Spotlight on Creative Writing: Short Stories


Course Length: Six weeks
2023 Schedule: Tuesdays with Ms. Pavlenko at 11 am CST/5 pm UK


About Summer Courses at Dreaming Spires

Our summer classes are great for homeschoolers who are preparing for high school in the US or exams in the UK, a chance to sample a subject before doing a deep dive for the coming year.

All courses will meet an hour weekly for six weeks. There will be the usual reliance on living books and some homework to ensure good participation, and at the end a certificate will be awarded.

About Spotlight on Creative Writing

Join professional writer Jackie Pavlenko for a fun creative writing workout this summer. The emphasis will be on writing exercises and games during the weekly live classes, rather than homework between times. However, you'll also work towards a short story, with opportunities for feedback from your peers and from Jackie. There will be some reading to support the course, but no narrations. Stretch your imagination, and gain confidence in your creativity and your ability to express yourself!


Who Teaches Spotlight on Creative Writing?

Jackie Pavlenko graduated from Oxford University (BA Hons) in English Language and Literature, before becoming a screenwriter (MA in screenwriting, London College of Communication). Her plays have popped up on BBC Radio 4, and she once found herself being photographed by paparazzi who must have mistaken her for someone important at the premier of a film she'd written. She teaches creative writing online to adults, teens, and children, takes pride in fostering student confidence, and is passionate that we all have the "right to write." Now settled in Scotland, she home educated her two children on the road while traveling in Europe for five years.