Write Verse For Children

So you want to write verse for children.

If you have been around the children's publishing industry for more than 10 minutes, you know that most publishers will not even look at verse for children.

Why not? 

Are children's publishers old grinches who hate engaging verses?

Of course not! 

Publishers love high quality children's literature and hunt relentlessly to find the best so they can publish it and bring it to the public.

• Everyone who works with children's literature understands the charm of children's verses. 
• Parents enjoy reading good verses to their children.
• Teachers love excellent verses because they motivate children to learn to read. 
• Children love verses because they are fun and memorable.

The reason publishers beg writers not to submit verses is because the overwhelming number of submitted children's verse is ghastly.

If a writer makes small errors writing prose, an editor can make suggestions and put the writer back on track. 

Writing verse is so complex that an editor can't possibly put in the time to help the writer to juggle all aspects of writing verse at the same time to be successful. I know because some writers have sent me verses for children. I have struggled to help those writers to find success. Some have gone on to better writing. Others were clearly in over their heads and my best advice was to write prose.

Part of my service to writers includes a sample edit. Because of the difficulty in editing verse, I will no longer be offering a sample edit on verse. The only way to have me edit verse is...

...to take the course first.

At the end of the course, a student can ask for a response from me for a nominal fee. After I have evaluated the student's ability to write verse, I can give a professional opinion on whether or not I believe it is worthwhile for us to continue working together.

The paid response is completely optional. No one ever has to pay anything for this course and I will never contact you for any purpose other than to deliver the courses as promised unless you contact me first.

If you want to write good verse for children, verse children will enjoy and publishers will consider, fill out the form below.