Do Your Students Know That Published Authors Share Some of the Same Struggles They Do?

Successful Children's Author Kate Messner to do Google Hangout for Grades 3 – 5 on Oct 20th.

Did you know that published authors go through the same process as student writers when they are writing? We all do! We all have to brainstorm, research, plan, draft, and edit.

Whether you are in 4th grade and writing about a book you read, a historical event, a field trip took … or if you're a writer who makes her living writing, you need to follow these same basic steps.

Hanging out with Kate Messner

Kate Messner was a teacher for 15 years before she became a full time writer of children's books. Her book The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z. was the winner of the 2010 E.B. White Read Aloud Award for Older Readers. She has written dozens of books, many for younger students, and a few for teachers too! Her book Real Revision: Author's Strategies to Share With Student Writers, explores how teachers can encourage and motivate young writers to revise their work in meaningful, thoughtful ways.

On October 20th, at Noon EST, Messner will be on a Google Hangout, sharing insights into how authors, editors, copy editors and illustrators work as a team to publish a book. Students will learn how published authors go through the same basic process when writing books as students do when they are writing assignments and creating writing projects.

The Hangout will focus on the Ranger in Time chapter book series, so if your students are familiar with that, all the better. Ranger is a time-traveling golden retriever who has a nose for trouble . . . and always saves the day!

Before the hangout, you can download this free student activity about a time traveling dog, to let students think about generating story ideas. This can help students generate questions they can ask during the hangout.

If you haven't participated in a Google Hangout before, this is a great opportunity to experience one. Registered attendees will have the opportunity to participate by asking questions. Hangouts are recorded automatically, and the folks who arranged the Hangout have the option to make the recording available later.

So if you are teaching Grades 3 to 5, be sure to register now and join We Are TEACHERS and author Kate Messner on October 20th at noon EST for a great conversation about the writing process!