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Creative Writing: Write Your NaNoWriMo Novel Club

In this 5-week course, students will write their short stories, novellas, novels, screenplays, and scripts during National Novel Writing Month event with support from their classmates and teacher.
Angelia Derrick (she/her)
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:
(170)
Star Educator
Class

What's included

5 live meetings
4 hrs 35 mins in-class hours
Homework
4+ hours per week. Students can write their books outside of class.

Class Experience

US Grade 5 - 7
The goal of this class is for the students to complete a novel or screenplay during one of the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) events in November, April, or July. 

This particular class has been created for more experienced writers who don't want help planning their novels or screenplays before NaNoWriMo starts or students who have already participated in NaNoWriMo and know what to expect. The class will be student led for each session and we will focus on what the students are having issues with or need assistance with. 

Students can share excerpts and/or information about their plot/characters and receive feedback from their classmates and teacher. 

Students can participate in writing sprints during the class either with a challenge (write a scene where your main character finds a lost animal) or focused writing on their own ideas. 

If students don't need feedback or want to do writing sprints, the instructor will cover topics such as creating well-developed characters, creating conflict, elements of plot, choosing a point of view, setting and mood, good dialogue, sub-plotting, details-details-details, going deeper into scenes, and tips and tricks to increase word count. 

Week 1 - Students will learn what National Novel Writing Month is and will make an account if they don't already have one. They will set their word count/page count goal for the month, introduce their projects, and go over any issues in plotting, characters, setting, and point-of-view that they might have issues with. 

Week 2 - Students will continue writing their novels or screenplays with writing sprint in the class. We will have mini-lessons on plotting, characters, setting, and sub-plotting that they might be having issues with. 

Week 3 - Students will continue writing their novels or screenplays with writing sprints in the class. We will go over any issues in plotting, characters, setting, sub-plotting, details, and writer's block that they might having issues with. 

Week 4 - Students will continue writing their novels or screenplays to reach The End and we will go over any issues to reach the end, tips and tricks to increase word count, and how to conquer writer's block. 

Week 5 - On the final day, after NaNoWriMo, we will look at their accomplishment, make future writing plans, and go over editing techniques. 

*The mini-lessons for each class will be determined by what the student's need additional help or are struggling with. If everything is going well, the teacher will determine a mini-lesson for the day.*
Learning Goals
Students will write a novel or screenplay.
learning goal

Other Details

Parental Guidance
If students are writing about sensitive topics we will discuss those topics in class. Students will need to make an account on the NaNoWriMo YWP site so I can tract their word count progress through the month of the event. They can use a parent's email to make the account. https://ywp.nanowrimo.org
Supply List
Students are encouraged to download the National Novel Writing Month's Young Novelist Workbook to help them plan before class starts as well as some in class activities that will utilize some of the workbook pages. 
https://ywp.nanowrimo.org/pages/writer-resources
Or if they prefer a paper copy they can order from Amazon:
Elementary School - https://amzn.to/3zG1QuS (affiliate link)
Middle & High School - https://amzn.to/3kGkcY8 (affiliate link)
 1 file available upon enrollment
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Sources
Lessons will be based off the National Novel Writing Month Young Writer's Program curriculum.
Joined May, 2020
5.0
170reviews
Star Educator
Profile
Teacher expertise and credentials
Master's Degree in Film/Cinema/Video Studies from California State University, Fullerton
Bachelor's Degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences from Charter Oak State College
Writing young adult fantasy and space opera under the pen name Angelia Almos. 
Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting
Bachelor of Arts in Applied Arts: Creative Writing
Certificates from Institute of Children's Literature
Certificates from Institute for Writers

Reviews

Live Group Class
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$100

for 5 classes
1x per week, 5 weeks
55 min

Completed by 22 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 10-13
3-9 learners per class

This class is no longer offered
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