Today, I am thrilled to have Dee White, an amazing young adult novelist. She’s a gifted storyteller and I was fortunate enough to meet Dee at SCBWI LA last August. She is passionate about writing classes for kids and adults. I’m so happy that she’s here on Laurasmagicday to tell us a little bit about her writing journey and her online writing school. So, I introduce you to my friend Dee, from OZ….
It’s great to be visiting your blog. There are so many fabulous things about being a writer. Of course I love the writing part, but it’s also fun meeting other writers like you. I’ve been writing since I was seven, but when I was a kid there was no internet, no writing networks, no writing teachers. There was nobody to help me, or teach me how to write. Then I had kids of my own and my son was turned off writing when he was ten because he was never allowed to write what he wanted, or given the time to finish anything. (Here’s a great poem he wrote when he was eight.)
That’s why I started Writing Classes For Kids, an online school where writers of all ages can get great tips and find out how other people write. I want kids to be able to explore their creativity and feel good about their work. My site is still fairly new but there are regular writing tips, author visits and fun writing activities. Soon I’ll start downloading lesson plans.
Every month I have a free writing competition and I’m very excited that you are donating two of your wonderful books as prizes in next month’s competition. On my blog there are links to other great writing sites and information about how to become a writer. You can also find out more about me and my books.
In your books, Winnemucca and 13 On Halloween, your main characters, Ginny and Roxie both take a chance and it changes their lives forever. This is one of the things that makes your books so powerful – the character risks something important – there is something ‘at stake’ for them – something they will lose if the risk they take doesn’t pay off. In all great stories, there is something at stake for the character, something important to them, something they risk by doing or not doing something.
There has to be bad consequences of them taking that risk – something that creates a difficult situation that they have to get out of.
And when a writer thinks of something bad that happens to their character, then they try and think of something else that will make things even harder for them. This is called raising the stakes.
HOW TO RAISE THE STAKES
- Put someone your character loves at risk
- Put a time limit on something eg they have to find the lost treasure before the enemy does.
- Add another enemy to your story.
- Put your character’s life at risk.
Next month, Writing Classes For Kids will be running its second writing competition and the theme will be ‘chances’.
Writers who complete the following writing activity, will have a head start on their story for the competition.
PLANNING YOUR STORY
Before I sit down to write I always try and think about what’s going to happen in my story. It’s kind of like having a road map so you know where you’re going.
I ask myself these questions:
- Who is my main character?
- What happens to them to start the story rolling? (This is called the inciting incident or event.)
- Where and when does it happen?
- Why does it happen to this character?
- How does the main character react to what happens to them?
- What problems does this incident/event cause for the main character?
- How does the character solve this problem?
WRITING ACTIVITY FOR 8-11 year old writers
Scenario: Your character finds something valuable on the way to school. They really like what they found but if they keep it, something bad will happen to them. Your character decides to keep it.
1. PLAN your story:
- Who is your character? (Age, name, where they live, things they like, things they don’t like, things they are scared of, anything else you think you need to know about them.)
- What is the object that they find on their way to school?
- What happens next?
- If they try to give the object back, something even worse happens. What is it?
- How can you raise the stakes? (Make things even harder for your character?)
- What does your character do next?
- How can your character put things back to the way they were? Is it even possible?
- How does your story end? Does your character solve their problem or do they just find a way to live with it?
2. When you have planned your story, the next step is to write it. Have fun:)
WRITING ACTIVITY FOR TEENS AND ADULTS
Scenario: To save the life of someone they love, your main character will have to face their greatest fear and risk their own life in the process.
1. PLAN your story
- Who is your character? (Age, name, where they live, things they like, things they don’t like. What is their greatest fear? What do you need to know about them for the story you have in mind?)
- Where is this story being set? (Time and place)
- Who is the person your main character loves?
- Why do they love this person and want to save them?
- What is your main character’s greatest fear?
- How will facing up to their greatest fear put your main character’s life at risk?
- Will your character triumph and save the life of the person they love?
- What are the consequences of all this?
2. When you have planned your story, the next step is to write it. Have fun:)
Thanks for inviting me to your blog, Laura. It has been a blast. Can’t wait till you visit me next month at Writing Classes For Kids on 7th December to talk about your writing journey.
I can’t wait to visit you on your blog, Dee. It is a wonderful resource and I can’t tell you how helpful I’ve found your straightforward writing advice and nuts and bolts suggestions for tuning up my writing. Dee also runs an adult writing blog at http://deescribewriting.wordpress.com where she has regular writing tips. Thanks for stopping by Laurasmagicday Dee! Good luck to all who enter her writing contest. Now, get writing 🙂
I enjoyed the blog on writing classes for Kid. I think there should be more reading and writing events for kids.
http://dhdonaghe.blogspot.com/
David,
Thanks for stopping by today. I think it’s great the Dee is so passionate about writing for kids! Her adult writing site is something I check out all the time. If you ever need a little encouragement or answers to some writing questions you have, visit http://deescribewriting.wordpress.com its an excellent resource for writers of all ages! Good luck with Monroe’s Paranormal Investigations. I look forward to checking it out!
Thanks for having me on your wonderful blog, Laura:)
Thanks, David for dropping in. So glad you enjoyed the blog.
Dee
So thrilling to read about your writing competitions Dee! So happy to have you here today:)
Lovely to see Dee jumping across the Pacific Ocean to your blog, Laura. The opportunity to form links with writers in other countries is terrific for all of us – hence the value of SCBWI Conferences and the internet.
I check out Dee’s blog often too – she’s been a great support to my writing over the years and I’m so glad her valuable contribution to children’s creativity is being spread further afield.
*waves* YES. SCBWI is such a great part of my writing journey. I have my cute little stuffed koala that DEE gave me in LA. He’s sitting right here in my office. We may be an ocean away, but the really great thing is that when I read Dee’s blog I feel like she and I are sitting down chatting over a cup of coffee. It’s so great. And of course her work with kids and adults is very inspiring. Good luck with your writing Sheryl. I look forward to checking out your work.
I love the aardvark!
There are a lot of problems with writing in the school system. Namely, once you hit middle school, creative writing flies right out the window. I’m glad there’s a creative writing source for kids.
McKenzie,
I love that little guy! I’m going to spread the word about her writing competition this December, I hope you do to 🙂
You are so right about middle school. Writing sort of turns into essays and projects and reports. And that’s all really important too. But it’s so important to have a way to get your heart down on paper. Especially when it’s a time when lots of kids have lots of emotions to sort out! Thanks for stopping by today, I know how BUSY you are! Good luck with everything 🙂
Thanks for a great post, Laura and Dee.
Your planning suggestions were invaluable, Dee.
And how lucky for the kids that you’re now offering writing classes.
Laura, are you a planner too? I love the cover of your Halloween book.
Is it available in Australia?
Best wishes to both of you,
Alison
Alison,
Thanks for stopping by today. Yes. My books are available in Australia! You can purchase 13 on Halloween online through Createspace here:
https://www.createspace.com/3678772
Thanks for your kind words. I design my books covers myself, so I really appreciate the encouragement.
Alas, no. I am not a planner. Dee is very gifted isn’t she? I always swing by Dee’s writing blog to keep a pulse on your latest writing tips.
Best wishes to you! Have a wonderful weekend 🙂
Many thanks for this, Laura and Dee – you’re always so generous with your help and wonderfully useful advice.
I totally agree that schools do not give children long enough to finish stories. Do you think a more realistic approach would be for children to be asked to produce a detailed plot and synopsis and showcase their skills by writing and editing the first couple of chapters for assessment, and let them finish it to their own satisfactiuon at their leaisure. Or should they given more school time for completion? When multi-published authors can spend several years working on a 500 word picture book text, I wish schools would not judge a childs effort after only a week’s worth of homework (possibly with illustrations, too).
All best wishes from another SCBWI fanatic.
Peter,
That’s a GREAT point. Good writing takes time. Although I know different writers work in different ways, the editing process is one that I think would be a wonderful addition to school creative writing programs. Where the kids draft a story. Sit on it and then revisit it when they get some perspective. Not be too quick to grade or judge. Just learn a bit about the process. The process is different for everyone. And most of all, they might be able to learn from each other 🙂 Thanks for stopping by Peter. Have a wonderful weekend.
Thanks, Laura,
I’m so excited that you are going to be the featured author for December on Writing Classes For Kids and that you are donating two of your fabulous books as prizes in the December writing competition. So wonderful for authors like you to come on the blog and share your tips and experiences with new writers:)
Dee
It’s my pleasure Dee. I can’t wait!
Thanks, Sheryl,
I’m always happy to support your writing. You are such a champion of the children’s book industry, particularly in Australia.
Dee
Thanks McKenzie,
I’m so glad that you think my blog is a useful resource.
Dee
Thanks, Alison,
I’m really happy to offer new writers an opportunity to nurture their talent.
Laura’s books do have fantastic covers don’t they?
Dee
Thanks, Peter for your very insightful comments.
Just as kids learn in different ways, kids write in different ways so I think they need to be offered alternative ways to explore their talent. As a book creator yourself, you would know that some people plot and some don’t. The curriculum vs creative writing is a massive topic. I think there are so many ways that writing can be made more fun for kids. I definitely think they should be encouraged to complete their stories and enjoy the sense of fulfilment and the increase in writing confidence that this brings.
Dee
Congratulations both to you Dee and to Laura. This was another insightful and interesting post. As another who is passionate about encouraging children to write – and to not be afraid of it – I applaud your continued efforts.
And Laura – your books sound wonderful. I’m particularly interested in ’13 on Halloween’. Is this available as a paperback on Amazon?
Thank you for hosting Dee, and for inviting us ‘over’. And thank ‘you’ Dee!
Kerri/Kaz,
Thanks so much for stopping by today and offering your kind words. Yes 🙂 13 on Halloween is available on Amazon & Createspace. Here are the links to buy my books. I do hope you enjoy the stories!
http://www.amazon.com/13-Halloween-Teen-ebook/dp/B005NFPDL8
https://www.createspace.com/3678772
It’s my pleasure to have you ‘over’ here in the US. I have lots of deep ties to the Land of Oz, so you all hold a very special place in my heart. I hope to travel there one day!
Why not come over for the next SCBWI International Conference in Sydney, Laura – June 29 to July 2/3, 2012 if my memory serves me correctly? And you should be able to offset the trip against tax. If you can’t get to this one, the next will be two to two and a half years after that – the time of year is not set and has varied. We only have about 100 attendees, with several editors and other industry people mingling and having fun with us the whole weekend. Not to be missed!