Class Syllabus: Write Short Stories for Children
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Class Syllabus: Write Short Stories for Children

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Margaret Shauers
Office Hours: Week days; answer questions some weekends
Course Meeting Times: Ongoing
 

Course Description

This course is designed for those who wish to write short stories for children. It will lead the student through the basics of this art form into the specifics of characterization, age groups, plotting and outlining, drafting a story for children, rewriting and polishing the work. Final lessons will cover manuscript preparation and marketing strategies. Students will receive personal instructor feedback and critique. The goal of this course is to increase a student's chance for publication.

Course Requirements

This course will assume that students are actively writing (or beginning to write) stories for children.

This course will require students to: 1) complete and submit all lesson components, 2) participate in class discussions, and 3) check in with the instructor at least once a week.

Course Goals

The long-term goal is to help writers of children's fiction become published. There will be short-term goals:

1.) Complete all exercises

2.) Choose one story to rewrite and polish and actively market. (More than one story can be written, but the emphasis will be on getting one ready to market.)

Reading Materials

All reading materials will be provided through class netlinks or uploaded documents. Other suggested reading (as the individual situation suggests) will not be required, but can be utilized by individual students if they feel the materials will be of benefit.

Grading Policy

Grading will be based on a 100-point scale. Grades will be divided as follows: Completing quizzes/20 points, class participation/30 points, assignments/50 points.

To complete this course, all lessons must be completed. Upon course completion, a Teacher Century Award certificate will be offered to each class participant.

Additional certificates will be offered based on academic achievement and student participation.

Course Outline

This course will be divided into three sections: 1. The Basics of Writing for Children (9 lessons) 2. Basic Plot Patterns for Children and Actual Story Development (8 lessons) 3. To Market! To Market (3 lessons.

Lesson One: Writing for CHILDREN, not adults! How to tell the difference, how self-honesty can give your stories an immediate chance for success.

Lesson Two: Using grown-up tools for little people--grammar, spelling, the usual "dull" but mandatory drill. Language use with children.

Lesson Three: Age groups for children: The tiniest reader (2-4 or 5)

Lesson Four: Age groups for children: The beginning reader & two types of stories for this age group. (5 or 6-7)

Lesson Five: Age groups for children: The most active reader (8-9 or 10).

Lesson Six: The older reader: (10 or 11-12).

Lesson Seven: Putting your characters onstage! (Characterization)

Lesson Eight: Theme & Plot

Lesson Nine: Outlining (it isn't want you think it is!)

Lesson Ten: Draft a short story for any age child.

Lesson Eleven: Rewrite the short story after receiving instructor's critique

Lesson Twelve: Manuscript format, marketing strategies, prepare and submit a market list to the instructor.

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