Course Description Time: Open-ended. We’ll work on your statement until it’s application-worthy. One week we might meet three times via Zoom; another week our interaction might be entirely via email. Vaccinations permitting, we might meet [...]
The first question that has to be answered in any relationship is, Are we right for each other? You’ve done the work of investigating different colleges and universities to see which ones are right for [...]
When I’m talking about writing during a school visit, I ask the teachers to close their eyes so I can take a quick poll of the assembled students: How many of you love to write? [...]
It sounds so easy, doesn’t it? You get notes on your story or poem, read them over, and then revise based on the suggestions you’ve received. Just like that, you’ve got a bright and shiny [...]
It’s writing workshop day! Maybe you’re a sixth grader who’s never been through the process of getting feedback live and in person--and from six people all at once! Or maybe you’re thirty-two, sitting at shaky [...]
When I finish a first draft, I immediately want to send it off to my editor to get her thoughts. But before I do, I feel like I should clean it up a little bit, [...]
Ask anybody who sees my early drafts (especially my editor) and they’ll tell you that I write the worst first drafts ever. The girls in the weekly writing group I lead are often shocked when [...]
One of the most important things an editor does is help the writer see what she’s actually written—as opposed to what she thinks she’s written. The editor points out to the writer what’s confusing about [...]
It might seem strange to launch a blog about writing and teaching with a post about editors, but hear me out. I want us to get away from the idea that writing is a solo [...]
"The many views and diverse cast create a complex, thought-provoking, and entertaining view of middle school.” —Publishers Weekly Read the full review of The Class - Publishers Weekly
What Writing Advice Do You Have for Young Writers? So Glad You Asked! By Frances O'Roark Dowell First, let me begin with a scene. In this scene, you, the writer, [...]
5 Writing Prompts to Get You Writing Are you in the mood to write, but don’t know what to write about? No worries, we’ve got you covered. Check out the [...]