Students will have the opportunity to take facts and use their imagination to create a story surrounding one of North Carolina’s lighthouses. The artist will discuss time period, setting, and how to organize a story. Students will work on a setting worksheet and they will work on building strong characters, dialogue, and transitions. There will be discussion around the importance of conflict in a good story, and how it must be resolved. Students also will learn the importance of good dialogue and how it can be used to develop a character and add to a story. Once students write their rough draft, the artist will review editing skills, and students will self edit and peer edit. The writer will edit with the students and assist them. Once editing is done, students will rewrite their stories. By the end of the week students will have developed a good understanding of how history can be creative and have their own lighthouse story to add to their unit.

Both in-person and virtual (live) options are available for this program.

Artist Background

Diane has written several creative nonfiction books for children including Side By Side, a story about jazz musicians Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane, which was a finalist in the 2017 Best Book Awards. “Called Home”, a short story about two Vietnam-Era Marines from Raleigh, was a finalist in the 2017 Rose Post Creative Nonfiction Competition. While working with young writers, Diane strives to take the anxiety out of writing. She explains the writing process covered in class is the same that she uses in her own writing. For instance, she shows students a long roll of edited sheets from one of her stories to emphasize the value of editing and rewriting. There is nothing she enjoys more than seeing the smile on a young writer’s face proudly reading their story.

Search Criteria

• Program Type: Writer-in-Residence
• Discipline: Literary
• Grade Level: Elementary, Middle
• Cultural Context: North Carolina
• Accepts bookings in Johnston County
• Virtual option available