Writing for Young Readers
Learn how to write and publish stories using character, plot, setting and theme with this free online writing course.
Description
This free online writing course from the Commonwealth Education Trust is an excellent introduction for new or aspiring writers and includes interviews with top authors. Successful authors David Hill and Maria Gill provide a comprehensive overview of the writing and publishing processes, from jotting down ideas in a journal, to revising and editing your stories, to making a publishing pitch at a conference. The course includes helpful resources such as reading extracts, examples, checklists, links and a plot chart. In addition, there are carefully prepared assessment questions in each module, to help you learn.
The course begins by giving valuable lessons on the types of writing that can be achieved, whether it's poems, stories, picture books, plays or non-fiction, as well as the benefits to children of writing stories. Next, you will learn about choosing the right genre for your writing, whether it's fantasy, realistic, historical or adventure and tailoring your stories to the particular audience you're targeting. The course then describes all there is to know about writing the elements of stories, i.e. character, plot, setting, theme and language. Maria Gill then introduces the important processes of editing, proofreading and publishing your work and shares her personal experience as a successful author and publisher.
Finally, the course presents the different publishing options available, such as traditional publishing, self-publishing and digital publishing. Here you will learn the importance of working with a range of professionals in the industry, so that your work can become an actual book on a shelf in a bookstore or on a digital device such as Kindle. This course will be of great interest to anyone who wishes to learn more about writing forms and genres, especially for writing to young reading audiences. So, why wait? Learn how to improve your professional writing skills today!
Start Course Now
Modules
Becoming a Writer
-
Becoming a Writer - Learning Outcomes
-
Welcome to the Course
-
Ideas for Stories
-
Interview with Writer Uma Krishnaswami
-
Interview with Writer Apirana Taylor
-
Organising a Writing Time and Place
-
Valuable Writer's Advice
-
Your Culture and Stories
-
Myths, Legends and Folk Tales
-
Viewpoint - Part 1
-
Viewpoint - Part 2
-
Module Summary
-
Becoming a Writer - Lesson Summary
Writing Genre, Form and Audience
-
Writing Genre, Form and Audience - Learning Outcomes
-
Introduction to Genre, Form and Audience
-
Writing in Different Genres
-
Writing Forms - Part 1
-
Writing Forms - Part 2
-
Audience - Part 1
-
Audience - Part 2
-
Interview with Writer Finegan Kruckemeyer
-
Module Summary
-
Writing Genre, Form and Audience - Lesson Summary
Writing Structure
-
Writing Structure - Learning Outcomes
-
Elements of Structure
-
Creating Characters
-
Making Characters Interesting
-
Describing the Setting
-
Developing the Plot
-
Writing a Theme
-
Interview with Writer Tololwa Mollel
-
Dialogue and Dialect
-
Other Language Tools
-
Module Summary
-
Writing Structure - Lesson Summary
Editing and Proofreading
-
Editing and Proofreading - Learning Outcomes
-
Introduction to Editing
-
Introduction to Structural Editing
-
Editing Characters
-
Structural Editing Techniques
-
Grammar and Spelling
-
Copy Editing and Proofreading Tips
-
Interview with Writer-Editor Summer Edward
-
Module Summary
-
Editing and Proofreading - Lesson Summary
Publishing
-
Publishing - Learning Outcomes
-
Introduction to Publishing
-
Publishing Processes
-
Digital Publishing
-
Approaching Publishers
-
Interview with Writer Victoria Azaro
-
Module Summary
-
Publishing - Lesson Summary
Course assessment
Learning Outcomes
Having completed this course you will be able to:
- Establish effective writing habits and use your own experiences and culture to enrich your writing.
- Describe your audience - who your readers are and how you can make your work appealing to your chosen
audience. - Explain about structural elements, such as character and setting, that are key to holding your writing together.
- Describe structural editing, where you look at your work’s plot, structure, and themes.
- Describe the copyediting and proofreading stage, where you focus on perfecting grammar and spelling.
- Explain the different publishing methods available, from traditional print publishing to digital publishing.
Certification
All Alison courses are free to enrol, study and complete. To successfully complete this Certificate course and become an Alison Graduate, you need to achieve 80% or higher in each course assessment. Once you have completed this Certificate course, you have the option to acquire an official Certificate, which is a great way to share your achievement with the world. Your Alison Certificate is:
Ideal for sharing with potential employers - include it in your CV, professional social media profiles and job applications
An indication of your commitment to continuously learn, upskill and achieve high results
An incentive for you to continue empowering yourself through lifelong learning
Alison offers 3 types of Certificates for completed Certificate courses:
Digital Certificate - a downloadable Certificate in PDF format, immediately available to you when you complete your purchase
Certificate - a physical version of your officially branded and security-marked Certificate, posted to you with FREE shipping
Framed Certificate - a physical version of your officially branded and security-marked Certificate in a stylish frame, posted to you with FREE shipping
All Certificates are available to purchase through the Alison Shop. For more information on purchasing Alison Certificates, please visit our FAQs. If you decide not to purchase your Alison Certificate, you can still demonstrate your achievement by sharing your Learner Record or Learner Achievement Verification, both of which are accessible from your Dashboard. For more details on our Certificate pricing, please visit our Pricing Page.