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Creative Writing: Write a Novel With Published Novelist Kim Purcell (Flex)

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Kim Purcell MFA
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Average rating:5.0Number of reviews:(129)
In this 20 Week flex class, students will finish a novel with weekly video lessons and a weekly guide to help them actually finish a novel. They'll improve writing skills fast with feedback from a published novelist.

Class experience

US Grade 8 - 11
Intermediate Level
5 units//100 lessons//20 Weeks
Unit 1Brainstorming Your Book
9 lessons1 Week
Brainstorming Your Book
 Week 1
Lesson 1
Brainstorming Your Story Idea
Create a story stew, list "What If" ideas, answer story questions, pick your narrator, and write your elevator pitch.
Lesson 2
Brainstorming Your Characters
Draw your characters, answer questions about the characters, develop their humor and opinions, look at their fears, flaws, suffering, and joy, and develop contrasting elements in each key character.
Lesson 3
Brainstorming Your World
Map the character's memories, answer world-building questions, draw and label the home and the bigger world, write the story of the place, brainstorm unusual settings.
Lesson 4
Brainstorm the Plot
Brainstorm the key scenes in a Four Act Plot Structure. Brainstorm the subplot. Learn the Snowflake Method of Plotting.
Lesson 5
Act One
Plan the first quarter of your book.
Lesson 6
Act Two
Plan the second quarter of your book.
Lesson 7
Act Three
Plan the third quarter of your book.
Lesson 8
Act Four
Plan the final quarter of your book.
Lesson 9
Setting Yourself Up for Success: The Basics
You'll make a plan for how to finish your book in twenty weeks, and you'll review the basics for grammar, paragraphs, and punctuation.
Unit 2Writing Act One: The First Quarter
15 lessons4 Weeks
Writing Act One: The First Quarter
 Week 2
Lesson 10
Hooks & Your First Page
Learn how to hook the reader and examine your favorite books to see how they pulled you into the story. Write your first page.
Lesson 11
POV, Verbs, and Voice
Look at your first page and make sure you're writing in the right verb tense, perspective, and POV for your book. Have you nailed the voice?
Lesson 12
The Key Elements of Every Chapter
Learn the key elements of every chapter. Brainstorm your chapter. Experiment with POV and verb tense—choose what you'll use for your book.
Lesson 13
Multi-Sensory Detail
Learn how to use all of the senses in your writing, embody the character, and make your reader feel like they are in the scene.
Lesson 14
Beginning Essentials: Humor, Kindness, and Wisdom
The beginning will make the reader fall in love with your character. How?
 Week 3
Lesson 15
Act One Core Scene: Brainstorm the Inciting Incident
In a four-act structure, every act has a core scene. For Act One, it's the inciting incident. We'll look at this scene in popular teen novels.
Lesson 16
Tension Tools
How do you build the tension in your book? What are the different tools you can use to keep your readers up late at night, turning the pages? Explore hooks, foreshadowing, scene questions, decisions, tension in settings, twists, turns, reveals, and cliffhangers.
Lesson 17
Voice
What can you do to bring out the voice of the narrator as they face this huge before and after moment? How do you describe through a character's unique lens?
Lesson 18
Dialogue
Learn the basics of dialogue with regard to punctuation, characterization, tension, and subtexts.
Lesson 19
External and Internal Conflict
What is the difference between the two types of conflict and how can you include both in every scene?
 Week 4
Lesson 20
Reaction to the Inciting Incident
Brainstorm the main character's reaction to what's just happened, as well as all of the other main characters.
 Week 5
Lesson 21
Specific Nouns and The Subject of Your Sentence
Specificity is a core writing skill. Here, we'll work on how to add more specific nouns to your story. We'll also talk about subject, verb, object variety in your sentences.
Lesson 22
Reactions - Thoughts, Words, Body Response, and Actions
Every character reacts differently to different types of triggers. How do your characters react?
Lesson 23
Desire Line - Want and Need
The Desire Line is a core element of every chapter and your entire book. In every chapter, the character pursues a goal and obstacles stop them.
Lesson 24
Characterization
How will you continue to develop all of your characters? How can you show who they are so that they reader cares?
Unit 3Writing Act Two: The Second Quarter
30 lessons6 Weeks
Writing Act Two: The Second Quarter
 Week 6
Lesson 25
Act Two: Pursuing the Goal
We will look at Act Two in a Four-Act Structure. You will brainstorm a chapter in which the character is pursuing their new goal.
Lesson 26
The Sense of Touch
You must transport the reader into the scene. A core way to do this is through the sense of touch. We'll look at examples of this, and you'll practice literary tools to add more beauty to your writing through the sense of touch.
Lesson 27
Create an Opposite Scene
All storytelling requires the use of opposite settings and contrasting scenes: plays, screenplays, movies, TV...and books. Today, you'll look at how to do this in your book.
Lesson 28
Obstacles and Problems
Let's think of obstacles and problems to stand in the way of your character getting their way. We'll also look at the stakes.
Lesson 29
Scene - Sequel
A key element of storytelling is the concept of scene and sequel. Scene is the wild action moment and sequel is the essential reaction to that moment. Many writers forget the sequel part, but YOU won't.
 Week 7
Lesson 30
Act Two: Gaining Skills and Allies
You will brainstorm a scene in which your character grows in some way, learns essential skills, or gains allies. It's a success scene, bringing them closer to their goal.
Lesson 31
Similes and Metaphors
Learn the difference between similes and metaphors, avoid cliches, learn metaphor colors and metaphor verbs, and begin to wow your reader.
Lesson 32
Use Strong Verbs
Learn how to choose stronger verbs and avoid adverbs, use metaphor verbs, or personify with verbs.
Lesson 33
Body Language
We will look at both power body language and discomfort body language based on the science of body language. How does their body language show a sense of power or a lack of power? We'll look at how different kidlit books show body language and make the reader feel ALL the feelings.
Lesson 34
Reveal the Subplot
In Act Two, the subplot needs to rear its ugly head. There may be more than one. Give us a hint of one of the subplots, also known as the B Storyline.
 Week 8
Lesson 35
Act Two: Success and Winning
Brainstorm a chapter in which the character experiences a win.
Lesson 36
Hook with Smell
How can you use smell in your story to pull the reader into the character's body? How can you hook the reader with it?
Lesson 37
Character Challenges
What are the unique challenges for each one of your main characters based on their past difficulties and failures?
Lesson 38
Objects and Emotions
How can you use objects to demonstrate your characters' emotions? This is called the objective correlative. Explore how objects are used in your favorite books.
Lesson 39
Tension in Dialogue
We'll look at both conflict and tension in dialogue. (Exclamation marks do not make it better.)
 Week 9
Lesson 40
Act Two: A New Challenge
Brainstorm a chapter in which the characters have to face a new, difficult challenge.
Lesson 41
Hook with Dialogue
How can you start your chapter with dialogue in a way that you'll hook the reader? See examples of this in popular books.
Lesson 42
Conflicting Identities
Your characters have many different roles, and these identities will conflict and cause problems. Let's look at how to do this.
Lesson 43
Fears, Flaws, Failures, and Funny Stuff
This is the F Lesson for Fiction. Any time you're stuck, just think: what are those words? Then, you'll be filled with ideas for your story.
Lesson 44
Reveals
How do you share information in a way that builds tension rather than kills tension? How do you avoid info dumps? How will you make the reader curious by dropping breadcrumbs?
 Week 10
Lesson 45
Act Two: A Happy Scene
Brainstorm a happy, bonding scene filled with tension and foreshadowing because the MIDPOINT is a-coming!
Lesson 46
Foreshadow the Turn
This is the precursor the the next huge plot point, the big plot point of Act Two. Learn how to build to that and make the reader nervous.
Lesson 47
Show the Love
Let them feel the love (for now...cue evil laughter). How do you do this without being cheesy?
Lesson 48
Subtext in Dialogue
Look at the layers beneath the dialogue and see if you can give hints of the betrayal or the change that's coming.
Lesson 49
Sentence Structure
You need to vary your sentence structure. How? Look at your own book for your common sentence structures and determine ways you can switch that up. Also, look at beautiful writing in literary fantasy and contemporary novels for inspiration.
 Week 11
Lesson 50
The Midpoint: A Big Turn
You need the midpoint or turn in every novel to avoid the muddy middle. This will keep your book fresh and help you write all the way to the end. Brainstorm this key scene!
Lesson 51
Hook with Sound
Sound is essential in horror movies and it's essential in all of your core action scenes. What creepy or scary sound could pull in your reader?
Lesson 52
A Challenging Setting
Settings work best to amp up tension if there is emotional or physical danger. Could you look at ways to use the setting to make this scene come alive?
Lesson 53
Stakes and the Turn
What are the stakes at this point? How can you increase them?
Lesson 54
Editing: Unnecessary Words
Let's break any of your bad writing habits in the second half of the book. You'll check to see if you've done any of these common mistakes, and your writing will continue to improve in the second half.
Unit 4Writing Act Three: The Third Quarter
30 lessons6 Weeks
Writing Act Three: The Third Quarter
 Week 12
Lesson 55
Act Three: Reaction to the Midpoint
Brainstorm the characters' reactions to the midpoint and plan what they'll say and do now.
Lesson 56
Shock and Imagery
Learn how to use literary devices to demonstrate shock.
Lesson 57
Examine the Midpoint and the Reaction
Examine your favorite book for the reactions at the midpoint, and then look at other examples of popular books and how characters reacted to this major shift in the story.
Lesson 58
Character Growth
After the turn, the characters may come face to face with their misbeliefs and flaws. How do you use these misbeliefs and flaws to fuel the story?
Lesson 59
Desire Line After the Midpoint
What does your character want now? How has it changed? Sometimes the desire line shifts dramatically after the midpoint. You may have a two-goal plot. How do you show this in your scene?
 Week 13
Lesson 60
Act Three: Pursuing a Plan
After the midpoint, your characters will have a plan. Usually, not a good one. Plan your scene.
Lesson 61
Details and Listing
We'll examine how the literary technique of listing provides many details at once.
Lesson 62
Decisions and Bad Plans
How does your character make decisions under stress? What are their blind spots? What bad plan will they come up with? How can you show decision-making on the page?
Lesson 63
Playing in the Mud
You are in the muddy middle and this class is all about getting you out of that mud. If you're feeling stuck at any point in your book, come to this lesson!
Lesson 64
Physical and Emotional Needs
Look at how you can hurt your characters here, physically and emotionally.
 Week 14
Lesson 65
Act Three: Making Mistakes
Brainstorm any mistakes characters could make at this point to create complications down the road.
Lesson 66
Personification
Start your chapter with this literary device.
Lesson 67
Losing Safety
Who are your main character's safe people? Where are the safe places? Can you put these elements in jeopardy?
Lesson 68
Plot Complications
Examine potential plot complications: former failures, fears, win-lose situations, lies, moral mistakes, physical challenges, the antagonist.
Lesson 69
Clincher Details
How are you ending your paragraphs? The final line is the cliffhanger of the paragraph. How can you amp up the literary devices in your paragraph endings?
 Week 15
Lesson 70
Act Three: Character Growth
Your main character or protagonist is growing and learning and evolving throughout your entire book. Brainstorm how to show that growth or regression.
Lesson 71
Color, Light, and Emotions
You'll learn how to add color to your descriptions to illuminate the emotions of the scene and also how to create combination colors or metaphor colors.
Lesson 72
Character Arcs
We'll work on showing how all of the characters are changing through their feelings, actions, clothing choices, observations, fears, secrets, knowledge, and relationships.
Lesson 73
The Muddy Middle and Complications
We'll work on how to create plot complications.
Lesson 74
Hidden Fear and Needs
Fears and needs have a strong link. Let's explore what each character needs and why they can't yet get it.
 Week 16
Lesson 75
Act Three: A Big Mistake
This scene is right before the big scene of Act Three, the All-Is-Lost moment, in which your character loses all hope. The big mistake will lead to the devastation of the following scene. In this lesson, you'll brainstorm your scene.
Lesson 76
Imagery and Rhythm
These are the literary devices we'll be focusing on this week. You'll see examples in fiction and then you'll practice emulating them in your own scenes.
Lesson 77
Putting Love on the Line
You'll list everything and everyone they love. Whatever they love, take it away. Whatever they hate, we’ll give to them. Whatever they need, they lose. Whatever they fear, they have to face. We'll look at examples of losing the thing or person they love in the books you love.
Lesson 78
Mistakes and Theme
What types of mistakes do people make at this point in the story and why? How does this tie to theme?
Lesson 79
Complications of the Subplot
How can the subplot limit the character’s choices? How can it influence their behavior and responses? How does the character’s flaw affect the subplot? Can the subplot merge with the main storyline? How do the character’s attempts to fix the problems in the subplot affect the main goal or storyline?
 Week 17
Lesson 80
Act Three: The All is Lost and The Epiphany
At the end of Act Three, the character reaches an All is Lost point, destroyed both physically and mentally. They’ve hit rock bottom. How could this happen to your characters? What realization or epiphany do they have? How does this connect to theme?
Lesson 81
Repetition and Rhythm
Learn how to use the literary devices of repetition and rhythm to amplify tension.
Lesson 82
Changing Patterns of Thought
Learn how to show their changing thought patterns as they encounter this peak time of high stress. Use "if" ruminations, questions, and "maybe" sentences.
Lesson 83
Past Trauma and Triggered Flashbacks
What is their past trauma? When do you write a complete flashback about their trauma?
Lesson 84
Overcoming the Flaw
How will your protagonist overcome their flaw and rise to meet the challenge of the climax?
Unit 5Writing Act Four: The Final Quarter
16 lessons3 Weeks
Writing Act Four: The Final Quarter
 Week 18
Lesson 85
Act Four: Preparation for the Battle
How can you plan for the scene leading up to the climax? How can you build tension at this point? Brainstorm your scene.
Lesson 86
The Power of Short Sentences and Fragments
We'll look at examples from popular books to see the effect of fragments and short sentences so that you can learn to use them in your own work.
Lesson 87
The Power of a Very Long Sentence
After looking at some examples of long sentences in popular novels, students will work on creating their own long-breath sentences.
Lesson 88
Repeat Objects, Symbolism, and Theme
How can objects become symbols and represent the theme of your book? Let's look at examples and then examine what could be a useful symbol or object in your book.
Lesson 89
Preparing for Battle
Where will they go to gather what they need? What physical objects and tools do they need for this climax? How will allies help? Who will come with them? What are their emotions heading into this scene?
 Week 19
Lesson 90
Act Four: Writing the Climax
Learn how to write this climax or final battle and brainstorm the details.
Lesson 91
Crowd and Action Scenes
Examine the most effective ways to amplify tension in a crowd or action scene.
Lesson 92
Using All of the Unused Senses
Notice what senses you tend to avoid. Add them here. Also, focus on the sense of touch and smell to pull the reader into the character's body.
Lesson 93
Writing the Climax or Battle
Learn how to add a suspenseful setting, incorporate physical action, twists and surprises, and emotional depth into your climax or final battle.
Lesson 94
Physical Action and Powerful Verbs
Focus on adding action verbs and limiting adverbs in your action scene.
 Week 20
Lesson 95
Act Four: Falling Action and Ending
Look at powerful endings and brainstorm how you want to end your book.
Lesson 96
The Falling Action and the Downside
In the lesson, students will consider the fallout from the climax. Even if the protagonist got what they want, what is the downside? Is there a new revelation, final surprise, twist ending? Will the result of the climax change the course of their life? What are all the characters’ reactions to the climax? Who does the character need to forgive and do they? Who needs to forgive them?
Lesson 97
Theme and End
We'll explore the theme and what you, the author, are proving in your ending. What is the core belief you're proving in this story? How can you bring it back around to that belief? We'll also look at the counter-theme. How is this disproven?
Lesson 98
Character Growth
In this lesson, we'll explore a few key elements of character growth. How has their thinking changed? How do they see their world differently? How do their actions reflect that change? How can you show this growth?
Lesson 99
The Last Page
We will look at effective endings and the author's goal. Do you want to make your reader laugh or cry? How do you achieve that effect? What do you want to achieve in this last page in your book?
Lesson 100
Editing
This is a bonus lesson in the final week on what to do to edit your book.
This class is taught in English.
Students will develop storytelling and writing skills through the process of writing a novel. See the specific focus for each week: we will cover every element of storytelling including characters, setting, plot, tension, scene-building and literary devices. 
I'm a writing teacher with over twenty years of teaching experience and also a young adult novelist with two acclaimed young adult novels, Trafficked and This Is Not a Love Letter, published by big 5 publishers. Trafficked made Columbia's Bank Street Best Books list and top lists for several states. This Is Not a Love Letter was one of NPR's top books of 2018 and a Twirly Girl Book of 2018. Both books have received starred reviews from top reviewers and made top lists for books. I'm here on Outschool because my other passion is helping kids and teens write books. I have over twenty years of teaching experience, teaching creative writing, novel writing and ESL. I've taught writing to homeschooled kids in both New York City and Los Angeles, many of whom have been in private classes for several years. I was the first curriculum director of the famous non-profit, WriteGirl in Los Angeles, and I helped build it into the multi-sensory interactive writing program it is today. I have a journalism degree and a Masters in Fine Arts in Writing for Children and Young Adults from VCFA. I also teach writing at a public Waldorf-inspired K-8 school in the Los Angeles Unified School District. I really love teens and I have so much fun with them. My goal is to make them feel confident about their writing and themselves, and help them achieve their dreams. 
Homework Offered
Learners will be watching the videos and completing the lessons in the weekly guide. I would like students to write for at least two hours a week, but my hope is that they'll be so inspired, they will write even more. Each week, they will write at least one chapter.
2 - 4 hours per week outside of class
Assessments Offered
I give encouraging feedback on up to five double spaced, 12 font pages of their writing every week. They will need to do a spelling and grammar check on it before sending it. I focus on storytelling and writing craft, and I give mostly positive feedback with the goal of building their creative confidence and inspiring them to write enthusiastically to the end.
Grades Offered
This class is particularly good for any kids with ADHD, ASD, Dyslexia, and Anxiety because there are no social pressures. My video classes use visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning styles with an extensive written curriculum. 
They should have time to write every week and love writing and reading since, of course, they're writing a book!
They just need a Google doc so they can type out their books. They also need a notebook, pens and markers...and their imagination. The rest is provided!
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
In the workshops, I'll be sharing slides on Canva, sometimes using excerpts from middle grade and teen novels such as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling, Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan, Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, and Divergent by Veronica Roth. They can also use any books they love to find examples. I will share some appropriate examples from literary adult books, like the ones many kids are assigned in high school. 

Students can either share their Google or Word Docs with me or they can copy and paste their writing on the Outschool messaging. I do not edit, of course...I am keeping this class inexpensive so that more people can do it...however, I will give them very encouraging feedback so they actually finish their books. I will also teach them how to edit their own books. 

In the final video, I'll teach them how to prepare their books so that they can be printed out on Lulu.com or Amazon.com. This part of the class is optional, it will just be part of the last video so that you have this information should you choose to do it. The first part of that day will be on prepping their book to print no matter what format you choose. If you want a hardcover book from Lulu.com, copies range in cost from 5-15 dollars plus shipping. There are other book printing sites, I've just found this one the easiest and cheapest. Parents will need to help their teens set up the account, upload their work and purchase copies. It's really amazing for them to get their own hardcover book, so I wanted to show you how to do this as part of this class. 
They will receive a Weekly Guide to Writing a Novel, written by me, including the bonus videos every week. 
Popular
Average rating:5.0Number of reviews:(129)
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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,... 
Flex Class

$250

for 20 weeks
20 weeks

Completed by 4 learners
No live video meetings
Ages 11-16

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