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. Members of the site can comment on the entries, and discuss topics with other members and the authors themselves. Authors are announced ahead of time, allowing some preparation for an upcoming residency for both teachers and students.
Writer blogs in the classroom
The Writer in Residence blogs give students a unique insight into the lives and interests of the authors involved. As well as reading, students may comment on blog posts and posts by writers in residence. This is a form of interaction with professionals that most students will rarely experience, and is certainly one to capitalise on. Writers in residence will be announced before the start of their time on the blog, so keep an eye open for who is coming up and how their writing and their work could fit in to your plans. Reading, discussing and commenting on the entries a writer in residence provides a great in-class example of blogging as a form of written communication. Use or adapt the blooging worksheet [link: blogging_student] 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:
