Young Adult Fiction Writing Course Offered

The C.H. Booth Library Creative Writing Group for Young Adults will offer a course in writing fiction this winter. Wally Wood, teacher, author, and Newtown resident, who has taught this session for the past three years, will lead the group again. He will be assisted by Liz Abraham, one of the library’s adult writer volunteers. All sessions will allow time for writing and sharing short stories in progress as well as one-on-one communication between adults and young people.

Wally Wood is not only a local author, he has also taught writing to teens and adults in the Connecticut and New York State prison systems since 1993. He has a master of arts degree in creative writing from the City University of New York, is fluent in Japanese, and is learning Italian. “Writers will practice building characters, writing dialogue, describing settings, and more. By the end of the five weeks, the writers will have been introduced to tools of fiction they can use for the rest of their writing lives,” said Mr Wood.

Liz Abraham, one of the library’s adult writer volunteers, is also a published author. She started the Newtown Writers’ Group a year ago and has just finished a 50,000-word novel as part of the National Novel-Writing Month event.  

The group will meet from 6 to 8 pm on five consecutive Monday evenings: January 7, 14, and 28, and February 4, 11, and 25. There is no class on January 21. February 25 is a make-up date if necessary. Ten students in grades 6 to 8 will be accepted into the program. There is no fee. Participants are expected to attend all five sessions, and preference is given to Newtown residents.

For more information, speak to Margaret Brown, young adult librarian at C.H. Booth Library. Sign up is at the main floor desk, or call 426-4533.