The ability to write effectively is a skill that pays off over and over again and lasts a lifetime.  The sooner a young person acquires this skill, along with an underlying facility in grammar, spelling, punctuation, research, and analysis, the sooner he or she will find success—not only in writing term papers, book reports, and historical essays, but as a well-educated person with a distinct advantage in pursuing his or her life’s work.

In our 25 years of teaching young people how to write for publication, we have found that the standards set by editors and publishers are based on the principles of all good writing.  These same principles are embedded in our course.  As a result, our students and graduates, while striving for publication, have distinguished themselves by their success in school, college, and their careers.

A home-study course in creative writing
perfectly geared to home schooling

The Institute of Children’s Literature offers a premiere home-study course in creative writing, Writing for Children and Teenagers. It is the only course of its kind in America so highly respected that it’s approved for college credits.

While this course was developed for adults, we began offering a special version of it some 25 years ago to gifted young writers 14 years of age and older.  It was immediately successful and the course is now supported by a specially trained faculty selected for their empathetic understanding of young people and their ability to encourage and inspire them.

Since our founding in 1969, we have continuously revised, refined, and improved our course to produce writers capable of meeting the ever-changing requirements of America’s editors and publishers.  We believe that the true measure of effective writing is whether a professional editor or publisher deems it worthy of publication. 

As a consequence, we have established a high standard of success for our instructors and faculty, as well as our students.  It is the promise we give to every student who qualifies for our course:

By the time you finish our course, you will complete at least one manuscript suitable for submission to an editor or publisher.

The first key is qualification.  We accept only those applicants who pass our writing aptitude test, because we must be certain that every student we enroll has the potential to fulfill our promise.

Each student is assigned his or her own personal instructor, a nationally-published writer or editor, who provides all of the instruction on every assignment for the duration of the course.  The instructor reads and rereads each assignment line by line before making notes, or edits, directly on the student’s manuscripts, then sums up his or her evaluation in a detailed letter of critique.

The student’s progress is appraised, strengths and weaknesses assessed, and specific steps are recommended by the instructor to improve particular aspects of the student’s writing, accompanied by supplementary teaching materials.

“. . . the most effective kind of teaching yet devised”

One-on-one tutorial instruction of this kind is now rare in America but, as home-school parents know, it is by far the most effective kind of teaching yet devised.  While it is impossible to determine the output of all of our students and graduates over the years, more than 11,000 have sent us notices of publication.  They have won every major prize and award in the field.

The unique value of this course is its perfect compatibility with home schooling.  The course manual, teaching guide, textbooks, and teaching materials are comprehensive and stimulate independent thought and creativity.

But the crown jewel of this celebrated course is individual, one-on-one mentoring on every assignment by a nationally published writer who knows what editors are looking for.  Your instructor’s edits, commentary, critique, and personal guidance are supported by a team of student counselors available for additional personal consultation by telephone or email.

A highly flexible course

All coursework is completed at home, at a time and pace of the student’s choosing.  We normally allow two years to complete the course by standard mail, but more and more students are opting for the email version and are completing it in less than eight months. 

In recognition of the busy schedules of young students, extensions of due dates on assignments and leaves of absence are available, as needed, at no additional cost. 

The primary goal of this course is to train young writers to prepare manuscripts that meet the professional requirements of children’s editors and publishers, our literary marketplace. 

The training includes completion of an in-depth character study, a descriptive sketch, professional query letters to editors, and five stories or articles.  Students also have the option of outlining a book and writing the opening chapters.

No matter which option a student chooses, our promise holds:

You will complete at least one manuscript suitable to submit to an editor or publisher by the time you finish the course.

In addition to our promise, we are committed to the satisfaction of our students and accept full responsibility for it with this Guarantee:

If you’re not satisfied that you’ve become a better writer and  learned how to market your work to editors and publishers as a result of completing this course, you can request a refund of every penny you’ve paid.  Simply make your request within 60 days of the date on your diploma.

You will not find such a remarkable guarantee anywhere in the world of education except in our courses.  That’s because we pre-test every student, then give him or her expert instruction, close personal guidance, and strong support every step of the way.

The result is often the development of a powerful professional bond that gives the student the strength and confidence to express an unexpectedly high level of creativity.

Of course, we can’t guarantee anyone publication, top grades, or special recognition, but we do promise our students the most effective instruction and training available in preparing them for success in writing for children and teenagers.  That professional training will, at the same time, prepare them for success in school, college, and in their life’s work.

Recommended for six college credits

The Institute and our courses are licensed by the State of Connecticut Department of Higher Education, and the Connecticut Board for State Academic Awards recommends that students who complete our course be awarded six college credits.  Our Registrar will give you full details.

If this is the kind of course you’re looking for, please continue to review this website and see just how our program will work for your child.  Feel free to call us toll-free at (800) 243-9645 with any questions.  Or contact us by email: InformationServices@InstituteChildrensLit.com.

Free writing aptitude test and evaluation

The next step is to urge your child to complete our free aptitude test.  It will tell you both whether he or she is ready to take advantage of the superior training our course offers.  The test, and our evaluation of it, is free of any cost or obligation, and no salesperson will visit you.

(Please see “Gifted young writers evaluate our course” for a candid appraisal in the words of 24 students and graduates.)