A Book Club for Writers: Brave the Page
In this 8 week course we will read Brave the Page. Learners will be introduced to the NaNoWriMo phenomenon and will complete a first draft of a novel or story.
Crystal Tankersley
Average rating:
4.7
Number of reviews:(152)
What's included
8 live meetings
6 hrs 40 mins in-class hoursHomework
4+ hours per week. Each week learners will be assigned a certain number of chapters. Week 1+2 = Daily Writing Prompts Weeks 3-6 = Write a Novel Weeks 7+8 = Write ReflectionAssessment
Learners will be informally assessed on their participation in class. Learners can request a formal assessment. Formal assessments require turning in writing for review and feedback.Class Experience
US Grade 8 - 11
Beginner - Intermediate Level
Week 1 - Topics: What is NaNoWriMo?, Getting Ready, Myself as a Writer, Building a Writing Habit *In-class: Learners and teacher will introduce themselves. Learners and teacher will share things like what they like to read, what they like to write, what they hope to write, etc. Teacher will introduce "What is NaNoWriMo" and discuss different ways that writers participate in NaNoWriMo *After first class: Learners will read the assigned chapters for Brave the Page. Learners will complete daily writing prompts and share them in the classroom or during the next class. Week 2 - Topics: Writing Mentors, Setting, Plot, Backstory, World Building *Before Class: Learners will Read Assigned Chapters from Brave the Page *In-class: Learners will discuss chapters from the previous week. Class will discuss how daily writing prompts for the week went. Learners may share their writing. Learners will set a writing goal for the month. Teacher will answer any questions learners have from the chapters and topics. Teacher will guide learners in lessons and games. Character Building Game: Learners will participate in a game that teaches the basics of building a well rounded character World Building Game: Learners will participate in a game that teaches the basics of building the world of their novel. *After Class: Learners will complete daily writing prompts and share them in the classroom or during the next class. Learners will read assigned chapters from Brave the Page. Week 3 - Topics: Week 1 of NaNoWriMo, Daily Word Count, Tips and Tricks, Dialogue, Setting and more... *Before Class: Learners will Read Assigned Chapters from Brave the Page *In-class: Learners will discuss assigned chapters from the week. Class will discuss how daily writing prompts for the week went. Learners may share their writing. Teacher will answer any questions learners have from the chapters and topics. Teacher will guide learners in lessons and games. Describe This/That Game: Learners and teacher will share different settings or items for the others to describe. (Example: a grandfather clock, a cityscape, a room) - Game practice description and depiction *After Class: Learners will read assigned chapter for the week. Learners will begin their Novel 1st draft. Week 4 - Topics: Week 2 of NaNoWriMo, Daily Word Count, Tips and Tricks, Subplots, and more *Before Class: Learners will Read Assigned Chapter from Brave the Page *In-class: Learners will discuss assigned chapter from the week. Class will discuss how daily writing for the week went. Learners may share their writing. Teacher will answer any questions learners have from the chapter and topics. Teacher will guide learners in lessons and games. Show don't Tell Game: Learners and teacher will share different descriptions that "tell the reader", for others to turn into descriptions that "show the reader" *After Class: Learners will read assigned Chapter. Learners will continue their Novel 1st draft. Word War: Learners will time themselves for 15 minutes and write down as many words as they can. Learners will then post the list of their words in the classroom. Week 5 - Topics: Week 3 of NaNoWriMo, Daily Word Count, Tips and Tricks, Twists & Turns, and more *Before Class: Learners will Read Assigned Chapter from Brave the Page *In-class: Learners will discuss assigned chapter from the week. Class will discuss how daily writing for the week went. Learners will discuss, compare and contrast, their word lists. Learners may share their writing. Teacher will answer any questions learners have from the chapter and topics. *After Class: Learners will read assigned Chapter. Learners will continue their Novel 1st draft. Week 6 - Topics: Week 4 of NaNoWriMo, Daily Word Count, Tips and Tricks, The "Epic" Ending, and more *Before Class: Learners will Read Assigned Chapter from Brave the Page *In-class: Learners will discuss assigned chapter from the week. Class will discuss how daily writing for the week went. Learners will discuss, compare and contrast, their Plot Twist lists. Learners may share their writing. Teacher will answer any questions learners have from the chapter and topics. *After Class: Learners will read assigned Chapter. Learners will finish their Novel 1st draft. Week 7 - Topics: What Now?, Revising, Editing, Keeping up the habit, and more *Before Class: Learners will Read Assigned Chapter from Brave the Page *In-class: Learners will discuss assigned chapter from the week. Class will discuss how daily writing for the week went. Learners may share their writing. Teacher will answer any questions learners have from the chapter and topics. *After Class: Learners will read assigned Chapters. Learners will complete a reflection (written or video) of how NaNoWriMo went, what worked, what didn't work, will they do it again, etc Week 8 - Topics: Final Thoughts, The Future, *Before Class: Learners will Read Assigned Chapters from Brave the Page *In-class: Learners will discuss assigned chapter from the week. Class will discuss how daily writing for the week went. Learners will discuss and reflect on their writing. Learners may share their writing. Teacher will answer any questions learners have from the chapter and topics. *After Class: Learners who would like feedback on their writing may post it in the classroom or send it by Direct Message to the teacher.
Learning Goals
Learners will build a writing habit.
Learners will write a Novel. Learners will set their own word count goal for the Novel (based on how many words they can write in 1 hour and how many hours a day they plan to write).
Learners will expand their understanding of Novel Writing.
Other Details
Parental Guidance
Single Learner Classes:
- Single learner classes will go ahead as scheduled unless learner and family request otherwise.
- If discussion ends early, learners will have writing time at the end of class.
Supply List
Brave the Page by Rebecca Stern & Grant Faulkner (Amazon $10.29 USD) **You can buy this book on the NaNoWriMo store website https://store.nanowrimo.org/collections/books-things Other Supplies: - Somewhere to Write (Microsoft Word, google docs, notebook, composition book, journal, etc) - Pens for writing if writing by hand Optional Additional Supplies: No Plot, No Problem Writing Kit (Amazon $14.35 USD) Ready, Set, Novel! - Writer's Notebook (Amazon $13.69 USD) NaNoWriMo online account at https://ywp.nanowrimo.org/ --- This is helpful for tracking word counts. It also provides resources and a writing community.
1 file available upon enrollment
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined April, 2020
4.7
152reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
I have a BA in Creative Writing. I have taken and continue to take writing classes to improve my writing expertise. I have written extensively in my life. I love to write and want to share that love of writing with students. There was a time in my life when teachers told me I couldn't write because my writing didn't fit into the "box" they believed Writing was. I have since learned that all authors have their own writing style, technique, and process and that the process that works best for you, the author, is the best process. I want to share this understanding with students and help them discover their own process.
I have not published my first Novel, of which I am currently in the editing and revising stages. The reason for this is that the story is a fantasy novel and I am working hard to build the world in which the story takes place. I have just finished drafting Book two in the series this past NaNoWriMo (2020). Reviews
Live Group Class
$20
weekly or $160 for 8 classes1x per week, 8 weeks
50 min
Completed by 1 learner
Live video meetings
Ages: 13-17
1-6 learners per class
