Wordsmith - A Creative Writing Course for Young People

Wordsmith is written for young people who are just beginning to explore their experiences, feelings and responses. The purpose of the book is to develop confidence in self-expression, first by learning some basic techniques of effective writing, and second by discovering that their own experience contains plenty of material to write about. Some of the topics that Wordsmith Apprentice touches upon are addressed more systematically here. Parts One and Two contain exercises and short assignments to reinforce the principles taught. In Part Three, the student moves beyond exercises into longer assignments, developed according to an orderly process of thinking, organizing, writing, evaluating, and re-writing. Every chapter includes a "Just Imagine" exercise or assignment, where the student is encouraged to apply what she has just learned to an imaginary situation.