Your Children's Book - April 2022
Do you aspire to see your work sitting on the shelves in bookshops next to Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Frank Cottrell Boyce, Malorie Blackman, and a whole host of other brilliant writers? If so, join us for five stimulating weeks of practical workshops and expert advice from course leader Christopher Edge, an award-winning writer of children’s fiction and experienced creative writing practitioner. Students will explore essential elements of writing for young people, including: how to take an initial idea and develop it into a story that others will want to read; how to craft memorable characters; and how to write vivid settings. All attendees will gain an understanding of how the children's book market works and learn how to make their manuscript stand out in the slush pile, alongside recommended reading. The course has been designed to benefit authors at all stages of their writing journey, so whether you have an initial idea and want to know where to start, or have a full draft and need help with revising and making it the best it can possibly be, this is the course for you. The sessions will run online via video conferencing software, with homework assignment deadlines in place for the following week. Each week will combine tutorials with practical exercises, discussion and feedback. Guest speakers to be confirmed shortly. Furthermore, all attendees will receive a critique of up to 3,000 words of their writing and a copy of the latest edition of the Children's Writers' & Artists' Yearbook. Testimonials 'Christopher Edge shared his knowledge of writing and insights into the world of children’s books with great generosity and warmth. I feel inspired and encouraged to keep writing, reading and learning.' Martha Lightfoot 'The past 5 weeks have offered wonderful guidance on writing for children, understanding the market, novel editing, setting, plot & character development, and it just feels like a great bonus that 5k of my novel will be reviewed as well. Terrific value for money, would highly recommend.' Linda Byrne 'The W&A writing course with Christopher Edge was fantastic. The course material was all enriching for a developing writer and there was clearly a lot for more advanced seasoned writers too. The course was delivered in a fantastic engaging manner and the whole experience has left me feeling enriched and focussed.' Sam Gaskill 'Your Children’s Book was the first course I have attended online, however it was well put together and well thought out. I feel, as a young writer, if you need guidance and support, a course like this one, is a worthy investment. You will get the chance to workshop and develop your own work, however also, you will get the chance to really question your direction as a writer. It was this course, that allowed me to question my direction, and through it, I have found a new direction, and one I am confident in. Looking back, the course last five weeks, and it flies by! You really do end up doing a lot of work but you end up challenging yourself to do better.' Luke Joseph Emmett Schedule Week One: Finding your voice Wednesday 27th April - Understanding the children’s book market: categories, genres, trends, series and stand-alones - Chapter books, middle-grade, teen and YA: deciding where your story fits and how you want to tell it - Exploring choices of narrative viewpoint and voice - Exercises, discussion and sharing time Week Two: Plotting and planning Wednesday 4th May - Story sparks: moving from initial inspiration to planning your story - Understanding plot structure: taking a look at acts, arcs and other theories - Crafting an ‘unputdownable’ opening: exploring narrative hooks - Building to a climax: crafting an ending with an emotional impact - Exercises, discussion and sharing time Week Three: Characterisation Wednesday 11th May - How to create memorable characters and make them real - Exploring character motivations and conflicts, goals and obstacles - Writing dynamic dialogue that reveals character and drives the plot forward - Reflections on the hero’s journey and how characters change - Exercises, discussion and sharing time Week Four: Building your world Wednesday 18th May - Creating fictional places, including the role of research - Exploring setting, character and conflict - Understanding ‘show, not tell’ and how to interweave action and description - Structuring your scenes: narrative pace and scene transitions - Exercises, sharing and discussion time Week Five: Revising and pitching your work Wednesday 25th May - Revising your first draft: identifying problems and fixing plot holes - Making your story shine: unleashing your inner critic and killing your darlings - Pitching your work to agents and editors: dos and don’ts of the submission process - Tips from an expert on what the industry is looking for right now and how to make sure your work stands out in the slush pile - Exercises, sharing and discussion time
