An ideal introduction to the world of children’s story writing; students gain confidence and learn to turn their ideas into exciting and creative children’s fiction.
Whether you want to publish your work or write stories just for your own children, City's Writing for Children short course delivers a comprehensive introduction to the subject, covering several areas and ages.
Over the course of 10 weekly evening classes you will learn how to apply theoretical knowledge to practical writing tasks and learn more about the market for children’s books and how to succeed as a children’s writer.
Taught from our central London location, the course offers flexibility and expert tuition.
This Introductory Writing for Children short course, taught in the heart of London, is for students who would like to write books for children aged 3-16.
The first part will focus on learning writing techniques in the context of children’s books, covering a range of areas including characterisation, settings, dialogue and plotting. We will examine how to tackle books for different age ranges, from picture books to Young Adult.
The second part will look at refining your writing and understanding what publishers and agents are looking for.
Each week students will tackle writing exercises and there will be some element of sharing work. We will also look at texts from a variety of published children’s authors.
By the end of the Children's Writing evening course, students should have a strong grasp of what it takes to succeed in the tough but rewarding world of writing for children.
Writing for Children is ideal preparation for our Writing for Children Intermediate course.
“ I really enjoyed the course and felt it built in a logical way that helped me understand everything easily. Listening to everyone and having feedback [on my work] was very beneficial. ”
Anonymous, former student
Former student
“ Sophia is a brilliant, passionate, engaging and open teacher. What I liked most is the sense she gave that being a writer is an entirely possible choice for all of us – with a bit of hard work and knowledge. ”
Anonymous, former student
Former student
“ Great overall course covering all the basics of children’s writing. Really inspiring. Sophia is very engaging, really thoughtful in her responses to questions and work, and really encouraging. ”
Anonymous, former student
Former student
“ Sophia is an excellent teacher and her knowledge of the children’s book market seems endless! She is engaging and paced the course excellently. ”
Anonymous, former student
Former student
“ I wish I did this course years ago, when I first started writing. ”
Anonymous, former student
Former student
“ It was a great course. Sophia is a great tutor, very eloquently spoken and clearly knows her subject ”
Jessica Smith
Former student
“ I have really enjoyed the course - I now begin to understand the nuts and bolts of a story in a way that I had never before grasped. I can now have an initial idea, draft a workable plot (sort of ...) and slowly start moving the story along - none of which I could do 10 weeks ago. The course has been well-structured, encouraging and informative. I have found it immensely helpful. ”
Janice Taylor
Former student
“ The tutoring was excellent. ”
Geoff Prout
Former student
Over the course of 10 weekly evening classes on the Writing for Children short course, you will learn:
This course is open to anyone interested in writing for children.
Good written and spoken English.
Picture books
Klasen, J. (2012) I Want My Hat Back. London: Walker Books
Donaldson, J. (2016) The Gruffalo/The Snail and the Whale London: MacMillan Children's Books
Child, L. (2010) Charlie and Lola. London: Puffin
Chapter books and Middle Grade
Hoy, C & Nadin, J. (2016) Flying Fergus. London: Picadilly Press
Stanton, A. (2011) Mr Gum. Dean & Son
Stevens, R. (2016) Murder Most Unladylike. London: Puffin
Cowell, C. (2017) How to Train Your Dragon. London: Hodder Children’s Books
Dowd, S. (2016) The London Eye Mystery. London: Puffin
Young Adult
Crossan, S. (2016) One. London: Bloomsbury Children’s Books
Thomas, A. (2017) The Hate U Give. London: Walker Books
Lawrence, P. (2017) Indigo Donut. London: Hodder Children’s Books
Nelson, J. (2015) I’ll Give You the Sun. London: Walker Books
Rosoff, M. (2005) How I Live Now. London: Penguin
Sophia Bennett
Sophia Bennett is an award-winning children’s writer whose books have sold around the world since her debut novel, Threads, won the Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Prize in 2009.
Sophia's novels have regularly been featured in national press, with The Times calling her ’the queen of teen dreams’. She has been shortlisted for the Book Trust Best Book award and the Oxfordshire Book Award, and her seventh book, Love Song, was the overall winner of the RoNA Romantic Novel of the Year 2017. She has also written historical Young Adult fiction for Stripes, and non-fiction for Tate Publishing with her latest book, The Bigger Picture, illustrated by Manjit Thapp, published in 2019.
Sophia runs writing workshops around the country and is a Fellow of the Royal Literary Fund.
