Ideas and Resources for a Creative Writing Class?

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Monkey

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My husband is starting up his high school's first Creative Writing Club (he's a teacher, not a student :) )

His goals are to:

help them master the basics of writing

help them discover their voice

encourage their love of writing

boost their confidence

teach them the basics of submitting their work for publication



I found a market for people ages 13-25 in the nonpaying markets section of AW and printed it out. I suggested that he help his students submit work for possible publication.

I also printed off a bunch of info on Lulu.com pricing and suggested that he get together with the head of the Art Club. I figure that they can get students to submit work, put together a nice little book, and keep it on file in both clubs and in the school library. They could do a new one each year. If they sold the books, any proceeds could go to fund the clubs or to charity.


Does anyone else have any ideas?
 
badducky

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I'd immediately put in place this rule:

1) NO ANGST ALLOWED.

followed by this one:

2) I DO NOT WANT TO KNOW ABOUT HOW YOUR MARY SUE LOST HER VIRGINITY

Which are important rules even at the collegiate level (sadly).

Have everyone bring an object, whatever object they think is cool, be it an old boot, a religious token, or a cool hand-mirror... Just something it might be fun to write about.

Pass these objects around. Let everyone write down a little bit about those objects. Then, by next week, write a short 500-1000 word scene/story involving all of those objects in some way, shape, or form.

Pick some scenes from Shakespeare, (something obscure, like Troilus and Cressida!), and have them write them out as if they were a short story, with all dialog present.

Old Weekly World News articles brought in to be used as a frame device for the "What actually happened that day..." story.

Basically, just make the kids scribble and scribble until their pens are small nubs and their fingers have callouses from typing.
 
Monkey

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Donroc: Good point. He's already covered plagarism extensively in his class, but some of the CW kids may not be his students.


badducky said:
I'd immediately put in place this rule:

1) NO ANGST ALLOWED.

followed by this one:

2) I DO NOT WANT TO KNOW ABOUT HOW YOUR MARY SUE LOST HER VIRGINITY
Click to expand...

:roll:

Good advice, especially since he's a young, attractive, male teacher and some of his best writers are in the goth crowd.
 
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