| | | | Australian College of Journalism & Cengage Learning (formerly Thomson Education Direct) | | Choose when you study | | Estimated hours of study = 180 | | Months | 6 | 9 | 12 | 18 | | Hours of study required per week | 7 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 2.5 |
| What you need to know | Previous study required: The great news is that you don't need any previous experience to take this course. | Exam details: 12 written assessments are included as part of this course. This course has been divided into 3 learning periods. Once your tutor has marked and graded your work they will send it back to you with their comments. | Completion of your course: Upon completion of this course you will be awarded a Cengage Learning (formerly Thomson Education Direct) Professional Children's Writing Certificate. | Additional Resources |
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| Professional Children's Writing The Australian College of Journalism and Cengage Learning (formerly Thomson Education Direct) Professional Children's Writing course will get you well on the way to being able to write interesting, convincing books for children. With this distance learning course, learn in every detail how to write for children of all ages: teen fiction, non-fiction, storybooks (9-12 year olds), early readers (6-8 year olds) and picture books - see the world from a child's point of view. By completing the Cengage Learning (formerly Thomson Education Direct) Professional Children's Writing course, you will have gained the inside knowledge and skills to reasonably expect to be plotting and producing children's novels, books and short stories for publication. By the time you master the craft, you will have reached a level of skill where you can competently develop and write for children. Recently merged, these companies are now able to provide you with greater training opportunities. The Australian College of Journalism has provided specialist courses for over 20 years, and over that time have become a well known and respected distance education provider. And Cengage Learning (formerly Thomson Education Direct) is the world's leading provider of consumer-based distance education. | | Pay only: $1,199 $899 | | A definition: childrens writing and literature There is some debate as to what constitutes children's literature. In general, the term comprises both those books which are selected and read by children themselves, as well as those vetted as 'appropriate for children' by authorities, e.g. teachers, reviewers, scholars, parents, publishers, librarians, bookstores, and award committees. (Source: Children's literature: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia). | | Enrol before 31st May |
| Key areas of learning - Professional Children's Writing - So you want to write for children
- Generating story ideas
- Picture books
- Story books
- How to create interesting characters
- Dialogue and setting
| - Writing non-fiction for children
- Writing for teenagers; writing short stories
- Genre fiction: all kinds of stories
- Writing for the education market
- How to make your stories sparkle
- Marketing your work and building your career
| click here for the full subject descriptions
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The benefits
If you are ready to learn new skills, improve existing skills, make more money, get a better job, launch or advance in a career or start your own business, Thomson Education Direct can help you, as it does thousands of people, year after year.
- Study at your own place. In the comfort of your own home, while traveling to or from work, or even while you're on holidays. It's up to you.
- At your own pace. As there are no classes, you work at a pace that suits you, making learning easier.
- In your own time. You choose when you want to study. Anytime!
- With qualified tutors. Tutors are qualified in their field with many years of experience. Many are industry leaders, there to provide advice, assess your work and answer your questions.
- And learning materials are included. Everything you need to successfully complete your course is included, saving you money.
- At a price you can afford. Courses are competitively priced, allowing you to afford the course you want.
- With an experienced organisation. Since 1921, Thomson Education Direct has provided quality home training for over 600,000 people.
- Nationally accredited. Many courses are nationally accredited by ANTA (Australian National Training Authority) and by VETAB (Vocational Education and Training Accreditation Board), which means that your course has been prepared to standards accepted by industry and government.
- Recognition of Prior Learning. Formal recognition for your existing knowledge and skills, so you don't have to spend time having to re learn what you already know, or demonstrate skills you can already perform.
- Code of Conduct. There is a strict code of conduct and ethics in place to protect you.
Study at home to get the training you need and the job you want, without leaving your front door. Today, distance learning is recognised as one of the most convenient methods of education.
| Extra learning materials included in the Professional Children's Writing course | | Pay only: $1,199 $899 | | | 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
| 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
| 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
| 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
| Picture books - Starting with an idea
- The picture book plot
- Working with words
- Writing in rhyme
- More advice from editors
| 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
| 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 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
| 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
| 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
| 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
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| | Enrol before 31st May |
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| Enjoy studying at home, at a time that suits you. Maximise your potential now by taking the next step and furthering your education with distance learning! |
Enrol and pay in full now to receive a 10% discount. |
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| Pay only: $1,199 $899 | |
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