Among the secret ambitions we all nurture, writing a children’s book must be one of the most common. Google the phrase and you will be presented with an abundance of courses and workshops that promise to turn timid dreams into reality.

The latest comes from Random House, publisher of Shirley Hughes, Jacqueline Wilson and Philip Pullman among others, which has put together a particularly appealing package in conjunction with luxury chain Hotel Du Vin.

When an invitation arrived to a preview taster day in Brighton, I didn’t need asking twice. This, I was sure, was my ticket to becoming the next Julia Donaldson.

Or perhaps not. After ten minutes of staring at a soft toy, willing it to present me with a story idea, I realised what all successful children’s authors already know – writing for kids is hard. Just like writing a novel, it means creating engaging characters, a story arc with a satisfying resolution, being original while retaining a sense of universality... and all within 32 pages, the standard pagination for picture books.

As the author of scores of best-selling children’s titles, tutor Alan Durant has years of experience in the field. Try to inject humour, he advised; remember to write for the parent as well as the child; think of the American market, which tends to take a more conservative approach.

I looked at the unassuming duck in front of me – one of a collection of toys brought in by Alan as prompts – and realised I was beaten. Lunch – a delicious buffet in the hotel’s bar – came at just the right time and I returned to the afternoon session revived and determined to make that damn duck work for me.

But one of the skills involved in writing is recognising when an idea is going nowhere. Perhaps a different toy would offer more inspiration? I seized on a cuddly dinosaur as the intimidating sound of intense scribbling filled the room.

After 20 minutes came the moment of truth – show and tell. Seemingly out of nowhere came stories of a lonely eagle, a short-sighted zebra, a bear in search of a home... and a dinosaur that couldn’t roar. It was an impressive yield, especially given the modest time frame, and gave rise to some amusingly surreal conversations about ugly animals and whether a badger could really be friends with a horse.

A visit from illustrator Guy Parker-Rees gave further insight into the publishing process, as he explained the key role of images in children’s books and how to think of stories from an illustrator’s perspective.

The full-length course, coming up in January, runs to two days and includes feedback on your story from one of Random House’s children’s publishers, providing all the tools you need to get your story into print, or at least on to an editor’s desk.

Will The Dinosaur Who Couldn’t Roar make it on to the bestsellers’ list? I doubt it. But there’s always the next attempt...

  • Random House’s Write A Children’s Book in Two Days takes place at Hotel Du Vin, Ship Street, Brighton, from January 24 to 25, and costs £295, including refreshments and one lunch. Visit thewritersacademy.co.uk