“Read the best books first, or you may not have a chance to read them at all,” wrote Henry David Thoreau.
In Search of the Great American Writers and – the just released – In Search of the Great English Writers, are the basis of the popular Young Writers’ Club, a fun, enriching club you can create at home or at school.

What is the mission of the Young Writers’ Club?

Do you ever wish that you knew more about the great writers? Did you ever want to know how to be a creative writer yourself? Join the mission of the Young Writers’ Club to introduce middle grade students to classic English and American writers through virtual “field trips” to their homes and towns, by sampling their best works, and learning to write in their style. It’s designed for enrichment study at home or school without tests or grades — only fun learning at the student’s own pace. It honors the great wisdom of Socrates, “Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.”

Is the Young Writers’ Club based on FACT or FICTION?

Although the Young Writers’ Club is based on extensive research and historical facts, it is a work of fiction. As such, this adventure is intended to explore how some of the world’s greatest writers might have thought and felt about the events that shaped their careers. For the sake of the narrative, actual events have been compressed and fictionalized.

How were the authors chosen?

The most difficult decision was choosing which authors were best suited for middle grade readers. After a decade of research, and travel across the US and England to authors’ homes, the list was narrowed down to 12 authors who are considered the building blocks of literature today. Each author in the Young Writers’ Club was the first to do something that made a significant contribution to literature. Also, their writing is still challenging and exciting today, and available in introductory, beautifully illustrated editions. Today, it is still important to study the classic authors who laid the foundation for modern literature. This collection should not be read as biographies but rather as imaginative stories.

What do students learn from the Young Writers’ Club?

In this adventure, students learn to find their own voice and develop as great writers themselves. After exploring the classic authors’ homes and towns, reading examples of their best-known works, and other activities, students create their own writing. The Young Writers’ Club opens the door to a diversity of authors and inspires students to continue their search for more great writers. Along the way, they learn to write short stories, poems, plays, journals, newspapers, and more.

Who created the Young Writers’ Club?

It was created by Marian “Hannah” Carlson, award-winning author, educator, and former international syndicated newspaper columnist. While visiting England with her family, she noticed that the extraordinary homes, towns, and stories of the great writers should not be missed by our middle grade students. Their life stories are compelling beyond any fiction and are part of our heritage. In the club, the creative skills of the students will blossom. Over the years, hundreds have achieved beyond expectation with more than fifty of them getting their writing published.

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