Add Value to your Work with Teacher Study Guides

If you are writing for young people, one of your goals may be to get your work into classrooms, but how can you make your books more attractive to teachers? How can you make your books more attractive to homeschooling parents? Think about it for a moment. Educators are busy people. The last thing they need is the burden of preparing more lesson plans for their students. Make it easy for them by offering a teacher study guide with your book.

I first learned about teacher study guides while collaborating on a project to produce a whole series of them for Muslim Writers Publishing. More recently, I have come across guides produced by other Muslim authors, such as Rukhsana Khan and Jamal Orme. Although it takes time and skill to put together a professional study guide that teachers (and students) can genuinely benefit from, it is well worth the effort and may help your books reach a wider audience.

Creative Inspiration from 1001 Inventions

Abbas ibn Firnas

 

 

Unfortunately, I did not find out about the Creative Story Writing Competition taking place at 1001 Inventions until after the deadline for participation had passed, but the guidelines are worth taking a look at anyway, especially if you are a teacher, a homeschooling parent, or a writer who simply needs a burst of creativity. The guidelines provide you with a list of eleven figures from the Golden Age of Muslim civilization. The idea is to choose one and write a 5,000-word story that includes the character. Historical accuracy is encouraged, but the rules also allow for some artistic license. I can definitely see a story like this making a nifty book for kids or even turning into a full-length novel.

Did you participate in this competition?

If so, tell us about it by leaving a comment below.