Sunday, September 26, 2010

826 Seattle

My good friend Brenda Winterhansen (aka Teen Fantasy) hooked me up with 286 Seattle, which is an all-volunteer group that helps kids with their homework and gets them writing. Every week they have 2nd and 3rd grade classes come in to collaborate on writing a best seller. The premise is that they'd BETTER write a best seller or Kathleen, the facilitator, will lose her job at Geoduck Publishing Co. The unseen Mr. Geoduck remains behind a curtain, only occasionally bellowing at Kathleen from the back room. There is someone writing down ideas on a white board, another typing in the story on an overhead projector and an illustrator drawing the four story illustrations on a flip chart. Guess what my job was. This is an amazing group. You can check them out at their web site or drop into the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co. in Seattle. I've only done it once so far and it was a blast. I'll keep you updated on 826.

2 comments:

  1. A couple of years ago, before I started Peggy King Anderson's "Magic of Writing for Children" classes, I went to the 826 Seattle adult writing series of monthly lectures, which was a very good experience. They bring in a lot of good instructors in fiction, screenwriting, poetry, journalism, etc. to talk about their specialty, and the income is used to support the kids' writing classes. I think my favorite was one by Stewart Stern, the screenwriter of "Rebel Without A Cause."

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm so glad you're at 826 now, Dana! It's great to have you. BTW, your posts are ideal: short and freaking funny.

    Teen Fantasy

    ReplyDelete