How to Teach a Child to Write a Novel
50 CommentsBy Lostcheerio on Sunday, August 16, 2009 at 11:19 AM.
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This spring, I formed the Junior Secret Noveling Club, a small group of kids who wanted to learn to write novels. The kids were between ages 7 and 9, and all homeschooled, all brisk little chirpy creative spirits who were game for my games.
I developed a curriculum to teach them the nuts and bolts of writing a novel, from developing a subplot to placing significant objects in the setting, even giving their hero a tragic flaw. I introduced a lot of concepts and techniques which children wouldn't typically be exposed to, with the idea that learning the hows and whys of novel construction would make them better readers. Even if they weren't necessarily going to sit down and pen The Grapes of Wrath, they would approach their reading material with a new level of awareness.
The "club" was set up kind of like a mini-scouts, with badges to earn (conflict, villain, chapter list, etc.), a secret handshake, and an oath to begin the meetings. The students kept a notebook and filled it with their activities in class, the worksheets they did to earn badges, and their homework assignments.
We did eight weeks of progressive lessons, including a little bit of grammar and a lot of silliness and games. At the end of the session, they walked away with a detailed plan and chapter list, well prepared to launch their novel-writing. They also walked away with a new attention to the "behind the scenes" aspect of books they were reading, newly conscious of the decisions authors make and the reasons they make them. At the end of the course, they "graduated" and I authorized them all (in the silliest way possible) to go and be novelists.
The entire course is now published on my Examiner site. On each lesson's page, you'll find a link to download the relevant PDF to create the worksheets and activities you'll need:
This spring, I formed the Junior Secret Noveling Club, a small group of kids who wanted to learn to write novels. The kids were between ages 7 and 9, and all homeschooled, all brisk little chirpy creative spirits who were game for my games.
I developed a curriculum to teach them the nuts and bolts of writing a novel, from developing a subplot to placing significant objects in the setting, even giving their hero a tragic flaw. I introduced a lot of concepts and techniques which children wouldn't typically be exposed to, with the idea that learning the hows and whys of novel construction would make them better readers. Even if they weren't necessarily going to sit down and pen The Grapes of Wrath, they would approach their reading material with a new level of awareness.
The "club" was set up kind of like a mini-scouts, with badges to earn (conflict, villain, chapter list, etc.), a secret handshake, and an oath to begin the meetings. The students kept a notebook and filled it with their activities in class, the worksheets they did to earn badges, and their homework assignments.
We did eight weeks of progressive lessons, including a little bit of grammar and a lot of silliness and games. At the end of the session, they walked away with a detailed plan and chapter list, well prepared to launch their novel-writing. They also walked away with a new attention to the "behind the scenes" aspect of books they were reading, newly conscious of the decisions authors make and the reasons they make them. At the end of the course, they "graduated" and I authorized them all (in the silliest way possible) to go and be novelists.
The entire course is now published on my Examiner site. On each lesson's page, you'll find a link to download the relevant PDF to create the worksheets and activities you'll need:
How to teach your child to write a novel: Preparation
How to teach your child to write a novel: Lesson 1: Genre
How to teach your child to write a novel: Lesson 2: Hero
How to teach your child to write a novel: Lesson 3: Villain
How to teach your child to write a novel: Lesson 4: Conflict
How to teach your child to write a novel: Lesson 5: Setting
How to teach your child to write a novel: Lesson 6: Plot Map
How to teach your child to write a novel: Lesson 7: Analysis
How to teach your child to write a novel: Lesson 8: Chapter List
How to teach your child to write a novel: Follow-up and FAQ
With a little over eight weeks before National Novel Writing Month and eight weeks in this course, this is the perfect time to launch your own Junior Secret Noveling Club and get some creative juices flowing.
What should you do with your novel after you've written it? The Book Arts Bash deadline is January 1 this year. Write your novel in November, revise it in December, and submit it to the Book Arts Bash to be judged by best-selling authors like Sara Gruen, Holly Black, Lois Lowry, and more. You could win a critique from a NYC literary agent. Last year, homeschooled children in many categories got comments and suggestions from agents, authors, and industry pros.
How to teach your child to write a novel: Lesson 1: Genre
How to teach your child to write a novel: Lesson 2: Hero
How to teach your child to write a novel: Lesson 3: Villain
How to teach your child to write a novel: Lesson 4: Conflict
How to teach your child to write a novel: Lesson 5: Setting
How to teach your child to write a novel: Lesson 6: Plot Map
How to teach your child to write a novel: Lesson 7: Analysis
How to teach your child to write a novel: Lesson 8: Chapter List
How to teach your child to write a novel: Follow-up and FAQ
Okay, Homeschool Freebie of the Day visitors, here is your full PDF! I have been asking users to help me promote the series in exchange for receiving the full course in one document, but today's special freebie comes with no strings attached. Enjoy! Click the image below to download!
NOTE: You will need the story The Jungle Wolf for lesson 3. The link in the PDF isn't functioning like I thought it would, so here is a link to the story, The Jungle Wolf.
NOTE: If you do not have random picture tiles, you may download and use these PDF
grids, thoughtfully provided by reader Deanna Butler, to print on cardstock: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
I would love for you to take any or all of these lessons and adapt them to your own use! This year during NaNoWriMo, I will collect a list of homeschooled children writing novels (mine will be!) and connect them via the internet for support and encouragement.NOTE: You will need the story The Jungle Wolf for lesson 3. The link in the PDF isn't functioning like I thought it would, so here is a link to the story, The Jungle Wolf.
NOTE: If you do not have random picture tiles, you may download and use these PDF
grids, thoughtfully provided by reader Deanna Butler, to print on cardstock: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
With a little over eight weeks before National Novel Writing Month and eight weeks in this course, this is the perfect time to launch your own Junior Secret Noveling Club and get some creative juices flowing.
What should you do with your novel after you've written it? The Book Arts Bash deadline is January 1 this year. Write your novel in November, revise it in December, and submit it to the Book Arts Bash to be judged by best-selling authors like Sara Gruen, Holly Black, Lois Lowry, and more. You could win a critique from a NYC literary agent. Last year, homeschooled children in many categories got comments and suggestions from agents, authors, and industry pros.
Do you have questions about these lessons? You can email me here.
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Labels: course, creative, fiction, homeschoolers, homeschooling, lesson plans, lessons, novel, students, teaching, writing
