The Institute Difference

Writing is an amazing thing. It allows us to convey thoughts, research, stories, and more to people we will never meet. Because it's so special, we begin to learn about it while very young. Writing is a major focus for school children as they learn to turn what is in their heads into marks on paper that are meaningful for anyone who picks up the paper. And for many small children, what they want to convey is story. Even very young children recognize there is something magical in story, in the ability to create worlds in your head and share them with others. Oral storytelling is amazing but can only reach those you come in direct contact with, but written storytelling has no limits. It can outlast your lifetime.  

Because of the importance of learning to communicate using the written word, most of us have received a great deal of writing instruction by the time we graduate from public school. Many of us will receive still more in a college setting. But what if we want communication with the written word to be our career? What if we want to learn more? 

One unique thing about a writing career is that you can “pick it up on the streets,” if you are driven and if you have the patience and the time. The amount of time and careful winnowing of the available information to cull out advice that is outdated, unrelated, or just plain wrong can be prohibitive. As a result, many writers will launch into a hopeful effort without the information they need. The results are often dispiriting and can be expensive in terms of time and money.  

Overall, writers simply benefit more from advice and guidance they can trust. This leads writers to seeking out instruction. And one excellent place to learn the art of writing for publication is The Institute of Children's Literature.  

Track Record and Experience 

The Institute of Children's Literature has been at the forefront of self-paced distance learning for children's writers for a long time. ICL has been jump starting writing careers since 1969. And ultimately that's what we're dealing with here: the jumpstart. Writing, as I mentioned, can be self-taught, but that will add years to your writing journey. A solid program of instruction through a reputable school with skilled instructors will give you the focused skills you need to succeed.  

The Institute isn't the only way to learn to write publication-quality prose. There are several excellent programs for getting a master's degree in children's writing. There are also fine workshop programs through SCBWI and through Highlights. These are reputable options, but which on is right for you? Which one do you want to choose? 

One-on-One, Hands-on, and Bespoke 

One of the big differences between the Institute and some other options is the one-on-one instruction. The relationship between an Institute student and an instructor is unique. Instructors seek to know the specific goals of each student, so they can help guide the students in ways that will lead to the desired results. Students who love research and reading nonfiction, will receive direction toward all the things needed for that. Research and organization will help any writer, but it is essential for nonfiction writers and instructors will make sure students with a nonfiction focus connect with everything in the program that will help. 

You get a wealth of fantastic information when you enroll with the Institute and it can be initially overwhelming. But that's where a one-on-one instructor comes in. You can ask questions. In fact, instructors love students who ask questions. When I was teaching for the Institute, those questions helped me ensure my students' outcome met their hopes. Some of my students wanted to write novels for young adults, but some were focused on writing for younger children, so I could tailor my suggestions to get each person where they wanted and needed to be. I've taught in workshop venues in different settings, but nothing offers as much feedback opportunity as a good, self-paced distance learning class.  

Skill Building and Market Advice 

One of the problems with a great many learning options is the lack of focus on finding your niche in terms of publishers. Now, the bulk of instruction at the Institute (and with any reputable learning option) is on skill building. It needs to be. You can't sell material that isn't publication ready, not to reputable publishers anyway. The days when publishers could do a ton of encouragement for talented writers who are growing in their craft is over. In fact, they were pretty much over by the time I started writing for publication and that was back in the 80s.  

Publishers and the editors they employ can't afford to do that anymore. They may have the desire, but they don't have the time. Editor days are long, and they are full. Sure, not being able to guide really talented writers who need help means publishers have to pass on manuscripts that are new, fresh, innovative, and potentially great books, but need a prohibitive amount of rewriting. Publishers know that. But there really isn't anything they can do about it. It isn't because they're money-hungry or only want to publish the best-selling authors. It's because they don't have time to teach writers how to write. No matter how great your ideas are, your skills need to meet the publishers' needs as well.

So, the bulk of what you want from any learning experience should be skill-building. It's the most important thing you can do to be published. It is more important than market familiarity. I know a great deal about the publishers who publish picture books. I'm familiar with what differentiates one publisher from another. I even know people working at a lot of publishers. But that doesn't translate into my having published picture books (other than a few ghost-written books). This is because the bulk of the time I've put into skill-building involves creating longer plots for older readers. It involves the fast-paced voice for older readers, not the musical voice of picture books. I have skills, but not quite the right ones, and knowing all the publishers doesn't do much to help me build the needed skills if I want to switch to writing picture books. So, knowing markets is always second to simply becoming a more skilled, fluent writer, and learning the type of writing that works best for specific formats and age levels. 

That doesn't mean knowing markets isn't important. Knowing markets can help you avoid mistakes in submission and publisher choice. And that's why the Institute does help steer writers toward the kinds of markets that work best for their skills and strengths. In fact, the Institute annually puts out some of the only market guides around, which is awesome.  

Sum Up 

For all of these reasons, the Institute of Children's Literature is a great aid in taking you from where you are as a writer to where you need to be. Ultimately, success is dependent on the individual student's willingness to grow and change, and the student's ability to commit the time and energy to the process. But it will shave time off the journey to publication. It will boost your knowledge and fluency. It will show you what your strengths are, and where you need to work (which is nearly always a revelation as where we think we are strongest, and weakest are often not quite right). And it will do these things with a professional writer at your side, giving advice, cheering success, and offering the guidance you specifically need for what you want to pursue in children's writing.  

That doesn't mean the journey will be easy. It won't. It'll be hard work, and sometimes ego bruising, and even frustrating. But it will get you where you need to go if you let it. It's done it for so for many writers in the past. So, if you're looking for a good program, well, I think the Institute of Children's Literature is a great choice. Spend some time on the Institute's website, and I think you'll be impressed by what you see.  

Related Pages on the Institute

• Online Courses for Childrens Writers
• Manuscript Critique Service
• Online Writing Contests and Webinars