Customer Reviews

Learn to Write the Novel Way

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This is so exciting! It is so important to move grammar out of workbooks and into student writing. Carole's course does that beautifully, coaching the student's writing process from the stage of thinking of ideas all the way through editing. She does a particularly masterful job in sifting the dreary grammar and spelling rules needful to writing into the truly useful gems. She then explains these in fun ways with easily understood definitions. Never dry, Carole makes correcting student novels almost as much fun as writing them. Also included is something most writing courses lack, a moral compass for the writing process. Since writiers lead the culture, its important that they do so from a moral base, Carole lists solid Biblical principles throughout. I have never before had the luxury of using a curriculum that contained all the elements I wanted in one book. This book is a gift to anyone seeking to teach or become a writer.

This is the best book I have found to get me writing and enjoying it! Her basic steps to getting a book written are:

--Imitate comic book writers. They call it the Master Plot Outline (MPO).

1. Hook reader

2. Establish setting

3.Introduce protagonist (main character)

4. Establish protagonist's goals

5. Establish current situation

6. Introduce conflict (the villain)

7. Villain characterization

Establish plot gimmick (add subtle detail that later becomes clear)

Transitions to provide motivations for protagonists

Protagonist and antagonist move toward eachother

Reinforce protagonist goals

Establish plot plant (tease reader with foreshadowing)

Introduce supporting cast and sub-plot

Sub-plot development in relation to protagonists

Develop conflict

Protagonist's big entrance

Big fight scene

Villain gets upper hand

Pickup sub-plot

Transition

Back to protagonist

Things look bad

Protagonist is up against the wall

Reaction and dilemma

Decision

Pay-off plot plants

Character growth to over come the antagonist

Payoff plot gimmick

Protagonist overcomes

Protagonist achieves goal

Resolve plot

It's as simple as that. Here is your outline, now write your book!

This is the book everyone who teaches language arts should have! Learn to Write the Novel Way takes teaching language arts to a new level - one that's fun for students and teachers!

Learn to Write the Novel Way utilizes an approach that immerses students in the task of writing, editing, and publishing their very own novel while simultaneously teaching vocabulary, grammar, and composition skills.

It's easy to use, fun, and most importantly, takes the drudgery out of teaching and learning the "mechanics" of language arts. The curriculum is presented in a step-by-step process that can be taught over the course of one semester or one year - whichever you choose. At the end of the course students have something tangible to show for all their hard work - their very own published novel!

This is the way language arts should be taught - in a motivating and inspiring environment - one that's fun for students and teachers alike. I would recommend this book to everyone who is charged with teaching language arts!

I'm so glad I used Learn To Write the Novel Way in high school. It was great preparation for college writing. By "nuggetizing" the tasks, I learned how to approach all writing assignments with confidence and to write proficiently.

As a creative writing teacher, I love it. A fun, imaginative way to learn. Carol Thaxton does a great job helping students combine creativity with a wide range of practical skills. -Stephen Cline, English Department Chair, Laguna Blanca School

This paperback book of writing exercises is overpriced in my opinion. I sent my copy back as I did not see this as being presented in an interesting appealing way for my 13 year old son. There were lots of pages of writing exercises that are just like the ones in any grammar book. I would have thought that more focus would have been spent on simple leading instruction and examples on improving ones writing step by step with the child's own writing as the focus rather than redundant worksheet type exercises.

Does it sound too lofty to achieve a novel? Carole Thaxton reaches that goal by breaking down this awesome task into chewable portions. One step builds on another until the resounding, "Wow! I did that?" This book is a teacher's dream come true! Learn to Write the Novel Way is a creative and effective approach to reviewing all the basic components of a language arts curriculum! It is charged with creative energy and enthusiasm, taking the stuffiness out of grammar. The challenge to write a novel becomes contagious. Teachers, prepare to be infected along with your students.

How do you eat an elephant? The same way you write a novel...one bite at a time. Thaxton does an EXCELLENT job of breaking down the process into bite-sized steps. Fun exercises guide the students to improve their writing, make a plot pattern, organize thoughts, and embark on writing a novel. The editing section contains 100% of the grammar necessary as well as publishing tools. Our co-op did this class and all of the students didn't write a novel - but some did! If a novel seems too daunting, this guide will still be of benefit. ALL of the students improved dramatically and developed skills that will aid them in other facets of writing.

A one-year or two-year plan is outlined to give a reasonable pace. This book could be just the inspiration your creative writer needs to empower him to get started.

I purchased this product because my 16 year old son, whom I homeschool, desired to write a fiction book and was having trouble with the grammar and sentence construction elements. This book has given him the structure he needs to write his book. He actually asked me if he could work on it on his own, rather than just during school hours. This comes from a kid who has always hated writing, but had a story idea in his head. So far, we absolutely love this book!

While thumbing through the book, I found a full page cartoon of a silly looking character with big lips and a goatee wearing an extremely large turban with the caption, "A lonely Arab on a dolphin in Indonesia." I contacted the author, and she responded, "I don't see the problem."