My workshops get the students into the trenches with hands-on writing exercises that are tailored for the age group and needs of the class. These can be one-time events or, for local schools, opportunities to work together over a period of a time on a long-term project. These workshops can be amended to work with larger or smaller groups, but they work best with a single class, or approximately 25 students.

Below are some examples of possible workshops, though these can be tailored to fit the curriculum of a given school.

• The Super-Secret Magic Key to Writing Success (Hint: It’s Revision): In this hands-on workshop I will walk students through the importance of revision, and how it has worked in my own writing. Students will be asked to help revise a short story I provide, then will do a quick timed writing exercise, and we will work together on revising their work. (Best for grades 4 and up)
• What a Character! How to Make Good Guys, Bad Guys, and Everyone Else: In this workshop we’ll brainstorm book characters that feel real to us, and talk about why that is. Then we’ll come up with some adjectives to describe good heroes, villains, and more, and use character worksheets to come up with our own characters. (Best for grades 2 and up)
• Using Words Well, the Workshop: Building off the ideas in the presentation above, this workshop goes further and invites students to play around with words. With examples from my own work and others, we’ll discuss the importance of vivid language and active verbs, then try our hands at some timed writing exercises. (Best for grades 4 and up)

For more information and availability on writer-in-residence programs, please contact me at dana at danaalisonlevy.com