Course: Certificate in Professional Children's Writing

Children's writing is an expansive field encompassing, among other categories, non-fiction, educational books and genre fiction. These categories, and the opportunities and pitfalls they present, are reviewed during this comprehensive Open Colleges (formerly Cengage Education) writing course. Guided by an experienced trainer, you will learn techniques for developing plots, creating engaging characters and writing effective dialogue. You will also explore the specialist areas of teen fiction, picture books and story books.

Australia has a large market for children's books, and this course will equip you with an understanding of professional practice that will help you tap into the opportunities it presents.

Course Number	90220
Course Fees From	$46.43 per week View our payment options

Delivery mode:	Print or online
Course duration:	Max 18 months
Assessments:	12 written assessments
Qualification:	Open Colleges Certificate
Nationally Recognised	No
Government Funding	No

Career One jobs for:

ID	Subject expand all

	So you want to write for children Can I make a career of this? Research Would I make a good children's writer? Writing skills Assessing your strengths Editors have their say! The different categories of children's books
	Generating story ideas Using your skills and knowledge How to find ideas Using ideas in more than one category Viewpoint Pitfalls in writing for children: writing down to children; sermonising; writing in an outmoded style
	Picture books Starting with an idea The picture book plot Working with words Writing in rhyme More advice from editors
	Story books Short books or long books? Plotting Writing on more than one level Beginnings, middles and ends General tips for writing the children's story book The basics of a children's book
	How to create interesting characters Characters make your story Stereotyped characters Create a character file Character tags Sexism and racial stereotypes Describing your characters The difference between major and minor characters Make your characters grow and change
	Dialogue and setting What's so important about dialogue? The role of dialogue How do you write effective dialogue? Show, don't tell Do your characters all sound different? Setting Troubleshooting: how to fix dialogue that doesn't work Using a setting information sheet
	Writing non-fiction for children Why write non-fiction for children? Finding non-fiction ideas Which age group will you target? Research tips Preparing for interviews Effective chapter hooks An example of non-fiction text Short non-fiction
	Writing for teenagers; writing short stories Writing short stories for children Plotting your short story What's different about writing for teenagers? What makes a 'good read' for teenagers? Social issues in books for teenagers Example of a published short story Coming up with a plot for your short story Guidelines for contributors to children's magazines
	Genre fiction: all kinds of stories What do you mean, 'genre' fiction? The rules of each genre Science fiction and fantasy Historical novels Mystery and suspense fiction The importance of research Writing about juvenile crime Animal stories Family stories and school stories Humour
	Writing for the education market Educational publishers Non-fiction Books for reluctant readers Political correctness An example of simplified language The easy-to-read text Educational publishers and the school curriculum Sample guidelines for a book for reluctant readers
	How to make your stories sparkle De-fog your story Use signposts Make viewpoint clear Character motivation Cover letters Query letters Add sparkle, and your writing stands out To control your pace, adjust the length of your scenes The synopsis
	Marketing your work and building your career Professional do's and dont's Copyright What if my manuscript is rejected? Business as usual Networking with other writers Your next book Financial records and taxation How to make a living while you're waiting for royalties Building a career Planning for a writing career How to present your work to a publisher

Entry requirements

Minimum education

Open entry. Previous schooling and academic achievements are not required for entry into this course.

Minimum age

Minimum age of 16 years. If you are under 18 your application must be signed by a parent or guardian.

Computer requirements

Students will need access to a computer and the internet. For students who do not have access to either a computer or the internet please contact a student support officer to discuss alternative methods of communication.

Minimum specifications for the computer are:

Microsoft Office 2003 or equivalent, and
Microsoft Windows 98, or
Mac OS X, and
CD-ROM drive.

Students will also need access to a printer and the following applications:

Adobe Acrobat Reader and
Macromedia Flash player.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language and you did not complete the last two years of secondary education in English, you are required to provide evidence of English language competency before enrolling into the course. Examples of appropriate evidence are listed below:

Evidence	Example
IELTS	Overall score of 5.5
TOEFL	530 (paper), 197 (computer) or 71 (internet)
12 months in English-speaking employment	Testimonial, statutory declaration

Additional requirements

There are no additional requirements for this course.

Upon completion of this course, you will have developed a better understanding of the subject area and be able to put your new skills into practice.

Ann Harth

Few authors could be better equipped than Ann Harth to teach children’s writing for Open Colleges.

Ann has enjoyed considerable success on the international scene. Her fiction and non-fiction children’s books are currently available in Australia, the USA and the UK, with her most recent picture book, Don’t, being released in the USA in early 2010. She has also written stories for children’s magazines, and has developed more than 60 short stories for Innovations for Learning, a US-based company dedicated to improving education in inner-city public schools.

Ann’s talents were recognised most recently when she was invited to attend the 2010 Allen & Unwin and Queensland Writer's Centre Manuscript Development Program for her middle-grade novel, The Art of Magic. Prior to that, she was successful in the Smart Writers WIN Competition in the chapter book (2006 First Place – From the Diary of Jarrod Crisp) and young adult (2005 Honourable Mention – Nioka) categories. She was also shortlisted in the Published Writers category at the CYA Conference Writing & Illustrating Competition 2009 (Making It Count – middle grade novel).

For more than five years, Ann worked with contemporary authors on their short fiction as the assistant fiction editor of the online magazine at moondance.org. Her own non-fiction work can be found at the writing4success website as well as a number of online publications and e-zines. She is also a contributor to Reader’s Digest and has ghost-written a number of non-fiction books on subjects ranging from cookbooks to wedding planning.

A dual citizen of Australia and the US with more than 20 years’ residency in each, Ann has a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology), which supplies her with an endless array of characters, experiences and settings on which to draw. She enjoys sharing her experience and expertise with students and is always available for questions. She is committed to helping her students achieve their writing goals.

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