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Creative Writing Strength Training

In this ongoing class we do a variety of creative writing exercises to improve skills, and grow our creative minds.
Jessika O'Sullivan
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:
(1,144)
Popular
Class

What's included

1 live meeting
1 in-class hours per week

Class Experience

US Grade 5 - 8
Intermediate Level
Please check the schedule for each session. During the summer, the classes don’t have a regular weekly schedule.

Tuesday 4-5 PM Eastern time: 100 word stories 

Wednesday at 7:30-8:30 a.m. Eastern time: ten-minute free writing and speed writing 

Thursday at 10-11 Am Eastern time: speed writing and add dialogue around descriptive writing 

In this class, we will do different kinds of writing exercises that will help you become a better writer and strengthen your creativity. Every class will allow you to write and share your work with others. 

The following writing exercises will be done in this class. The explanations of the exercises are further down.

Speed writing 
100-word stories
Write from pictures 
Continue the story 
15-word poetry 
Add dialogue around descriptive writing 
Add story around dialogue 
Ten-minute free writing

The students can join any class they like and do not have to do all of them. The exercise will alternate throughout the course. The same activities will return but with different concepts and content. 

Speed writing- Write a story, scene, or poetry in a short time using three given words (strengthens the capability to combine unrelated words into a story)

100-word stories- A genre and an action will be given that has to be included in the one hundred words. (Strengthens the skill to write impactful scenes and stories in fewer words and also to write things we might normally not do) 

Write from pictures- a picture or a collage will be shown, and the students will write whatever comes to their mind (helps creative thinking)

Continue the story- a short beginning of a story will be given, and the student will continue the story. The story doesn’t need to be finished during class time (a great way to write outside of your comfort zone and try different kinds of writing) 

15-word poetry-an object or theme will be given, for example, rain, ice cream, dogs, wind, etc., and the students write a miniature poem consisting of 15 words (helps you with careful word choices and the ability to express something or describe something in few words)

Add dialogue around descriptions- the students will be given a story with descriptive writing and add fitting dialogue(helps develop dialogue and using descriptions in your writing)

Add story around dialogue - The students will be given a short dialogue and then add descriptions around the dialogue  (helps to create scenes that bring the reader into the story)

Ten-minute free writing- we will write freely for ten minutes about anything that comes to mind. A whiteboard with suggestions will be given to the student who has a hard time thinking of something (a great way to unblock creativity and let the words flow)

Week 1: Speed writing and ten-minute free writing 

Week 2: 100 -word story

Week 3: Write from pictures

Week 4: 15-word poetry and speed writing 

Week 5: Continue the story 

Week 6: Add dialogue around descriptions 

Week 7: Add descriptions around dialogue

Other Details

External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined March, 2016
4.9
1144reviews
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Teacher expertise and credentials
I am dedicated to forming connections with my students and customizing my teaching to suit their age. I aim to challenge my students while ensuring they never feel like failures. Patience, humor, and kindness are paramount in my approach.

As a teacher, I foster critical thinking through various activities such as research and discussions. The most rewarding part of my job is igniting my students' joy of learning and nurturing their curiosity about the world.

I believe in incorporating play into my teaching whenever possible, as I believe that everyone, regardless of age, has a playful side.

In my creative writing classes, I encourage students to draw from their experiences and thoughts to create unique pieces and share my passion for writing. This passion has been recognized with three awards from Writer's Digest for a short story and two poems,  which I hope will inspire your students.

I am an immigrant from Sweden with a master's degree in education from Lund/Malmö University.

I have previously taught social and political science, religion, and geography and have nearly 25 years of experience working with children of different ages.

My diverse interests include folklore, photography, nature, books, and history, particularly on overlooked historical figures. I hope to share these interests with your students, sparking their curiosity and broadening their horizons.

I eagerly look forward to having your student in my class and am excited to embark on this learning journey together!

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Live Group Class
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$18

weekly
1x per week
60 min

Completed by 25 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 10-14
2-8 learners per class

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