Itinerary of children's and youth literature

How to write for children and young people

There once was a two-level curriculum - distributed in two academic years - specifically designed for the training of writers of children and youth literature.

The objective of the itinerary is for the student to acquire a structured method of writing, as well as knowledge of the history and fundamentals of Children's and Youth Literature and the tools and strategies necessary to develop in the publishing world: relationships with publishers, agents, institutions, methods of promotion and diffusion of the work, etc.

Objectives of the Itinerary

Over two years, the student will acquire the necessary techniques to design his own editorial project, from the initial idea to the last correction, and will be prepared to manage it within the editorial scope of children and youth. You will also have acquired a working method that you can apply to your future works.

In order to achieve these objectives, there were once invited to talk with the students authors, editors, literary agents, illustrators ... School of Writers counts for this course with the collaboration of publishers such as SM, Edebé or Maeva, who will read those works that the cloister considered appropriate for their collections.

Given the good relationship between the current literature for children and young people and new technologies, the itinerary also contemplates the student's training in this field: social networks, new formats and digital supports.

The two courses of the itinerary

Each course of the Itinerary occupies one academic year (from October to June). These are the exact characteristics for each of the modalities we offer (the face-to-face mode is taught in Madrid).

Virtual mode

• Duration: 8 months (approximate dedication: 160 hours)
• Price: 1,200 euros
• Number of students: 12

Face-to-face mode

• Duration: 90 hours (distributed in 32 classes of 2.5 hours plus 10 hours of activities and extraordinary meetings)
• Price: 1,200 euros
• Number of students: 12

First year: Do you want to write LIJ?

In this first course the student will learn the essential narrative techniques to write LIJ, learn the History of Children's and Juvenile Literature, its background and development, both in Spanish and in other languages. Individual writing practices will be done, which will be commented by the teacher and the group, and will analyze several readings chosen by the team of teachers of the itinerary to illustrate the concepts that have been addressed in the writing classes. The course is completed with two meetings with authors and professionals from the children's and young people's publishing world, as well as monographic sessions on specific aspects of the LIJ.

The course is divided into two subjects, a theoretical and reading analysis (Overview of the LIJ) and a practice (Write LIJ) that will be taught in alternate weeks.

The students will choose at the beginning of the course one of the seven areas of action proposed by Vladimir Propp (within his study Morfología del Cuento) and will seek in each one of the aspects addressed in the theoretical subjects the presence of this literary archetype, performing a work of prospecting in literature from the particular angle of the character they have chosen.

Second year: LIJ Project

The second year's work program delves into narrative techniques, paying special attention to the main narrative genres of children's and youth literature.

The course is divided into two semesters, with two subjects in each. During the first four months, the literary genres of the LIJ are dealt with from a practical point of view (Write II) and continues with the revision of the editorial and literary panorama initiated the previous year (Overview LIJ II). These subjects will be taught in alternate weeks. The second semester the student will embark on his writing project guided by the tutor and, in parallel, will deal with the theoretical aspects of the literary project management.

The team of teachers will help the student to define the age, gender or style that best suits their work. The second semester of the course will be devoted to the preparation of the editorial project of each student. The student will be accompanied and guided throughout the process. In addition, you will be provided with the necessary tools for the management, promotion and promotion of your work in the editorial field.

Like the first year, the course is completed with reading analysis and two meetings with authors and professionals from the children's and young people's publishing world, as well as monographic sessions on specific aspects of the LIJ.

More information and registration

The upcoming LIJ Itinerary courses will begin in October 2017.

In Internet

• Beginning: October 26, 2017
• Schedules: Without a fixed schedule, an approximate time of 5 hours per module

In Madrid

• Beginning: October 19, 2017
• Hours: Thursdays, from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm.

Content of the courses

First year: Do you want to write LIJ?

Overview of LIJ I: Theoretical subject and reading

• Origins of the LIJ
• Anglo-American LIJ
• LIJ in the Mediterranean
• LIJ in Spanish
• LIJ in Spain
• LIJ in central and northern Europe
• LIJ in other languages
• LIJ in the 21st century

Practical subject: Write LIJ I

First quarter

• Basic principles of LIJ
• Naturality, abstraction and concretion
• The action
• The theme
• Narrative structure
• Narrative tension
• The children's characters
• The youthful characters

Second term

• Storytellers
• Dialogues
• About us
• With the five senses
• The absurd as a story generator
• The wonderful world of fantasy
• Non-human characters
• Beyond Narrative: Poetry, Theater, Popular Lyric

Second year: LIJ Project

Overview of LIJ II: Theoretical subject and reading

• Limits of LIJ
• Current panorama of children's literature
• Current panorama of youth literature
• Topics in the LIJ narrative
• Editorials and contests
• Presentation of projects
• Promotion and dissemination
• Contracts

Practical subject: Write LIJ II

First quarter

• Witches and magic
• Travel and Adventures
• How to have fun reading: humor and reality
• Love
• Wonderful Classical Tales
• The mystery and the black genre (maybe gray)
• Fear and science fiction
• Illustrated album and comic book (readers and prelectors)

Second term

• Individual project