- Online
- $695
Picture books are one of the most underestimated forms in literature. They are also one of the most exhilaratingly challenging genres to get right. A picture book is not a short story with drawings. It is a form with its own logic — one where the text must leave room for the illustrator, where every word carries weight, and where silence on the page can do as much work as the sentence before it. Getting that balance right takes practice, close reading and a willingness to have fun and try things that shouldn't work.
This course is for anyone who wants to write picture books — whether you are a writer who is new to the form, a parent or educator who has spent years reading the genre and who wants to try their hand, or an illustrator who wants to understand the written side of the collaboration.
No prior publication history is required. All you need is curiosity about the form and a willingness to write, share and revise. The course is designed to support writers at every level: from beginners in need of the basics to professionals looking to review and grow.
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Read picture books analytically and understand how text and image work together to make meaning
- Write text that makes genuine room for the illustrator rather than describing what the pictures should show
- Compress a complete narrative into the space the form allows, without losing character, voice or stakes
- Identify and develop a distinct narrative voice appropriate to a young audience
- Revise a manuscript with precision — cutting, restructuring and reconsidering at the word level
- Produce a complete picture book manuscript draft and a written reflection on your creative choices
Course outline
Each week combines readings, a short, recorded lecture from your instructor, writing exercises and discussion forums where you share work and respond to your classmates.
Week 1: What picture books actually are — close reading of the form
Week 2: Making room for the illustrator — text and image as partners
Week 3: Narrative compression — telling a complete story in very little space
Week 4: Character and voice
Week 5: Revision — the manuscript as a working object
Week 6: Final manuscripts and workshop
Instructor
Jordan Scott is a poet and children’s author. Scott is the author of four picture books with Holiday House / Neal Porter Books and Random House Studio. His debut children’s book, I Talk Like a River (illustrated by Sydney Smith), was a New York Times best Children’s Book of 2020. It was translated into 21 languages and was the recipient of the American Library Association’s Schneider Family Book Award, which honors authors for the artistic expression of the disability experience. I Talk Like a River also received numerous international awards and was nominated for the Governor General’s Literary Prize for Young People’s Literature. Scott is also the author of four books of poetry and the recipient of the Writers’ Trust Latner Poetry Prize, given to a mid-career poet in recognition of a remarkable body of work, and in anticipation of future contributions to Canadian poetry.
How am I assessed?
This course is marked complete/incomplete. To receive a completion record, you need to submit at least 80% of the required assignments and participate in the weekly discussion forums.
Your instructor provides written feedback on all discussion forums and writing exercises, and personalized recorded feedback on your final manuscript. You will also receive peer feedback through the weekly discussion forums and writing exercises.
Record of completion
Students who have successfully completed a course can access completion documents two weeks after the course ends. Course completion means 80% attendance and/or 80% completion of mandatory assignments.
Expected effort
Expect to spend three to four hours per week completing coursework. This includes reading the weekly written and recorded lecture, completing the writing exercise, participating in the discussion forum, and responding to at least two classmates each week. Students who attend optional weekly office hours should add an additional hour.
Technology requirements
To take this course, and for the best experience, we recommend you have access to:
- an email account
- a computer or laptop using Windows or macOS or a tablet
- the latest version of a web browser (or previous major version release)
- a reliable internet connection.
For virtual office hours, you’ll also need:
- a video camera and microphone.
One day before the start of your course, we’ll email you step-by-step instructions for accessing your course.
Course format
This course is 100% online and instructor supported with weekly optional Zoom sessions on Mondays from 1pm-2pm Pacific Time. Course work is done independently and at your own pace within deadlines set by your instructor. Log in anytime to your course to access the lessons as they become available.
Join your instructor on Zoom in the optional session to discuss course materials and your manuscript in progress, receive feedback and ask questions. Sessions are recorded so you can view them later if you cannot attend.
