Writing for Children and Teens

If you do want to take our aptitude test first, click here.

Writing for Children and Teens includes 10 assignments to be submitted via email to your personal instructor for editing and critiquing, as well as additional home assignments that train you in effective plotting, creating three-dimensional characters, the role of conflict and the dramatic arc. You will achieve a clear working knowledge of both the magazine and book publishing industry. Your assignments will be graded using ICL’s pass/fail grading and returned via email from your instructor.

Although we cannot promise you publishing success, we know of no other course as well suited to the challenging task of transforming a promising writer into a successful writer, marketer, and author.

TUITION

The tuition for the complete course of instruction, if paid in full at the time of enrollment, is $895 plus $19 shipping (US only; other countries will vary). With our monthly payment plan, $104 is due upon enrollment, with $85 payable per month for 10 months, for a total of $935 plus shipping. Tuition is all-inclusive: texts and sales taxes, where applicable, are all included.

Students outside of the U.S. - Please choose an option below. You will be contacted about additional shipping fees based your location. Additional shipping fees will be due before we can process the enrollment.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

WITHDRAWAL / REFUND POLICY

If you notify the Institute For Writers within three days of your enrollment that you wish to withdraw, any payments you have made will be refunded within 30 days, and you will have no further obligation. If you withdraw between 4-50 days after enrollment, you owe 25% of tuition; from 51—90 days, you owe 50%; from 91 to 120 days, you owe 75%; after 120 days you owe 100% of the tuition. Of course, all tuition payments you make will be deducted from your obligation as indicated above. Under the monthly payment plan, the finance charge will be retained even if the tuition is fully paid with less than 10 payments. If you pay in full upon enrollment and it becomes necessary for you to withdraw, you will receive a complete refund of any tuition you have paid above the amount due as outlined above.

For students who enroll without taking the Aptitude Test, our educators sometimes find that the course may be too difficult or that a different learning plan is called for. We make this determination no later than after the third lesson is submitted. In this rare event, students are refunded tuition paid for lessons not yet completed. Shipping, textbooks and any lessons completed are non-refundable. The course manual and textbooks are kept by the student. If you have questions or concerns about this, please call or email studentservices@institutechildrenslit.com.

COMPLAINT POLICY

We attempt to cultivate a positive environment for our students and our staff and faculty. So we ask our students to avoid any behavior that could be interpreted as abusive or threatening, and to refrain from submitting lessons that could be interpreted as offensive or inappropriate. We reserve the right to expel any student who doesn’t adhere to these standards, and the appropriate tuition refund will be made. In the rare instance when there is a complaint, either verbal or written, we will deal with the complainant expeditiously; base our evaluation on the facts supplied by the complainant and our own factual information; deal directly by phone, email, mail or in person with the complainant; establish as our priority goal the satisfaction of all complainants in a manner that is equitable and consistent. Complainants may contact the Executive Director of the Office of Higher Education if they are not satisfied with the resolution of the complaint at 860-947-1816, or 450 Columbus Blvd, Suite 510, Hartford CT 06103

If either the specifics or the language of these disclosures are not perfectly clear to you, please email: StudentServices@InstituteChildrensLit.com.

FAQs

HOW DO YOU SELECT AND TRAIN INSTRUCTORS?

When we select instructors for Writing for Children and Teens, we evaluate their background, education, work experience, publishing credits, professional accomplishments, and related experience that will benefit our students. Those selected undergo a program of closely monitored training, to ensure that they teach to our standards for Writing for Children and Teens. We have promises to keep, and we can keep them only with qualified instructors–as well as qualified students.

DOES THE INSTRUCTOR TO WHOM I’M ASSIGNED REALLY DO ALL OF THE TEACHING AND EVALUATION OF MY WRITING?
Your instructor is the only person who works on your writing assignments. The edits, corrections, and comments on your manuscripts are his or hers alone; and the instructional letters to you are also personally written by your instructor.

You work with one instructor to maximize the benefit to you. Early in the course, your instructor learns about you, your writing interests and goals, your strengths and weaknesses. This information is key to the program he or she develops for you. Each new assignment builds upon the previous one, and when you finish the course, you know how to write and how to sell your writing.

HOW DO I SUBMIT MY LESSONS?

Lessons may only be submitted by email, and you’ll get your personally edited manuscript back from your instructor by email as well. Lessons must be submitted to be in Microsoft Word document, which is the standard format for submitting writing in the publishing industry. We’ll provide you with detailed instructions once you enroll. If you have questions, check out the FAQs on our website, or email StudentServices@InstituteChildrensLit.com.

IS YOUR TUITION ALL- INCLUSIVE, WITH NO EXTRA CHARGES?

There are no additional charges by the Institute beyond tuition.

ARE THERE ANY TUITION PAYMENT PLANS?

We have two payment plans.

1. Pay with a one-time payment of $895 plus $19 US shipping and handling. (Additional shipping charges apply to students outside the continental US.)

2. Pay with our monthly payment plan of $85 per month for 10 months with an initial payment of $104 payable on enrollment. (Finance charges apply. See our Truth-In-Lending disclosure above. Additional shipping charges apply to students outside the continental US.)

CAN I EXPECT TO HAVE MY WRITING PUBLISHED BY THE TIME I COMPLETE THE PROGRAM?

Acceptance of your manuscript is the decision of individual editors and publishers. If any school or service does guarantee you’ll be published, be wary. It could either be a scam or a vanity press where they publish your work in their own books and you take all the risk. However, we can state with confidence that there is no better way of helping you to achieve your goals as a writer than by offering you enrollment in our program. The professional instructor we assign to work one-on-one with you from beginning to end teaches you how to write and helps you to find your niche.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE ME TO COMPLETE YOUR COURSE?

You set your own pace. To complete our course in six months, it’ll just take about 10-11 hours per week. Writing for Children and Teens is estimated to require approximately 223 hours of study, but you’re able to work at your own pace and have up to two years for completion.

WHAT OPTIONS DO I HAVE IF I’M NOT SATISFIED WITH THE PROGRAM?

If you’re not satisfied that you’ve become a better writer and learned how to market your writing to editors more effectively as a direct result of completing the program, you can obtain a prompt refund of every penny you’ve paid. Simply make your request by phone or mail within 60 days of the date on your diploma to Registrar, Institute of Children’s Literature. You may also contact the Connecticut Office of Higher Education.