Creative Writing
This course is a writing workshop. Students will write every day, and they will explore different writing techniques and styles. Writing skills will be developed through pre-writing, editing, re-writing, and critiquing. Students will also examine various styles of writing by reading well-known and not so well-known writers of poetry, songs, newspaper columns, short stories, novels, plays, monologues, dialogues, haiku, reviews, montages, stream-of-consciousness selections. Goals will be met through a variety of reading, writing, and speaking activities. Additionally, students must be willing to share their work; that is, they must be willing to read aloud and share their ideas with the group. Students will be asked to critique their own work and the work of others in a positive and gentle manner. Students will research critically and/or commercially successful authors to find out their secrets to success. As a community, we will learn a great deal about each other by writing across various modes of art-in-language and describing how our writing works and what it does through various methods centering on close examination of language.
Meet the Instructor:
Michelle Sisson
I am a Madison native and have been teaching at Lee High School since 2006. Being a teacher here means I have had the privilege of working with students from all walks of life, and I have loved watching them come together to find common ground amid such diversity. I enjoy reading, writing, traveling, spending time with friends and family, and training my soon-to-be service dog. Influencing culture and fostering life-long learning are my passions. I look forward to all the new programs our leadership has worked so hard to cultivate this year—it’s shaping up to be our best yet! If you ever need anything, just stop by Room 314, and I’ll be happy to help.
Creative Writing Instructor
Hear from our writers
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"My favorite part of the magnet was the relationships I got to build with the other students and our teacher, Ms. Sisson. One of the great things about a magnet program is that you get to meet and bond with people that you may have never met otherwise, from all different grades and social groups."
- Natalie R.
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"Every profession in the world is looking for someone who can think and write effectively. Creative writing not only prepares you for that, but you become prepared to communicate your ideas in all kinds of situations."
- Briana A.
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"Favorite part of the magnet: "Being able to take time out of a normal day to do something I was actually passionate about."
-Gordon K.
Tips for applying:
When you audition, you’ll present your portfolio of writing pieces in front of our magnet staff. We are wanting to see pieces you have written on your own - not just teacher-assigned writing. These pieces can be stories, poems, essays, etc. We’re not just looking for talent—we’re looking for energy, commitment, and dedication. Show us your passion for writing, your willingness to take risks, and your excitement to grow as an artist.
Our program strives to prepare each student for the next level of education, setting you up for success while providing real-world experiences. Students in our magnet compete in multiple competitions, including Trumbauer, Poetry Out Loud, Alabama High School Literary Arts Awards, Alabama Scholastic Press Association’s contests, and National REALM Awards .
Bring your best self, your love of the craft, and the drive to grow!