Module 1: So You Want to Write for Children
Topic 1: Assess your strengths and weaknesses and understand your goals as a children’s writer
Topic 2: Identify the range of genres in children’s books
Topic 3: Research popular authors in today’s market
Topic 4: Understand the use of viewpoint in children’s writing
Topic 5: Write your first short piece

Module 2. Getting Ideas for Stories
Topic 1: Apply different ways of generating ideas
Topic 2: Understand how to organise your ideas
Topic 3: Understand how to establish a theme

Module 3. Writing Picture Books
Topic 1: Define what makes a good picture book
Topic 2: Evaluate what is a suitable subject for a picture book
Topic 3: Use appropriate language that engages all five senses
Topic 4: Lay out and use a dummy page
Topic 5: Understand how to use publisher’s guidelines and how to present your manuscript

Module 4. Writing Chapter Books
Topic 1: Define what a chapter book is
Topic 2: Understand the type of humour that can be included
Topic 3: Understand how to pick story subjects
Topic 4: Understand how to pick story subjects
Topic 5: Understand how to create realistic characters
Topic 6: Keep the story moving forward
Topic 7: Write appropriate endings for your story

Module 5. Creating Living Characters
Topic 1: Understand your main character; what motivates him/her to behave as they do
Topic 2: Explain how to make your characters come alive
Topic 3: Avoid stereotypes
Topic 4: Understand how a fatal flaw in your characters makes them more real and exciting
Topic 5: Use dialogue and direct speech and understand how it can move the plot forward
Topic 6: Create anthropomorphic characters
Topic 7: Create and use a character work sheet so you understand every facet of your character

Module 6: Manuscript Editing
Topic 1: Understand the importance of editing your work
Topic 2: Macro edit and micro edit your work
Topic 3: Use correct punctuation
Topic 4: Understand how to lay out a manuscript correctly
Topic 5: Prepare your manuscript to send to a publisher

Module 7. Genre and Writing for Teens
Topic 1: Understand the common genre types
Topic 2: State the seven types of humour and understand which humour is acceptable in children’s writing
Topic 3: Develop your writing style
Topic 4: Explain common writing mistakes and how to avoid them

Module 8. Writing for the Education Market
Topic 1: Explain the difference between trade and educational books
Topic 2: State the requirements of educational publishers
Topic 3: Understand the tone required for educational books
Topic 4: Discuss typical book formats
Topic 5: Understand the different educational materials required for different age groups

Module 9. Writing Fun Non-Fiction for Children
Topic 1: Understand the purpose of non-fiction books for children
Topic 2: Research non-fiction topics you could write about
Topic 3: State what children are interested in
Topic 4: Understand the importance of and how to write a strong beginning
Topic 5: Apply techniques to help you overcome writer’s block

Module 10. Getting Published
Topic 1: Find the right publisher for your manuscript
Topic 2: Understand what’s involved in self-publishing
Topic 3: Discuss whether or not you need an agent and explain how to find the right agent for you
Topic 4: Understand how to format your manuscript correctly
Topic 5: Explain how to write a covering letter

Module 11. Book Contracts and Payment
Topic 1: Understand the different types of rejection letters
Topic 2: Identify the basic elements of a standard book contract
Topic 3: Explain what your obligations are as an author and what the publisher’s obligations are
Topic 4: Understand copyright—what is copyright, how long does copyright apply, what is and what isn’t copyrightable
Topic 5: Polish your writing to professional standards

Module 12: Promoting Your Children's Books
Topic 1: Explain the importance of marketing
Topic 2: Understand what the publisher will do to promote your book and what you will be required to do
Topic 3: Write a ‘blurb’ for your book
Topic 4: Write a ‘bio’ about yourself
Topic 5: Research literary awards and grants that can help you whilst you are writing
Topic 6: Research writers groups in your area and associations that you can join so you continue to improve your skills
Topic 7: Understand the importance of record keeping