writing and selling
children's books

Writing and Selling Children’s Books
Course Overview

Aspire to become children’s books writer? Learn how to become children’s books writer and how to sell children’s book with the help of IFW’s Writing and Selling Children’s Books Course.

Writing and Selling Children’s Books Course is a carefully designed bridge that takes students from a basic course level towards independence as a freelance writer of children’s books who also knows how to sell a book manuscript to a publisher. Students play a stronger role in defining personal writing goals, idea development, planning, writing, and revising a fiction or nonfiction book targeted to a specific readership (children through young adult). Students research editorial needs of the children’s book market and submit submission materials and the book manuscript to a specific publisher.

Writing and Selling Children’s Books course is designed for you to set your own pace. The average student takes about 332 hours to complete all assignments. Although most students complete this course in 18 months, ICL allows up to 2 years to complete Writing and Selling Children’s Books Course.

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Material Included in your Writing & Selling
Children's Books

Writing and Selling Children’s Books Course Manual, IFW Publishing.

The Instruction Manual published exclusively for our students. It contains assignments, idea generators, planning guides, writing and revision techniques and guidelines for preparing a book submission package.

binder_small
IFW-Background-_-Email14

Material Included in your Writing & Selling
Children's Books

Book Markets for Children’s Writers, edited by Marni McNiff; IFW Publishing, Annual edition, ISBN 978-1-944743-28-4, 2024.

Offers a complete roadmap to the changing world of publishing. In addition to 675 new and updated listings, you’ll find bonus articles to boost your knowledge of the industry and increase your odds of getting published. Plus, you’ll find sections devoted to helping you create a polished submissions package including how to write and format a query letter and how to properly format your manuscript so you can make a professional impression on publishers.

2024 Book Market Guide for Children's Writers - Institute of Children's Literature
IFW-Background-_-Email14

Material Included in your Writing & Selling
Children's Books

The Giblin Guide to Children’s Books,IFW Publishing, by James Cross Giblin.

An overview of the field covering picture books to YA novels, including age groups, genres, fiction and nonfiction requirements and guidelines for working with editors, from submission to publication.

IFW-Background-_-Email14

Material Included in your Writing & Selling
Children's Books

Supplementary Instructional Materials, IFW Publishing:
Talk Abouts.

IFW Background   Email14

Material Included in your Basics of Writing Stories & Articles for Publication

Writing and Selling Children’s Books Course Manual, IFW Publishing.

The Instruction Manual published exclusively for our students. It contains assignments, idea generators, planning guides, writing and revision techniques and guidelines for preparing a book submission package.

binder_small
IFW Background   Email14

Material Included in your Basics of Writing Stories & Articles for Publication

The Giblin Guide to Children’s Books edited by Robert Lee Brewer, Writers Digest Books, 6th edition, ISBN 978-1-44034-773-3.

An overview of the field covering picture books to YA novels, including age groups, genres, fiction and nonfiction requirements and guidelines for working with editors, from submission to publication.

IFW Background   Email14

Material Included in your Basics of Writing Stories & Articles for Publication

Book Markets for Children’s Writers, IFW Publishing.

Offers a complete roadmap to the changing world of publishing. In addition to 638 new and updated listings, you'll find bonus articles to boost your knowledge of the industry and increase your odds of getting published. Plus, you'll find sections devoted to helping you create a polished submissions package including how to write and format a query letter and how to properly format your manuscript so you can make a professional impression on publishers.

Book-Markets-for-Childrens-Writers-2022-600x600-1
IFW Background   Email14

Material Included in your Writing & Selling Children's Books

Supplementary Instructional Materials published by IFW Publishing

- Pointers from the Pros
- Grammar Tip sheets

Why Choose IFW?

  • Customized – one-on-one mentor
  • Reputable – time-tested, quality curriculum
  • Affordable – tuition payment plans available
  • Flexible – write anytime, anywhere, at your own pace
  • Approved – earn college credits
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Save On Your Tuition

The Institute for Writers makes it easy for you to receive a high quality writing program at an affordable rate. Everything you need to complete Writing and Selling Children’s Books Course is included in your tuition. Choose which payment option best fits your needs.

College Credits

College Credits and Professional Development Hours: The Connecticut Board for State Academic Awards recommends that our graduates be awarded 6 college credits. No matter where you live, you can obtain these credits from Charter Oak State College—which functions under the credit-granting authority of the Connecticut Board—for a fee anytime within five years of your completion of the Institute’s course. You can have Charter Oak “transcript” these credits to any college, university, or school board. Teachers may be able to receive professional development hours. Check with your district or administrators.

Writing and Selling Children's Books
Course Details

Designed to be shaped to your needs, your writing goals and your schedule, Writing and Selling Children’s Books, is an advanced course of personal instruction in writing for children ranging in age from “read-to-me” group through young adults. Become children’s books writer with the help of this Writing and Selling Children’s Books Course.

IFW 13

Goals & Objectives

  • Plan, develop, and write a book for young (or young adult) readers that is targeted to the current children’s market.
  • Develop and hone techniques of good writing.
  • Develop professional skills to:

a.       Analyze the current children’s book publishing market
b.      Create a marketable book idea targeted to a specific age level and market category
c.       Write and revise the book in preparation for submission to a publisher
d.      Create a book submission package to a publisher

curriculum

Outline

Part 1 – The Planning Process – (Assignments 1-3)
You are introduced to standard book categories and readership age levels with an extensive bibliography, Best Children’s Books of the Year serving as a guide to individual, market-oriented reading. Learn how to find and plan a viable book idea, how to give it three-part structure and how to organize it into chapters. A draft of the book’s first chapter concludes Part 1.

Part 2 – Writing, Revising and Marketing Your Book Manuscript (Assignments 4-9)
Strategies for writing a book-length manuscript, first draft checklists and instruction on key writing techniques are provided. Revision strategies and guidelines for researching and targeting suitable publishers are included. Learn how to prepare a professional book submission package and examine the business aspects of establishing a freelance career.

Overview

1.  Autobiographical/goal letter to instructor and two – four preliminary book ideas
2.  Book proposal and market rationale

Fiction – Main character sketches
Nonfiction—Description of research plan

3.  Detailed chapter outline of first two chapters

Draft of first chapter
Rough outline of remaining chapters

4.  Draft of first third of book

Writing progress/update note to instructor

5.  Draft of second third of book
6.  Draft of final third of book
7.  Revision of first half of book

Writing progress/update note to instructor

8.  Revision of second half of book

Preferential list of three publishers with market rationale

9.  Final revisions of third manuscript

Submission materials

IFW-Background-_-Email14

Material Included in your Writing & Selling
Children's Books

Writing and Selling Children’s Books Course Manual, IFW Publishing.

The Instruction Manual published exclusively for our students. It contains assignments, idea generators, planning guides, writing and revision techniques and guidelines for preparing a book submission package.

binder_small
IFW-Background-_-Email14

Material Included in your Writing & Selling
Children's Books

Book Markets for Children’s Writers, edited by Marni McNiff; IFW Publishing, Annual edition, ISBN 978-1-944743-28-4, 2024.

Offers a complete roadmap to the changing world of publishing. In addition to 675 new and updated listings, you’ll find bonus articles to boost your knowledge of the industry and increase your odds of getting published. Plus, you’ll find sections devoted to helping you create a polished submissions package including how to write and format a query letter and how to properly format your manuscript so you can make a professional impression on publishers.

2024 Book Market Guide for Children's Writers - Institute of Children's Literature
IFW-Background-_-Email14

Material Included in your Writing & Selling
Children's Books

The Giblin Guide to Children’s Books,IFW Publishing, by James Cross Giblin.

An overview of the field covering picture books to YA novels, including age groups, genres, fiction and nonfiction requirements and guidelines for working with editors, from submission to publication.

IFW-Background-_-Email14

Material Included in your Writing & Selling
Children's Books

Supplementary Instructional Materials, IFW Publishing:
Talk Abouts.

IFW Background   Email14

Material Included in your Basics of Writing Stories & Articles for Publication

Writing and Selling Children’s Books Course Manual, IFW Publishing.

The Instruction Manual published exclusively for our students. It contains assignments, idea generators, planning guides, writing and revision techniques and guidelines for preparing a book submission package.

binder_small
IFW Background   Email14

Material Included in your Basics of Writing Stories & Articles for Publication

The Giblin Guide to Children’s Books edited by Robert Lee Brewer, Writers Digest Books, 6th edition, ISBN 978-1-44034-773-3.

An overview of the field covering picture books to YA novels, including age groups, genres, fiction and nonfiction requirements and guidelines for working with editors, from submission to publication.

IFW Background   Email14

Material Included in your Basics of Writing Stories & Articles for Publication

Book Markets for Children’s Writers, IFW Publishing.

Offers a complete roadmap to the changing world of publishing. In addition to 638 new and updated listings, you'll find bonus articles to boost your knowledge of the industry and increase your odds of getting published. Plus, you'll find sections devoted to helping you create a polished submissions package including how to write and format a query letter and how to properly format your manuscript so you can make a professional impression on publishers.

Book-Markets-for-Childrens-Writers-2022-600x600-1
IFW Background   Email14

Material Included in your Writing & Selling Children's Books

Supplementary Instructional Materials published by IFW Publishing

- Pointers from the Pros
- Grammar Tip sheets

With IFW, all course materials are included. Details below:
binder_small

Writing and Selling Children’s Books Course Manual, IFW Publishing.

The Instruction Manual published exclusively for our students. It contains assignments, idea generators, planning guides, writing and revision techniques and guidelines for preparing a book submission package.

2024 Book Market Guide for Children's Writers - Institute of Children's Literature

Book Markets for Children’s Writers, edited by Marni McNiff; IFW Publishing, Annual edition, ISBN 978-1-944743-28-4, 2024.

Offers a complete roadmap to the changing world of publishing. In addition to 675 new and updated listings, you’ll find bonus articles to boost your knowledge of the industry and increase your odds of getting published. Plus, you’ll find sections devoted to helping you create a polished submissions package including how to write and format a query letter and how to properly format your manuscript so you can make a professional impression on publishers.

The Giblin Guide to Childrens Books 1

The Giblin Guide to Children’s Books, IFW Publishing, by James Cross Giblin.

An overview of the field covering picture books to YA novels, including age groups, genres, fiction and nonfiction requirements and guidelines for working with editors, from submission to publication.

Black IFW Pen Blog

Supplementary Instructional Materials, IFW Publishing: Talk Abouts.

Writing and Selling Children’s Books Course Tuition

The Institute for Writers makes it easy for you to receive a high quality writing program at an affordable rate. Everything you need to complete Writing and Selling Children’s Books Course is included in your tuition. Choose which payment option best fits your needs.

Full Pay

$ 1,229 Full Pay
  • Highest Savings
  • Access to all Assignments
  • Save $286 with promo code IFW, Total $1,229

Payment Plan I

$ 79 Monthly
  • Most Popular
  • $99 Down, 16 monthly payments of $79
  • Save $152 with promo code IFW, Total $1,363

Payment Plan II

$ 59 Monthly
  • Lowest Monthly Payments
  • $99 Down, 24 monthly payments of $59
  • Total $1,515

Specifically designed for ICL graduates (Instructor Recommendation Only)

Enroll for Writing and Selling Children’s Books Course at just $99 Down – Use Promo Code IFW