Course notes
62 pages
A downloadable PDF with clear, well-structured thoughts, ideas and exercises that make writing less intimidating.
Coming soon
David Walliams
Writing Books For Children
Learn from an award-winning author of best-selling children's books, how to write your own stupendous, spectacular stories.
The Course
Perfect for anyone who'd love to write. David helps you shape ideas into stories that delight, scare and tickle young minds. All you need is imagination!
Your Maestro
David Walliams, OBE, is an award-winning author of best-selling children’s books. He’s written 26 books that have sold over 37 million copies and been translated into 53 languages. He’s learnt a lot along the way and he’s here to teach you.
Lessons
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2 mins
David introduces you to the Writing Books For Children course.
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11 mins
Thinking about the things you believed in, cared about, found funny or scary as a child can help you create your story.
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11 mins
The stories you love - books, films, whatever it is that inspires you can help you write stories of your own.
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6 mins
The subtle art of drawing creativity from others.
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7 mins
Characters can come from anywhere. Especially real life.
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12 mins
Real life moments can give you great ideas. Here’s how to make it happen.
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8 mins
Finding a subject that sticks out and stands apart from everything else.
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5 mins
When two big ideas collide. Sometimes one idea just isn’t enough!
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11 mins
Beginning, middle and end. How to put a story together and make it engaging from page one.
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8 mins
Exploring the different types of stories and what makes them work.
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11 mins
How to make your hero or heroine as relatable, but interesting and exciting as possible.
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14 mins
Everybody loves a villain. Here’s how to make them fascinating, compelling and relatable.
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12 mins
How to make a story truly timeless, so that any child, anywhere and at any time, can enjoy it.
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6 mins
Finding the right playground for your story, to capture the imagination whilst retaining focus.
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7 mins
What makes funny… funny? Big jokes, small asides and finding humour in all manner of places.
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4 mins
If it's good enough for Shakespeare and Chaucer, it's good enough for us.
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11 mins
Where’s the perfect place to write, what are the perfect conditions to write in? Here’s a few suggestions for how to get going.
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9 mins
Making a plan finding your message, and dealing with writers block.
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10 mins
Visualising and dreaming your way to a story.
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5 mins
The first thing a reader sees. Here’s a few thoughts on how to get to a truly great title.
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5 mins
If you bore children, they will stop reading...
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8 mins
Page one, line one. What’s going to grab a child’s attention and draw them in immediately?
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5 mins
Edit. Edit. Then Edit some more.
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4 mins
All the most important things to remember.
What People are Saying
I found David very inspiring, to write - about anything, not just children's books.
- Hazel R
I'm taking this course at the mo and it really is brilliant!
- Jenn T
David Walliams's course is brilliant too - I have the idea and a story plan for my book - writing it now.
- Richard
I'm halfway through my @bbcmaestro course, Writing Books For Children, from @davidwalliams and it's brilliant!! His tips and guidance are enough for any budding children's writer! Shame it's only 25 lessons long!
- Lee
The real value, so far, lies in @davidwalliams descriptions of sources of inspiration & the collision of two different ideas. It's very inspiring to hear a successful writer talk about his craft. : )
- Claire
Plenty of information, advice and references to David's books as well as the works of other authors.
- Anon
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Common Questions
At BBC Maestro, we want to educate and inspire people to explore their creativity with online courses taught by experts. We've curated top talents in various fields, who deliver video courses to teach you everything you need to know to follow in their footsteps.
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