On this six week online course you’ll learn:
What teen fiction actually is (and how to decide what age group you actually want to write for)
How to come up with inspired ideas
How to create believable characters
How to write convincing dialogue
How to grab readers right from the first page and keep them hooked to the last
The teen fiction cliches you may want to avoid (or not!)
How it works is that I will set up a private online forum and send you an invitation. I’ll post the course notes at the beginning of each week and they will (I hope) prompt a discussion.
Sometimes there will be homework and/or a writing prompt, but it’s entirely up to you whether you do the homework/prompt – I know some people won’t be at that stage yet or simply won’t want to write to order like that (I did a journalism course years ago at an adult education centre and my heart sank when the tutor set a writing challenge).
I’m also more than happy to give you advice and/or writing feedback if that’s what you need.
It will basically be six weeks’ access to the contents of my head. But, you know, in a good way.
The price is £50. For the full course. Payable in advance via Paypal.
The next start date is 1 October 2013.
Any questions, please email me.
TESTIMONIALS:
“So inspiring and informative! I found the whole approach a brilliant way in to talking about the issues surrounding writing and editing YA.” Harriet Reuter Hapgood
“The course for me was well rounded and packed with enough information/guidelines for the novice writer to put together a jolly good book. It’s the best fifty quid I’ve spent in a long time.” Paula Smith
“I loved the course. It was supportive, inspiring and helpful. It’s given me more confidence and enthusiasm to keep going.” Lesley Taylor
“Keris is an inspiration. She’s been there, worn the tee-shirt and she’s brilliantly at advising, coaching and giving you the specific ‘how-to’ of making your writing dreams into a reality.” Suzy Greaves, Life Coach and creator of The Big Writing Club.
ABOUT ME:
Keris Stainton has had three novels published by Orchard Books:
Della Says: OMG! “A fun, delicious treat you’ll want to eat up in a single bite!” Meg Cabot
Jessie Hearts NYC “A breezy summer rom-com with oodles of New York glamour.” The Bookseller
Emma Hearts LA “In-depth characters make this a light read that’s not frothy at all.” Kiss magazine
Before writing her own novels, she co-founded the influential teen books blog, Chicklish and, according to The Bookseller is “well in touch with what teen girls want.”
This sounds great Keris!… but of course I THOUGHT it was a course teaching teenaged girls how to write…. ahem…. I realise now, of course, that I was wrong! OMG and LOL!!
Funnily enough, I did actually think that myself when I posted it. But we did have a teenage girl on the last course, so that works too :D
Hi! When does this course start? I need to budget… but this sounds so cool!
Hi Kimberley. It starts on 1 April. If you can’t pay before then, let me know – keris.stainton@gmail.com – and I’m sure we can work something out.