PCWAC114 - Teen Writing I

Course Description

This five-day workshop is for teens (grades 8 through 12) who love writing fiction in any genre. Each day, participants will begin with a different group writing activity designed to develop a particular area of storytelling, such as character development or plot and structure. Writers will set a goal for the week (e.g., “finish a short story” or “write the first three chapters of my novel”), and they will have time to work on these projects every day. The final hour of each meeting will be for sharing and feedback. Participants are encouraged (but not required) to share their writing with the group for positive and constructive feedback from the instructor and their peers.

Writers must provide their own laptops or tablets that can connect to Wi-Fi. Stories and activities will be written using Google Docs, which allows the instructor and participants to leave comments on all stories. If the writer doesn’t have a Gmail account, the instructor will help set one up for use during this workshop. Writers who prefer to write by hand are welcome to do so.

Students who complete Teen Writing I will be prepared to take Teen Writing II course.

This workshop is in offered in partnership with Writing Workshops Dallas.

Please note times are in Central Standard Time (CST).

Course Outline

Monday
Story Starters. After a brief ice-breaker activity, the instructor will lead a discussion on where story ideas come from and how to turn an idea into a plot. Writers will participate in the Character-Obstacle-Want activity, then work quietly on their own stories. In the final hour, writers will workshop their stories with the group.

Tuesday
Perspective and Tense. The instructor will lead a discussion on the different perspectives and tenses writers use and how to choose the right combination of each for their stories. After participating in a perspective/tense-swap activity, writers will work quietly on their own stories. In the final hour, writers will workshop their stories with the group.

Wednesday
Character Motivation. The instructor will check in on how close writers are to reaching their goals for the end of the week, then lead a discussion on finding protagonists’ internal and external wants and needs. After a characterization activity, writers will work quietly on their own stories. In the final hour, writers will workshop their stories with the group.

Thursday

Narrative Voice. The instructor will lead a discussion on the elusive topic of “voice” in fiction and provide an exercise designed to help students understand the concept and hone their stories’ narrative voice. Writers will work quietly on their own stories, and share with the group in the final hour.

Friday
Reaching the End. The instructor will lead a discussion on figuring out the end of a story. After a writing roundtable activity, writers will work quietly on their own stories. In the final hour, writers will workshop their stories with the group and set new goals for their writing beyond the workshop.

Notes

Stories and activities will be written using Google Docs, which allows the instructor and participants to leave comments on all stories. If the writer doesn’t have a Gmail account, the instructor will help set one up for use during this workshop. Writers who prefer to write by hand are welcome to do so.