Writing Workshop for Middle School Students

Middle schoolers, get out your pens and notebooks, to learn the craft of writing at a free workshop in the next few weeks.

The workshop is sponsored by the California Writers Club Mount Diablo Branch. There will be two options, Saturday, January 29 at the Concord Public Library and Saturday, February 5 at the Ygnacio Valley Public Library in Walnut Creek.

The three-hour workshop aims to help students enter the club's Young Writers Contest, now in its 17th year. The contest deadline is April 1.

Authors Elizabeth Koehler-Pentacoff and Sarah Wilson will lead the workshop.

Each year the workshop focuses on a different theme. Koehler-Pentacoff said this year the focus is character development. She said they typically have 30 to 40 participants each year.

“We help students understand what is a personal narrative, what is a short story, and what is a good poem,” said Koehler-Pentacoff. “Middle schools don’t have time to include creative writing in the curriculum. It’s not in the standards. That’s why we’re focusing on middle school.”

Each workshop starts with a writing game followed by a discussion about writing techniques. Then there is a writing prompt, a story starter and opportunities for students to share their writing.

“We talk about what’s fabulous about the writing and how we can make it stronger and better,” said Koehler-Pentacoff.

There is a question and answer session during the workshop, information about forming writing groups and submitting stories for publication. 

Koehler-Pentacoff has a blog with writing suggestions as well.

Any sixth, seventh, or eighth grade student can attend the workshop, but only Contra Costa County residents may enter the Young Writers Contest.

Contest entries will be accepted in the following categories: Personal narrative/essay, short story, and poetry. Monetary prizes will be given to first, second, and third place winners and they will be honored at a banquet on May 21.

Visit the California Writers Club Mount Diablo Branch website for workshop registration and contest information. Preregistration for the workshop is required, and it fills up quickly. The deadline for contest entries is April 1, 2011.