Until April 30, I’m offering a super discounted price ($10 US) on my Online Writing Camp for Teens. Drop by and check it out here.

I’ve had e-mails from local parents wondering if I knew of a writing camp for their children. The answer was no. We have many half-day art, music, drama camps in the area, but nothing for writers. As a former educator and experienced author and writing coach, my response was to create an online Writing Camp for Teens with activities that teen writers can do at home and that give them some good writing tips and creative inspiration.

Writing Camp for Teens includes five activity bundles, each with a separate writing focus, and each with its own set of writing prompts, exercises, and opportunities for reflection. You can visit Writing Camp for Teens and have a closer look at some of the units and evaluate the content before you purchase. You have lifetime access to the content.

Along with writing-centred exercises and activities, Writing Camp for Teens provides links to resources and writing tips. Currently, EXTRAS offered include: the link to a free PDF download of 201 Writing Prompts, editing tips, suggestions for what to do when a story gets stuck, and links to library lists for great teen reads.This portion of writing camp will continue to be updated with links and helpful articles of interest to teen writers.

You can purchase the online  writing camp at one of  three levels. ***Canadian readers please note that prices are in US dollars.***

1. Silver Level  includes TWO coaching emails. Though I cannot read the writing project, I can help with advice about any issues your writer might be having, such as writer’s block, finding a new idea, getting a story unstuck, how to write in a particular genre, publishing, etc.
   Cost: $39.00  
2. GOLD LEVEL includes the above plus a personal critique of a 1500-word excerpt of a story or novel, providing tips for improvements and suggestions for moving forward OR four coaching e-mails to answer questions that you have about writing or publishing.
   Cost: $150
3. PLATINUM LEVEL includes the basic writing camp material, PLUS the critique AND four coaching e-mails to answer questions that you have about writing or publishing..
   Cost $250.00

SPECIAL OFFER FOR writerS IN KITCHENER-WATERLOO

If you purchase the Gold or Platinum level, I will be happy to also meet in person with your writer for an hour of coaching at a local library branch to talk about the project, present the critique in person, or answer any questions about writing or publishing. I have coached several local students in both high school and middle school over the past few years and enjoyed every minute of it–a bit like piano lessons, except for writers.

I’ve included the table of contents for Writing Camp for Teens below to give you a peek at what’s inside the program.

Wishing you writerly summer!

Contents

• Welcome & Outline of Activities
• Welcome
• How to Start
• A note about worksheets

ACTIVITY BUNDLE 1       

Introduction

1. Warm-Up Writing Prompts

• Quieting the Editor
• Focus on Creating and Having Fun

2. Write What You Know. Finding Out What You Know.

• My What I Know List

3. Where to find story ideas.
4. What if?

B Pick Four Words

1. Check These Online Resources
2. Other Places Where Stories Hide
3. Finding Your Writing Space
4. Flash Fiction, Short Stories, Novels

• Flash Fiction
• Short Stories
• Novels

ACTIVITY BUNDLE 1 – OTHER ACTIVITIES

• Create your own small book
• NaNoWriMo
• Start a Journal

 ACTIVITY BUNDLE 2

Introduction

1. Warm-Up Writing Prompts
2. Learning more about your characters

• Character Sketch
• Pictures
• Interviews
• The Secret
• Change

3.  Character Sketch Template

4.  Describing your character

• Show don’t tell
• Emotions and Action

5. Point of View—Who is telling your story?

• Third Person Limited
• First Person

ACTIVITY BUNDLE 2 – OTHER ACTIVITIES

• Explore a Site for Young Writers
• Drawing Characters

 ACTIVITY BUNDLE 3       

Introduction

1. Warm-Up Writing Prompts
2. Starting with Conflict

• Person vs. Person
• Person vs. Nature
• Person vs. Self
• Person vs. Society
• Person vs. Supernatural

3. How to Begin a Story

• In Media Res
• With Action

4. Plotting Basics

• Plot Planner #1
• Plot Planner Worksheet #1
• Plot Planner #2
• Plot Planner #2
• Plot Planner #3
• Brain Dump

5. Ending a Story

ACTIVITY BUNDLE 3 – OTHER ACTIVITIES

• Learn from other writers
• Colouring and Drawing
• One more plotting tip from Janice Hardy

ACTIVITY BUNDLE 4       

Introduction

1. Warm-Up Writing Prompts
2. Tips for writing description that readers will read
3. Describing the Setting

• Think about how much you really have to describe.
• Use Comparisons
• Get the Senses Involved
• Draw a Map or Use Photos

4. Describing Your Characters

• Avoid the list
• Use comparisons
• Show Don’t Tell
• Use actions to show emotion
• Your character’s voice
• Showing thoughts

5. World Building

• Useful links
• Checklist for World Building

ACTIVITY BUNDLE 4: OTHER ACTIVITIES

• Draw a Map
• Using Google to Set the Scene

ACTIVITY BUNDLE 5

Introduction

1. Warm-Up Writing Prompts
2. Tips for Writing Great Dialogue

• Using said is just fine
• Show Don’t Tell
• Dialogue Does More Than Just One Thing
• Dialogue Isn’t Realistic
• Don’t Have Characters Tell Other Characters What They Already Know
• Mechanics: New Speaker Equals New Paragraph

3. Dialogue Excerpt for Fun and Practice

• DIALOGUE SAMPLE #1
• DIALOGUE SAMPLE #2
• More Dialogue Practice

ACTIVITY BUNDLE 5: OTHER ACTIVITIES

• Cartooning
• Cover Designs Made Easy