Deborah’s school presentations focus on the development of stories and the intensive research involved in writing, particularly with historical novels. Her first Time Meddlers book involves North American history, specifically the First Nations and explorers of the St. Lawrence region, New York State, Ontario, and Quebec. Time Meddlers Undercover incorporates various aspects of World War II—the Special Operations Executive, the Dutch Resistance, and Anne Frank. She also discusses the elements of the science fiction story as they relate to “suspension of disbelief.” Deborah’s books are written for children from grade five to grade nine.
Program Details
All programs are 60 – 90 minutes
Programs for elementary and middle school students
- Writing Process – from Idea to Published Book, focusing on research of historical facts. Deborah brings artefacts from First Nations’ reserves (birch bark implements, furs, rattles made of horn etc.) and from World War II and the spy network (miniature planes, copies of actual correspondence, maps, developed microfilm of fortifications along the coast) to give the children some hands-on experience.
- Writing Science Fiction – How to develop current research into advanced technologies. Deborah discusses how she researched and developed the time travel theories so they would seem plausible in her novels. She also discusses how various technologies can be put to different uses in other novels.
- Character is Key – How to develop realistic and memorable characters. The key component to creating memorable characters is psychology. Deborah presents the various techniques she uses to develop multidimensional characters—character outlines, journal entries, and composite sketches.
Programs for High School and College
- Writing Process – from Idea to Published Book, researching historical facts and incorporating them in a science fiction story.
- Writing Science Fiction – Esoteric technologies and how they’re developed.
The above two programs are similar to the elementary and middle schools programs, but aimed at an older audience.
- Suspension of Disbelief – How to gain the reader’s trust. The presentation focuses on the appeal of science fiction and fantasy, how to construct a believable world, Tolkien's essay, and specific aspects of world building.
Deborah is also available to offer instructional courses in the classroom on: brainstorming and research, character development, setting, dialogue, plot, mechanics and roadblocks, editing and revision, queries and synopses.
Novel Studies
Some schools have used Deborah’s books for novel studies or literature circles. Time Meddlers incorporates various components of the curriculum and can be used for cross curricular studies—social studies and English.
"My Grade 6 class loved Time Meddlers. Deborah Jackson has an engaging way of bringing history to life in this time travel novel. While Matt and Sarah are easy to connect with, Nadine is an antagonist that students despise. Predicting what will happen next to Matt and Sarah proves challenging when someone is meddling with time. Whether it was discovering more about the walking corpse, or experiencing life with the First Nations in Ottawa in the early 1600s, or meeting Champlain, my students did not want to miss a day of Time Meddlers in the classroom."
Shenkman Arts Centre Writing Courses
Deborah is the instructor and developer of the following courses at the Shenkman Arts Centre:
Fiction Writing—The Basics and Beyond (ages 11-14)
Learn the basics of story writing from an author—idea, setting, character, plot, dialogue, conflict, etc.—while developing your own unique voice. Complete a story or the beginning of a novel with step-by-step guidance. Introduction to critiquing/editing.
Students will examine effective dialogue, develop plot outlines and character sketches, write 5 to10 pages of a story or complete two scenes of a longer work. Publish 1 to 2 pages in a class anthology.
A Novel Idea (Adult)― Fiction Writing.
Sharpen your writing skills and learn how to submit your manuscripts for publication. From Hemingway to Tolkien, brainstorming, character, plot, setting, dialogue, editing/revision, queries and synopses. Course structure: lecture and critique.
A Novel Idea II (Adult)― Fiction Writing.
A Novel Idea I recommended prior to taking this course. Improve writing skills with intensive critique sessions/feedback. Writing exercises focus on character development, setting, dialogue, POV, fresh language, show vs. tell, active vs. passive writing skills.
Contact the Shenkman Arts Centre for more details or email Deborah for a course outline.
Frequently Asked Questions:
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Do I need to bring my own supplies?
Yes, a notebook is required to take notes on lectures and do some in-class writing.
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Do you give private lessons?
Occasionally I offer a private course for a small group of enthusiastic writers. I also offer a critique service, depending on my schedule.
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Is there a fee for supplies?
No.
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Do I need a prerequisite class or experience to take the course?
No, but some basic writing skills are necessary. If you're not a reader, you can't expect to write a novel. -
What do you mean by critique?
Critique is a written (or broadcast) assessment of another writer's work. By analyzing other writers' pieces for areas of excellence and areas that require improvement, writers will learn to assess their own work. The feedback from others will help writers identify aspects of their work that need development and would be difficult to determine without a number of opinions.