Save $50 for being a VIP ticket holder when you register today!
Write an AWEsome children's book that you're proud in easy 3-steps!
SIGN-UP FOR KIDLIT WRITING ACADEMY ENDS IN:
"I loved being in this course! My favorite and most helpful sessions were about the rule of three, the standard plot elements, and the manuscript formatting. Most of all I loved your encouragement that I could make this work and become successful!"
- Katelyn Ward, Former Student -
DOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR?
You have the BEST idea for a children's book. But you need help trying to write it.
Let's face it--writing a children's book is harder than you thought it would be. There are all these things to think about -- plot, characters, formatting, and that doesn't even cover editing!
You wish there was some way to know if what you're writing is on the right track.
And you're not alone. Most new children's book writers are right where you are.
The truth is that understanding HOW to write a children's book is something you must know in order to finally publish your book. And while you can spend hours and hours trying to find the information you need on your own, there is an easier way. . .
INTRODUCING ...
Learn how to write a children's book from a REAL children's book editor!
Originally used to coach our published authors one-on-one, we're opening it up to every children's writer because EVERY book deserves a place on a child's bookshelf if you can write it well enough.
If you are a new children's book writer, or if you've been writing for a while without getting it right, this is an opportunity that I promise you will not want to miss.
SIGN-UP FOR KIDLIT WRITING ACADEMY ENDS IN:
Learn from an award-winning children's book writer:
Learn from an award-winning children's book writer:
Use our easy 3-step process to write an AWEsome children's book! 👇
- A -
Acquire Your Assets
- W -
Write Your Story
- E -
Edit for Publishing
We'll work through each step together starting with your idea and gathering your story assets. Then we'll move onto the writing fundamentals and editing strategies from a real-life children's book editor so you can finalize a draft for publication.
SIGN-UP FOR KIDLIT WRITING ACADEMY ENDS IN:
Hey there! I'm Brooke Van Sickle.
And I want to help you write your children's book once and for all!
As a senior editor at a children's book publishing house, I read submissions daily from authors who want to publish a children's book. And while their hearts and story ideas are in the right place, the story itself is nowhere near ready.
Thankfully, I'm able to coach them on the mechanics of writing a children's book so they can take their 2,000 word picture book down to only 584. Or help them transform what they thought was a picture book into something their reader really wants -- like a chapter book. However, I'm not able to help every writer on a one-on-one basis.
That's why I've created the Kidlit Writing Academy. To help you learn what I coach all my authors on. So we can provide more kids with wonderful books to read.
It's more than a writing course. It's a writing TRANSFORMATION! 🖤
All of the information is very helpful! However the information that was most relevant to me was how to figure out the target audience, how to format the manuscript for each type of children's book publication and that editing is a crucial part of creating a fully fledged story that is marketable.
Oh gosh, every session covered so far has been an amazing bundle of such helpful knowledge! I am 59 years old with at least 54 years of writing experience, with an uncountable number of attempts at writing a book from start to finish. I have learned more within these past three weeks, from realizing I had no formal structure in place, as I am now learning, which is the obvious reason why my millions of words written in the past, have never ended with, "The end". Lol! So grateful!
The class is a terrific online space to learn how to develop a marketable children's picture book or novel for children. The instructor is extremely knowledgeable, warm and passionate about the topic of children's writing. She answers all of your questions. A great class. The homework and templates are also very helpful.
I am so inspired by the lessons that are being taught and feel as though this is without any doubt, a reachable goal, finally. Each progressive lesson is an understandable process and not overwhelming at all.
This class has given me the inspiration to know how to format an idea into an easy, step by step, correct process that will guide me to my successful goal to become an author, rather than adding to a stack of unfinished attempts.
The Academy Class is the perfect follow-up to the Masterclass. A lot of information, necessary information, is presented at each class that touches on the spectrum of writing for all children's books; there's something for everyone's aspirations. With your instructions for Picture Books specifically, I am learning to "see" more opportunities for creativity within my story.
SIGN-UP FOR KIDLIT WRITING ACADEMY ENDS IN:
"It's ALL been good and editing was an eye-opener! I'm taking mega notes, writing down titles of books (to purchase and read), and applying what I have learned to my current story. Thank you! I would recommend your course to anyone who is interested in writing (and reading) for children."
- Ramon Rojas, Former Student -
AFTER KIDLIT WRITING ACADEMY, YOU'LL FEEL CONFIDENT ABOUT...
- Your writing abilities instead of wondering if your writing is good enough to publish.
- Editing your sentences instead of feeling stuck trying to cut a manuscript down to only 500 words.
- Formatting your manuscript instead of feeling confused by all the rules for picture books and novels.
- Knowing WHAT editors are looking for instead of wondering why you received a rejection letter and not an offer.
- Writing a story that's ready to publish instead of letting another year pass you by without finishing the story that's been on your heart to write.
SIGN-UP FOR KIDLIT WRITING ACADEMY ENDS IN:
"Your class has definitely made an impact on me. It's the first time the step by step lessons have been so helpful. You reading my manuscript is the first time I’ve put it out there. Big step all thanks to you."
- Cathy Sladek, Former Student -
HERE'S WHAT'S ALL INCLUDED IN THE ACADEMY...
Access to All Trainings with Brooke Van Sickle
Broken into 6 sessions, you'll learn the step-by-step process to go from idea to polished manuscript.
The sessions cover:
- The 2 things every story MUST have in order to work.
- How to build a complete plot outline that's unique and compelling.
- How to format a children's book -- including picture books that need illustrations
- Editing tips that help you become your own best critique partner and understand WHY stories get rejected by editors
- How to line edit your story and punch up your writing to make it a more enjoyable read.
- How to create a plan for what to do with your story when it's fully polished and ready to publish.
BONUS: Companion Workbook for each lesson to help you implement the training with your OWN story.
Six digital-PDF workbooks with homework worksheets to take action right away!
BONUS: Digital Kidlit Resource Binder
Over 30 worksheets for each step of the children's book writing process! Includes things like picture book plotting worksheet, the hero's journey plotting guide, character profile card creator, title creation worksheet, and so much more!
BONUS: Kidlit Formatting 101 Mini-Course
Your complete guide into how to format your children's book story. Whether you're writing a picture book, chapter book, or novel -- this course will show you the steps to get it ready to send to publishers.
BONUS: Picture Book Perfection
The self-study guide that dives deep into the mechanics of picture book writing. Because writing something so short is more complicated than you think.
BONUS: Picture Book Boot Camp Course Access
Learn how to write a better picture book in just a weekend. Great for all picture book writers to get a jump start in the Academy!
BONUS: Kidlit Idea Decoder
Need help finding an AWESOME story idea? Use the Kidlit Idea Decoder to help you flesh out your idea and make sure that it's something worth publishing.
BONUS: Real-life feedback to teach you HOW to edit your story
Level 2 Academy students have the opportunity to submit for feedback which everyone gets to watch to see how you can write a better story with REAL manuscripts.
OPTIONAL: Group Coaching with Breakout Critiques
You don't have to write your story on your own! Level 3 Academy students get to meet once a month with Brooke for group coaching and individual critiques with their breakout group.
SIGN-UP FOR KIDLIT WRITING ACADEMY ENDS IN:
"This course has been a lifesaver for me! You discuss items that don't get discussed in a "normal" how-to book on children's writing. For instance the 10 steps in session 2, the critique and editing in Lesson 3 & 4. This was valuable to me. So I'm recommending this course to the other writers in my other groups I belong to."
- Bruce Benson, Former Student -
Here's a sneak peek of what you'll learn in each session...
Each lesson builds on the next to turn you into a writing wizard! Here are the sessions in order. 👇
- Session 1 -
Story Must-Haves
- Session 2 -
Story Plot Planning
- Session 3 -
Story Writing Basics
- Session 4 -
Story Editing Magic
- Session 5 -
Polishing Perfection
- Session 6 -
Publishing Prep
SIGN-UP FOR KIDLIT WRITING ACADEMY ENDS IN:
"Thank you for your instruction. You are a wealth of knowledge, and your communication and presentation were excellent! Thanks so much – Much to do now, but feeling super pumped about the process."
- Simon Lovell, Former Student -
Save $50 as a previous JtoKL student! Choose the option that works best for you!
Kidlit Writing Academy - Level One
Work through the lessons at your own pace. Level includes:
- Lifetime Access to all 6 Video Training Sessions with Senior Editor Brooke Van Sickle
- Six Digital Companion Workbooks to help you go deeper into each session
- Kidlit Formatting 101 Mini-Course
- The Kidlit Idea Decoder
- Lifetime Access to Picture Book Boot Camp
- Picture Book Perfection our self-study picture book guide
- Picture Book dummy layout
- Character Profile Card
- Plotting worksheet for both novels & picture books
- Story Set Up & Editing Checklist
- Access to the Facebook Community
$1,150
Yours Only $247
Kidlit Writing Academy - Level Two
*Limited space available*
Get feedback on your story and work through the lessons at your own pace. Level includes:
- Lifetime Access to all 6 Video Training Sessions with Senior Editor Brooke Van Sickle
- Six Digital Companion Workbooks to help you go deeper into each session
- Submit a story for feedback to 1 of 3 review sessions for critique notes
- Kidlit Formatting 101 Mini-Course
- The Kidlit Idea Decoder
- Lifetime Access to Picture Book Boot Camp
- Picture Book Perfection our self-study picture book guide
- Picture Book dummy layout
- Character Profile Card
- Plotting worksheet for both novels & picture books
- Story Set Up & Editing Checklist
- Access to the Facebook Community
$1300
Yours Only $297
Kidlit Writing Academy - Level Three
*Limited space available*
Get group coaching to help you go deeper with the lessons and break into critique groups. Level includes:
- Lifetime Access to all 6 Video Training Sessions with Senior Editor Brooke Van Sickle
- Attend monthly group coaching calls with Brooke Van Sickle to help you dive deeper into the lessons (Starts in January!)
- Six Digital Companion Workbooks to help you go deeper into each session
- Submit a story for feedback to your breakout group to review each month
- Kidlit Formatting 101 Mini-Course
- The Kidlit Idea Decoder
- Lifetime Access to Picture Book Boot Camp
- Picture Book Perfection our self-study picture book guide
- Picture Book dummy layout
- Character Profile Card
- Plotting worksheet for both novels & picture books
- Story Set Up & Editing Checklist
- Access to the Facebook Community
$2500
Yours Only $447
It's AWESOME! But don't just take our word for it...
Hear from others who've learned from Brooke's teaching...
- Roseann Schwartz
"If you want to write books for children through young adult, Brooke is the author and the teacher who's going to guide you and support you on your journey. Just like she is with me."
- Linda Butler Blair
"I've learned such a lot and so many techniques about the whole process. Go for it! Brooke's an expert so there's nothing to worry about. You'll be so glad you did."
- Courtney Denee
"These books exist in your head and on paper, but until you see how other people are reading it, you don't know how well it's written. Don't wait! The faster you get feedback, the better."
- Erin Murphy
"I didn't know what some of the formatting rules were. Brooke's guidance helped me to learn not only how to set up my story but how to dig deeper into my story and what I was trying to tell."
SIGN-UP FOR KIDLIT WRITING ACADEMY ENDS IN:
"I went into the class feeling that something was missing from my story. Now I feel that I am headed in the right direction and getting closer to writing a story that can be published. Thank you for all the wonderful information you have given the class. It has been the most helpful class I have taken in writing a children's book."
- Dana Fraley, Former Student -
EACH WEEK OUR STUDENTS HAD SO MUCH GOOD NEWS TO SHARE:
It was so helpful looking at and talking about different children's books and figuring out the goal, problem and theme. Also good to know that I can read the back of a book and it pretty much tells you the character, goal and problem.
It helped me to understand how important your character and their goal is because it drives your story. If you are floundering, the focus on this will help hone you in and help you then develop your plot and theme. But it all starts with the character and goal!
Your class is ALWAYS jam-packed with information and I will return to the replay to finish my notes. Thanks ALWAYS for making your classes not only informative, but lots of FUN as well!! See you next week!!! Best, Roseann
Brooke provides an abundance of examples for use as visual clarification. And, during Q&A, she also retrieves even more examples--often, it's a book she has in her office!
You always present topics in a way that, as a reader of children's books, one can easily comprehend. You provide plenty of examples that give us that "Ah hah" moment, and, if that were not enough, you include checklists in the worksheet packet that serve as a guide for us to follow! Thank YOU!
As with all the classes in KidLit Academy, Brooke guides her students with her knowledge and personal experience as an author, editor, publisher, and teacher, by demonstrating through the use of countless examples, how best to write a children's book.
"This was such an informative class. I found value in looking at the potency of voice in my story and I definitely need to establish showing vs telling in my current story. It is also helpful to hear about the lateral thinking required in regard to the whole team involved in publishing. It invites me to be more flexible."
- Erin Murphy, Former Student -
ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS....
WHAT'S INCLUDED WITH THE KIDLIT WRITING ACADEMY?
The Academy will be a 6-session writing intensive that was previously taught live with your writing coach, Brooke Van Sickle. Each lesson includes a workbook to follow along with the video trainings and homework to complete later.
WHAT WILL I LEARN IN THE INTENSIVE?
Each week of the KidLit Writing Academy, you'll learn something new about writing for children. Including:
- The 2 biggest things every story MUST have in order to work.
- How to build a complete plot outline that's unique and compelling.
- Formatting tips and an explanation on how to set up your story for submission.
- Editing tips to help you understand what an editor's looking for and how you can fix your story to fit them.
- What to do with your story when it's fully polished and ready to publish.
HOW IS THIS COURSE DIFFERENT THAN ALL THE REST?
Unlike most writing courses that teach you the basics of writing, this course dives deeper into the actual nitty gritty of writing. Together, we're going to look at what makes a story manuscript a best-seller and what makes a story get an automatic rejection letter.
The Kidlit Writing Academy is designed to help you become the editor and critique partner you've always wished you could find!
WHAT IF YOU DON'T WRITE PICTURE BOOKS?
That's okay! We know that children's books are not synonymous with picture books. Which is why the Kidlit Writing Academy covers writing skills you can use whether you write picture books, chapter books, middle grade, or young adult novels. This is great, especially if you're a writer with a lot of different ideas who wants to try writing all the things!
HOW DO I KNOW WHETHER THE WRITING ACADEMY IS RIGHT FOR ME?
This is perfect for you if you already have a story idea in mind and need help getting started. We'll take what you think you need to write for your book and help you get to the next level in order to help you land that publishing contract.
If you're wanting to know what editors are looking for when they read your story, then you're going to LOVE how this course offers direct insight from an editor herself!
WILL I STILL BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IF I HAVEN'T WRITTEN MY STORY YET?
YES! If you haven't started writing yet, now is the best time to sign-up because you'll get all the knowledge you need right away. Instead of wasting hours and hours writing words that won't be published or spending weeks and weeks editing something that might never work as a story.
WHAT DOES IT COST TO SIGN-UP?
Normally in order to write a children's book well, you'd have two options:
1 - you could try to do everything yourself, spending hundreds of hours writing, attending conferences, and submitting your book. But that takes a lot of valuable time and might cause you to give up on your story or try to turn to an editor for help because you're so frustrated.
OR
2 - you could hire an editor to help you and pay thousands of dollars to polish your story. Which is sometimes helpful and other times a waste of money because the editor doesn't understand what makes a children's book work. (There IS a mastery you must understand and not all writers do.)
We don't want you to choose either option! Instead, The Kidlit Writing Academy is designed to feel like you're hiring an editor for your story -- except instead of paying for someone else to do the work, you're learning how to do it yourself so you can write any book well.
When you purchase the Kidlit Writing Academy, you'll receive lifetime access to the lessons and resources for just a one-time payment of $297. (An awesome deal considering it'd cost over $2,000 to hire our coach as an editor!)
DON'T WAIT! DOORS TO THE KIDLIT WRITING ACADEMY CLOSE IN...
"The session gives a great overview of how to approach a story and what it needs to succeed. I am taking the Masterclass along with the Writing Academy class. Both classes are helping me to understand the world of children's book writing, and also how to approach my writing. :-)"
- Maureen Dowdell, Former Student -
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