Are you interested in self-publishing a children’s book? Looking to gain employment in the fast-paced children’s publishing industry? If so, this course is ideal for you, exploring everything from the design to the distribution of children’s books.
Certificate of Publishing – Writing for Children is an online professional development program exploring the publishing process, industry standards and important skills for publishing children and young adult books.
In this publishing course, you will explore self-publishing, educational books, reading level assessment and developmental editing, working with illustrators, picture book and cover design and desktop publishing. You will also learn about electronic publishing, audiobooks, research techniques, advertising and marketing and ethics and the law in children’s publishing.
On completion of this course, you will have a strong foundation knowledge of the publishing process for children’s writing, whether for self-publishing or to gain employment in the publishing industry.
Course Structure
Publishing I
Unit 1 – The Publishing World (Writing for Children)
- Children’s book genres
- Children’s fiction
- Contemporary children’s fiction
- Children’s mystery fiction
- Children’s historical fiction
- Fairy tales and fables
- Children’s fantasy fiction
- Children’s science fiction
- Children’s horror
- Children’s poetry
- Children’s nonfiction
- Biography
- History
- Science
- Technology
- Self-help
- Picture books
- Self-publishing and the educational market
- Developmental landmarks in children’s books
- How reading level is assessed
- Reading schemes – levelled readers in action
Unit 2 – Publishing procedures and techniques
- Finalising a manuscript
- Alpha readers
- Beta readers
- Developmental editing
- Copyediting
- Proofreading
- Illustrations
- Working with an illustrator
- Page design
- Picture book design
- Design templates
- Layout and typography
- Typography in children’s books
- Different software and settings
- Hyphenation
- Cover design
Unit 3 – Desktop publishing (Print Versions of Children’s Books)
- Desktop publishing (DTP)
- Layout, design, story structure, and illustration in children’s books
- Board books
- Costs involved
- Reducing costs
- Picture books
- Spacing, layout, typeface and cost
- Nonfiction
- Levelled readers
- Layout
- Chapter books, junior fiction/middle grade
- Layout and typeface
- Young adult/new adult
- Layout, typeface and cost
- General considerations
- Templates
- Front matter and back matter
- White space
- Typeface colours
- Layout for non-fiction
- Use of colour
- PC to print
- Test runs and dummies
Unit 4 – Desktop publishing (electronic versions of children’s books)
- What is electronic publishing?
- Advantagesof electronic publishing
- Ebooks, interactivity, and apps
- Interactivity cues
- Apps vs. Ebooks
- Layout
- Illustration-based books
- Text-based books
- Audiobook options
- Audiobooks for children
- Other considerations
- Accessibility
- Options for different fonts
- Print on demand
- Ebook file types
- PDF, TXT, EPUB, MOBI, IBA and AZW
Unit 5 – Illustration 1: Introduction to graphics in children’s fiction
- Introduction to illustration and graphics
- What is the purpose of the illustration or graphic?
- Child-like design or adult appeal?
- Illustration styles and ideas for children
- Types of books with graphics
- Graphic novels
- Text novels
- Middle grade nonfiction
- Avoiding clutter and jarring text
- Working with a designer or illustrator
- Cover design
- Advertising
- Preparing a brief
Unit 6 – Illustration 2: Introduction to photography in children’s books
- Working with photographs
- Non-fiction
- Fiction
- Covers
- What makes a good photo?
- Designing with photos
- Think about dominant features in your photos
- Look for lines of force
- Follow the horizon
- Convey action through sequence shots
- Principles of photographic composition
- Qualities of the components
- Creating effects
- Composition
- Real life?
Unit 7 – Researching material for children’s & young adult’s books
- Researching for fiction
- Researching genre and genre expectations
- World building and time period
- Gathering resources
- Personality types, culture and health
- Types of nonfiction texts for children and young adults
- Write a detailed plan
- Writing focus questions
- Collect sources: starting the bibliography
- Refining resources
- Research and note-taking
- Author notes
Unit 8 -Marketing in publishing (children’s books)
- Book distributors
- Marketing toward retailers
- Theme marketing, special sales
- Website and author platforms
- Marketing toward the consumer
- Reviews and interviews
- Launches
- Talks, lectures, and readings
Unit 9 – Publishing: ethics and the law (children’s books)
- The ethics of content
- Sensitivity, cultural and linguistic diversity
- Sensitivity readers
- Cultural and linguistic diversity
- Gender
- Content and ratings advisories
- Language expectations
- Plagiarism
- Censorship and book banning
- Copyright laws and ethics
- Gaining copyright
- Copyright notice
- What does copyright protect?
- When can a work be legally copied?
- Song lyrics
- Multimedia
- Codes of ethics
Unit 10 – Problem Based Learning (PBL) Project
Study Hours
Estimated duration 50 hours
Course Delivery and Start
Start anytime, self-paced and 100% online
Assessment
Assessment will be comprised of written exercises, including short-answer questions, reflective tasks, short reports and/or projects. There are no examinations or due dates for assessment. As a result, you can complete training in your own time and at your own pace with the assistance of unlimited tutor support.
Testimonials
About Us
Graduation
A Certificate of Attainment and Statement of Results will be issued upon successful completion of this course.
How to Enrol
Enrol Online: Enrol Now
Enrol via Live Chat (Business Hours)
Enrol via Telephone 1300 76 2221 (Business Hours)
Enrol via Purchase Order/Tax Invoice
Enrolling Multiple Staff?
To enrol multiple staff, please complete the Employer Enrolment Form. We’ll be in touch within 60 minutes during business hours!
Payment Options
Visa, Mastercard, BPAY and EFT/Direct Deposit. Please allow 1-2 Business days for processing for EFT and BPAY.
Course FAQs
Why Choose Australian Online Courses?
- Professional development that is widely recognised and respected;
- Improve your employment opportunities;
- Study online, anywhere via our elearning system;
- High-quality professional development programs written by industry experts;
- All course materials provided online – no textbooks to buy;
- Unlimited tutor support via email;
- We offer twelve (12) months’ access, with extensions available upon application (fees apply);
- Course may be tax deductible; see your tax advisor.
Are there any entry requirements or pre-requisites?
There are no course or subject pre-requisites for entry into our programs. However, our professional development programs are generally intended for people over the age of 18. In some circumstances, enrolments from younger people may be considered. Please complete the AOC Parent Guardian Consent Form prior to enrolling and submit here.
Are there any computer requirements?
To study online with Australian Online Courses you will need a computer (desktop PC/laptop) running a current/updated operating system with reliable high-speed internet access. You will need to use the Google Chrome browser to access your course.
When can I start this course?
You can start within 60 minutes during business hours when you enrol and pay in full with a credit card!
Credit card: Within 60 mins during business hours.
BPAY: Within 1-2 working days.
Internet Banking: Within 1-2 working days.
Cheque/Money Order: Upon receipt of mailed cheque.
How is this course delivered?
This course is delivered online via our easy-to-navigate Learning Management System (LMS), where you will discover interactive online learning/written content, resources and assessment.
Do I need to attend classes or undertake any work placements?
No. All courses are delivered online via our LMS and there are no work placement requirements in this course.
What support can I expect from Australian Online Courses?
Unlimited tutor support is available throughout your studies via email only during business hours Monday to Friday. Our Administrative team are available Monday to Friday via email, live chat and telephone.
I am an international student. Can I enrol into this course?
Yes! We accept enrolments from individuals both within Australia and internationally; location is no barrier to entry into our programs.
Career Pathways
Future growth
Strong
Unemployment
Low
Professional development for:
- Writers
- Public Relations Staff
- Editors
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