Where to Begin

Where do I start? There's so much information to absorb!

A cornerstone to the Brave Writer philosophy is to do "one thing" at a time. Don't overwhelm yourself by trying to figure out how many good things you can do. Instead, pick the "one thing" that is most tempting, most captivating, most interesting to you. Then sign up, order, read, apply whatever that "one thing" is until you are certain you have milked it for all its worth. Once you have successfully used a month's worth of Arrow material or have successfully executed a Poetry Teatime or have worked through The Writer's Jungle Online class, you'll be ready to add "one more thing" to your life. Remember: depth over breadth, enjoyment over struggle, commitment over clutter.

Navigating the website

Start with the Getting Started Page to match age-appropriate products and classes to your child.
Determine if you prefer to work independently with your student or if you'd like instructor support.
Select Home Study Courses (for original writing) and Language Arts Programs (for mechanics) if you prefer to work independently.
Select Online Classes for you and your kids, if you prefer instructor support.

Beginning with "One Thing"

If you're new to Brave Writer, the next step is to determine what you need:

A Home Study Course
These are manuals designed for self-instruction. You are a good candidate for a home study course if you prefer to follow your own schedule, have the self-discipline to follow through on your best intentions and like to hold a manual in your hands. Moms and dads who get stressed by time on the computer or prefer to set their own pace for writing instruction do better with a home study course such as The Writer's Jungle. Teens who work independently well do just fine with Help for High School (designed for them, without a need for a parent's direct involvement).

An Online Writing or Language Arts Class
Brave Writer classes are a good idea for you or your children if you would appreciate the structure, support, feedback and accountability of working with an instructor. Moms who feel they routinely fail to "get writing done" do better in classes than with "one more manual" sitting in a bookcase.

Ask yourself

If you are choosing between a home study course and an online class, ask yourself:

How successful have I been in the past when I am in charge of my child's writing instruction?
Do I put it off?
Do I find other things to do?
Do I wish I had someone to talk to when the going gets tough?
Do I wonder if my child's writing is adequate for his age?
(If these are your issues, take a class.)

Or perhaps you are thinking like this:

Where can I find a guide that helps me to unblock my young writer?
I know how to create assignments
I have no trouble setting a schedule to follow
I just don't have the tool I need at my fingertips to facilitate writing growth
(If this is the case, you will do just fine with the home study course: The Writer's Jungle.)

What if you have a teen? Ask yourself these questions:

Does my teen prefer to work alone?
Does my teen have the self-discipline to work through a manual without instructor support?
Does my teen benefit from the structure and accountability of a class with a start and end date, as well as due dates for assignments?
Would my teen enjoy having other students read and give feedback to the student's work?

If the answer is "yes" to the first two, then Help for High School is a great choice. If the answer is "yes" to the second two, then online classes are the right choice. Of course, a combination is perfectly valid too! Many Brave Writer teens use the home study course and take online classes.

Language Arts Program
Perhaps you need tools to facilitate development of language arts skills using real literature. We have those too.

Finally, if you are looking for a way to create a lifestyle that leads to a language-rich environment, please check out the Brave Writer Lifestyle. It's one part of our site with all kinds of resources that are free and that will give you ways to foster a happier homeschool environment all while on the stealth mission of creating a lifestyle that fosters great writing! If you don't know where to start, we suggest Poetry Teatimes as these are the hands' down winners of the BWL!