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PUBLISHING I - BWR107 (SELF PUBLISHING CHILDREN'S BOOKS)

Duration (approx) 100 hours
Qualification
Statement of Attainment

Self-Publishing Course for Children's Authors - Little Books! Big Dreams! 

  • Online course. Self-paced. No deadlines. Flexible start date. 10 lessons.
  • Learn how to write, illustrate and publish children's books.
  • Apply your knowledge with extensive writing exercises. Feedback from expert tutors. 
  • Keep control of your creativity. Publish kids' books.
  • Professional Development Course. 

COURSE AIM

Develop skills and knowledge to publish books for children and young adult. 

COURSE STRUCTURE AND CONTENT

There are ten lessons in this course, each requiring approximately 10 hours of work including reading, additional research, completing the set tasks and assignments.

Lesson 1. The Publishing World (Writing for Children)

Children’s book genres
Self-publishing and the educational market
Developmental landmarks and their relationship to children’s publishing
Reading level assessments and their relationship to children’s publishing

Lesson 2. Publishing Procedures and Techniques

Stages of traditional publishing
Steps to finalising a manuscript
Types of editing
Illustrations and working with external illustrators
Page design
Picture book design
Typography

Lesson 3. Desktop Publishing (Print Versions of Children’s Books)

Defining desktop publishing
Layout and design for different book types: board books, picture books, chapter books and novels
Use of colour
Test runs for printing
Creating a dummy version of an illustrated text

Lesson 4. Defining e-publishing
Apps vs eBooks
Layout of Illustrated eBooks or Text-based eBooks
Working with audiobooks
Audiobooks for children
Accessibility and eBooks
eBook file types

Lesson 5. Illustration 1: Introduction to Graphics in Children’s Fiction

The purpose of illustrations and graphics
Selecting a graphic or illustration design style
Types of books with graphics
Formatting textual elements
Working with a designer or illustrator: Preparing a brief and keeping the contract clear
Graphics and marketing

Lesson 6. Illustration 2: Introduction to Photography in Children’s Books

Working with photographs: Non-fiction, fiction and covers
What makes a good photo
Designing with photos
Principles of photographic composition
Creating effects

Lesson 7. Researching Material for Children’s & Young Adult’s Books

Researching for fiction: world building and time period, and gathering resources
Types of non-fiction texts for children and young adults
How to plan research
How to note take effectively
Author notes

Lesson 8. Marketing in Publishing (Children’s Books)

Book distributors
Marketing toward retailers
Theme marketing and special sales
Website and author platforms
Marketing toward the consumer: Reviews and interviews, book launches and talks, lectures, and readings

Lesson 9. Publishing: Ethics and the Law (Children’s Books)

Ethics and content creation
Sensitivity, cultural, and linguistic diversity
Content and ratings advisories
Plagiarism
Censorship and book banning
Copyright: Copyright notices, what does copyright protect and when a work can be legally used
Codes of ethics

Lesson 10. Problem Based Learning (PBL)

Plan the publication of a children’s book
Answer set discussion questions
Present a final report

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

 Why Study Publishing for Children and Young Adult Fiction?

The publishing world has changed, with online and print media now available. The options for self-publishing have also grown exponentially. This specialist course focusses on the growing marketing of publishing for children and young people.

Who Is This Course Suitable For?

This course provides an excellent start for anyone considering self-publishing or seeking employment in publishing, specifically in books for children and young adults. It is suitable for - 

  • People already working in publishing who want to expand their skills and knowledge into publishing children's books.
  • Authors wanting to self-publish their work. 

Who are the Writing Tutors on the Course?

The course was written and developed by international writers and tutors, including –

John Mason - author of over 150 books, 2000+ articles, for a range of publishers including Simon and Schuster, Landlinks Press (CSIRO Publishing), Harper Collins and Hyland House.

Rosemary Davies – Horticultural writer and presenter. Full time columnist with the Herald and Weekly Times for years.  Worked for a number of companies in writing and publications.

Tracey Jones – Psychologist and writer. Course writer and developer for over 25 years. Fiction writer, particularly interested in supernatural fiction and folklore.

How does the course work?

The course requires around 100 hours of study.  It is made up of 10 lessons. At the end of each lesson, there is an assignment to submit to your tutor for marking and feedback. You can also contact your tutor with any questions throughout the course.

What Will You Learn in This Course?

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to work in a more creative industry? Publishing books for children and young adults? Well wonder no more.  Learn:

  • How the industry works.
  • The creative and artistic skills of the trade.
  • How to market your work.
  • Develop an understanding of the ethical issues and laws relating to the field.

You will also have a chance to undertake a stimulating publishing project and implement the skills you have learned.

What Next?

You can enrol today by clicking the “Enrol Now” button above.

Or

Click here to contact a writing tutor.

Or Request a Prospectus Here.

 
Courses can be started anytime from anywhere in the world!

Meet some of our academics

Jade SciasciaBiologist, Business Coordinator, Government Environmental Dept, Secondary School teacher (Biology); Recruitment Consultant, Senior Supervisor in Youth Welfare, Horse Riding Instructor (part-completed) and Boarding Kennel Manager. Jade has a B.Sc.Biol, Dip.Professional Education, Cert IV TESOL, Cert Food Hygiene.
Maggi BrownMaggi is regarded as an expert in organic growing throughout the UK, having worked for two decades as Education Officer at the world renowned Henry Doubleday Research Association. She has been active in education, environmental management and horticulture across the UK for more than three decades. Some of Maggi's qualifications include RHS Cert. Hort. Cert. Ed. Member RHS Life Member Garden Organic (HDRA) .
Tracey Jones (writing)Tracey has enjoyed creative writing since she was a child. She has had several short stories published and a novella. She is also a keen writer of children's stories and poetry. She has also written many academic and non-fiction books in the fields of psychology, sociology, child development, writing and marketing.


Check out our eBooks

Creative WritingThe Creative Writing ebook can be useful for writing students or even professional writers to help improve their writing techniques and skills. The Creative Writing ebook is a fabulous starting point for budding writers. The topics that are covered within this book are an introduction to creative writing, Methodology and technique- the building blocks of writing, Genres, Creative non-fiction, creative writing techniques, developing your skill, building your career and a Glossary.
English GrammarThe English Grammar ebook can be a great reference for students, people who are learning English and anybody who writes anything- ever. The English Grammar ebook takes grammar back to basics to help confirm correct use of grammar. Topics that are covered within this course include 1/ Introduction- the components of language, 2/ Types of words, 3/ Punctuation, 4/ Upper and lower case, abbreviations, numbers, bullet points and 5/ Using words together.
How to be a Successful EditorThere are plenty of books that show you the processes involved in editing; but knowing the process is in itself not enough to be a successful editor. This book not only covers aspects of the process; but it also goes beyond the process; showing you things that may help you to become better than the “average” editor.
Professional WritingProfessional writing is any writing that you are being paid for. It can include fiction writing, a best-selling book, articles in a magazine, articles in a newspaper, blogs for companies, technical manuals or procedure manuals, copy for catalogues, newsletters, text books and other academic material and so on.