I love helping kids write stories and chapter books. My class is a lot of fun, with a lot of multi-sensory prompts and laughter. This class is for kids who love reading and want to write a book. Please read the entire class description to make sure it's right for your child. 

In this class, I help them build their creative confidence while also helping them develop their writing skills...and they can actually finish a book! Students feel so proud and confident when they finish their chapter books, novels, or books of stories. Many of my students even publish their books through Lulu.com or Amazon.com and get the actual book in the mail. I show the students how to do this. When they get their books, they often show them to the class. It is a huge joy sparkler!

Please do the brainstorming videos before your first class. 

This is an ongoing class, which means kids can start it at any time. Kids are constantly starting and finishing books. It also means all kids are working on different chapters, so your child will need to brainstorm their story idea before class and I give them videos to do this. Make sure you look in your direct messages to prepare. 

I focus on skills that work for any chapters, using the books they love as examples. 

I have a 100% money back guarantee if it doesn't work for your child. 

The chapter book class is most effective for kids who love storytelling and are eager to write a book. I have an easier flex class for kids who are reluctant writers. 

Your child will write their first chapter or story in their first class. Please make sure they brainstorm their story idea before the class. They should send me a direct message about this idea. 

Note that if your child is 11 and up, I have a novel-writing class for this age group. 

Here is how the class is designed:
15-20 Minutes: Discuss the writing skills and brainstorm their chapters or stories.
10 Minutes: First Writing Sprint
5-10 Minutes: Expand on the writing skill, share "creativity objects," play a game like the popcorn game, gimkit, or spin the wheel. 
10-15 Minutes: Second Writing Sprint 

Advanced students can do extra writing outside of class, following the guide, or watching videos, but this isn't necessary. They can also just write in class. The goal is for them to finish a book in twelve weeks and write at least one chapter per week. Then they can print or publish their book, and I have a video to show you how to do this!

During the writing time, students can ask me individual questions in the chat or get help with the scenes in their documents so they are never "stuck." I also give them fun ways to come up with ideas.

I read up to 5 double-spaced pages a week and give them feedback. This is a huge part of what you're paying for - feedback from a published novelist. Make sure you send me their work in a direct message!

In class, we work on skills that they can use in any chapter. To find out what the topic of the day is, look at the schedule at the bottom. My classes do not repeat even if the topic is similar. I use different examples and focus on different skills. 

Below, I will give you the weekly topic schedule and then some common questions and answers. 

THE 2024 SCHEDULE FOR THE BOOK WRITING CLASS 

** Every class is unique, with different examples and different focuses even if it covers the same area of the writing craft because many kids stay in my classes for years and I want it to be new for them.**

**For every class, bring an object  or think up an object to give as a "creativity gift" or to use in your own story. (It can also be something you imagine.) This adds a lot of fun. 

I adjust the topics based on what students want.

Nov 11 - 17:  BEAUTIFUL LANGUAGE DEVICES
We’ll look at literary language and how to add it to your writing. 

Nov 18 - 24: SHOW DON’T TELL 
When writing your book, you need to describe people and the setting in an interesting way using all of the senses + metaphors/similes. In the class, you’ll learn how to show a character’s feelings rather than telling them through the description, thoughts, and use of objects. 

Nov 25 - Dec 1
THOUGHTS, OPINIONS, ANGER, FEARS, AND SADNESS: MAKE THE READER CARE
We'll work on how you show your main character's personality….this is the number one element that will pull in a reader. 

 Dec 2 - 8: DRAMATIZATION and MULTI-SENSORY WRITING
You’ll use all the senses in today’s writing. 

Dec 9 - 15: DIALOGUE, REVEALS, AND PLOT TWISTS
Learn how to write interesting dialogue by avoiding the boring parts of a conversation, revealing new information and plot twists through dialogue, and showing the character's thoughts and reactions about these reveals. 

Dec 16-22: GOALS and OBSTACLES: BEES, SHARKS, MONSTERS, BEARS, BULLIES
In every scene, your character will have a scene goal, as well as the big story goal, and there will be a problem, either big or small. Let's figure out the big and small problems and how your character will overcome them.

Dec 23-28: SUSPENSE, FORESHADOWING, CLIFFHANGERS 

Dec 24, Dec 25 - HOLIDAY BREAK 

Dec 29-Jan 5 - HOW TO GET UNSTUCK AND FLOW WITH IDEAS
In this week, we'll be experimenting with a bunch of fun ways to come up with ideas. 

Jan 6-12 - BRAINSTORMING YOUR STORY IDEA 
Let's figure out if your story idea has all the key elements it needs for success, and let's make sure it's a story you want to write all the way to the end. 

Jan 13-18: VOICE, SENSE OF HUMOR, OBSERVATIONS, THOUGHTS
Readers want to identify with your characters, and they need to love your main character, so they care about what happens to this character. This week, you’ll learn how to do this through their sense of humor, observations, and thoughts. 

Jan 19-25: WORLD-BUILDING + WEIRDNESS 
EXPLORING WEIRD CREATURES, PLACES, AND RULES
A lot of world-building and setting involves highlighting the unusual, weird things. Let’s have fun imagining the WEIRD. As you write, you’ll be showing what this world is like through interesting descriptions and the main character’s thoughts about their world. 

Jan 26-Feb 2: GOALS and OBSTACLES: BEES, SHARKS, MONSTERS, BEARS, BULLIES
What are the characters’ goals? If you don’t know this, you can’t figure out what obstacles and problems will stop them. Let’s figure that out today!

Feb 3-9:  4 Key Elements on Every Page - DIALOGUE, THOUGHTS, ACTIONS, DESCRIPTION
This week, you'll learn how to balance your scenes with a mix of dialogue, thoughts, actions, and descriptions. 

Feb 10-16: SUSPENSE, TENSION, TWISTS, AND REVEALS
You need to keep the reader interested throughout your story. We'll look at ways you can make your story more exciting in every chapter. I'll teach you how to add scene questions and climb into your character's brain so that the reader worries about what is around the corner (even if it's just a harmless mouse). 

Feb 17-23: WRITE AN ACTION OR A FIGHT SCENE
Learn how to write an action scene in a way that pulls in the reader with multi-sensory description, reactions, thoughts, strong verbs, and tension. 

Feb 24-March 2:  REACTIONS + PAST DIFFICULTIES
When big things happen or someone says something surprising, your characters will react for a reason. You will learn how to show us the main character’s thoughts, plus everyone’s actions, dialogue, and body language. They have a reason for why they react in different ways. Usually, it's because of a past experience. This is one of the biggest skills kids miss, but not after this class!

March 3-9: DIALOGUE SKILLS - How to make your dialogue interesting!
We’ll talk about how to make the talking in a book more interesting. 


------Are you an actual published novelist?------
Yes! I'm not only a teacher, I'm also a traditionally published novelist. My two published young adult novels are available in bookstores in the US and Canada. They've made many top literary lists. They've been published by the famous publishers Penguin and Disney Hyperion. I also have a new book coming out soon, a writer's guide, also published by Penguin: The Busy Writer's Guide to Finishing a Novel in 100 Days. It is geared toward teens and adults, but I give you a lot of the same advice in class, in a more kid-friendly way. 

-----Do you help kids publish their books in the end?------
Yes! I help kids write and format their books so they can self-publish their books and get them in the mail. It’s so exciting. I also help teens and adults finish their books and either self-publish or try to get a literary agent to be traditionally published.

------Can I write a book of short stories or a chapter book?------
You can write whatever you prefer. Many students love to write a chapter book, but others prefer to start with writing short stories. You can switch at any time. The skills we work on can be used for either. Also, these same skills are really useful for later when you have to write essays for school. 

-----What is the class like?------
It's a lot of fun. We give each other "creativity gifts" like someone will give you an orange safety pin to put into your story, and you might give them the color greenish-brown. Here are some real examples of what students have "brought":  a red fire truck carrying wool, an old rusted bottle cap, a piece of kimchi, a stuffed rabbit missing an ear, a lollipop with a scorpion inside, a white cockatoo, a white envelope with magic inside. 

------After I start the class, will I receive other material to help me? -----
Yes! You'll receive my guide to writing a book and videos outside of class. They are optional. 

-----Do we read our writing aloud?-----
We don't usually read aloud. Why? I want to give students a lot of time to write, and many kids dislike sharing. Also, some kids will compare their work, which can make them insecure and slow down their progress. Finally, it's often hard to understand when they do read so it's a waste of time. My goal is to make everyone feel comfortable and build creative confidence for everyone. Occasionally, I will allow students to read a minute of their work or copy and paste paragraphs in the chat. But I encourage kids to read their writing aloud to the family members, and of course, share your writing with me! 

-----Do kids get feedback from me?-----

Yes, this is a big part of what you're paying for in this class, so please take advantage of it. Always share your writing with me! Send it in a direct message. 

------Can I join at any time? ------
Definitely. Kids join all the time and take breaks whenever. This is an ongoing class, designed for kids to join whenever they want. If you're writing a chapter book, I will give you a guide to writing a chapter book so that your plot and story will build. The skills we work on in class are useful for any chapter or story. 

-----Can I be late or leave early? Do I have to ask to get a drink/go to the bathroom?-----
You can be late and leave early. It’s all good. Whatever works for you. I love to see you no matter what! You can also do the class in the car… make sure you have a way to write. You don’t have to ask to get a drink or go to the bathroom. That can interrupt the class. Just go and come back. 

-----How old do I have to be for this class?-----
This class is for kids 8 to 10 years old, and we focus on books for that age. I also have a novel writing class for kids who are 11 and up, in which we focus on YA books.

-----Is this class good for ESL Learners? ----- 
I teach a lot of ESL learners how to write books. If you're trying to figure out if it's too hard for your ESL learner, they should be able to read a book like Wings of Fire or Harry Potter. They won't need to speak perfectly since a lot of our communication is in writing and they can always use the chat to communicate. 

------If I'm writing a chapter book, how many chapters do I need to write?-------
I recommend writing at least ten chapters if it's your first book. You can write a chapter each week. Your chapters can be a page or more.

------What if I want to write a screenplay or a graphic novel? -----
All of the storytelling skills we cover in class will help you write your screenplay or graphic novel. The formatting is a bit different, and you'll have more dialogue; otherwise, it’s the same. You will need descriptions and thoughts for the graphic novel and stage directions for the screenplay, but it’s all storytelling. 

-----If I'm writing a book of short stories, will I receive a guide? -----
Yes, you will receive the same guide as the other kids, and instead of chapters, you'll use it to inspire your stories. Make sure you have a new story idea for every class. You can watch the short videos I provide on creating a story idea and characters every week if you like. I also give one story idea for every class. 

------What do I need to do before I start the class?-----
When you sign up for this class, I'll send you a few videos to give you the basics for brainstorming any story, the characters, the setting, and the plot, so that you are ready to start writing. I'll also give you a video to help you with the basic skills you need for grammar and punctuation. You can find links for these videos after the schedule on this document. 

------How do I write? In a journal or on the computer?------
I recommend typing it out in a Google Doc because this is easiest for me to give comments, and for you to publish in the end. But you can write in a journal.

------How do I share my book with you?------
Copy and paste every chapter in a message to me on Outschool, or share a Google Doc link and give me editor or commenter access. (No Microsoft Word or any other program.) You can also copy and paste a chapter in a message to me. Make sure you send it as a direct message. Don’t post it in the classroom or I might not see it. If you're writing in a journal, take a picture of your pages and send it as an attachment. Every week or whenever you're ready for me to read it, you need to send me the link again and tell me what chapter to read. 

-----When do I receive feedback?-----
You will receive feedback once a week before the following class. I will read an average of five double-spaced pages a week. (So, if you missed a week, send me ten pages if you have them.) Sometimes, I look at your writing right after you send it, but reading chapters takes a long time, so I schedule my reading time for the morning or night before the class. You should get feedback within the week. If not, send it to me again. 

-----What kind of feedback will I receive?-----
If you share a Google doc, I’ll write comments on it. Otherwise, I will respond in a brief message about what I like, and I’ll suggest one skill to work on. My feedback is positive and encouraging…I want you to feel amazing about your writing because this will encourage you to write more, which will improve your writing. I may give a suggestion for something to add. I also might fix some formatting for you. After you finish, if you decide to publish your book and want detailed help improving it, I offer private lessons. But I also give you editing videos to help you do it yourself!