dragons in the flower bed Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 Has anyone used either Learn to Write the Novel Way or The One Year Adventure Novel? I'm looking at both of these for next year when I'll have 4th and 7th graders. We have never done any video curriculum before and I'm oddly nervous about that. I think it might help us to actually get it done, though. That and the hefty price tag will help us to actually get it done. I disliked Konos and found it under-organized when I tried to use it, and that is influencing my feelings about LtWtNW. Should it? I'd love to just hear how it went if you tried either of these programs, or have your opinions on why you chose not to do them if you seriously considered it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalmia Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 Only on Lesson 22 of One Year Adventure Novel (still in the planning, not writing stage), but my son loves it. The video clips are really well done and add immensely to the workbook and the text. I am also finding that the program covers literary analysis from the creative angle: characterization, motivation, setting, conflict, theme, denoument, conclusion etc. which is an unlooked-for but great angle for further understanding of these concepts. TWO THUMBS UP! If you just want something simple to get your kid writing fiction. NaNoWriMo has free downloadable curriculum workbooks (middle school or high school) for planning your novel that include the same steps, without the video guidance. You don't have to participate in the November novel writing contest to use these workbooks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragons in the flower bed Posted January 25, 2012 Author Share Posted January 25, 2012 Yay! We already did the NaNo workbooks and we want more along the same lines but bigger and better. Do you think it would feel like repeating the same stuff? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalmia Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 One Year Adventure Novel is definitely bigger and better than the NaNoWriMo workbooks. The videos provide invaluable encouragement and explanation. There is a textbook and a workbook as well as an short adventure novel to analyze. It is a high school level program. I am letting my 6th grader do it to his own ability. The best thing I see about it is that you could use it over and over again to write many novels. You would just need to buy a new Map Workbook for each new novel. Sorry this is hard to read, but here are the major sections in the table of contents: The Heroic Quest; Point of View; Synopsis; The Five Elements of Story; Someone to Care About; Something to Want; Something to Dread; Something to Suffer; Something to Learn; The Supporting Cast; The Villain; Conflict; Disaster; Dillemma; Acts and Scenes; The Four Defining Chapters; Chapter One: The Inciting Incident, Chapter Three: Embracing Destiny, Chapter 9: The Black Moment, Chapter 11: The Showdown; The Novel Outline: Formulas Plots and Subplots; Chapter 2: Promises, Prophecies, Predicaments; Chapter 4: The New World; Chapter 5: The Middle Cycle; Chapter 6: Failure; Chapter 7: Lessons; Chapter 8: Achievement and Atonement; Chapter 10: The Coming Storm; Ch. 12: The Denoument; How to Write a Chapter; Creating Emotion; The Illusion of Reality; Summary (Telling); Detail (Showing); Narrative Order; Dialog; Gestures; To Be or Not to Be: Too Many Modifiers; Symbols; Flashbacks; I Saw I Heard; Raising the Stakes; What's Likely to Go Wrong; What to Do When Stuck; The Character Interview; Setting; Character Masks; Character Handles; Unexpected Humor; Unexpected Tragedy; Unexpected Grace; Cliches; Irony; Transparency; Double Disasters: Writing the Climax; Setups and Payoffs; Deux ex Machina; Loose Ends; Parting Words; Revision and Rewriting; Revising by Verb; Formatting Your Manuscript; Sharing and Publishing Your Novel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 Ds is doing OYAN this year and we love it. He is behind because he took off Nov for NaNoWriMo. OYAN is a high school level course and I would save it for when your kids are older. I don't think it would be a good fit for fourth grade and it would be a stretch for seventh although obviously there are seventh graders quite capable of high school work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkateLeft Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 My 8th grader is doing OYAN this year, and my 11th grader used HtWtNW years ago, probably in about 6th grade. Both kids loved their respective programs, but personally, I think OYAN is much better!! It's a lot meatier, and there's a lot more output produced. The organization of OYAN appeals to me also, since I find it very easy to schedule. The videos are well done, and pretty enjoyable to watch. More importantly, my 13yo, who was a reluctant writer previously, is enjoying the work, though she does complain that the questions are too controlling sometimes. That's her only real criticism though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trish Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 I'm planning on doing the 1-year Adventure Novel next year when my son will be in 8th grade. I have read quite a few reviews on it, and they seem to be universally positive, even glowing. Edit: I believe it goes on sale in the spring? Maybe through HSBC? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalmia Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 I got it on sale from HSBC, but I can't remember when it was. Late spring or summer probably. Join and they will send you notifications. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaichiki Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 I got it on sale from HSBC, but I can't remember when it was. Late spring or summer probably. Join and they will send you notifications. What is HSBC? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiddenJewel Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 OYAN was great for my fiction-writing dd. She learned a lot. About half of that knowledge came from her online forum participation. She also learned the value of outlining your writing which she was terribly opposed to previously. I would recommend waiting to do OYAN until high school so the student gets the most out of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalmia Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 http://www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org/ Home School Buyers Co-Op They make bulk purchases. A couple different curricula at a time. The more people who buy, the less the final cost. You do have to wait for the buying period to end before they submit the orders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 The homeschool buyers coop sale was summer. I bought it in May or June and it wasn't long after that. :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joules Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 I've looked at the One Year Adventure Novel and have a question for those who have seen it. The website states it includes a Biblical worldview. How does this fit in the curriculum? Is it heavy-handed or denomination specific? Could it be used by someone looking for a secular program with just a little adaptation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragons in the flower bed Posted January 27, 2012 Author Share Posted January 27, 2012 I contacted HSBC about OYAN. It was twenty percent off last time, and it was summer, and they haven't heard back from the publisher about offering it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragons in the flower bed Posted January 27, 2012 Author Share Posted January 27, 2012 I've looked at the One Year Adventure Novel and have a question for those who have seen it. The website states it includes a Biblical worldview. How does this fit in the curriculum? Is it heavy-handed or denomination specific? Could it be used by someone looking for a secular program with just a little adaptation? Oh man, how did I miss that? I also need to know how Christian it is, as I have little heathens who have a hard time respecting something fundamentalist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiddenJewel Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 I've looked at the One Year Adventure Novel and have a question for those who have seen it. The website states it includes a Biblical worldview. How does this fit in the curriculum? Is it heavy-handed or denomination specific? Could it be used by someone looking for a secular program with just a little adaptation? Oh man, how did I miss that? I also need to know how Christian it is, as I have little heathens who have a hard time respecting something fundamentalist. It is not denominational; however, the author has a very strong Christian worldview and it comes through in his instruction. It might be worth a call to the author to discuss your concerns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 It is not denominational; however, the author has a very strong Christian worldview and it comes through in his instruction. It might be worth a call to the author to discuss your concerns. I agree with this. He doesn't teach Christianity, but basically says that all stories need to have "something to learn". It is a moral or a personal growth thing. It is very much based in a Christian flavor though, they learn to be a better person. This has actually been discussed often on these boards. You might try this thread, which by the way shows the date of the HSBC deal being July. This thread also comes around to it in the end. I don't think that OYAN is offensively Christian. It is not like reading something from BJU for example, but yet it does carry a Christian worldview. If you are easily offended by any Christian reference, it probably isn't for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 I agree with this. He doesn't teach Christianity, but basically says that all stories need to have "something to learn". It is a moral or a personal growth thing. It is very much based in a Christian flavor though, they learn to be a better person. This has actually been discussed often on these boards. You might try this thread, which by the way shows the date of the HSBC deal being July. This thread also comes around to it in the end. I don't think that OYAN is offensively Christian. It is not like reading something from BJU for example, but yet it does carry a Christian worldview. If you are easily offended by any Christian reference, it probably isn't for you. Thank you. I've looked at this program and penciled it in. Regardless of my personal worldview I don't think christianity owns morality. I do have issue with that perception. Is that an issue in other lessons? The first link links to the sample, lesson 18. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailorMom Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 (edited) I was very interested in the One Year Adventure Novel, until I got the video and sample info package i requested. Wow. We are Deist, and I knew it was Christian, but I really don't have a problem with most "non-science" Christian materials. I had no problem with it being a "Christian Worldview" curriculum, DS and I can just talk through anything we disagree with.... but this went from Christian to basically stating that a person CANNOT be a good and moral person without being Christian. That was way too much for me. I wish I could find the actual quote.... I am NOT a sensitive person, and DS and I are not offended easily.... neither is my DH. All three of us were floored by the statement he made. So - we are doing Learn to Write the Novel way. I think it is a great program so far :) Edited January 28, 2012 by SailorMom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 I'm pretty sure lesson 18 is the most offensive for most people. I'm not sure if that is the one that got SailorMom or not, but it sounds like it. The curriculum does come with a money back guarantee. There was someone who posted that they were able to return it after 5 months or something, well past the return time. She called and told him why it wasn't working for them and he gave her a full refund. I have found the Schwabauers to be just fantastic. Their responsiveness to questions and problems has been first rate. We apparently threw away our registration code when we opened the box (at least I couldn't find it) and they emailed me a new one within a couple of hours on the weekend. He answers student questions on the forums and also gives a couple of live video conferences on various topics each month. I wouldn't hesitate to ask him directly about any concerns or to order and thoroughly preview if the religious content is a concern. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalmia Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 (edited) I reread chapter 18 and listened to the lecture. He does go on a short rant about secular humanism, which he radically misunderstands, and asserts that a secular humanist society rejects the concept of meaning, which is essential for good storytelling. Well, I do think meaning is essential to writing, and he goes on to explain how to put meaning into stories--mainly through personal transformation toward the good in your characters. Nowhere in chapter 18 does he literally state that only Christians can be moral. He does state that secular humanists do not assign meaning to the world with some really over-the top examples to support his assertion. My 11 year old laughed at his portrayal of secular humanists, "Mom, No one really thinks people are just bags of meat." While I completely disagree with his understanding of secular humanism, I did not find his techniques of developing characters through meaning to be objectionable. I did introduce the curricula, as I do most curricula, to my son as biased, and explained that we don't swallow books/curricula wholesale. Instead we evaluate them individually and take what we can from them. We are a completely secular family, I find the majority of this curricula unobjectionable and the writing instruction detailed and excellent. Edited January 29, 2012 by Kalmia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barybar Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 zaichiki : HSBC is Homeschool Buyers Coop. https://www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org/ Char Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barybar Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 New group buy is on July 23, 2012 for One Year Adventure Novel from Homeschool Buyer's Coop...! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radiobrain Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 I reread chapter 18 and listened to the lecture. He does go on a short rant about secular humanism, which he radically misunderstands, and asserts that a secular humanist society rejects the concept of meaning, which is essential for good storytelling. Well, I do think meaning is essential to writing, and he goes on to explain how to put meaning into stories--mainly through personal transformation toward the good in your characters. Nowhere in chapter 18 does he literally state that only Christians can be moral. He does state that secular humanists do not assign meaning to the world with some really over-the top examples to support his assertion. My 11 year old laughed at his portrayal of secular humanists, "Mom, No one really thinks people are just bags of meat." While I completely disagree with his understanding of secular humanism, I did not find his techniques of developing characters through meaning to be objectionable. I did introduce the curricula, as I do most curricula, to my son as biased, and explained that we don't swallow books/curricula wholesale. Instead we evaluate them individually and take what we can from them. We are a completely secular family, I find the majority of this curricula unobjectionable and the writing instruction detailed and excellent. :iagree: However, I asked him this in person at a convention least year, and he really stuck his foot in it, IMHO. I find his POV to be more than a bit ridiculous, but dagnabitt if his product isn't well put together and something that I know my one son would respond to. I wish he weren't so condescending and self-righteous about his POV. Nothing like telling a person to their face that as they are not Christian, their life and ideas have no possibility of having meaning. :confused: Other than that, I'm sure he's an awesome guy. Thanks goodness it seems to be contained in that one lesson from what I understand. It made me decide that when I buy this curriculum (which I hate to admit, I will) I must find it used. Sometimes, I go out of my way to purchase a product from the author, but not this time. He has every right to make his curriculum any way he wants. It is my decision whether or not to purchase...it just irks me a bit (can you tell?:tongue_smilie::lol:). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PollyOR Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 I bought OYAN for my dd when she was 13 or 14. I was so excited to surprise my budding creative writer with it. She put it on her shelf and that was that. :glare: I thought I had wasted my money. Last year she picked it up and fell in love! She has watched the videos over and over and really studies the materials. She uses it as an unschooler so I don't give assignments or grades. This particular child is the opposite of a drama queen so I nearly fell over when she told me that she would cry if she didn't get his science fiction and fantasy curriculum "Other Worlds" for Christmas this year. How many kids ask for curriculum for Christmas? :tongue_smilie: We are Christian, however we aren't "in your face" Christians. DD hasn't mentioned being offended by his beliefs which has happened with other curriculum before. For example, we tried BJU for Biology one year and dd couldn't get past the first few chapters. She refused to go on. OYAN and Other Worlds are a hit here. :thumbup1: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radiobrain Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 I hate to tell you, but you can't buy it used. When you purchase OYAN, you purchase a household license agreement. To quote the insert on the curriculum: "Thank you for purchasing the One Year Adventure Novel curriculum. The content of this product is licensed, not sold, to you by Daniel Schwabauer for the exclusive use of one student in your household. Household means you and your immediate family living in the same residence. Additional students in your household may use this product unde this household license if they purchase a separate workbook and forum registration. "The video lessons on the DVDs included in this curriculum set may not be shown publicly, including to small groups at a co-op or private school, without purchase of a classroom license. "This license is valid for your household indefinitely. You may use it year after year, as long as each new student using the product is registered with a separate workbooks and forum registration. However, the license is non-transferable. The curriculum may not be resold to another household. Reselling this product will void this license and invalidate your registration. "If you have a question about the use of this product, please contact us at info@OneYearNovel.com" (emphasis mine) I ended up buying it from the Homeschool Buyers Co-op for a pretty good deal. Yes, it's still a bit pricey, but I have (I think) a budding creative writer, and I need to feed his passion. Oh no. Thanks for letting me know. I just don't have an extra $200 lying around to give a guy who didn't even realize he was insulting me to my face (the longer I thought about it, the madder I got), and know that after I did shuck out the $$-- I couldn't even give it away, much less make some $$ to buy his next product.... I ALWAYS roll over my used curriculum sales into new curriculum. Oh well. I only have one kid that would use this..... Off to do some digging on this..... :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiddenJewel Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 nt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LunaLee Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 I didn't care for Learn to Write the Novel Way, something about the format... Adventure Novel is just way too much for us, but I did find Advedntures in Fantasy instead. I think I am going to try it this year. I like that it incorporates rubrics for the assignments and brings in a "hands on" approach like map making and a travelogue, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiddle Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 I've been looking at ideas for my budding creative writer, too- she's too young to do OYAN (which I think looks fabulous). And I fell onto a couple IEW resources (we're already doing some beginning IEW). Thought I would pass along this as something to look at : http://www.excellenceinwriting.com/sq-e I didn't even know about this until I came across it somewhere else. For a $15.00 downloadable e-book it might not hurt to try it? Paula Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 Oh no. Thanks for letting me know. I just don't have an extra $200 lying around to give a guy who didn't even realize he was insulting me to my face (the longer I thought about it, the madder I got), and know that after I did shuck out the $$-- I couldn't even give it away, much less make some $$ to buy his next product.... I ALWAYS roll over my used curriculum sales into new curriculum. Oh well. I only have one kid that would use this..... Off to do some digging on this..... :tongue_smilie: Have you done NaNoWriMo yet? If not, do that this fall then if your ds really needs more you can decide if you are willing to break down and go with OYAN next year. My ds had a very good year with it. I think it really helped him make his writing deeper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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