How to teach your child to write a novel: Lesson 8: Chapter List

Junior Secret Novelist Club

You are reading part nine of a ten part series that shows you how to teach your elementary-age child to write a novel, and in the process become a wiser, more thoughtful reader of books written by others. Check out the preparation, the genre lesson, the hero lesson, the villain lesson, the conflict lesson, the setting lesson, the plot map, the analysis exercise, and then come back here for the chapter list.

Greeting:

This is your last meeting! Bring treats, balloons, horns, dancing gorillas, trained peacocks, etc. Generate a festive atmosphere; you have lots to celebrate! Say the oath, send the handshake around the room, and talk about how it feels to be at the end of this course, having accomplished so much hard planning and thinking. Tell them that today they’re going to get their last badge and their Official Noveling Paperclip (or whatever silly object you found) and be authorized to begin writing their novels.

Warm-Up:

This warm-up is pure silliness, since they’re going to have to do such hard work and brain exercise later in the hour. Write down five things that you refuse not put in your novel, no matter what! The goofier the better — give them some examples to set the tone. Mutant ninjas, exploding reindeer, broken telephones, coffee mugs full of rhino snot, etc.

Chapter List Activity:

Here is your link to download today's worksheet: Chapter List Worksheet.

Your chapter list worksheet has ten spaces for chapters. It’s much much easier for a child to fill in within a set framework than to try and figure out how many chapters there should be, as well as what should be in them. Fill in the main action of the chapter on the first line, and the setting of the chapter on the second line. Some of the chapters you can fill in right away: The first one is the intro. The second one is the inciting incident. The ninth one is the climax. The tenth one is the denouement. So really, all that’s left is to fill in chapters 3-8. Look back at the settings that have already been decided and see if any are still to be used. Look back at your plans for complications, rising action — how many towns must be visited, how many people must be met, how many items  must be located, how many battles must be fought? Etc.

This may be the hardest part of the whole process for the kids, so it’s important you stay positive, keep offering motivation and asking questions, but don't give them answers or ideas. Encourage them to choose exciting settings, bring in new and interesting characters, introduce dramatic events, give the characters unexpected problems or presents. If you break down and tell them what they should do, they will not feel like they own the book. If you cleverly push them in interesting directions, and keep them moving toward their own answers, they will be so proud at the end of the exercise!  

When they are finished, line them up in a row and present them with their Official Noveling Paperclips (or hats, or toenail clippers, or flutes) and pronounce them official novelists and ready to begin to write their books.

Follow-Up:

After the plans have been laid, the time has come to write the novels. I suggest using a sticker chart or some kind of visible, tangible reward system for word count. I use two sizes of sticker tiles — if you write “a little” you get a small one. If you write “a lot” you get a big one. The amount that constitutes a little or a lot is purposefully subjective.

As they write, do not criticize anything, at all, ever, including grammar, style, punctuation, etc. Your job is to be a cheerleader. Writing a novel is very hard, plan or no plan, and anything that shuts them down must be avoided! Give treats! Wave pom pons! Read what they produce excitedly, and ask questions! Beg for more! Claim that you cannot rest until you know what happens in the story! Reward novel-writing with thunderous applause.

Enjoy!