Writer in Residence
Writer in Residence – the basics
Insideadog hosts a monthly writer in Residence. These are YA writers who blog on the site for a month, on topics they wish to write about. Readers can comment on the entries, and discuss topics with other members and the authors themselves.
Our 2013 Writer in Residence calendar includes:
- February - Alyssa Brugman
- March - Myke Bartlett
- April - Raina Telgemeier
- May - Garth Nix
- June - Ambelin Kwaymullina
Writer blogs in the classroom
The Residence blog gives students a unique insight into the lives and interests of the authors involved. As well as reading, students may comment on blog posts. This is a form of interaction with professionals that most students will rarely experience, and is certainly one to capitalise on. Reading, discussing and commenting on the entries of a writer in residence provides a great in-class example of blogging as a form of written communication. Use or adapt the blogging worksheet (attached below) to foster discussion.
Lesson ideas
Engage with the writer in residence. What have they written? Research them online. Read their blog entries as they are written, and encourage students to respond to their entries. Some authors will have an open thread where they will answer questions in comments – if they do, encourage students to formulate and post questions and check their responses.
Investigate writing for blogs. What makes a good blog? What is the measure of success for a blog? How do you get new readers? How do you encourage readers to become involved? Find an author’s blog and analyse - why does the author keep the blog? Is it effective?
Here are some author blogs to start with:
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| Blogging.doc | 130 KB |
