Writing a novel is a challenging task for most adults, but we know that middle school and high school kids are up to the task with the proper teaching and guidance.
In this course, students will master the fundamentals of creative writing, develop confidence and a distinctive writing voice, and compose their novels.
Students acquire the fundamentals of novel writing
Our curriculum team designed the course with character development as the underlying ability that drives the plot of a novel. Students will learn how to create a realistic protagonist and adversary, including:
Establish goals for their two primary characters
Write character portraits that explore each individual’s personality and quirks.
Develop conflict in their story from a significant hurdle to their protagonist’s goal.
In addition, students will gain knowledge of the following:
- narrative framework
- setting description
- plot development
- conversation construction
Example of a writing prompt for our novel-writing class asking students to introduce their protagonist and antagonist.
In novel-drafting modules, students will apply the skills they are learning by creating chronological scenes of their novel’s plot in response to carefully constructed writing prompts. The prompts are intended to inspire students to write their narratives in chronological order, beginning with stasis, increasing activity, and conflict and concluding with falling action and resolution.
Students Complete the Course with a Finished Project
As with all Matic Academy courses, instructors will move through the curriculum at the student’s pace. In contrast to other Matic courses, students must achieve a particular percentage of new completion before going on to the next benchmark module. This motivates pupils to get words on the page and develop the concentration necessary to write for extended periods without interruption.
At the beginning of each session, students will share a piece of their novel with their professors and receive criticism. Students will build confidence in their writing skills if they consistently share their creative work with a respected mentor.
To accommodate students with varying levels of commitment to the course, the first module is a goal-setting module in which students explore their availability, famous works of fiction, and ambitions. In this session, students will also choose their desired word count: a novel of 20,000 words or more, a novella of 15,000 words, a novelette of 10,000 words, or a short story of 7,500 words.
Students will practice metacognitive skills such as introspection, self-evaluation, and accountability by formulating goals. If your student enrolls in Novel Writing, the instructor will provide you with the target word count in the session notes following the first class meeting.
This English option is a good adjunct to regular English/Language Arts programs in addition to novel writing. Creative writing is an ideal project-based approach to English/Language Arts since it requires students to incorporate previously learned information into their writing. The fundamental assumption is that pupils will retain a skill if they can use it. If they can compose an original story that reveals a theme, it will be much easier for them to deduce the topic of any story they read! In addition, creative writing is an excellent approach to generating genuine enthusiasm for reading and writing among students.
Prepared to Begin Writing?
Students who are prepared to write a novel are encouraged to participate in our Novel Writing course; we cannot wait to see the work of our aspiring young novelists!
