About this Course

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This course is for curious students and aspiring authors with a passion for writing for young readers. Participate in a dynamic online community of writers as you experiment with your own writing and develop your voice. This course will guide you with a combination of video lectures, online readings, peer reviews, and guest appearances from world-renowned children’s authors. As you work through the writing exercises, you will give and receive feedback from your peers and gain tools and techniques for improving your writing.
During this course you will identify stories that matter to you, explore cultural significance and boundaries, and shape your identity as a writer; become familiar with standard elements of narrative (character, setting, plot, theme, language, dialogue, point of view); reflect on your own work and practice essential self-editing skills; see the different ways in which words and art interact, and the possibilities of longer narrative forms; come away with practical insights into publishing options; and create a plan for pursuing your enthusiasm for writing. By the end of the course, you will have ten to twelve extracts of writing that you can develop into a portfolio.

Join a dynamic community of many voices from around the world. Find inspiration in your own voice, heart, and place so that you can tell the stories for young readers you’ve always wanted to tell.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

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Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

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Approx. 13 hours to complete

English

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Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

Learn more about Coursera Labs

Approx. 13 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructors

Instructor rating

4.77/5 (189 Ratings)

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating99%(18,391 ratings)

Week1

Week 1

4 hours to complete

Your Writing Identity

Good children’s writing commonly has a strong sense of identity. This module will give you a chance to think about and practice putting yourself into your writing. We will start by looking at how you can establish effective writing habits and how you can use your own experiences and culture to enrich your writing. We will also discuss ways that you can add depth to your writing by drawing on myths and legends, and by experimenting with different viewpoints.

4 hours to complete

18 videos (Total 90 min), 7 readings, 1 quiz

18 videos

Writing for Young Readers - Promotional Video2mWelcome to Writing for Young Readers3mIntroduction to Your Writing Identity4mYour Writing Life - Part One3mYour Writing Life - Part Two4mYou, Your Culture and Story5mCultural Myths and Legends4mViewpoint - Part One4mViewpoint - Part Two2mInterview with Uma Krishnaswami - Part One: 'the very young experience the world through their skins'7mInterview with Uma Krishnaswami - Part Two: 'for me place and the people are inextricable'5mInterview with Uma Krishnaswami - Part Three 'it came out in eight Indian languages'5mInterview with Uma Krishnaswami - Part Four: 'I suddenly began to see the entire story'8mInterview with Apirana Taylor - Part One: 'I carried exercise books with me everywhere I went'9mInterview with Apirana Taylor - Part Two: 'I'm leaving something behind for future generations'6mInterview with Apirana Taylor - Part Three: 'one word is worth a thousand pictures'7mInterview with Apirana Taylor - Part Four: 'your ears are often your best editor'3mModule Summary Your Writing Identity2m

7 readings

Course Overview10mHow to Get Help10mFAQs10mInstructors and Guest Authors10mCourse Materials10mExtracts: You, Your Culture and Story10mExtracts: Cultural Myths and Legends10m

Week2

Week 2

2 hours to complete

Genre, Form, and Audience

In this module we will give you an overview of genres and forms that are popular for young readers. We will then move on to a discussion of audience – who your readers are and how you can make your work appealing to your chosen audience. By the end of the module you will have a good sense of the wide range of genres and forms available to you and some techniques that you can use to make the most of the genre or form you are working in.

2 hours to complete

11 videos (Total 51 min), 2 readings, 1 quiz

11 videos

Introduction to Genre, Form, and Audience3mGenre - Part One3mGenre - Part Two4mForm - Part One4mForm - Part Two4mAudience - Part One4mAudience - Part Two3mInterview with Finegan Kruckemeyer - Part One: 'it can be nice to write just for the sake of writing'8mInterview with Finegan Kruckemeyer - Part Two: 'my favourite authors have permeated my brain'6mInterview with Finegan Kruckemeyer - Part Three: 'it truly is a magical feeling'5mModule Summary Genre, Form, and Audience2m

2 readings

Extracts: Genre Types10mExtracts: Audience10m

Week3

Week 3

3 hours to complete

Structure

We’ve covered qualities of writing that make it appeal to an audience – its form, its genre, and its strong personal voice. Now we’ll move on to some structural elements that are key to holding your writing together. We’ll start by looking at character and setting, then move on to plot and theme. Finally, we will focus on language. Language can really bring your writing to life by adding a layer to your characters and setting and by giving your plot a good pace. This is the last module where we look at creating new writing. In the next two modules we’ll focus on editing your work and getting it published.

3 hours to complete

13 videos (Total 58 min), 5 readings, 1 quiz

13 videos

Introduction to Structure4mCharacter - Part One3mCharacter - Part Two3mSetting4mPlot and Theme - Part One4mPlot and Theme - Part Two3mLanguage and Dialogue4mOther Language Tools4mInterview with Tololwa Mollel - Part One 'I let an idea simmer in my head'4mInterview with Tololwa Mollel - Part Two: 'let the story show you the way'6mInterview with Tololwa Mollel - Part Three: 'I give them their right to live as characters'5mInterview with Tololwa Mollel - Part Four: 'I really enjoyed the act of writing itself'4mModule Summary Structure2m

5 readings

Extracts: Character10mExtracts: Setting10mSample Plot Chart10mExtracts: Plot and Theme10mExtracts Language and Dialogue10m

Week4

Week 4

2 hours to complete

Editing and Proofreading

In this module you will learn how to transform your draft work into something that flows well, is free of errors, and is ready to be published. We’ll start by looking at structural editing, where you look at your work’s plot, structure, and themes. Then we’ll move on to the copyediting and proofreading stage, where you focus on perfecting grammar and spelling. We have provided resources and checklists that will help you to practice applying our editing tips to your own work.

2 hours to complete

10 videos (Total 42 min), 3 readings, 1 quiz

10 videos

Introduction to Editing and Proofreading5mStructural Editing - Part One3mStructural Editing - Part Two4mStructural Editing - Part Three4mCopyediting and Proofreading - Part One4mCopyediting and Proofreading - Part Two2mInterview with Summer Edward - Part One: 'The story keeps telling itself in my mind'5mInterview with Summer Edward - Part Two: 'don't be afraid to cut'5mInterview with Summer Edward - Part Three: 'I practice silence'5mModule Summary Editing and Proofreading1m

3 readings

Structural Editing Checklist10mExtract: Structural Editing10mCopyediting Checklist10m

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Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

Writing for Young Readers: Opening the Treasure Chest