Writing for children: workshop

What is the course about?

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?

We will examine writing for children and the contemporary publishing market through peer, tutor and self assessment of each student’s own work.

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 marketing 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 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.

All writing courses at City Lit will involve an element of workshop. This means that students will produce work which will be discussed in an open and constructive environment with the tutor and other students. The college operates a policy of constructive criticism, and all feedback on another student’s work by the tutor and other students should be delivered in that spirit.

For classes longer than one day regular reading and writing exercises will be set for completion at home to set deadlines.

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 Twitter.