CREATIVE WRITING PROGRAMSFOR YOUTH

Presented for Metrowest in April 2008Beth Gallaway, Information Goddess Consultinghttp://www.informationgoddess.infoinformationgoddess29@gmail.com

OBJECTIVES

Share online and print resources for creative writing program planning

Try your hand at a number of simple exercises

Get tips for how to teach youth how to edit, present, and deliver feedback on other's writing

ICEBREAKER: 2 TRUTHS & A LIE

• Tell the group three things about yourself• Two things must be true• One thing must be a lie• The group has to guess which is fact

and which is fiction

EXERCISE: ACROSTICS Write a name with each letter forming a column. Use each letter to start a new sentence. Traditional for cards or valentines.

B M TE O IT T GH H G

E ER R

RESOURCES: BOOKS

Bogen, Nancy. How to Write Poetry. MacMillan, New York: 1998.

Dahlstrom, Lorraine. Writing Down the Days: 365 creative journaling ideas for young writers. Free Spirit Publishers. Minnesota: 2000.

LeGuin, Ursula. Steering the Craft: Exercises and discussions on story writing for the lone navigator or the mutinous crew. Eighth Mountain Press, Portland: 1998.

Peacock, Molly. How to Read a Poem…and Start a Poetry Circle. Riverhead Trade, 2000.

Walton, Todd, and Mindy Toomay. The Writer’s Path: A guidebook for your creative journey: exercises, essays and examples. Ten Speed Press, Berkeley: 2000.

RESOURCES: SERIES

Scholastic Guides series: How to Write Poetry Putting it in Writing Writing With StyleWriting Stories

Franklin Watts Prep series: Extraordinary Blogs & Ezines Extraordinary Emails, Letters and ResumesExtraordinary EssaysExtraordinary Poetry WritingExtraordinary Short Story Writing

RESOURCES: ONLINE

American Academy of Poets

http://www.poets.org

CanTeach. Writing Prompts/Journal Topics.

http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/prompts.html

ETTC. Instant Poetic Forms.

http://ettcweb.lr.k12.nj.us/forms/newpoem.htm

Magnetic Poetry: Play Online! Kid’s Kits.

http://www.magneticpoetry.com/magnet/

The Writing Site.

http://www.thewritingsite.org/resources/prompts/poetry.asp

EXERCISE: ARTISTIC INSPIRATION

Choose: A postcard A painting A work of art A piece of music

Write about it Example:

“Starry Night” by Vincent Van Gogh“Vincent (Starry Starry Night) by Don McLean

PROGRAM: PEER EDITING GROUP

Meets on a regular basis Writing & editing exercises Themed meetings

College essays Poetry Reviews

May host event or magazine

FEEDBACK

Model feedback Specific Constructive criticism only Take it with a grain of salt Appreciations Suggestions

Written feedback

PROGRAM: FAN FICTION CONTEST

Establish criteria Select “expert”

judges from community

Fan prizes

PROGRAM: VOYA POETRY CONTEST

Call for submissions Select “expert” judges from community Winning poem is sent to VOYA Check out the April 2008 winners at:

http://www.voya.com

PROGRAM: LITERARY ‘ZINES

Call for submissions Youth does editing & layout Print and/or online Coffeehouse event to celebrate publication

PROGRAM: SUPPORT NANOWRIMO

National Novel Writing Month November 1-30

PROGRAM: REVIEWS

Use e-Vanced Solutions! Tie into:

Summer Reading Teen Read Week Other

PROGRAM: POETRY BOOK CLUB

Read a novel in verse

Read a collection of poems

PROGRAM: POETRY CIRCLE

Limit by poet Limit by theme Limit by geography Limit by time Limit by form

POETRY SLAM

Competitive Prizes Podcast Blog YouTube

PROGRAM: OPEN MIC NIGHT

Coffeehouse Non-competitive Door prizes Podcast Blog YouTube

EXERCISE: EXQUISITE CORPSE Write one line on a piece of paper. Pass it to the next person, who adds a second line. Continue around the room, with each person

contributing a line. Variety!

poem or story group or individually simultaneously

EXERCISE: EDITINGo Write 5 lines about whatever pops into your head. o Write 3 new lines (using words from the first 5

lines)leaving a blank space for a new line between each one.

o In the blank spaces, write new 2nd, 4th & 6th lineso Cross out 2 words in each lines.o Rework these lines, keeping to 6lines.o Cross out 4 entire lines!o Rewrite the remaining 2lines, leaving a blank space

between them.o Write a new second line that goes with the existing 2

lines.o Cross out all but 5words to make one new line.o Select ONE word.o Write this one word at the top of a new page.

EXERICSE: FREE WRITE

Write the one word from the last exercise at the top of the page.

This is a title for a poem, an essay, a blog post, a story.

Write it.

THANK YOU!

Beth Gallawayhttp://informationgoddess.infohttp://del.icio.us/informationgoddess29informationgoddess29@gmail.com603.247.3196