It never fails. When I teach teens I feel as if I receive as much as I give. That was my experience teaching twelve teens at the recent Write2Ignite conference. Picture courtesy Sean Earnhardt We came together as a group of strangers- some more tentative than others- but we all had the same passion: a love for… Continue reading Write2Ignite Teens Ignite Me and Inspire a Giveaway!
On February 19 I have the privilege of teaching the teen track at the Write2Ignite! conference in Greenville, S.C. Jean Hall, one of the founders of the organization and a terrific blogger, agreed to be interviewed here. Carol: How did you and your team get the idea for Write2Ignite? Jean: The idea was birthed by three Christian writers who met… Continue reading Write2Ignite!
My granddaughter, Ebby Clark, reading before bedtime. Have you always wanted to write a book for children but didn't know where to begin? If you live in the Charlotte, NC area than you can take a class that covers the basics of writing and publishing for young readers. Starting January 22, I'll be teaching at… Continue reading Writing for Children
Writing workshop in San Antonio, Tx In case you or your children are interested in further developing your writing skills, my schedule this fall includes the following workshops: Teen Writer's Workshop Who? 6-10th graders What? This workshop is for students who have imaginary characters and plots swimming inside their heads just waiting to come out. Students… Continue reading Upcoming Writing Workshops
L.M. Montgomery inscribed those two words in the minds of every reader who devoured the Anne of Green Gables books. I am fortunate to have several friends who fit into that category (you know who you are!) and today I connected with two organizations that also fit that description. The first group is Literacyhead, an online magazine that is committed to encouraging creativity… Continue reading Kindred Spirits
There are books that you read and wonder, "Why didn’t I think of this?" Thinking out Loud on Paper: The Student Daybook as a Tool to Foster Learning (Heinemann, 2008) is one of those books. Used in all grades, the daybook is a marvelous way to hook students in all subject areas to "think out loud" through writing. I… Continue reading Thinking Out Loud on Paper
If given the option, I could much easier describe a crimson leaf that is heralding the approaching season, then picking the words my character, Kate Dinsmore, uses when talking to her sister Ginny. It feels as if there are no rules when writing my story. Of course there are reams of guidelines and lots of… Continue reading No Rules
One of the fun things about teaching young adults is that invariably I learn from them also. Right now I am teaching a small group of home school girls who are excited about creating their own stories. Last week when I asked them what every story needed, Savannah Ann answered, "A point. Every story needs… Continue reading Learning from our Students
For a powerful lesson on word choice and sentence syntax, watch this 1 min 44 second video with your students. It's a visual and auditory lesson on the impact which words can have. The Lost Generation was written by a twenty-year-old as part of a contest which AARP sponsored entitled, "U @ 50." Well written… Continue reading Words Matter
Yesterday I presented a workshop, Wikis, Word Choice and Red Font: Ride the Revision Wave of the Future at the South Carolina Council of Teachers of English conference. This is my third year to have the opportunity to work with teachers in the tranquil setting of palm-packed Kiawah Island. Driving home yesterday I reflected on… Continue reading The Joy of Being an Educational Author