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Summer Camp: Write a Novel This Summer With a Published Novelist
Kim Purcell MFA
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:(151)
Popular
Students learn how to write and finish a novel over the summer. They can publish it or enter it in the Scholastic Writing Contest.
Class Experience
US Grade 7 - 10
Advanced Level
Follows Teacher-Created Curriculum
Welcome to my novel-writing camp in which students not only improve their writing, but they also aim to finish their books in the summer. It doesn't have to be a long book! It can be just 25 pages. It can be a hundred or two hundred pages. Whatever your goal might be, I'm here to help. You can sign up for two weeks or four weeks or six weeks. Every session is unique. As a novelist, I've written a book in a month, so I know you can do it. Like any rough first draft, it will be imperfect;...
8 lessons//2 Weeks
Week 1Lesson 1Brainstorming Your Book/World/Characters/PlotYou will learn how to brainstorm your story idea/world/characters/plot. You'll do side writing to come up with a solid story. If you are in the second or third two weeks of this camp, you'll brainstorm your upcoming scenes.Lesson 2Writing Your First or Next ChapterWe'll talk about the core key elements of any scene and you'll brainstorm your next scene: Hook, Setting, Voice, Goals, Thoughts, Actions, Conflict, Problems, Decisions, Cliffhanger. Then, you'll write it!Lesson 3Dialogue and CharactersYou'll work on advancing your characterization and dialogue skills. Learn how to add subtext, body language, differentiated expressions, humor, and reveals.Lesson 4Tension and SuspenseYou'll learn how to add all of the important tension tools no matter what type of book you're writing. For example, you'll add hooks, scene questions, foreshadowing, cliffhangers, and reveals.Week 2Lesson 5Beautiful LanguageToday's class will focus on multi-sensory writing and literary devices. You'll add all of the devices to your writing.Lesson 6Character Arcs and Desire LineBooks are all about characters, so today, we'll look at how your characters are growing and developing in your book and how to show this in the prose. You'll learn how the character's desire needs to be present in every scene and how to show it changing as they grow. We'll also look at how to show their strengths, weaknesses, past memories, thoughts, wisdom, and growth.Lesson 7Goals, Obstacles, StakesShow the character's desire line. Show their pursuit of the goal, obstacles that stop them, and the stakes if they don't get their goal.Lesson 8Common Writing Mistakes and How to Fix ThemHere, I cover common writing mistakes and specific mistakes I've noticed in this group over the course of the camp.
- They will learn everything about writing a novel: plotting, characterization, tension, pacing, world-building, and literary devices.
I have over twenty years of experience teaching in a multi-sensory, interactive and joyful way. I'm a novelist with two acclaimed young adult novels published by Penguin and Disney-Hyperion. They both made top national lists, including Columbia's Bank Street Books and NPR's Top Books, as well as many state lists. As a novelist, I've done school visits at high schools across the US and Canada. Penguin is also publishing my writer's guide: The Busy Writer's Guide to Finishing a Novel in 100 Days. It comes out in 2026. Besides my experience as a novelist and author, I have twenty years of teaching experience, teaching both creative writing and ESL. I currently run a successful afterschool writing program in the LA area. I was the curriculum director of the famous nonprofit, WriteGirl LA, helping to design their multi-sensory way of teaching writing to teens. Besides teaching on Outschool, I have private groups of homeschooled teens I teach, many of them for several years. My goal is to help my students feel more joyful through writing, to recognize the power of their unique voice and to build their creative confidence.
Homework Offered
You'll need to write at least five days a week for at least two hours a day - which means at least an hour of writing outside of the class time. You'll finish a quarter of your book each week. Set a realistic goal. It can be a short book or a long book, depending on how much time you have.4+ hours per week outside of class
Assessments Offered
Students hand in pages once a week. I will send you an email and tell you what's wonderful and give you suggestions. At the end of the month, I'll give you suggestions for what could work on for the next draft.Grades Offered
This camp works for teens with ADHD, Dyslexia, ASD, and Anxiety. I have experience helping all types of learners. My classes are low-pressure and joyful. We use the chat, students can turn off monitors, and we don't read work out loud.
No pre-reqs.
A notebook, computer, markers, strange household objects.
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
They will see examples from young adult novels and literary adult novels.
I will be giving students an ebook with specific skills to focus on for each chapter. They also need their own favorite book to use as a mentor text.
Joined January, 2022
5.0
151reviews
Popular
Teacher expertise and credentials
Master's Degree
Master's Degree
I love helping my students improve their writing and seeing their confidence grow. My classes are fun and inclusive. I have over twenty years of experience teaching in a multi-sensory and interactive way: English, literature, fiction,...
Group Class
$80
weekly or $160 for 8 classes4x per week, 2 weeks
55 min
Completed by 47 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 11-16
6-16 learners per class
Financial Assistance
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