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Teen Writing Clubs |
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In summer writing clubs, 15 girls wrote 4 juvenile novels. Why a club? Girls, and some boys, love to write. In a club, they have fun and tackle the mechanics with less moaning and groaning. Club set-up: Groups of 4 to 6 girls meet twice a week-six weeks for two hours each session. How?: The adult proposed the initial scenario. The girls brainstormed, sketching out the main characters' personalities, physical attributes, and backgrounds. Using the given scenario and the results of the brainstorming, each girl wrote the initial scene. After 10-15 minutes, each girl read aloud her contribution. Discussion followed with the adult leading, pointing out the strengths of each. This prompted the question, "What happens next?" After the girls decided, they wrote the next scene and then these were read aloud and discussed. At the end of the meeting, the adult collected the work. She combined the scenes written individually by the girls, pulling something from each girl's pages. One girl would have a great description and that went in with another girl's good run of dialog. Using a highlighter to mark good passages when first reading through the girls' work helped. The adult printed enough copies of the compiled piece for every one. The girls read it to themselves at the beginning of the next session. Then they did a group edit. Reading one page at a time, the group found errors: punctuation, spelling, grammar, and word usage. They even decided whether a bit of dialog was in keeping with the character. This nitty-gritty stuff was more enjoyable as a group. They learned from each other as they marked their copies. We had our stories run off and bound at a local copy store. They cost under $10 a piece. Some girls wanted one for themselves and one for a relative.
Note: all proceeds from these books go to Compassion, International. Please see the bottom of this page.
Resources for teen writers:
The church bus will be taking off on Friday for Camp L.O.S. Karen Aimee had planned to visit her father in New Mexico while her best friend, Melanie Honeywell, went to camp for the first time. When Karen's dad cancels the visit, the girls make a mad scramble to get enough money for Karen's camp fee. Campers swim, canoe, hike, and go horseback riding. They can also get lost, get sunburned, and get in trouble. Melanie must have her friend beside her for all the adventures.
Melanie Honeywell and Karen Aimee take on the job of doing yard work for a strange old lady in the neighborhood. They soon discover that the woman is lonely and frightened. The amount of work to be done on the old run-down house is more than the girls can handle. To make matters worse, a troublemaker targets the woman for acts of vandalism. The girls are fortunate to have God on their side as they find ways to help Mrs. Coffenstein and uncover the cause of her fear. They enlist the aid of their parents, the church, the fire department, and the police before they get everything settled to their own satisfaction.
Melanie Honeywell comes from a large family and looks forward to the adoption of a child by her aunt and uncle. But Samantha arrives, not as a tiny infant, but as an obnoxious teen-ager. Worse! Samantha will attend their brand new Christian school and be in the same classes as Melanie. Melanie's best friend Karen Aimee accepts Samantha. Melanie wonders if this is the end of the friendship she's had with Karen since they shared a playpen. Samantha has ruined everything. It seems to be her specialty. She can foul up recipes, mess up Melanie's clothes, and break things, all without even trying. Maybe Aunt Maggie and Uncle Mike will realize that Samantha isn't worth the trouble and send her back.
THE WEDDING Karen's mom has fallen in love with the veterinarian! The wedding is scheduled for the end of summer. But Karen generously offers her and Melanie's services to baby-sit Priscilla Clark, a six-year-old better known as Pistol. The little girl has broken both her arms in a skateboard accident, and her Grandmother just can't cope anymore. It's up to Karen and Melanie to keep Pistol occupied and out of trouble all summer. A letter from Karen's father arrives announcing he will pick up Karen to take her camping at Yellowstone with his current girlfriend. He has often failed to keep his promises and there's no date for the vacation. He could not come at all, or he might come when Karen wants to be at home for her mother's wedding. Read an interview of the Teen Writers Club All proceeds from sales of the Melanie and Karen books goes to Compassion International to help children in need. Click on either of these links to learn how to sponsor a child yourself.
View a flash presentation by Compassion
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© 2003 Donita K. Paul |
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