Objectives

• Learn the fundamentals of writing stories for middle-graders
• How to create characters kids can relate to
• The elements of storytelling, including the principles of a strong plot
• The best way to write your story from beginning to end.
• How to find your writing voice and develop tone
• The keys to successful rewriting and revision

Who should take this workshop:

• Writers interested in exploring the world of writing a book for the middle-grader
• Beginner writers who want to break into publishing and write a middle-grade book
• Writers who want to improve their writing skills through instruction for an experienced author
• Individuals who have always wanted to write stories for middle-graders

Outline

Session One: Getting Started

• Revving up the creative engine
• Writing with a sense of authenticity
• Setting
• Senses
• Finding your niche

Session Two: Characters and Point of View

• Remember the child you were
• Identify memories that will motivate characters
• The memorable hero
• Bad guys kids love to hate
• Character building blocks
• The importance of viewpoint

Session Three: Character Growth and Plot Development

• Developing conflict
• Climax and resolution
• A plotting questionnaire
• Several methods to use plotting your story
• The set up
• Scene and sequel/action and reaction
• The pros and cons of outlining

Session Four: Ready, Set, Write!

• The importance of your beginning
• What the opening must contain
• Reveal character
• The difference between showing and telling
• Finding your story premise
• Establishing your voice and setting your tone

Session Five: The Middle Muddle

• Consider the throughline
• The classic approach
• Review your story’s conflict
• Rev up your conflict through characters
• Avoid writer’s block
• The classic approach

Session Six: The Journey’s End

• The payoff
• Follow your roadmap
• Keep your promise
• Four basic rules for endings
• Hazards at the end of the road

Session Seven: The Next and Most Important Step

• Four-step plan for revision
• How does your story sound—dialogue?
• A few more words about character
• Revision checklist

Session Eight: What Else Would You Like to Know?

• Submitting your novel
• Marketing in today’s world
• Writing genre books: fantasy, history, mystery, nonfiction
• The truth about writing a series
• Anything else

The post Fundamentals of Writing for Children 101: Middle Grade appeared first on Writers Digest University.

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Objectives

• Dispel some misconceptions that you may have about picture books and learn the “rules” of the genre.
• Learn the audiences for picture books and how selections are made.
• Understand how a picture book relies on a combination of compelling language and visual appeal.
• Learn which subject matters, including personal experience, make the best subjects for a picture book narrative.
• Learn how to construct a picture book dummy to determine whether pacing and illustration placement are effective.
• Understand how to evaluate your picture book to make sure it is “publisher-ready.”
• Learn how to approach a publisher with a picture book manuscript.

Who should take this workshop:

• Writers who have a great children’s picture book in mind.
• Those looking to kick start their writing with the help of a Published Author

Outline

Session One: Introduction

• The audience for picture books and the actual buyers of picture books are very different. Understanding those differences is crucial to writing an effective picture book. Picture books have special features that are standard—including page length, which affect the way that writers need to structure picture books. The balance of narrative and visual appeal is essential to an effective picture book.

Session Two: Beginnings, Middles, and Ends

• Picture books, like all works of fiction, rely on effective beginnings, middles, and ends. An effective beginning should grab the reader’s attention and define the conflict early on. Solid middles rely on three-point plotting plan. Satisfying endings wrap up your stories effectively and provide a satisfying conclusion that sums up character growth.

Session Three: Testing out your story

• Before we go any further, it’s important to make sure your book passes the read-aloud test. It’s important to read your story aloud to yourself. Note places where your tongue twists and slips. Other ways to evaluate your story include asking a librarian or a teacher friend to give the story an honest read-through. Using kids to assess your story is tricky. It requires you to take an unbiased position and allow a disinterested party to read the story aloud. Creating a dummy of your work is the next step. This will ensure that the story’s page breaks occur at the most effective points and that the pacing keeps the reader’s interest.

Session Four: Preparing for Publication

• There are many resources for writers to use to ensure that they are approaching an appropriate publisher for their work. These include Children’s Writers and Illustrators’ Market, Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, publishers themselves, writer’s conferences, and so on. After selecting a publisher, it is important to know how to submit your work and how to write an effective cover letter. What comes next—rejection or acceptance—and how to deal with either is important for writers so they can prepare for the future and move forward with their writing career.

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