Testimonials
"Suzanne is an excellent teacher, and the material in the Core of Three class will be a great foundation as I learn more about becoming a children's writer."
- Jill, Learning to Write for Children student
More Information
The Next Step
(Intermediate Workshop)
Facilitator: Suzanne Lieurance
Workshop Syllabus
If you enjoyed Suzanne's first
coffeehouse workshop for beginning children's writers, then you'll
love this follow-up workshop that takes you to "The Next Step."
You'll review the basics learned in the first workshop, use more in-depth
techniques to create satisfying stories for kids, and finally, learn how
to market your work. Please note: This is a rather intensive workshop and
a lot of material will be covered each week. Be prepared to work.
Week One: Review of the Basics of
Writing for Children
Participants will review the concepts and ideas learned in the beginning
workshop. Focus this first week will be on point of view (POV), how to
"show, don't tell," and how to create a meaningful story
conflict. You'll also review self-editing techiques learned in the first
workshop.
Week Two: Creating Characters and
Conflicts that Kids Will Love
Participants will learn how to create well-rounded characters (not the
flat, cardboard ones editors hate to see), by conducting character
interviews and/or writing character bios. Then, internal and
external conflicts will be developed for these characters as the basis for
a story.
Week Three: Putting Everything
Together to Create A Satisfying Story
Participants will put everything together to create an engaging story for
children, then critique each other's work (using the critique guide and
methods used in the first workshop).
Week Four: Learning to Market Your
Work
Participants will learn how to study the markets, then write a cover
letter or a query letter for their manuscript.
Objective: By the end of this workshop
series participants will have written a story appropriate for children and
will learn how to market their work.
Prerequisites: Learning to Write for
Children - Beginning (Core of Three) Workshop
Required Materials: The current issue
of the Children's
Writer's and Illustrator's Market (from Writer's Digest Books, edited
by Alice Pope).
Suggested Reading (prior to class):
Anyone interested in writing picture book stories should read How
Picturebooks Work, by Maria Nikolajeva and Carole Scott, 2001, Garland
Publishing.
About the Facilitator: Suzanne
Lieurance is a children's writer in Kansas City, Missouri. Her books
include Kidding Around Kansas City; Shoelaces; School Projects for
Pennies; and A Child's First Pet. Her book, The Space Shuttle Challenger
Disaster In American History was named to the Children's Literature Choice
List of Books for 2002. Suzanne also teaches for the Institute of
Children's Literature, located in West Redding, Connecticut.
Workshop
Begins: September
15, 2003
Duration: 4 weeks
Tuition: $80
To pay by check or money order CLICK
HERE
By registering, you indicate that you have read our
Workshop Terms of Service.
Return to Workshop
Catalog
Required Materials
Books recommended on this page are required reading for participation in the course.
Recommended
Books recommended on this page are not required reading for participation in the course. Required materials, if any, are listed above and in the course syllabus.
Young
at Heart: The Step-by-Step Way of Writing Children's Books
