30 Novel Pt. 2 // Due the week of May 4, 2017

Hi Everyone!

The homework this week is to write the next 4-5 pages of your novel, and to read the first 4 pages of your partner’s novel and comment at least 4 comments (our usual comment rules—no grammar but rather big picture comments.) You can comment using the "insert comment" function of Google Drive so that you don't have to actually write on their paper. If you're not sure how to "insert comment," Google "insert comment google drive" and the phrase will bring up some tutorials.

Thanks and email me if you have questions!

29 Novel Beginning // Due the week of April 26, 2017

Hi Everyone!

This week, you are starting your novels, so start by writing the first 4-5+ pages of your novel! (minimum 4)

I will not be grading you on grammar or how perfect it is—the key of this assignment is just to get you writing more than you've potentially ever written before! A lot of people think, "I could never write one thing that was 15-20 pages long!", but this year, you'll get to see how you absolutely can!

Here are a couple of tips if you get stuck:

• Change the plan! If your plot diagram has your character spending the next ten chapters on a bus, and you're feeling bored, change it up! Add a second love interest! Add a ghost! Add a bus crash! Whatever keeps you interested!
• Skip around! If you feel like a certain scene that you've planned is kind of boring but you really think it's important, skip it for now and come back to it later! (Just add a sentence or two explaining the missing section, so that your partner isn't super confused.)
• Brainstorm with a friend or family member! There's nothing like a second mind to give you exciting ideas to add to your novel! They can also help you flesh things out, so you can see if your character needs more development, or what have you.
• Email your partner if you want some advice!
• Look up novel writing inspiration on Pinterest (with a parent's permission and overseeing) to get some inspiration!
• If you are still having trouble, it might be necessary to just start from scratch and plan a new novel—not all ideas you have will provide enough inspiration for a full novel. At that point, brainstorming a new idea with a friend is a great idea! (This last option is not recommended but rather only for desperate situations :D)

Most importantly, let your creativity run wild! Have fun! 

28 Novel Plot Diagram and Scene List // Due the week of April 18, 2017

Hi Everyone!

This week, your homework involves more thinking than writing, but it is still very important because you are brainstorming the novel! If you don't like your ideas later on, it will involve a lot of make-up work, so make sure you like your idea now :D

• On a piece of paper, plot out your novel using a plot diagram. Make sure to have at least 5 rising action events. Also make sure that all of your events (after the inciting event) build on each other to increase the tension.
• 

• On Google Drive, write out a scenes list of around 15-25 scenes that will occur in your novel. Each scene should have 1-2 complete sentences that describe it. i.e.:
• Betty is walking down the street in the alien world of Lum. Suddenly, an alien boy gets hit by a car, and Betty stays with him until the ambulance comes. (Exposition and Inciting Event both happen in this scene. That's okay.)
• Betty visits the alien boy in the hospital. He's unconscious, but she talks to him about her sad life story, thinking he can't hear her.
• The boy wakes up the next day, and tells Betty that he heard everything she said and she's embarrassed (when she visits him that evening). The boy asks her to visit again.
• When Betty visits again the next day, the boy is missing from the hospital. The doctors all act like he was never there, like Betty is insane. Betty realizes there's a conspiracy going on.
• Etc, etc, etc.

Be ready to talk about your ideas in class next week!