How to write a children's book

There is probably no more creatively satisfying enterprise than writing a book for children. If you get it right, the pleasure you give will be enormous and may even last a lifetime.

If you have never written anything before, you probably want to start with our course in Writing for Children, which will give you the skills and confidence you need to get going. In the meantime, explore the topics below:

Yikes! How do I start?

A good book needs a strong story, some wonderful characters - and a good, clean writing style. So let's start there:

Oh yes, and you need to come up with some original ideas and a killer concept. So here's what you need to know there:

More about children's & YA fiction

Needless to say, writing for children is its own unique challenge. Here are some words of advice from the pros:


More advanced writing skills

If you want to develop your skills, you'll probably want our course in writing for children. But you might also want to consult some of the following words of wisdom:

 


More help

If you need help with any aspect of writing or getting published, we can assist. The main ways we can help include:

  • Giving you feedback on your work. Whether you've written a picture book or a full length YA trilogy, we can help out. We'll give you tough, honest, constructive advice aimed at helping you to make your work better than ever. If you work is strong enough to get published, we'll help with the next steps too - free of charge.
  • Courses in writing for children. If you're serious about your writing, we think you'll take our course! It's friendly, expert and inspirational.
  • Courses in self-editing your novel. If you've written a full length novel, you'll know that the hard work is about to begin: editing your first draft into shape. Our extraordinary self-editing course is the place to learn the skills you need.
  • The Festival of Writing and other events. If you want to meet agents, publishers and other writers, then our Festival is the place to do it. We look forward to welcoming you.
  • The Word Cloud. A friendly, supportive community of writers. Sign up is fast and free.
  • Advice on agents, etc. We also have a host of free advice on literary agents and all aspects of the publishing world. Check it out.