News Detail
Creative Writing Camp and Young Authors' Conference
On Thursday, June 16, thirteen local authors participated in a Young Authors’ Conference at Holy Comforter Episcopal School. As part of the Creative Writing Camp, led by HCES teacher and published author Susan Koehler, the authors spent the morning sharing their guidance and expertise with the students. The Holy Comforter Creative Writing Camp, geared towards aspiring writers and those students who want to sharpen their writing skills, welcomed students ranging from 5th to 8th grade.
Susan Koehler, who led the camp, has a deep passion for writing as well as teaching. In addition to 30 years of teaching experience, she has published nine books - five non-fiction books for children and four teacher resources related to the teaching of writing. Mrs. Koehler travels to conferences and school districts throughout the United States to provide professional development for teachers of young writers. Most recently she presented at the Glazer-Lorton Writing Institute, a partnership project of University of Miami and Miami-Dade Public Schools in mid-June.
Throughout the week, students participated in various activities fine-tuning their craft. Daily topics included reviews of writing craft; tips for thinking like a writer; tips on developing characters, settings, and a plot for a narrative piece developed by each student; and daily sharing, response and revision.
Students spent the week developing their stories and characters using incredible detail and learning to grab the readers attention from the 1st sentence. Rising 5th grader, Bella Balmer wrote a story from the perspective of an older woman whose husband and children are suggesting that it's time to downsize and leave the house that has been her family home for many years. She began with the main character sitting on a rocking chair on the porch.
I looked out at the sunrise as I sat on the porch rocking chair. The big oak tree sat in a field of spring flowers. Pinks, blues, and reds scattered everywhere.
"Mary Jane, you have to come inside. Emma and Matthew are going to be here soon with their new baby, our grandson," my husband, Jerry, said.
"I'll be inside in a minute," I said.
I glanced out at the misty morning and wondered how I was 65 years old already, with a grandson!
Students also learned that good stories are built upon compelling characters who are in challenging situations. Rising 7th grader, Alex Harrison wrote a story about a girl whose father has died and her mother has remarried. At one point in the story, she decides to run away from home. “Tears swelled in Margaret's eyes as she quietly made her way down the stairs that led to her room in the attic. She grabbed a bundle of money that lay in the top drawer of the kitchen counter. Margaret walked a couple of steps to the kitchen door and unlocked it. She then opened it a couple of inches. It creaked, disturbing the silence of the household.”
Students learned to write descriptively so that the reader can visualize characters and settings. Rising 6th grader, Charlotte Spinks wrote about a girl in an orphanage: “Lights flickered on and still sleepy heads began to rise. The room was filled with groans and mumbles and I watched silently as kids began to get up, leave the room, and come back ready for the day. A few minutes later, a sudden sharp ring came from downstairs, waking the late sleepers and calling the rest of us downstairs for another breakfast of tasteless gray mush.”
Students also learned about narrative endings, and discussed how characters and their circumstances change during the course of the story. Sometimes characters achieve their desires, but sometimes characters have a change of heart and realized they no longer need to achieve those initial goals.
The week concluded with a Young Authors’ Conference. Susan Koehler, who is a member of the Tallahassee Writers Association (TWA), welcomed fellow TWA members - twelve additional local authors. Students had the opportunity to hear from each author about their individual work gaining inspiration and a bit of insight into the many genres that the authors represented. The class then separated into small groups, each group paired with an author, where students read their writing aloud and gained valuable feedback and insight from the author and fellow students in their group.
M.R. Street, the Student Outreach Chair for Tallahassee Writers Association, said, "Participating in the Young Authors Conference on the final day of camp always energizes me!" During the summer, she conducts a free Young Writers Workshop that meets at the Eastside Branch Library on Pedrick Road on second and fourth Tuesdays from 4:30-5:30. She hopes some of the young authors will join her and continue working on the great stories they began during HCES writing camp.
This was the 4th HCES Writing Camp and Young Authors’ Conference, which has become a summer favorite for many. The week was immensely successful and very enriching for both the students and authors involved.
Holy Comforter Episcopal School is a top-rated private, Episcopal, coed school for PreK-8th Grade students located in Tallahassee, Florida.
