The Library will be celebrating National Poetry Month with a few programs that are educational and fun for the whole family. Events: Magnetic Poetry Daily during library hours in April The Trove All Ages One of the ways the Library will engage children with poetry is to give them the opportunity to write their own poetry with poetry magnets throughout the entire month in the Trove. There will be a magnet board on display so that children will be able to play and arrange words to make a magnetic poem. Poetry Month Grab & Go Kits Available beginning April 3
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Archives for creative writing
NaNoWriMo for Young Writers: Sharing Time
In September and October, we offered a NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) program for young writers in grades 4-12. We brainstormed ideas, learned about conflict and worked on character sketches and writing prompts. This month, we're hosting an hour of quiet writing time each week for young writers to work on their NaNoWriMo project, or to work from writing prompts. Next, in December we've set aside an hour for our young writers to get together to share and celebrate their work. All of the kids and teens who participated in our NaNoWriMo series from September through November are welcome to
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NaNoWriMo: November Writing Time Reminder
Are you a middle schooler or teenager who loves to write? Is writing the best way you can express yourself? If so, then you should join our NaNoWrimo (National Novel Writing Month) program. In September and October we brainstormed ideas, learned about conflict and worked on character sketches and writing prompts. If you missed our writing sessions for the months of September and October you can still sign up for our November writing sessions. This program is for anyone in grades 4-12 who is looking for some quiet time to write. Each week we will set an hour to write
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National Novel Writing Month for Young Novelists
Have you heard about National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo? It’s a challenge that takes place each year in the month of November, where people work toward writing a book. This fall, we’re hosting a pre-planning writing series for young writers in grades 4 and up who may be interested in writing during NaNoWriMo. Each Thursday at 4:00 p.m., we’ll meet to discuss various elements that make up a novel, and work through the exercises in NaNoWriMo’s Young Novelist Workbook. By the end of the series, participants will have ideas for characters, setting, and plot ready to go, so they
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Remembering 9/11 Writing Workshop
Tuesdays July 13th through September 14th* 7:00-8:30 p.m. Click here to register. *Class will not be held on August 24th. In this workshop, we will explore memories of and around the events of September 11th, 2001. Around the country, twisted bits of metal from the Twin Towers are displayed in memorials with the words “Never Forget.” But what exactly do we want to remember about that day? What should we remember? Join us for a deep but gentle dive into our memories around the tragedy, and how we’ve grappled with it in the twenty years since. You will be given
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Taller de Escritura en Español
Comparta sus historias e ideas en este taller de escritura creativa, que se enfoca en descubrir la belleza de cada historia mientras discute los temas y la cultura. Cada sesión está diseñada para brindarles a los participantes la oportunidad de probar varios géneros mientras aprenden habilidades clave y técnicas de escritura. Los participantes aprenderán sobre la formación de personajes, el diálogo, las descripciones vívidas, la voz, el tiempo y más en poesía, prosa y escritura de no ficción. Duración: 6 semanas Fecha: martes 13 de abril hasta el martes 25 de mayo del 2021 (Todos los martes) Hora: 7:00 pm.
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Grab & Go Craft Kits for Teens: Blackout Poetry
Which Craft? Wednesday has been phased into Grab & Go Craft Kits! Instead of finding materials around the house, teens in grades 7-12 can pick up a kit with project supplies at the Library, then follow along with the instructional video below to make the project. Or, you can find the materials around your home and follow the video to make the project. Due to wintry weather and winds, Grab & Go Kits are now held inside the Library. Rather than having them sit outside to be picked up, when you arrive at the Library to pick up a kit,
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Sit Down and Write
In November, librarians Caroline and Kat hosted a series of creative writing sessions for kids and teens. We enjoyed talking about National Novel Writing Month, fan fiction, and fairy tales. But the quiet time to write was everyone's favorite part of each session. So, we've decided to set aside some more time for creative writing with a new weekly program starting in January. On Thursdays at 4:00 p.m., we'll sit down “together” on Zoom and write for a half hour. While this program is intended for grades 4-8, teens who would like to attend are welcome to do so. See
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Creative Writing for Middle Grades
National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is celebrated every November and encourages writers of all ages to pledge to write 50,000 words, or a novel, in one month. In the spirit of encouraging creative writing, White Plains Public Library will present a series of virtual creative writing sessions for children grades 4-8 at 4 p.m on Wednesdays November 4th, 18th and 25th. Instead of focusing on a specific word count, or finishing an entire novel, we will dive into the structure of stories, have fun with fanfiction, discuss personal experience with NaNoWriMo and provide free writing time using fun prompts as
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Pause…and Reflect Writing Workshop
Pause…and Reflect: Stories from Your Side of the Window. Join us for this 8-session online creative writing workshop beginning June 2nd. Through exercises and supportive evaluations, you’ll learn techniques that will help you get at the heart of your stories from the pandemic. At the conclusion of the workshop, you are invited to have your story recorded and preserved on film to show us how, for all the distance, the walls and windows, the lack of touch, we are still intimately connected. Ultimately, these stories will become part of the new collection, Documenting COVID-19: White Plains Experiences, created by Library
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Hoopla Creative Writing Resources
Writing can be a cathartic and stress-reducing activity, making it well suited to our current reality. Just as reading a good book can be a comfort right now, getting lost in a writing prompt can also be a portal into another world. Luckily, Hoopla offers a wealth of resources for writers of all ages, from children to adults. I’ll start by recommending a creative writing book by one of my favorite authors, Gail Carson Levine. I’ve loved her books since middle school, when I read Ella Enchanted, an original fairy tale about a girl who is cursed with the gift
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creative writing, hoopla, and writing.
Lynda.com Writing Resources
By Kathlyn Carroll, Edge Librarian. Like many others suddenly working from home, I’ve been focusing on professional development opportunities that would otherwise go on the back burner. While browsing a Library database, Lynda.com, I came across a surprising variety of writing tutorial videos that would also help teen writers. Whether you’re struggling through ELA essays assigned virtually by your teachers, or using the extra time to tackle a personal creative writing project, one of these videos may guide you on your quest. Once you login at the link above, you can search for the learning paths and videos below. ELA
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creative writing, lynda.com, and writing tips.
Writing Tips for Young Writers: Writing Blocks
Caroline's “Writing Tips for Young Writers” column will feature fun writing prompts/props to motivate students in grades 3-6 to pursue creative writing. This month's column is “Writing Blocks: Find a Writing Buddy!” Do you find yourself hitting a writing block—a feeling of not being able to write—even if you have to work on an assignment? Do you love to write for fun but feel as if you are climbing Mount Everest with each blank page? As someone who loves to read and has been published, I still feel intimidated by the blank pages that await me. However, I’ve learned that
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creative writing and writing tips.