Thank you for your interest in All Write with Me. Here’s how it works:

Following the site’s Tips, Tricks and Revise & Edit pages leads kids through the process of crafting a short story. The Informative Writing pages give kids tips and advice on researching and writing an informative paper. The Writing Opinions & Arguments pages provide tips and advice on persuasive writing. Along the way, kids discover various techniques to engage and excite readers. Built-in exercises allow them to practice these techniques. Then, or whenever they’re ready, kids share their writing by posting it to the site. They may share their completed exercises, stories, papers, reports, essays, poems or anything else they’ve written, including works-in-progress.

Here’s a list of the key features and benefits of using the site:

Instruction You Can Trust

• Shares strategies and techniques used by acclaimed authors, including (but not limited to) Dwight T. Swain, Jack M. Bickham, Les Edgerton and Robert McKee
• Adheres to the 6+1 Trait Writing Model
• Fulfills Common Core State Standards for 4th-6th grade* (see a detailed list here) *Although I designed the site with 4th-6th graders in mind, there are no age limits. Seven-year-olds have used the site successfully, with parental guidance. Adult writers have benefited from the information, too!

Motivation that Works

• Enables kids to see their writing online
• Allows them to share their work with friends and relatives
• Validates their efforts

Peer Review Builds Confidence & Skills

• Shows kids the power of their words and how their writing affects others
• Teaches them how to give and receive constructive criticism
• Fosters community and support
• Creates opportunities to learn from others’ efforts

Multiple Ways to Use the Site

Whole-class instruction
Project the site from your computer to lead whole-class discussions. Use the built-in exercises as work to be completed in class or at home.

Independent study or at-home use
Clear language and easy navigation make the site an ideal place for kids to visit on their own. The site adheres to COPPA’s privacy standards and all comments and posts are reviewed before appearing on the site.

Connect with Other Site Users

You can share ideas, get advice and relate your site experiences with other site users at facebook.com/allwritewithme. There’s also a list of FAQs. If you “like” the page, you’ll have access to a print-ready motivational poster of Ms. Kantduitt. You’ll also receive my posts on site updates, related news, information and other helpful resources.

About Me

I’ve been writing all my life, in part (or maybe in whole), because of my fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Armstrong. She believed in my writing and boosted my confidence. I wrote stories for my friends and for myself all through grade school and high school. After graduating from the University of Iowa with B.A. degrees in Journalism/Mass Communication and Psychology, I worked in the writing and editorial departments of international corporations and mid-size businesses. I’ve written for small companies, newspapers, individuals and schools. I’ve been published in children’s magazines, writers’ newsletters and various places online.

I’ve written two middle-grade novels, No Ordinary Lizard and Swept Up. Read a sample of each by selecting the flipping books on the site. You can also download the free Common Core Writing Guide, featuring No Ordinary Lizard and the Common Core Reading/Discussion Guide for Swept Up. Both guides fulfill the Common Core State Standards for specific grade levels. The site also includes kid-friendly rubrics and checklists to help 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th graders fulfill all 10 of the Common Core Writing Standards and several Language Standards.

I have always been fascinated by the power of the written word. I believe anyone can write but I also believe many people are choked by the fear of “doing it wrong.” I hope to alleviate this fear by providing a warm, fun, encouraging place where kids experience the value of their self-expression, find glory in their unique voices, and embrace the power of effective writing. You can read more about my reasons and motivations for creating the site in this chat/interview I had with Nancy Barth, educational consultant and certified teacher.

Let’s Get Started

Gather your young writers now and let’s ignite their imaginations and extinguish their timidity. Let’s show them the power of a well-crafted sentence and a well-told story. Let’s show them this power is inside them, then let them share it with others. They will be motivated. They will practice. They will enjoy what they’re doing and be proud of what they’ve done. They’ll improve.

Bring them to the site. Click on the “What’s Here” tab. And begin.

Have fun.
Visit often.

— Diane