Publishing I (Publishing Children's Literature)

Course CodeBWR107
Fee CodeS3
Duration (approx)100 hours
QualificationTo obtain formal documentation the optional exam(s) must be completed which will incur an additional fee of $36. Alternatively, a letter of completion may be requested.

PUBLISH BOOKS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS

  • Learn how the industry works,

  • Learn the creative and artistic skills of the trade

  • Learn how to market your work 

  • Develop an understanding of the ethical issues and laws relating to the field.

Use this course as a step toward self publishing, furthering your opportunities working for publishers, or starting your own business. You will also have a chance to undertake a stimulating publishing project and implement the skills you have learned.

WHO MIGHT BENEFIT FROM THIS COURSE?

  • Aspiring Children's Writers, Editors or Publishers

  • Librarians, Teachers, Parents, Playleaders or anyone else who works with children

  • Anyone who works in the publishing industry (not with children), who is considering expanding their skills into the area of children's literature.

Start your authoring career with all the information you need to write and publish children's books, enrol now!

Lesson Structure

There are 10 lessons in this course:

  1. The Publishing World (Writing for Children)
    • Children’s book genres
    • Self-publishing and the educational market
    • Developmental landmarks and their relationship to children’s publishing
    • Reading level assessments and their relationship to children’s publishing
  2. Publishing Procedures and Techniques
    • Stages of traditional publishing
    • Steps to finalising a manuscript
    • Types of editing
    • Illustrations and working with external illustrators
    • Page design
    • Picture book design
    • Typography
  3. Desktop Publishing (Print Versions of Children's Books)
    • Defining desktop publishing
    • Layout and design for different book types: board books, picture books, chapter books and novels
    • Use of colour
    • Test runs for printing
    • Creating a dummy version of an illustrated text
  4. Desktop Publishing
    • Defining e-publishing
    • Apps vs eBooks
    • Layout of Illustrated eBooks or Text-based eBooks
    • Working with audiobooks
    • Audiobooks for children
    • Accessibility and eBooks
    • eBook file types
  5. Illustration 1: Introduction to Graphics in Children's Fiction
    • The purpose of illustrations and graphics
    • Selecting a graphic or illustration design style
    • Types of books with graphics
    • Formatting textual elements
    • Working with a designer or illustrator: Preparing a brief and keeping the contract clear
    • Graphics and marketing
  6. Illustration 2: Introduction to Photography in Children's Books
    • Working with photographs: Non-fiction, fiction and covers
    • What makes a good photo
    • Designing with photos
    • Principles of photographic composition
    • Creating effects
  7. Researching Material for Children’s & Young Adult’s Books
    • Researching for fiction: world building and time period, and gathering resources
    • Types of non-fiction texts for children and young adults
    • How to plan research
    • How to note take effectively
    • Author notes
  8. Marketing in Publishing (Children's Books)
    • Book distributors
    • Marketing toward retailers
    • Theme marketing and special sales
    • Website and author platforms
    • Marketing toward the consumer: Reviews and interviews, book launches and talks, lectures, and readings
  9. Publishing: Ethics & The Law
    • Ethics and content creation
    • Sensitivity, cultural, and linguistic diversity
    • Content and ratings advisories
    • Plagiarism
    • Censorship and book banning
    • Copyright: Copyright notices, what does copyright protect and when a work can be legally used
    • Codes of ethics
  10. Publishing Project (PBL)
    • Plan the publication of a children’s book
    • Answer set discussion questions
    • Present a final report

Aims

  • Outline the characteristics of children’s books and explain the relevance of traditional children’s publishing conventions for self-publishers.
  • Describe stages of the publishing process and indicate where self-publishing can be advantageous to authors.
  • Explain best practices for working with layout and design in print picture books. Discuss ways print layout can affect market potential for picture books. Explain differences in layout between picture books and other age-specific books.
  • Outline the additional elements involved in creating and publishing children’s eBooks.
  • Explain different uses of graphics and illustrations in children’s books. Discuss factors affecting illustration styles and choices. Explain how to write a brief for an illustrator or designer.
  • Explain how to use photographic images effectively when self-publishing children’s books.
  • Discuss ways to research material or information for children’s and young adult’s books.
  • Explain methods of marketing children’s and young adult’s books.
  • Determine ethical issues relevant to writing and publishing. Discuss issues specific to ethics in writing and publishing children’s books.

What is involved in Publishing?

Every publisher is a little different. The process of professional publishing though, is usually more involved than what most people might imagine, and almost always involves many stages in a relatively complex process. These stages may include some, or all of the following:

The traditional stages of production in print publishing are as follows. Electronic publishing may vary a little on this though.

1. Editing

  • Delivery of MS to editor
  • Editor to author
  • Return from author to editor
  • Editor to designer

2. Production

  • Tenders sought
  • Budget finalised

3. Design

  • Sample setting requested
  • Sample setting approved
  • Illustrator appointed
  • MS to layout artist

4. Developing the Cover

  • Develop concepts
  • Select concept
  • Rough sample
  • Approved
  • Proof
  • Colour separation

5. Developing the Index

  • Proofs to author
  • Index to editor
  • Index to designer/typesetter

6. Illustrations

  • Received from author
  • Additional illustrations commissioned
  • All illustrations with editor
  • Illustrations & captions to designer

7. Proofs

  • Galleys
  • to editor
  • to author
  • to designer
  • Final Pages
  • to editor
  • to author
  • to designer
  • Printer
  • Artwork to printer/typesetter
  • Galleys to publisher
  • Dyelines to publisher

8. Completion

  • Delivery of printed publication
  • Launch meeting
  • Distribute advance copies

9. Launch and Marketing

WHY STUDY WITH ACS?

There are lots of reasons why you should sign up to do this course with us, including:

  • The course is detailed to ensure that you have the level of knowledge required to apply the practices in your own work, whether that's as a business employee or as a self employed writer/publisher
  • Within each lesson you have the opportunity to apply your learning to activities which enables you to practice different concepts and expand your own research in areas of interest
  • Knowledge of these key areas will enable you to stand out from others when it comes to sharing your work, it will also give you greater confidence
  • Having the knowledge of different publishing approaches will enable you to work in many different sectors and business types, giving you flexibility now and in the future
  • Our subject specialist tutors will be there to support you throughout your course, they are only too happy to share their industry knowledge and experience with you
  • When studying with us you set your own deadlines, meaning you study at your own pace enabling it to fit around other commitments

TAKE THE NEXT STEP AND ENROL NOW!

You can enrol on the course now, but if you have any questions about the content of the course or studying with ACS, then please get in touch with us today - use our FREE COURSE COUNSELLING SERVICE to get in touch with our expert tutors. They will be pleased to help you!

 



Meet some Of our academics

John Mason

John Mason is one of Australia's most prolific writers. He saw his first work published when at secondary school, where he worked on the school magazine. In 1973 he was writing a weekly column for his local newspaper and by 1975 he was a regular contributor to Australia's national magazine "Your Garden". John was engaged by Victoria's Dept of Youth, Sport and Recreation to write a book on Fun and Fitness Trails in 1978. In 1981 he saw two more books published (one in America, another in Australia), and commenced writing regularly for the Self Sufficiency Magazine, Grass Roots. John is a long term member of the Australian Society of Authors, the Garden Media Guild (UK) and the Horticultural Media Association (Australia). He has written or contributed to over 100 books, many published by international publishers and published more than 2,000 articles across a range of genres (Gardening, Education, Business, Farming, Fitness). In addition, John has contributed to and overseen the development of more than 600 distance education courses which encompass around 20 million words. He has been an avid photographer for 40 years, building a collection of over 100,000 images, which are used to illustrate his work. His marine animal photos are even used by Legoland in England, on their Atlantis ride! Writer, Manager, Teacher and Businessman with over 40 years interenational experience covering Education, Publishing, Leisure Management, Education, and Horticulture. He has extensive experience both as a public servant, and as a small business owner. John is a well respected member of many professional associations, and author of over seventy books and of over two thousand magazine articles.

Rachel Syers

Rachel has worked as a newspaper journalist for the past 15 years in a range of roles from sub-editor and social columnist to news reporter, covering rounds such as education, health, council, music, television, court, police, Aboriginal and Islander affairs, and agriculture. Her current role is Fashion Editor, features writer and features sub-editor with The Gold Coast Bulletin. She has co-authored a successful biography "Roma: From Prison to Paradise" about former prisoner-of-war turned yoga guru, Roma Blair, as well as freelanced as a writer, reviewer and researcher for Australian music and celebrity magazines such as WHO Weekly, Rave, Australasian Post and New Idea. Rachel has a B.Journalism.

Peta Jinnath Abdul

B.Sc., Grad.Dip.Ed., M.Creative Writing

Tracey Jones

Widely published author, Psychologist, Manager and Lecturer. Over 10 years working with ACS and 25 years of industry experience. Qualifications include: B.Sc. (Hons) (Psychology), M.Soc.Sc (social work), Dip. SW (social work), PGCE (Education), PGD (Learning Disability Studies).


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