When students enter your creative writing classroom, they may have a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. However, once the bell rings and academics disappear, there is one thing all writers have in common: the desire to improve their craft and tell better stories. Based on this shared interest, you can develop a course that will fulfill this goal.
Develop Short Stories
For many, the desire to write stems from a love of language and storytelling. If this sounds like you, then what better way to satisfy your students’ literary thirst than by requiring them to write short stories? Short stories allow students to practice their craft while also yielding interesting results, so this is a win-win situation. What better way to teach students about writing than by having them write a short story and then critiquing it.
Introduce Genres
In addition to developing short stories, you can also introduce students to various genres such as science fiction, fantasy, and horror, which they may not have explored yet but will enjoy exploring as a part of your class. You may even decide to create a writing contest for students in which the topic can vary, but the focus is on exploring various genres and getting students engaged in the creative process.
Encourage Students To Read
Even if students have never read a word of creative writing, they will be familiar with the concept of reading stories and novels. In order to satisfy this desire, you can require students to read a certain number of pages each week or month, which will expose them to a variety of prose and keep their minds fresh. This is also a great opportunity for you as the teacher to guide your students to the wonderful world of literature and enable them to discover writers they may never have heard of before.
Structure The Course
If you have never taught creative writing before, then this is the perfect opportunity to try something new. The great thing about a writing course is that, as the teacher, you can mold it to fit your own teaching style. One of the best things you can do for your students is to provide a course that is both challenging and enjoyable. As a part of this process, you may choose to introduce concepts that are a little ahead of the student’s current knowledge base or enable them to apply what they have learned in a new situation.
Practice Creative Writing
One of the most effective ways to improve your students’ creative writing is to have them practice writing regularly. You may choose to have them write for a certain amount of time each day or practice writing in class. Whatever you do, make sure that your students know that it is helpful and that they will enjoy the results of their hard work (they will certainly enjoy the results of your efforts!). Developing a creative writing class may be a challenge, but it is certainly worth it.
As you can see, there are many ways in which you can develop a creative writing course for your students. If you want your students to leave your classroom with a portfolio of written work that stands out, then this is the course for you. Good luck!