, so you don’t need to worry about being out of your depth.
Q: How does the online tutored class work exactly?
A: Each Monday, a new course module will be made available. You can choose any time that week to go through it – there is no set class time. Through the online learning hub, you can chat to classmates and your online tutor and get feedback on your weekly assignments (due each Sunday night).
Q: I’m a busy parent and work full-time. Can I fit this in?
A: Most of our students are busy people just like you. This course is flexible so that all you need to find is a few extra hours in the week, not necessarily all at once. You’ve totally got this!
Q: Do you have courses that focus on books for younger children?
A: We sure do. Our Writing Picture Books course is perfect if you’d like to write illustrated books for the tiny tots. And the Writing Chapter Books for 6-9 year olds course will help you write a book series for newly independent readers. Complete all three and become the ultimate triple-threat children’s author!
This course covers writing middle grade stories in the vein of Nevermoor, Wonder or the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.
NOTE: If you want to explore all age groups, we also offer courses in:
Writing Picture Books
Writing Chapter Books for 6-9 Year Olds
Writing Young Adult Fiction
Writing Children’s Novels provides you with all the foundation skills you need to start creating fiction for young readers. Once you have these skills under your belt, our Novel Writing Essentials course helps you get YOUR story off to the best start through workshopping and theory. Then, your manuscript is in safe hands with our motivational six-month Write Your Novel program – Australia’s best! Finally, you can bring your draft up to publishable standard with the Edit Your Novel course.
| KNOWLEDGE: | You’ll understand not just what young readers want, but how to present it to them in the best way. |
| CONFIDENCE: | You’ll gain the skills to begin properly structuring stories immediately. |
| INSPIRATION: | Even if you didn’t have ideas before, after five weeks you’ll have a notebook of story starters to take you to the next level! |
| MOTIVATION: | This course will have you fired up to start writing the next big thing for young readers – and our pathway can help you get there. |
Graduates have gone on to score book deals and be a part of the HUGE children’s fiction market.
| Opens | Duration | With | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Course details: | |||||
| Online with tutor Learn from anywhere at your convenience. | Monday 3 October 2022 Start any time during the week |
5 weeks Allow 3–4 hours per week |
Suzanne O'Sullivan | $450 | |
| Bookings close soon | |||||
Connect with us