Children’s Book Writing

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Children's books impart a wide range of knowledge by capturing the imagination, delighting the senses, and engaging the mind.

Writers have the challenging task of creating stories that both entertain and inform children. The key to being a successful children’s book writer is to learn the techniques and skills that engage a child's imagination, sustain attention, and push a child toward a greater understanding of the world.

Successful writers must also understand how to flesh out ideas, revise and critique, write query letters to get published, and know the history of the medium.

This certificate provides a solid foundation in the skills and tools that improve one’s chances of being published as a writer. It also introduces aspiring professionals to a wide variety of media and advanced topics required for a thriving career.

For detailed information, please enroll in the online on-demand Children's Book Illustration and Writing Programs Information Session below.

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There will be a $60 fee upon acceptance into the program

Courses

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Information Session

Find out more about the program in a free, online information session.
Course Title Course Number Units Actions
Children's Book Illustration & Writing Programs - Information Session INFO-70117 0.00 units Description
- Interested in learning more about breaking into the field of Children's Book illustration or Writing? In this free, on-demand information session, find out about our Children's Book Illustration and Writing Specialzied Certificate programs and learn how classes our instructors offer can help you expand your artistic skills, polish your personal style, develop an eye-catching portfolio and present yourself professionally to the industry. The information session consists of a brief, narrated slide presentation that is accessible anytime throughout the quarter.
REQUIRED COURSES

All units required
Course Title Course Number Units Actions
Writing for Children I: Introduction WCWP-40186 3.00 units Description
- Have you ever told yourself that someday you will write a children's book? Now's your chance! Join us as we demystify the writing process and examine the wide variety of books offered to children: picture books, easy readers, early chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, children's magazines, fiction and nonfiction. If you want to write for children but don't know where to start, this course is for you. It reveals the best way to choose an idea, how to benefit from critique to improve your revisions, and how to write a catchy query letter or intriguing cover letter to capture an editor's attention. Tips for marketing your work, when it's ready, will also be offered.
Course Title Course Number Units Actions
Writing for Children II: Intermediate WCWP-40315 3.00 units Description
- Revision is the key to improving your work to reach the next level - publication. But often the hardest thing to figure out is which words to cut, which to leave in, and how to tighten up the rest. This writing workshop will concentrate on revision through sharing your work - picture books, easy readers, nonfiction books, and novels - for constructive feedback from classmates and the instructor. Tips on writing techniques, the submission process, and in-class exercises will also be offered.
Course Title Course Number Units Actions
History of Children's Literature LIT-40093 3.00 units Description
- Through a close reading of classics of post-enlightenment writing for children, this course provides children’s book writers and illustrators an essential understanding of the development of children’s literature, and benchmarks for critiquing one’s own work. Reading will include several masterpieces in the genre.
Final required course

all required courses and two electives must be completed first.
Course Title Course Number Units Actions
Getting Published: Navigating the Children's Book Market ART-40636 3.00 units Description
- You’ve polished your skills as a writer/illustrator…so now what? This course will guide you through the process of getting published, including traditional and independent publishing options, writing queries, how to choose professional representation (or self-management), navigating contracts, self-marketing techniques, and how to manage an effective online presence. Throughout the course you will also work on completing a portfolio of your work or a book dummy/proposal.
Electives

Minimum of 6 units required
Course Title Course Number Units Actions
Writing Children's Picture Books WCWP-40261 3.00 units Description
- Let the wild rumpus begin! Do you dream of imaginary lands and mythical creatures? Learn how to inspire a child's imagination by giving them the tools necessary to explore the world around them. The well-written picture book entertains the child while developing their reading skills. In this course you'll learn about writing for children and you'll be asked to write and revise five or six picture book manuscripts. There will be an opportunity to read your work in class and to discuss and critique the work of other students. We will discuss the needs of the illustrator, how to approach potential publishers and the adventure of the manuscript once it's been accepted for publication.
Course Title Course Number Units Actions
Writing for the Middle Grade/YA Reader WCWP-40274 3.00 units Description
- Discover how successful middle grade and young adult books are crafted, and begin to plot out and write a tale of your own. In this course, we will consider how a plot works, what makes a compelling character, and what drives a reader forward. Students will participate in an online critique group and have an opportunity to get their first five pages reviewed.
Course Title Course Number Units Actions
Children's Book Illustration: Thinking in Pictures ART-40634 3.00 units Description
- Do you have an idea for a children's book? Or have you always wondered how to make a story come alive through art? Learn to create stories through images and turn written narratives into a sequence of pictures. Through hands-on assignments, illustrated lectures, discussions, and critiques, students get a solid foundation in the basics of visual story-telling, and sketch story characters, make action drawings, develop story boards, and design working book dummies. Explore a wide variety of picture books for inspiration, alongside a real-world introduction to the publishing profession and the industry.
Course Title Course Number Units Actions
Adobe Photoshop I: Introduction ART-40311 3.00 units Description
- An introduction to Adobe Photoshop, the imaging software application used by professional graphic artists to create and modify images for use in print and web media. This graphic design training course includes topics about working with the tools and user interface, working with selections, retouching, correcting, and enhancing photographs, layer basics, masking, compositing, preparing files for the web, and more. Students learn through hands-on practice and a series of creative projects.
Course Title Course Number Units Actions
Adobe Illustrator ART-40527 3.00 units Description
- Learn the industry-standard professional vector drawing program Adobe Illustrator. In this graphic design training course, students will gain practical experience with Illustrator's precision drawing and transformation tools for creating and editing Bézier curves, color, gradients, gradient mesh, patterns, transparency, type, layers, and more. Through a series of creative projects students will gain experience in using Illustrator to produce art for both print and web design.
Course Title Course Number Units Actions
Adobe InDesign ART-40533 3.00 units Description
- Learn to use this comprehensive page layout software in conjunction with Photoshop and Illustrator to create various kinds of publications and documents for print and onscreen viewing. This course includes easy-to-follow exercises and several projects which will be reviewed and evaluated throughout the course. Students will use InDesign to learn about three primary disciplines: type, images, and color. Students also learn how to examine, troubleshoot, fix, and package digital files.
Course Title Course Number Units Actions
Writing Non-Fiction and Informational Books for Children WCWP-40327 3.00 units Description
- The market for children’s nonfiction and informational books and articles has never been better. In this course, which can be taken by those familiar with writing for children and those just beginning, students will learn about the many markets for nonfiction work for children – magazines, trade books, school-library publishers, and book packagers. Students will gain practice researching nonfiction topics and writing for the various markets, as well as examining the variety of writing styles that can be used to write about individual topics. Topics covered in the course include: Straight Nonfiction and the School-Library Market – subjects, elements and design, Easy Reader Nonfiction, Narrative Nonfiction, Lyrical Nonfiction, Biography, Fictional Informational Books – Fictional books that provide information and elements of nonfiction; The children’s magazine market, and Common Core State Standards and how these affect the nonfiction market.

APPLY NOW

There will be a $60 fee upon acceptance into the program

Admission

The Specialized Certificate in Children's Book Writing can be completed in 3-6 quarters (taking 1-2 courses per quarter). Tuition is $395-595 per course.

About online courses:

Online courses in this certificate are led by live instructors, but students may view lectures according to their own schedules. There are no set lecture dates or times; however, students will be required to meet weekly assignment deadlines, participate in critiques, and contribute to discussion topics.
Online students should expect to spend four to six hours per week per course.
Online students must provide their own software.
To preview our e-learning system, visit ucsdextension.blackboard.com.
For system requirements, click here.

APPLY NOW

There will be a $60 fee upon acceptance into the program

From the 'Apply Now' button, login to your student account, complete the online application, and pay the application fee if applicable. It is preferable that you create an account before proceeding if you have not already done so.

Candidates are encouraged to apply in the certificate program as early as possible to take advantage of program benefits. See Certificate FAQs for more information.

Contact

Arts, Humanities, Languages & Digital Arts. Call 858-534-5760 or Email: ahl@ucsd.edu
Conditions for Admission

Students should have a basic knowledge of English grammar and be comfortable using computers (PC or Mac).

Please see the application for specific admission requirements for this program.

Although a college degree or professional experience in the field are not required, applicants with such experience may receive preference for admission when program capacity is limited.

Current UCSD students may be considered for admission depending on their academic and career focus and educational performance.

Advisors