2015 Writing for Children: An Insider’s Guide

Sold out – please email us to go on the waitlist.

Who: Davina Bell          
When:
Saturday 31 October, 10am-4pm
Cost: Full price:
$180; Member: $125; Conc Member: $110

What makes a great children’s book? How do I turn my idea into a story? How do I submit my work – and where should I send it? Should I get an agent? Should I give up?!

In this interactive and informative workshop, former Penguin Senior Editor and children’s author Davina Bell, will give you an insider’s guide to writing children’s books, and getting them published.

We will explore the children’s publishing scene today, with a view to placing your own work in the market context and shaping it for publication. We’ll discuss what makes a successful and powerful read for kids, and translate this into practical exercises around voice, character, plot, and developing the spark of a story into a manuscript.

Then comes the practical stuff: submitting to publishers, the pros and cons of agents, how to go about editing your manuscript once it’s finished, and some resources that can help you on your journey. Having worked with some of the country’s most celebrated authors and also regularly faced-off against the blank page, Davina will offer real-life examples from the dual perspective of publisher and author.

Expected Learning Outcomes
Learning outcomes include a greater understanding of the contemporary market for children’s books, exploration of writing techniques, a plan for developing work into a finished manuscript, and confidence around the submissions process.

Food
Tea and coffee making facilities will be provided. Course participants are advised to bring their own lunch as there are no cafes within easy walking distance.

Student Requirements
Please bring along a favourite book from childhood or a favourite book for children. If you’re working on a current project, feel free to bring a paragraph to use during the writing exercises.

About the tutor
Davina Bell
is a book editor and writer for young people. For six years she was a Senior Editor at Penguin Books Australia in the Young Readers division. She now writes full-time on the edge of a vineyard in the Margaret River region of Western Australia, where she is tackling a young-adult novel and a junior fiction series. Davina is the author of the Alice books in the best-selling Our Australian Girl series of historical fiction for middle readers. Her first picture book, The Underwater Fancy-dress Parade, was published in March 2015.

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