Writing Fix
Writing Fix: A Magical Animal Encounter
This writing lesson is fashioned after Harry Potter's encounter with a communicative boa constrictor at the zoo. Inspired by Rowling's original idea, students will be asked to create a three-part story about an original magical animal...
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Antonyms & Onomatopoeia
After reading the book I Stink! by Kate McMullan, students look at the structure of this "guess who I am" book as well as some similar stories. Then students complete a graphic organizer and write their own guess-who stories.
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Unique Imaginary Friends
The writer will first create an original imaginary friend, inspired by Ted from Tony DiTerlizzi's wonderful picture book. The writer will then think of an ordinary activity done on a daily basis, like feeding the family dog. The writer...
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Just the Facts, Ma'am
Students read The Web Files by Margie Palatini and use the format to write three-scene detective stories of their own. Teacher instructions, student instructions, and student writing samples are provided, as well as an interactive...
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: A Chapter Book Writing Lesson: Creating a Parallel World
Inspired by the opening events in The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman, students are asked to create an original parallel world that is similar to ours but different in certain ways. They will focus on the similarities and differences...
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: A Literature Inspired Writing Lesson: A Time Traveler's Log
Students will read chapter four of The Time Machine by H.G. Wells, noting both the time traveler's descriptions of the new world of 800,000 ACE, and the conclusions the main character draws as a 19th century man. Students will think of a...
Harold D. Underdown
Derailed by Details
A helpful site for writers which gives the proper perspective in assessing the detail involved in your writing. Provides examples of how to include exciting, relevant details when writing fiction.
Harold D. Underdown
Are You a Writer Looking for Inspiration?
A very helpful article for writers looking for inspiration. Presents advice about inspiration from the past, present, and future. Article written for children's literature but may also apply to other genres.
Other
Nottingham Trent University: Kids on the Net
Visit this site for children's writing made by kids. Kids on the Net aims to help children develop a useful and informed approach to the Internet and how to use it for writing.
BBC
Bbc Bitesize: Higher English
This site provides information about characters, plot, and setting of several different pieces of literature. It offers links to activities and tests on topic such as analysis and evaluation, creation and production, drama, novels, and...
ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: Empowered Fiction Writers: Generating and Organizing Ideas
Do your students' minds go blank when they confront a blank piece of paper? Speedwriting can help them get started with writing as well as come up with topics to write about. They can then incorporate their key ideas and phrases into a...
ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: Choose Your Own Adventure: A Hypertext Writing Experience
This series of lessons involves student collaboration, writing and analytical skills, technology and imagination. While the lesson suggests use of FrontPage, it would also be possible to use a number of other authoring tools.
ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: Drawing and Writing Stories
Online lesson plan which allows elementary students to us the technique of drawing as a tool to create meaningful writing skills in fiction.
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Counting Up or Down Stories
The writer will brainstorm situations where individuals or people in a group count up or count down out loud together. Using the ending of chapter 5 of Wringer by Jerry Spinelli as a model, the writer will plan a story where someone (or...
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Top Secret Rule Reasons!
In The Secret Knowledge of Grown-ups, David Wisniewski uses a pattern throughout his book. A grown-up rule is shared, the grown-up reason for the rule is shared, and the "real" reason for the rule is revealed in a fantastic tale. This...
Other
Write4 kids.com
This site provides a great deal of information on writing children's stories. Contains "Advice, instruction, insider tips, insight and inspiration."
Colorado State University
Colorado State University: Writing @ Csu Writing Guides
This is a fairly sophisticated series of writing guides. It assumes that users already have a solid grasp of spelling, grammar and mechanics, so it focuses more on organization and types of presentation than on more basic skills....
Caro Clarke
Writing Advice: Don't Get It Right the First Time
How much of your novel have you written? Do you keep starting it and never finishing it? Learn the answers to these questions in this novel-writing advice piece.
Caro Clarke
Not Stopping the Reader: How to Avoid Stumbling Blocks
This is the eighth article in a series that focuses on helping the new novel author. This article looks at how the author can avoid creating stumbling blocks that disrupt the flow of the novel.
Caro Clarke
Explaining Too Much: Why More Is Less
This is the eleventh article in a series that is designed to help the new novel author. This article focuses on how to eliminate needless information in your novel. The key is to not explain too much about the action.
Caro Clarke
Historical Fiction: Who Rules?
This is the fifteenth article in a series designed to help the new novel author. This article focuses on the genre of historical fiction and the role of the author. Is the author a researcher or a story-teller?
Caro Clarke
Rewriting
This is the 17th article in a series that helps the new fiction author with the final step--revision.
Other
National Novel Writing Month
Here's an interesting creative writing challenge. Write a 50,000 word novel between November 1 and November 30. NaNoWriMo has been orchestrating this challenge for several years now and the site has plenty of directions on the process,...
Harold D. Underdown
Writing Young Adult and Children's Fiction and Fantasy
A great article concerning writing children's literature, especially in the area of fantasy or science fiction. The author provides information concerning how to develop characters, creating literary elements, and discusses some pitfalls...