Aspiring writers at North East School of the Arts (NESA) are putting their goals on a fast track to the finish line through a unique month-long challenge. Students have pledged to start and finish their novel by the end of November as a part of National Novel Writing Month. The challenge is known as NaNoWriMo online and is a community-inspired effort where writers pledge to complete their manuscript by the end of the month.
Finding fun, challenging ways to engage students through activities like this is just one way that Creative Writing Director Amie Charney is helping inspire the next generation of writers. Charney is a writer herself, so she knows the ins and outs of the process better than most. Her experience and commitment to the craft is already translating into results for students like sophomore Lyda Martin.
"It's been kind of hard, but I'm so competitive that I'm keeping to my word count of 1,000 a day," said Martin. "Mrs. Charnie definitely knows what it's like to be a writer so she knows what she would have wanted and I think that's really helpful. Sometimes we do the lecture thing, but she always makes sure that it's fun and engaging."
Devoting the time and energy to write 1,000 words a day may seem like a huge undertaking, but Charney says the month-long challenge is about so much more than the act of writing itself. This is an opportunity for her students to set a goal and work hard to achieve it through time management, dedication and sheer willpower.
"If you want to be a professional writer, you have to get in the habit of just sitting down and putting words on the page," said Charney. "This is an exercise in motivation and commitment, but it's also great because it teaches our writers a lot about themselves. They're learning about their own workflow and those are lessons they can take outside of high school."
This communal challenge is open to everyone on campus, with several STEM Academy and LEE students hitting the keyboard alongside NESA students every day.
The students in NESA's Creative Writing Program continue to set and exceed their goals. Click here to view even more student-curated content in the inaugural edition of its digital literary magazine, Two : Ten.
