Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

“Writing & Editing A Book”

In this activity, students will work in pairs to write and edit their own short books for publication.

In The School Story, Natalie writes her own book and eventually must work through the revising and editing process with her mom. This activity parallels the ways in which authors and editors turn a manuscript into a published and polished book.

• Write a 2–3-page short story. Create a main character, provide that character a problem to solve, and have the character work toward a resolution. Make sure to include conflict, rising action, and a climax. Don’t forget to come up with an appropriate title. Space out your lines so your editor has room to write suggestions.
• Find a partner and trade stories.
• Edit your partner’s story. Think about how Natalie and her mom worked through Natalie’s story together. Consider things like character motivations and plot holes. Ask yourself what would make the story more enjoyable to a wider audience. Consider what the author wanted to communicate with this story. Don’t forget to help your partner with proper grammar and punctuation.