This writing course, Fierce, Funny, True: Writing for Children with Lisa Shanahan, will be held at Writing NSW in Sydney.

Where do captivating ideas for children’s books really come from? How do you make a picture book text truly work? What does it take to write a wonderful middle-grade novel that lingers and lasts?

Join award-winning writer Lisa Shanahan and learn the art and craft of writing for children, from picture books to junior novels to middle-grade fiction. Explore the essential narrative requirements of all of these forms, including the key differences. Discover how to create convincing, believable characters and how to develop a strong, dynamic voice. Study the important fundamentals of structure, setting, plot, dialogue and emotional resonance.

Week-by-Week Course Breakdown

Week One: On Finding Inspiration
Discover the four common doorways to fiction. Learn how to develop a regular writing practice and how to gather inspiration, through exercises designed to help participants write with humour and heart. Explore the importance of play and experimentation, and how to keep the critical voice at bay. Discover how getting to know your characters deeply (their loves, hopes and disappointments) can help stories grow organically, in picture books and novels.

Week Two: From Seed to Story
How can something so short, be so darned tricky to write? Examine two different types of picture books, including a case study of the way a picture book is written from start to finish. Discover the way story arrives seamlessly through a creative marriage between text and image. Learn the importance of picking your words like a poet and how structure can be your friend.

Week Three: Crack! Snap! Fizz!
What does it take to write for emerging or reluctant readers? Crackling plots? Snappy dialogue? Fizzing imagery? Explore some of the special literary and literacy requirements of writing for younger readers and the breadth and depth of stories for this age group.

Week Four: Fierce, Funny and True
Many people have childhood memories of an illuminating encounter with a never-to-be-forgotten novel. Often this kind of novel was an outstanding example of middle-grade fiction. Explore some of the diversity and variety in style and content for novels for this age group and participate in writing exercises designed to help build voice, believability and emotional resonance.

Week Five: Braving the Waters – Workshop Intensive 
It’s time to brave the waters—either sharing new work or redrafts of work previously presented in the course, applying all that has been learnt in terms of character, plot, rhythm, structure, voice, and emotional resonance.

Week Six: Polishing and Publishing
Where to next? Review the importance of editing and redrafting. Explore issues regarding submission, layout of manuscripts, finding publishers and agents, all the practical daily business of being a writer.

Expected learning outcomes

Participants will:

1. Consider fresh ways of harvesting original ideas from memory and observation, as well as discovering the power and significance of poetic and playful line-by-line writing
2. Review the importance of editing and redrafting, including when and where to deploy a critical eye
3. Explore the strengths and growth areas of their work, and how to give and receive constructive and sensitive feedback
4. Share their work in a supportive and inclusive environment.

Participant requirements

• Bring your own pen and paper, or fully charged device.
• Bring your favourite children’s book!

Is this course right for you? Please read our FAQ> for important information before enrolling. 

If you have questions about this course, please contact us.

***Please note: This course is for writers of children’s picture books and middle grade fiction.

Reviews

‘Lisa’s expertise and teaching in this area is so spot on. She knows the field intimately and supports this with excellent texts that really stretch, challenge and sharpen what it means to write for kidlit/YA audiences. Lisa takes all writers in the room seriously, listens carefully to their offerings and supports them with insights that really help them take steps to achieve their aims. The classroom is alive with creative and supportive imagining – such a gift.’ – Dr Bryoni Trezise, Winner of the 2021 CBCA NSW Aspiring Writers Mentorship Program/Charlotte Waring Award; Winner of 2024 Varuna Fellowship for development of YA and Middle Grade fiction

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