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This specialist Masters in Creative Writing is for writers for children and young adults who aim to complete a novel, series of picture books or shorter stories. It's a practical course, taught by experienced lecturers who are all published children's writers and/or industry professionals.

Designed for those already on the way to writing at publication level, whether in picture books, middle grade or young adult (YA) fiction, this online MA in Writing for Young People supports you to refine your craft while learning about the interaction of creative and business considerations in the modern publishing industry.

Writing workshops lie at the heart of the course, helping you to gain wide-ranging insights into your writing strengths and weaknesses and to experiment through your writing in a supportive but disciplined environment. A critical aspect of the course is the chance to meet other aspiring writers, to learn from them and to develop the creative networks that will support you in the next stage of your writing career.

Workshop modules lead to the production of a full manuscript – or substantial proportion of one – with a clear understanding of how to complete the book. While most students focus on Middle Grade or Young Adult prose fiction, others choose picture books, chapter books, collections, verse novels or even narrative non-fiction for their manuscript project.

Your writing will be underpinned by increased understanding of children and young people as readers, of the current publishing industry, and of good practice in submitting to agents and publishers. You'll acquire the core skills and knowledge working authors need in order to give their work the best chance of success in the marketplace.

In addition to a teaching team who are all published authors, with wide-ranging experience of various areas of publishing and the Arts, the course hosts a programme of guest speakers and activities throughout the academic year.