Writing for children

"Not All Letters Are Fairy Stories...
But This One Just Might Be!"

Dear Reader,

“Once upon a time, in a magical land of lakes and mountains, lived a lady called Joanne and her daughter, Jessica.

Joanne was very sad. Jessica’s daddy had gone away and she didn't have a job. She was very poor and couldn't afford food or the rent on the small house they lived in.

Luckily the DSS fairy came to their rescue with just enough pennies to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table. But Joanne wasn't happy. She vowed to make things better.

One of the things Joanne really liked to do was make up stories. One day, while sitting on a train, she had an idea for a really good story, and decided to write it down. It took quite a long time, but when she'd finished, she took it to the big city to show to some important men in smart blue suits.

The men in smart blue suits liked Joanne’s story very much, and said they'd like to make it into a book so other people could read it. Joanne liked that idea because the men in smart blue suits told her that she would be given a shiny coin every time somebody bought a copy of her book.

And so the story became a book, and lo and behold, people liked it very much. For every one they bought Joanne got her shiny coin. And they bought a lot!

Joanne was overjoyed and decided to write some more stories. The men in smart blue suits liked these too, and turned them into even more books. Once again, every time someone bought one of the books, Joanne got a shiny coin.

Soon Joanne had more shiny coins than she could possibly count. She sent the DSS fairy away to help someone else, used some of her coins to buy a very big house in the big city, and lived happily ever after.”....

....Fairy story?

Well not quite. You see, Joanne is a real person and this is a true story. You may know her better as J K Rowling, and her Harry Potter stories have netted her over £100 million - all for doing what I'm writing to you about today...

Writing for children

Now I don't want to mislead you. Not every children’s writer makes a mountain of cash. But it does demonstrate what can be done.

What's more, there are countless other examples of ordinary men and women who have combined imagination with pen and paper, to create small fortunes and idyllic and enviable lifestyles for themselves. I'll tell you a little more about them later.

You could join them, and here's why you should...

Imagine making a living - a small fortune even - doing something you love. No early morning starts, no stressful commuting, no fixed hours, no office politics, no overbearing boss. Just a pen, paper and your imagination.

Start the working day when you choose. Don't like early mornings? Not a problem. You'll hear about one successful children’s writer who says he tries to start work by 11.00am each morning!

Want to fit your writing in around work, other commitments or leisure activities? Again, you can do it. JK Rowling wrote most of her first book over coffee in Edinburgh cafes during her daughter’s afternoon naps!

You'll hear about other children’s writers who fit their writing around golf, tennis lessons, simple walks in the park and extended holidays.

That's the great thing about writing for a living. Start when you choose, stop when you choose...take time off when you choose. A wonderful stress-free, flexible way of life with both emotional and financial rewards far greater than can be had from a 9-5 job.

No wonder then, that writing is a dream career for so many people. But with so many branches of writing to pick from, why choose Children’s Writing?

Well, the first thing is the sheer joy of the art. Writing for children allows you to rediscover the excitement you knew as a child. Release your creativity and let your imagination soar free.

Fire-breathing dragons, misunderstood teenagers, spirited princesses, haunted houses, talking animals - you can bring them all to life and spend your days inventing.

You’ll get an unequalled sense of achievement from creating stories that will enchant children around the world. Perhaps you'll write an enduring classic which will be read and loved for generations...

And on top of all this, you'll be making money!

You see the market is vast. With over 14 million school age children in the UK, 60 million in America and over 100 million in Europe, the demand for children’s writing is huge.

While adult book publishers tend to concentrate on established 'names’, making it very difficult to break in, children’s publishers have an almost insatiable appetite for new talent.

So there's a better than average chance of getting published, and when you do, the rewards can be both lucrative and long lasting.

A popular children’s title can stay in print and sell for decades, as new audiences come along. In contrast, very few adult titles stay in print for more than a few years. As a result, a published children’s writer can sometimes earn a lifetime's income from just one book.

And it's more often than not a book which took less time and effort than that produced by an adult writer. The average adult book is at least double the length of a children’s book.

In fact, in many cases a successful children’s book may be no more than a few hundred words...even a few dozen words where very young children are concerned!

What's more, the research requirements for an adult book are infinitely greater than those for a children’s title. Like most people, you've probably read a children’s book and thought "Yes, I could have written that!" Very few of us would feel the same way about an adult novel.

Despite all this, the children’s author gets exactly the same percentage royalty as someone writing for adults. Children’s writing is probably the most lucrative fiction writing you could ever do, when measured by payment received per word.

Once again, I don't want to mislead you. I'm not suggesting it's easy. Far from it. But I think the vast majority of people have more chance of getting published and making money in the field of children’s writing than any other.

And here's something tremendously exciting, and unique to children’s writing...

As a children’s author, you have the opportunity to dream up characters which create an ongoing income - an income which could far outstrip the royalties you'll earn from the written word.

Peter Rabbit, Paddington Bear, Thomas the Tank Engine, Postman Pat and Harry Potter are just five examples of characters who started out in children’s stories before being taken up by the TV, film and merchandising industries and turned into brands which would net millions for their creators.

Can you imagine the thrill of creating a character in one of your books, and then seeing them become a film star, get their own TV series, or be used as the basis for a 1001 products which sell like crazy at the four corners of the globe?

It's happened to others and it could happen to you. Think about it... are Postman Pat or Thomas the Tank Engine such brilliant creations that you couldn't do something similar? Of course not.

Thomas was created by Reverend Awdry, an Anglican minister who started writing his stories in the late 1940s for his son Christopher. He wrote 26 Thomas books and collaborated with his son on 40 more, after he took over the 'family business'.

Thomas became a worldwide publishing, film, TV and merchandising phenomenon, generating millions of pounds in profit.

John Cunliffe was inspired to write about Postman Pat and the village of Greendale after visiting the Lake District. His books have sold in the millions, and Pat went on to become a TV, video and merchandising star, making bucket loads of cash for his creator in the process.

More recently, the creators of Bob the Builder and The Teletubbies have turned the process on its head, developing characters for TV, which later became the stars of books and the driving force behind the sale of millions of pounds worth of merchandise.

You could do this too....

But we're getting a little ahead of ourselves here. I think it's time I told you a little more about our home study course. It can quickly turn you from raw novice to a paid, published and respected children’s author leading an enviable lifestyle...and with a chance that you will become very wealthy indeed!

The Streetwise Writing For Children Home Study Course is the creation of Tony Bradman and Peggy Woodford, both successful children’s authors, each with dozens of books to their credit.

The Bluebeards, Sam The Girl Detective, and 14 books about Dilly The Dinosaur are just a few of the titles Tony has created. Peggy Woodford's published titles for older children include Abraham's Legacy, The Girl With a Voice and Monster In Our Midst.

Throughout the course, authors, editors and publishers alike pass on little known secrets about writing material for children and then getting it published, including...

...And a great deal more.

The course is split into 12 easy-to-digest, bite-sized lessons. In each, you'll learn about a different aspect of the fascinating field of writing for children.

Don't worry if you're a complete beginner. We assume no prior knowledge, and take you right from the basics... covering both the creative issues, and 'nuts and bolts' information which every successful writer needs to know.

Everything is written in a readable, easy, colourful style, with nothing academic or dry about it. Every page is bubbling over with imaginative ideas, colourful real-life examples and lively stories.

With each lesson, you'll also get a valuable insight into the lives and routines of leading children’s writers and illustrators, as they reveal how they work, how they got to where they are today, and some of the inside secrets they've learned along the way.

In addition, we'll give you the contact addresses of publishers who can take your work from manuscript to marketable book, and the writers’ groups who can give you the help and support you'll value as you make the transition from raw novice to published author.

At the end of each lesson you'll be invited to tackle a number of tasks and self test exercises. These have been carefully designed to quickly develop, and then build, both the creative and business aspects of your new writing career.

Don't worry though! You're not at school, and we won't be asking you to hand your homework in. The test exercises are there for you to use yourself...at your own pace and in your own time.

They'll help you to hone your skills and see how you're progressing. But if you don't want to do them, no problem. We're all grown ups now!

Working from home in the hours that suit, without supervision or pressure, while doing something fun, creative and lucrative is a dream held by many.

This course can turn that dream into a reality for you...

On receipt of your application and payment, you'll receive all 12 lessons, free course binder and other course materials in one hefty package. You'll then be free to work through the course at your own pace, in your own time.

Whether you're looking for a fascinating hobby, a second income, or the opportunity to become seriously wealthy, the Children’s Writing Home Study Course is going to be an invaluable investment in your future.

I look forward to enrolling you on the course and seeing your first work in print.

Kind Regards

John Harrison
Publisher

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