Writing for children

A practical course encompassing writing skills, contemporary children’s books and current publishing trends. N.B. Term 1 finishes on 6 Dec; term 2 starts on 10 Jan. NB Term 1 finishes on 6 December; term 2 starts on 10 January.

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Key course information

Dates
20/09/11 - 20/03/12

Day(s)
Tue

Duration
23 weeks

Time
10:15 - 12:15

Fees
Full fee: £247
Senior fee: £151
Concession: £74

Venue
KS - Keeley Street

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Course code
HW022

Availability
This date is full

This course is full

Occasionally places may become available. You can add yourself to the waiting list.

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Course outline

What is the course about?

A structured overview of the skills involved in writing for children of various ages. You will also gain an up-to-date knowledge of publishing for children.

What topics will we cover?

Term 1: The picture book format, writing the picture book text, nursery rhymes, fairy tales, animals in fiction, books for young readers, fiction for 6-9 year-olds, relevant child development and interests of children to the age of nine.
Term 2: We concentrate on story/novel writing skills as they apply to all the age groups, from picture books to fiction for 8-11 year olds - theme, plotting, dialogue, characterisation, the child’s viewpoint, scene setting.
We will also look at work of contemporary authors and various genres such as thrillers, historical fiction etc.
Note: Students may intend to write for one particular age group, but may well find that, through the course, they are drawn to write for several age groups.
NB There will be an advance reading list available from the City Lit or online by late summer.

By the end of this course you should be able to:

- respond to, and assess, pieces of writing with sensitivity
- use various writing techniques through which your creativity can be expressed
- identify the variety of books available for children today
- promote your own work further (if desired).

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

Entry is open to all potential writers who can write fluent English.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

Talks, illustrated with contemporary childrens books.
Class writing exercises.
Group discussion and group work.
Independent reading and writing projects outside class.

The Tutor
Elizabeth Hawkins has written many books for children and is a professional writer. She has been a writer all of her working life, first as a journalist and subsequently, after having children of her own, as an author of books for children. She is published by a variety of publishers with two new books out in 2010.

City lit reserves the right to change course tutors or venues from those advertised in this outline. In line with our refund policy we are unable to grant a refund on the grounds of a change of tutor/venue.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

Bring a notebook, paper and writing materials, enthusiasm and loads of persistence.

Do I need to have an interview before I can enrol?

No.

What feedback will I get?

You will receive regular feedback from your tutor throughout the course, as and when appropriate. At the end of the course you and your tutor are asked to assess the progress you have made.

How will I be able to give my views on the course?

Please complete the evaluation form at the end of your course. These are monitored and help us to continually improve our courses.

How do I find out if I can get some support for my learning?

You may be interested in: education and careers advice; financial and childcare support; disability support; support for Deaf and hearing-impaired students; dyslexia support; English and maths support; counselling, and library services (supported learning centre). To find out what may be available to you, and how to apply, see page 213 of the 11/12 course guide, or visit www.citylit.ac.uk/students

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

Students who wish to continue actively to write for children may like to join the Writing for Children Workshop, most of whose members began as students on the Writing for Children course, and of whom a significant number are now published authors.

General information and advice on courses at City Lit is available from the Information and Advice Shop, open Monday to Friday 12:00 – 19:00 during term time, and Monday to Friday 12:00 – 17:00 out of term time. See the course guide for term dates and further details.

Who can I contact for further information?

Tel: 020 7492 2652

humanities@citylit.ac.uk

Advice times:

During term-time Monday 12.30–13.30 and 17.30–18.30 Thursday 12.30–13.30 and 17.30–18.30

Non term-time Monday 17.30–18.30 Thursday 12.30–13.30.

To enrol on a course, call 020 7831 7831.