Shirley Jackson's short story "The Lottery" provides middle schoolers with an opportunity to hone their close reading and literary analysis skills. After annotating their copy of the story, writer's craft an essay in which they analyze...

A very good article providing "secrets" to those writers hoping to get published. Includes tips, secrets, quotes from published writers, and links for further information.

In this lesson each writer will compose and revise a "showing" description inpsired by an object or a place in nature. Long before drafting, students will discuss and compare the writing styles and techniques of published authors who...

This tutorial has students follow a step-by-step guide to write their very own biography using that of Frederick Douglass as a model.

Are you stuck in a writing rut? Look here for a list of symptoms and possible cures to get your creative juices flowing again.

Advice on child rearing and parenting from the famous Lydia Maria Child reads like an early version of today's self-help parenting books. The entire text is available here.

This lesson engages students in reading and research related to the Victorian Era. Students will analyze this time period's influence on the writings of Charles Dickens. Then students will analyze how today's authors incorporate social...

See pages from Poor Richard's Almanack over several years of its publication. Read about the contents of the almanacks Benjamin Franklin's comments about writing the yearly production.

Through two primary source activities and a short video, understand how Franklin embodied Enlightenment values and used his talent in writing and printing to have his opinions heard and help shape the world.

Comprehensive overview of major women writers and their contributions to literature. Focuses more on their works than theory but still provides answers.

An informational site on Thomas Paine. Includes general information about his life, works, and writings, including Common Sense and The Age of Reason. Also includes links to other sites.

Defines pronouns and briefly touches on the two most common problem areas: gender specificity and agreement.

Brief explanation of the thesis statement, followed by examples of faulty and improved thesis statements.

A slide show with nine slides explaining the author's purpose to persuade, inform, or entertain.

Rachna Gilmore is a well-known Canadian children's writer. Originally from India, she became fascinated with Anne of Green Gables as a young girl and this sparked her interest in becoming a writer. This is an interview with her from...

Celia Lottridge is a Canadian children's writer, perhaps best known for her storybook The Name of the Tree, an African tale of a drought. This is a profile of her from an interview in 1997. The bibliography lists her books up until then,...

The two most important events of Clovis' reign are described here in the words of Gregory of Tours, a medieval writer (translated into easy-to-read modern English)

This rich resource is an excellent reference tool on African-Canadian literature. Topics include a general history and short biographies of well known African-Canadian writers, along with lists of their books.

The point of fiction is to cast a spell, a momentary illusion that you are living in the world of the story. But how do writers suck readers into stories in this way? Nalo Hopkinson shares some tips for how to use language to make your...

Jo Ellen Bogart is a well-known Canadian children's writer. This is a profile of her from an interview in 2001. The bibliography lists her books up until then, with some links to reviews.

John Wilson, a Canadian writer, has written a number of historical fiction books for junior up to high school level. This is a profile of his life, which is quite fascinating, from an interview in 1999. The bibliography lists his books...

Andrea Beck, a Canadian children's writer, is the creator of a book series starring the character Elliot the Moose. This is an interview with her from 2003. The bibliography lists her books up until then, with some links to reviews.

Richard Scrimger, a Canadian writer, has written a number of humourous books for children. This is a profile of his life from an interview in 1998. The bibliography lists his books up until then, with some links to reviews.

PBS offers an extensive biography of influential 1920s crime fiction writer Dashiell Hammett, including a list of works, a video clip, photos, a timeline, and more.