Writing for Children & Young Adults

Objectives: You have not forgotten the great wonder and mystery of being a child… You want to extend your own imagination to the young of today… And you have 101 ideas but no clear guide to help translate them into a polished, attractive book for children. This seminar will give you the tools to transform those ideas into well-constructed products, whether you are interested in developing picture books for young children, chapter books for older youth or other creative material for those in between. 

     In this course we will cover all aspects of getting started: generating ideas, developing plot, character, theme and structure. We will explore how writers appeal to the sensory and verbal worlds of children. We will also look into myth, folklore, and a little child psychology. 

CONTENT FOCUS:

Methods for Generating Ideas

Plotting & Character Development

The Fears & Hopes of Children

Fairy Tale & Quest Stories

Characteristics of Young Adult Literature

Readability, Character Archetypes

Developmental Stages of Children

Process for Publishing Your Work


Fee: $89 for four 2-hour sessions.