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The Beginning Writer
suggested for grades 3rd-6th
The Beginning Writer
suggested for grades 3rd-6th
The Beginning Writer
suggested for grades 3rd-6th
online classes for
writing, literature, & English
online classes for
writing, literature, & English
online classes for
writing, literature, & English
The Lantern English Co.
suggested for Grades 6-12
CREATIVE WRITING
01.
INTRO TO CREATIVE WRITING
At the heart of every great story, we find a set of core elements – character, dialogue, plot, setting, and more. In this course, students walk through these elements, as well as the basic skills needed for them. Students also learn how to write in the first and third person, the most commonly written voices, and will compose a script, short story, or novel chapter. To enroll in this class, student must have a general understanding of basic writing skills, including proper use of grammar & mechanics and paragraph writing.
02.
THE SHORT STORY
Do you have an idea that you would love to get on paper? Have you always wanted to complete a written project? Would you like to convert that novel-writing prowess into compact form? You have come to the right place. In this course, students discover one of the best forms for storytelling and write a complete piece of their own. With weekly guidance, students experience the complete story-writing process, from choosing characters to editing a second draft.
Prerequisite: Intro to Creative Writing or equivalent writing experience
03.
CREATING LIVING CHARACTERS
While we can’t promise that your characters will literally leap off of the page, this course will get them as close as possible. Learn the skills of brainstorming a unique character through everything from character “interviews” to personality types, then develop your already-existing characters with backstories, engaging voices, plot-moving motivations, and more.
Prerequisite: Intro to Creative Writing or equivalent writing experience
04.
CREATIVE WORLDBUILDING
Create a world of your own in eight weeks! We’ll explore the unique details of your fictional setting, from everyday life to scenery, and include special focuses for genre words. After discovering the details, we’ll cover how to weave your worldbuilding into your plots, and how to create storylines tailor-made for your setting.
Prerequisite: Intro to Creative Writing or equivalent writing experience
05.
MASTERING DIALOGUE
Dialogue carries a strong impact on a reader, and yet it is often not a focus of the aspiring writer. An uninspired discussion is jarring in a story, but a realistic character voice will build believability while advancing the plot. In Mastering Dialogue, we will explore these important skills, create voices for a variety of genres, and more.
Prerequisite: Intro to Creative Writing or equivalent writing experience
06.
CHARACTER WORKSHOP - HEROES
Your story relies on one main thing: its protagonist. In this in-depth character workshop, we’ll discover what makes a strong hero and craft our own protagonists while exploring literature, history, and our previous works. As the course is focused on the student’s character creation, highly individualized feedback and advice will be provided weekly along with the weekly grades.
Prerequisite: Creating Living Characters
07.
CHARACTER WORKSOP - ANTAGONISTS
Strong conflict can’t exist without a strong antagonist. Throughout this character workshop, we’ll discover how to create just that: a powerful yet relatable antagonist. As we craft our own antagonists, we’ll not only build characters, but we’ll explore literature, history, and our previous works. As the course is focused on the student’s character creation, highly individualized feedback and advice will be provided weekly along with the weekly grades.
Prerequisite: Creating Living Characters
08.
EXPLORING GENRES
If you’ve ever been to a library, you’ve seen a sample of the plethora of genres used in creative writing. Science fiction, fantasy, historical fiction, young adult—there seems to be an infinite number! This course will provide an introduction to nine of the most common fictional genres, with an eye towards expanding the student’s writing repertoire and helping him or her locate favorite genres to write. Recommended for writers with more advanced creative experience.
Prerequisite: Intro to Creative Writing or equivalent writing experience
09.
GENRE WORKSHOP - ACTION/ADVENTURE
Action and Adventure stories are some of the most exciting stories of all. They are built on high stakes, conflict, and courage. Throughout this genre, workshop, students will explore the essential parts of action/adventure stories. They will learn to create compelling characters, exciting settings, create tension, and structure story pacing. As students study this genre, they will move step-by-step through the writing process and finish the class with a polished action/adventure short story. Recommended for writers with more advanced creative experience.
Prerequisites: The Short Story and Exploring Genres
10.
THE NOVEL
Aspiring novelists, welcome! In The Novel, we’ll discover what makes a strong novel, develop striking characters, learn how to structure a whole book, and discuss important topics like beating burnout and editing successfully. Whether you’ve written a dozen novels or want to begin your first, this class was designed for you. Recommended for writers with more advanced creative experience.
Prerequisite: Intro to Creative Writing or equivalent writing experience
11.
INTRO TO WRITING POETRY
Words can do more than explain an idea. They can capture a moment, tell a story, create a rhythm, or give shape to a feeling. In this course, students will learn how to write poetry by exploring both the basic tools of poetry and a variety of poetic forms. With weekly guidance and practice, students will experiment with language, discover new ways to express their ideas, and create a collection of original poems, including acrostics, haiku, ballads, sonnets, epics, limericks, odes or elegies, and free verse poems. To enroll in this class, student must have a general understanding of basic writing skills, including proper use of grammar & mechanics. Recommended for students 10th-12th grade.
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