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We’re looking for people to write children’s books
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By Patricia Pfitsch
I
f you've ever dreamed of writing for
publication, this may be your best
chance to turn that dream
into a reality.
If you qualify and show promise, we'll
teach you—the same way I was taught—
how to break into one of the most reward-
ing of all markets for new writers.
The
$3
billion children’s market
The continued success of publications for
young people has led to a growing
need
for new writers to help create the
$3
bil-
lion worth of children's books published
each year, plus stories and articles for
more than 600 magazines.
“But am I good enough?”
My dream
of writing professionally while
raising three kids on a farm
was once
bogged down in the same kind of uncer-
tainty you may have experienced.
Then, an ad for the Institute seemed
to offer the writing and selling skills I
needed. I passed its test and entered into
a richly rewarding relationship with an
author-instructor, which was a major turn-
ing point in my life—as I hope it will be
in yours.
The at-home training that has
launched more successful children’s
authors than any other school
The Institute of Children's Literature has
successfully trained more new writers to
meet the needs of this market than any
other school. Its unique program turned
my dream
into reality, and I became one of
more than
11,000
Institute graduates who
have published children's stories, articles,
and books, including prestigious award
Institute of Children's Literature
93
Long Ridge Road
West Redding, CT
06896-0812
Yes, please send me your free
Aptitude
Test for Children’s Writing
and illustrat-
ed brochure. I understand I'm under no
obligation, and no salesperson will visit
me.
Please circle one and print name clearly:
M
r.
Mrs.
Ms.
M
iss
G
6645
Name
Street
City
State
Zip
Recommended for college credits by the Connecticut
Board for State
Academ
ic Awards and approved by the
Connecticut Comm
issioner of H
igher Education.
Aptitude
Test for
Children’s f
Writing
ita
Our test and expert evaluation are free
winners. Now I'm
using my skills at the
Institute to train promising new writers.
The promise that paid off
The Institute made exactly the same
prom
ise to me that it will make to you if you
demonstrate basic writing aptitude:
You will complete at least one manu-
script suitable to submit to editors by
the time you finish the course.
With skill, empathy, and tough love
when needed, my Institute instructor
helped me complete and sell three of my
course assignments, which, I later discov-
ered, was not unusual.
Now, as a nationally published author
of
7
children's books and over
500
stories
and articles, I enjoy helping aspiring writ-
ers—as
I
was helped—to change their
dreams into bright reality.
A nationally published author
or editor is your one-on-one
writing and selling coach
If you are accepted, you will be assigned a
personal instructor who is a successful
author or experienced editor—and who
becomes your energizing spark plug and
deeply comm
itted writing and selling
coach. We all work the same way.
When you've finished an assignment at
your
pace, you send it to me. I edit it line-
by-line and send you a detailed letter
explaining my edits.
I point out your strengths, help elim
inate
weaknesses, and even show you how to
turn bits of your everyday life into saleable
writing. You push and I pull, and between
Patricia Pfitsch, a graduate of our course, has pub-
lished
552
stories and articles, plus
7
books,
including
3
award-winning novels and an Edgar
nom
inee. She is also an instructor at the Institute.
us both, you learn how to write—and how
to sell what you write.
From “wannabe”
to published author
What I got from
my instructor at the
Institute changed me from
a “wannabe”
into a nationally published writer. While
there's no guarantee that every student will
have the same success, we're praised by
students and publishers alike.
“I just wanted to let you know how
pleased we are with the work and profes-
sionalism of your students, Michelle
Barone and Dorothy Heibel,”
writes
Joanne Deitch, editor and former President
of Discovery Enterprises. “We just
launched a new series entitled Adventures
in History. Our first two books were
Out
of the Ordinary
by Michelle Barone and
Message for a Spy
by Dorothy Heibel.
“We want to congratulate the writers on
their work. Often we read of the struggle to
get published, but not so often of the suc-
cesses, so we just thought you'd like to
know how well prepared these students
were. Keep up the good work.”
Dorothy Heibel, who lives in Wessington
Springs, South Dakota, also sent us a note.
“I graduated from
the Institute
20
years ago.
The help I received from
your course
proved to be a wonderful foundation for
writing. You planted the seeds that took
root and are now producing the results I
had hoped for. In addition to
Message for
a Spy,
I currently have two mysteries out
making the rounds of publishers.”
We also talked to Michelle Barone of
Denver, Colorado. She applied to the
Institute
25
years ago, was accepted, then
“forgot about it.”
Her careers as a medical
worker, real estate agent, curriculum writer,
and adoptive mother (before she started
teaching
5
th grade English and math), came
first. She finally enrolled in
2000
. “Now,”
she says, “I grab time for my writing when
I can find it. Besides my stories and articles,
I've had five books published. You've
opened up a whole new world to me.”
Don’t let your dream die—
send for your free test today!
If a writing life is the one you long for,
here's your chance to test that dream. The
Institute offers a revealing aptitude test for
children's writing based on its 39 years of
experience, and it's free.
If you pass, it's because you have the
aptitude to make it in the world of writing
for children. It takes work, it takes com-
m
itment, it takes courage—but you can
do it.
Just fill out and mail the coupon at left
to receive your free test and 32-page intro-
duction to our course,
Writing for Children
and Teenagers,
and
80
of our instructors.
There is no obligation.
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_
