This workshop is for you if you are writing children’s books. During the workshop you will take turns to share work and will develop your work-in-progress with constructive feedback from tutor and classmates. You need to have completed a ‘Writing for children’ course before joining this class.
Learning modes and locations may be different depending on the course start date. Please check the location of your chosen course and read our guide to learning modes and locations to help you choose the right course for you.
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
Under the guidance of an experienced tutor, these workshops offer help and support to children's writers with works in progress. At each session, different writers will have an opportunity to present their work and receive helpful and constructive comments from the class. There will also be information available on current markets and advice on how to approach publishers.
What will we cover?
- Critical appraisal of your own work and that of others - Redrafting and revising - The publishing marketplace.
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
- Respond to and assess pieces of writing with sensitivity - Receive an unbiased critical appraisal of your work by your peers and the tutor, within a supportive atmosphere - Redraft your work, taking into account the feedback you received - Identify ways of finding a market for your manuscript.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
The course is suitable for those writing fiction for all age groups from babies to teenagers. Ideally, you'll have completed the introductory ‘Writing for Children’ course at City Lit. However, new students are welcome if you are already a published author or if you are otherwise actively involved in writing for children. The workshop is not suitable if you have no experience of writing for children, and you should not enrol for both the introductory course and this one at the same time.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
You'll be taught by group discussion and feedback, and you should be actively writing outside the class so that you have work to bring each time it is your turn.
City Lit Writing endeavours to create a safe and welcoming space for all and we strongly support the use of content notes in our classes. This means that learners are encouraged to make their tutor and classmates aware in advance if any writing they wish to share contains material that may be deemed sensitive. If you are unsure about what might constitute sensitive content, please ask your tutor for further clarification and read our expectations for participating in writing courses at City Lit.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
When it is your turn to bring work you need to bring two typed copies, one for the tutor and one for the reader.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
City Lit runs a number of children’s writing workshops and courses in the daytime and the evening.
All students are invited to join us at Late Lines, our regular performance night for City Lit writers. Students are also encouraged to submit their work to Between the Lines, our annual anthology of creative writing. For the latest news, courses and events, stay in touch with the Department on Facebook and Bluesky.
Penny Joelson began her writing career with a course at City Lit. She has now been teaching Writing for Children courses at City Lit for over twenty years. During this time Penny has had twelve books published including fiction for young adults, middle grade and early readers and books for teens with a low reading age. Her books have been published internationally and her three most recent YA thrillers, I Have No Secrets, Girl in the Window and Things the Eye Can’t See have all won awards. I Have No Secrets was nominated for the Carnegie Medal and won ten awards including the FCBG (Federation of Children’s Book Groups) National Children’s Book Award (Older Readers).
Josh LaceySee moreSee less
Josh Lacey is the author of many books for children including The Dragonsitter, A Dog Called Grk, and Hope Jones Saves the World. He has written for various age groups, and his books range from The Pet Potato, a picture book illustrated by Momoko Abe, to middle-grade novels like The Island of Thieves. His books have been translated into twenty languages.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
product
https://www.citylit.ac.uk/writing-for-children-workshop222191Writing for children: workshophttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/w/r/writing-for-children-workshop-hw264-1024.jpg279279GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Writing/Children's writing/Children's writing/Courses/vm/Writing Courses/Children's Writing/Courses/vm/Writing Courses/Courses/Writing/Courses/Writing/Children's writing/Courses/Online courses22851592204220181358113584173112285135811358416532018<p>This workshop is for you if you are writing children’s books. During the workshop you will take turns to share work and will develop your work-in-progress with constructive feedback from tutor and classmates. You need to have completed a ‘Writing for children’ course before joining this class.</p>134.93035389Writing for children: workshop279279https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/w/r/writing-for-children-workshop-hw264-1024_52.jpgInStockEveningMonOnlineAvailable courses11 weeks or longerWeekday2026-09-28T00:00:00+00:00AdvancedSep 2026WritingHW045279279Writing for children: workshop279181279Penny Joelsonwriting-for-children-workshop/hw045-2627<p>This workshop is for you if you are writing children’s books. During the workshop you will take turns to share work and will develop your work-in-progress with constructive feedback from tutor and classmates. You need to have completed a ‘Writing for children’ course before joining this class.</p>0000-Available|2026-09-28 00:00:00Under the guidance of an experienced tutor, these workshops offer help and support to children's writers with works in progress. At each session, different writers will have an opportunity to present their work and receive helpful and constructive comments from the class. There will also be information available on current markets and advice on how to approach publishers.<p>This workshop is for you if you are writing children’s books. During the workshop you will take turns to share work and will develop your work-in-progress with constructive feedback from tutor and classmates. You need to have completed a ‘Writing for children’ course before joining this class.</p>- Critical appraisal of your own work and that of others<br>- Redrafting and revising<br>- The publishing marketplace.- Respond to and assess pieces of writing with sensitivity<br>- Receive an unbiased critical appraisal of your work by your peers and the tutor, within a supportive atmosphere<br>- Redraft your work, taking into account the feedback you received<br>- Identify ways of finding a market for your manuscript.The course is suitable for those writing fiction for all age groups from babies to teenagers. Ideally, you'll have completed the introductory ‘Writing for Children’ course at City Lit. However, new students are welcome if you are already a published author or if you are otherwise actively involved in writing for children. The workshop is not suitable if you have no experience of writing for children, and you should not enrol for both the introductory course and this one at the same time.You'll be taught by group discussion and feedback, and you should be actively writing outside the class so that you have work to bring each time it is your turn. <br />
<br />
City Lit Writing endeavours to create a safe and welcoming space for all and we strongly support the use of content notes in our classes. This means that learners are encouraged to make their tutor and classmates aware in advance if any writing they wish to share contains material that may be deemed sensitive. If you are unsure about what might constitute sensitive content, please ask your tutor for further clarification and read our <a href=" https://www.citylit.ac.uk/expectations-for-participating-in-writing-courses" target="_blank">expectations for participating in writing courses at City Lit</a>.When it is your turn to bring work you need to bring two typed copies, one for the tutor and one for the reader.<p>City Lit runs a number of children’s writing workshops and courses in the daytime and the evening.<br><br>All students are invited to join us at <a href=" https://www.citylit.ac.uk/latelines" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Late Lines</a>, our regular performance night for City Lit writers. Students are also encouraged to submit their work to <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/betweenthelines" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Between the Lines</a>, our annual anthology of creative writing. For the latest news, courses and events, stay in touch with the Department on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/citylitcreativewriting" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/citylitwriting.bsky.social" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bluesky</a>.</p>Children's writingChildren's writingvirtual3035428Writing for children: workshop279279https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/w/r/writing-for-children-workshop-hw264-1024_53.jpgInStockEveningMonOnlineAvailable courses11 weeks or longerWeekday2027-01-11T00:00:00+00:00AdvancedJan 2027WritingHW439279279Writing for children: workshop279181279Penny Joelsonwriting-for-children-workshop/hw439-2627<p>This ongoing workshop offers an opportunity to develop your work-in-progress with constructive feedback from tutor and classmates.</p>0000-Available|2027-01-11 00:00:00Under the guidance of an experienced tutor, these workshops offer help and support to children's writers with works in progress. At each session, different writers will have an opportunity to present their work and receive helpful and constructive comments from the class. There will also be information available on current markets and advice on how to approach publishers.<p>This ongoing workshop offers an opportunity to develop your work-in-progress with constructive feedback from tutor and classmates.</p><p>This collaborative workshop is for anyone writing for children. Every member of the class will bring work, which will be read aloud, then analysed and discussed by the tutor and other students. </p>- Respond to and assess pieces of writing with sensitivity<br>- Receive an unbiased critical appraisal of your work by your peers and the tutor, within a supportive atmosphere<br>- Redraft your work, taking into account the feedback you received<br>- Identify ways of finding a market for your manuscript.<p>The workshop is suitable for those writing fiction for all age groups from babies to teenagers. The collaborative atmosphere is welcoming to writers of differing experience, whether they are working on their first book or have published several. If you have no experience of writing for children, the introductory course would be more suitable. </p><p> </p>You'll be taught by group discussion and feedback, and you should be actively writing outside the class so that you have work to bring each time it is your turn. <br />
<br />
City Lit Writing endeavours to create a safe and welcoming space for all and we strongly support the use of content notes in our classes. This means that learners are encouraged to make their tutor and classmates aware in advance if any writing they wish to share contains material that may be deemed sensitive. If you are unsure about what might constitute sensitive content, please ask your tutor for further clarification and read our <a href=" https://www.citylit.ac.uk/expectations-for-participating-in-writing-courses" target="_blank">expectations for participating in writing courses at City Lit</a>..<p>City Lit runs a number of children’s writing workshops and courses in the daytime and the evening.<br><br>All students are invited to join us at <a href=" https://www.citylit.ac.uk/latelines" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Late Lines</a>, our regular performance night for City Lit writers. Students are also encouraged to submit their work to <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/betweenthelines" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Between the Lines</a>, our annual anthology of creative writing. For the latest news, courses and events, stay in touch with the Department on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/citylitcreativewriting" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/citylitwriting.bsky.social" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bluesky</a></p>Children's writingChildren's writingvirtual3056560Writing for children: workshop279279https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/w/r/writing-for-children-workshop-hw264-1024_54.jpgInStockEveningMonOnlineAvailable courses11 weeks or longerWeekday2027-04-19T00:00:00+00:00AdvancedApr 2027WritingHW046279279Writing for children: workshop279181279Penny Joelsonwriting-for-children-workshop/hw046-2627<p>This ongoing workshop offers an opportunity to develop your work-in-progress with constructive feedback from tutor and classmates.</p>0000-Available|2027-04-19 00:00:00Under the guidance of an experienced tutor, these workshops offer help and support to children's writers with works in progress. At each session, different writers will have an opportunity to present their work and receive helpful and constructive comments from the class. There will also be information available on current markets and advice on how to approach publishers.<p>This ongoing workshop offers an opportunity to develop your work-in-progress with constructive feedback from tutor and classmates.</p><p>This collaborative workshop is for anyone writing for children. Every member of the class will bring work, which will be read aloud, then analysed and discussed by the tutor and other students. </p>- Respond to and assess pieces of writing with sensitivity<br>- Receive an unbiased critical appraisal of your work by your peers and the tutor, within a supportive atmosphere<br>- Redraft your work, taking into account the feedback you received<br>- Identify ways of finding a market for your manuscript.<p>The workshop is suitable for those writing fiction for all age groups from babies to teenagers. The collaborative atmosphere is welcoming to writers of differing experience, whether they are working on their first book or have published several. If you have no experience of writing for children, the introductory course would be more suitable. </p>You'll be taught by group discussion and feedback, and you should be actively writing outside the class so that you have work to bring each time it is your turn. <br />
<br />
City Lit Writing endeavours to create a safe and welcoming space for all and we strongly support the use of content notes in our classes. This means that learners are encouraged to make their tutor and classmates aware in advance if any writing they wish to share contains material that may be deemed sensitive. If you are unsure about what might constitute sensitive content, please ask your tutor for further clarification and read our <a href=" https://www.citylit.ac.uk/expectations-for-participating-in-writing-courses" target="_blank">expectations for participating in writing courses at City Lit</a>..<p>City Lit runs a number of children’s writing workshops and courses in the daytime and the evening.<br><br>All students are invited to join us at <a href=" https://www.citylit.ac.uk/latelines" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Late Lines</a>, our regular performance night for City Lit writers. Students are also encouraged to submit their work to <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/betweenthelines" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Between the Lines</a>, our annual anthology of creative writing. For the latest news, courses and events, stay in touch with the Department on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/citylitcreativewriting" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/citylitwriting.bsky.social" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bluesky</a></p>Children's writingChildren's writingvirtual3056563Writing for children: workshop279279https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/w/r/writing-for-children-workshop-hw264-1024_55.jpgInStockEveningMonKeeley StreetAvailable courses11 weeks or longerWeekday2027-04-19T00:00:00+00:00AdvancedApr 2027WritingHW264279279Writing for children: workshop279181279Josh Laceywriting-for-children-workshop/hw264-2627<p>This ongoing workshop offers an opportunity to develop your work-in-progress with constructive feedback from tutor and classmates.</p>0000-Available|2027-04-19 00:00:00Under the guidance of an experienced tutor, these workshops offer help and support to children's writers with works in progress. At each session, different writers will have an opportunity to present their work and receive helpful and constructive comments from the class. There will also be information available on current markets and advice on how to approach publishers.<p>This ongoing workshop offers an opportunity to develop your work-in-progress with constructive feedback from tutor and classmates.</p><p>This collaborative workshop is for anyone writing for children. Every member of the class will bring work, which will be read aloud, then analysed and discussed by the tutor and other students.</p>- Respond to and assess pieces of writing with sensitivity<br>- Receive an unbiased critical appraisal of your work by your peers and the tutor, within a supportive atmosphere<br>- Redraft your work, taking into account the feedback you received<br>- Identify ways of marketing your manuscript.<p>The workshop is suitable for those writing fiction for all age groups from babies to teenagers. The collaborative atmosphere is welcoming to writers of differing experience, whether they are working on their first book or have published several. If you have no experience of writing for children, the introductory course would be more suitable.</p>You will be taught by group discussion and feedback. You should be actively writing outside the class so that you have work to bring each time it is your turn. <br />
<br />
City Lit Writing endeavours to create a safe and welcoming space for all and we strongly support the use of content notes in our classes. This means that learners are encouraged to make their tutor and classmates aware in advance if any writing they wish to share contains material that may be deemed sensitive. If you are unsure about what might constitute sensitive content, please ask your tutor for further clarification and read our <a href=" https://www.citylit.ac.uk/expectations-for-participating-in-writing-courses" target="_blank">expectations for participating in writing courses at City Lit</a>.When it is your turn to bring work you need to bring two typed copies, one for the tutor and one for the reader.<p>City Lit runs a number of <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/writing/childrens-book-writing" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">children’s writing workshops and courses</a> in the daytime and the evening.<br><br>All students are invited to join us at <a href=" https://www.citylit.ac.uk/latelines" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Late Lines</a>, our regular performance night for City Lit writers. Students are also encouraged to submit their work to <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/betweenthelines" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Between the Lines</a>, our annual anthology of creative writing. For the latest news, courses and events, stay in touch with the Department on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/citylitcreativewriting" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/citylitwriting.bsky.social" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bluesky</a></p>Children's writingChildren's writingvirtual279279181HW045,HW439,HW046,HW264NONEMon28/09/26 - 07/12/2618:00 - 20:0018:0020:0011 sessions (over 11 weeks)1111 weeks or longerWeekdayOnlineOnline,Keeley StreetPenny Joelson,Josh LaceyAdvancedAvailable courses2026-09-28T00:00:00+00:00,2027-01-11T00:00:00+00:00,2027-04-19T00:00:00+00:00EveningSep 2026,Jan 2027,Apr 2027Writing279279Writing for children: workshopwriting-for-children-workshop/hw045-2627,writing-for-children-workshop/hw439-2627,writing-for-children-workshop/hw046-2627,writing-for-children-workshop/hw264-2627<p>This workshop is for you if you are writing children’s books. During the workshop you will take turns to share work and will develop your work-in-progress with constructive feedback from tutor and classmates. You need to have completed a ‘Writing for children’ course before joining this class.</p>,<p>This ongoing workshop offers an opportunity to develop your work-in-progress with constructive feedback from tutor and classmates.</p>0000-Available|2026-09-28 00:00:00Under the guidance of an experienced tutor, these workshops offer help and support to children's writers with works in progress. At each session, different writers will have an opportunity to present their work and receive helpful and constructive comments from the class. There will also be information available on current markets and advice on how to approach publishers.<p>This workshop is for you if you are writing children’s books. During the workshop you will take turns to share work and will develop your work-in-progress with constructive feedback from tutor and classmates. You need to have completed a ‘Writing for children’ course before joining this class.</p>,<p>This ongoing workshop offers an opportunity to develop your work-in-progress with constructive feedback from tutor and classmates.</p>- Critical appraisal of your own work and that of others<br>- Redrafting and revising<br>- The publishing marketplace.,<p>This collaborative workshop is for anyone writing for children. Every member of the class will bring work, which will be read aloud, then analysed and discussed by the tutor and other students. </p>,<p>This collaborative workshop is for anyone writing for children. Every member of the class will bring work, which will be read aloud, then analysed and discussed by the tutor and other students.</p>- Respond to and assess pieces of writing with sensitivity<br>- Receive an unbiased critical appraisal of your work by your peers and the tutor, within a supportive atmosphere<br>- Redraft your work, taking into account the feedback you received<br>- Identify ways of finding a market for your manuscript.,- Respond to and assess pieces of writing with sensitivity<br>- Receive an unbiased critical appraisal of your work by your peers and the tutor, within a supportive atmosphere<br>- Redraft your work, taking into account the feedback you received<br>- Identify ways of marketing your manuscript.The course is suitable for those writing fiction for all age groups from babies to teenagers. Ideally, you'll have completed the introductory ‘Writing for Children’ course at City Lit. However, new students are welcome if you are already a published author or if you are otherwise actively involved in writing for children. The workshop is not suitable if you have no experience of writing for children, and you should not enrol for both the introductory course and this one at the same time.,<p>The workshop is suitable for those writing fiction for all age groups from babies to teenagers. The collaborative atmosphere is welcoming to writers of differing experience, whether they are working on their first book or have published several. If you have no experience of writing for children, the introductory course would be more suitable. </p><p> </p>,<p>The workshop is suitable for those writing fiction for all age groups from babies to teenagers. The collaborative atmosphere is welcoming to writers of differing experience, whether they are working on their first book or have published several. If you have no experience of writing for children, the introductory course would be more suitable. </p>,<p>The workshop is suitable for those writing fiction for all age groups from babies to teenagers. The collaborative atmosphere is welcoming to writers of differing experience, whether they are working on their first book or have published several. If you have no experience of writing for children, the introductory course would be more suitable.</p>You'll be taught by group discussion and feedback, and you should be actively writing outside the class so that you have work to bring each time it is your turn. <br />
<br />
City Lit Writing endeavours to create a safe and welcoming space for all and we strongly support the use of content notes in our classes. This means that learners are encouraged to make their tutor and classmates aware in advance if any writing they wish to share contains material that may be deemed sensitive. If you are unsure about what might constitute sensitive content, please ask your tutor for further clarification and read our <a href=" https://www.citylit.ac.uk/expectations-for-participating-in-writing-courses" target="_blank">expectations for participating in writing courses at City Lit</a>.,You will be taught by group discussion and feedback. You should be actively writing outside the class so that you have work to bring each time it is your turn. <br />
<br />
City Lit Writing endeavours to create a safe and welcoming space for all and we strongly support the use of content notes in our classes. This means that learners are encouraged to make their tutor and classmates aware in advance if any writing they wish to share contains material that may be deemed sensitive. If you are unsure about what might constitute sensitive content, please ask your tutor for further clarification and read our <a href=" https://www.citylit.ac.uk/expectations-for-participating-in-writing-courses" target="_blank">expectations for participating in writing courses at City Lit</a>.When it is your turn to bring work you need to bring two typed copies, one for the tutor and one for the reader.,.<p>City Lit runs a number of children’s writing workshops and courses in the daytime and the evening.<br><br>All students are invited to join us at <a href=" https://www.citylit.ac.uk/latelines" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Late Lines</a>, our regular performance night for City Lit writers. Students are also encouraged to submit their work to <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/betweenthelines" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Between the Lines</a>, our annual anthology of creative writing. For the latest news, courses and events, stay in touch with the Department on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/citylitcreativewriting" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/citylitwriting.bsky.social" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bluesky</a>.</p>,<p>City Lit runs a number of children’s writing workshops and courses in the daytime and the evening.<br><br>All students are invited to join us at <a href=" https://www.citylit.ac.uk/latelines" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Late Lines</a>, our regular performance night for City Lit writers. Students are also encouraged to submit their work to <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/betweenthelines" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Between the Lines</a>, our annual anthology of creative writing. For the latest news, courses and events, stay in touch with the Department on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/citylitcreativewriting" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/citylitwriting.bsky.social" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bluesky</a></p>,<p>City Lit runs a number of <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/writing/childrens-book-writing" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">children’s writing workshops and courses</a> in the daytime and the evening.<br><br>All students are invited to join us at <a href=" https://www.citylit.ac.uk/latelines" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Late Lines</a>, our regular performance night for City Lit writers. Students are also encouraged to submit their work to <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/betweenthelines" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Between the Lines</a>, our annual anthology of creative writing. For the latest news, courses and events, stay in touch with the Department on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/citylitcreativewriting" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/citylitwriting.bsky.social" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bluesky</a></p>Children's writingChildren's writingconfigurable
