[Audio Tracks now available! Listen to all class material with this new feature. Perfect for struggling readers. Click on the tab above to learn more.]

Do you ever wonder how to encourage and nurture your child’s love for writing? Do you have a child with a writing gift? An obsession with story-writing? Passion for Fiction is designed for your kids who can’t stop writing, or who are dying to write stories but would like a little guidance. This class is not for reluctant writers. It’s for the kids who fill their journals or write their stories on the computer or who imagine full-scale fantasies but have no audience. In Passion for Fiction, junior and senior high students will work on the elements of fiction using specific exercises to grow in their craft, for example:

  • Setting
  • Character development
  • Dialog
  • Plot
  • Description

Students won’t submit a complete work of fiction (these are usually far too long for a four-week class), but instead will have the opportunity to work on each of these specific skills using exercises and writing processes to enhance their fiction-writing prowess. A wonderful advantage to this class is that your students get to share their work with other passionate writers!

If your child is wanting to write a specific story (already has the basic idea in mind), this class helps to flesh out the methodology of how to craft it. Once class is finished, your young writer will be able to put the elements together to create that narrative-whole. Because fiction-writers are prolific at these ages, we’ve found that working on the elements of fiction is a better use of time and instruction rather than attempting to revise and edit a full-length story. Once your child understands the elements of fiction, your writer will be a much more effective story-teller in each subsequent writing experience.

This class, like all Brave Writer® classes, is especially affirming and supportive of your child’s emerging writing voice. If you have a passionate writer in your family, this is a fabulous opportunity to take that writing to the next level.

Audio Tracks Available! #

You've been asking for a way to support your struggling readers, and we heard you loud and clear! You have the option to add on audio tracks of all class readings for $49. Your child can now listen as they read, strengthening those developing reading skills and deepening understanding!

For more information about how the classes are run, please read about online classes.

To explore our Brave Writer® classroom, click here to access a sample class.

Brave Writer® online classes are specially designed with the busy homeschooling parent in mind.

Class Structure Overview #

  • Class is held in a private discussion board with 20-25 other participants.
  • Class is asynchronous—you log in when it is convenient for you each day of the week at no specific time of day.
  • It is text-based—no video.
  • Student writing assignments are posted in a text box, published to the classroom, and all students are able to read student writing.
  • Class is a writing workshop format, with all coaching feedback available to be read by all families.
  • Class work, student writing, and coaching feedback can be downloaded and saved in a PDF format.

Class Length and Time #

Classes last anywhere from three to six weeks. We offer courses that address a specific writing need so that you can take the ones that suit your family throughout the school year. Short class sessions enable you to work around family vacations, out-of-town swim meets, recovering from wisdom teeth removal, and visits from grandparents. We operate on the quarter system, including a summer session. Our most popular classes repeat each quarter, while others are seasonal.

We operate "asynchronously" (which means that the discussion is not live, but that posted information remains available to you in your time zone at your convenience). Instructors check the classroom throughout the day to answer questions and give feedback on writing. Writing is done at home and then typed into the classroom, and shared with both the instructor and other classmates. You're not required to be online at any specific time of the day. We have students from all over the world participating in our classes so "live" discussion is impossible. Instead, the online classroom enables the instructor to post information and assignments when it is convenient to the instructor. Then, when it is convenient for you, you come to the classroom and read the latest postings.

Private Classroom Space #

Our classes meet in a customized online classroom, designed specifically to meet the needs of Brave Writer®. Only registered students and the instructor have access to the classroom to ensure your privacy. Assignments and reading materials are posted by Brave Writer® instructors each week (no additional supply fees necessary, unless otherwise indicated). Either you (homeschooling parent) or your child (homeschooling student) will visit the classroom daily at your convenience to read helpful information about the current topic or to find the writing assignment.

Instructor feedback to student writing is offered for all participants to read. Writing questions are welcomed and encouraged! That's the point of class. We aim to give you immediate support as you face writing obstacles.

Safe Community #

Brave Writer® takes seriously the need for encouragement and emotional safety in writing. No student is ever at risk of being humiliated or mistreated. All online dialogue is respectful and supportive of your child's process. This is the core of Brave Writer® philosophy. You can read about Brave Writer® values here.

What makes our program especially unique in the world of online education is that we value a corporate experience. Rather than teaching your child in a tutorial format, we prefer students to have the opportunity to both publish their work for an audience (other students) and also to have the chance to read other student writing. In no other setting is this possible. Schools-in-buildings rarely have students read each other's work. Homeschooled children are rarely in a classroom environment to begin with, so the opportunity to read peer-writing is nil.

Our classes provide an utterly unique experience in the world of writing instruction. Since most writers grow through emulation of good writing, it is a real advantage to Brave Writer® kids to get the chance to read the writing of their fellow home-educated peers. They love it! They get to examine and internalize other ways of writing, analyzing and expressing ideas similar to their own. They have the chance to validate and cheer on their peers. And of course, the best part of all is that they receive the praise and affirmation of kids just like them.

Not only that, all instructor feedback is posted to the classroom for all students to read. That means your kids get the benefit of instructor comments on many papers, not just their own. We've noted that this style of instruction is especially effective and hope you'll agree!

To explore our Brave Writer® classroom, click here to access a sample class.

We’re excited to share our biggest update yet to our online writing class program:

AUDIO! #

If you’ve got kids who struggle with the volume of reading our classes require, we’ve got you!

An AUDIO feature will be available for a small fee in our classroom posts.

Got a reluctant or challenged reader? A lot of classroom reading might have been a deterrent in the past.

Now you can upgrade the classroom experience so your students can LISTEN to the class assignments and readings instead. Or they may like doing a combination of reading and listening—an effective way to grow both skills.

Listening to audio while reading benefits:

  • fluency skills,
  • pronunciation,
  • pacing,
  • and tone.

More choices. More support. More ways to learn.

Here's how it works:

1. Add "Audio Tracks" at checkout when you register for a class. Available as an add-on for $49.

2. Log in to the classroom.

3. Click on "Audio Tracks" to listen to any class post as you read!