Frequently Asked Questions

Kids Write Novels is designed to function as a comprehensive English Language Arts curriculum* Throughout the program, students develop skills in writing, grammar, reading comprehension, critical thinking, revision, and written communication. As they plan, draft, and revise their stories, students learn to evaluate how language choices affect meaning, clarity, tone, and reader engagement.

The curriculum has been aligned with California state standards, and supplemental assignment options are available for families who wish to further support standards-based learning. Because educational requirements vary by state, parents should consult their local regulations and homeschooling requirements to ensure compliance with applicable standards.

*Courses may require supplemental assignments which are provided with instructions and grading rubric

The primary difference between live and video-only enrollment is the level of interaction, accountability, and feedback provided throughout the school year. Live classes offer a highly interactive learning environment where students can ask questions, participate in discussions, receive guidance from instructors, and engage with other young authors. Live students submit a chapter draft each week and receive feedback on formatting and assignment completion. They also participate in the Critique Partner Program, which provides feedback on their full novel from fellow student writers, along with ongoing instructor support throughout the writing process. These regular checkpoints help students stay organized, maintain momentum, and continue improving their manuscripts as they develop.

Video-only students receive the same instructional content but do not participate in live discussions, weekly chapter reviews, formatting feedback, or the full novel peer review process. As a result, parents typically play a more active role in helping students stay organized, monitor progress, and manage revisions. While most families choose the live option, many video-only students successfully complete and publish their books, particularly when they remain engaged with the KWN author community. All students, regardless of enrollment type, have access to the KWN Author Platform, and video-only families receive general guidance and support throughout the self-publishing process.

The lecture is pre-recorded and can be watched any time during the week BEFORE the live class meets. Class time will be interactive with Q&A, writing exercises, and discussions. The duration varies by grade level and can diverge from published time slightly depending on the volume of questions from students. 

The class times listed below are approximate and the CC and CW classes have no live option:

CW (2-3rd) video-only 15-20 minutes

CC (3-5th) video-only 15-20 minutes

CB (4-5th) 30-45 minutes

MG (6-8th) 45 minutes

YA (9-12th) 1 hour

GN (graphic novel) 1 hour

SS (short story) 45 minutes

For students in grades 6–12, we strongly recommend beginning with our Short Story program before enrolling in a novel-writing course. For students who enjoy drawing and visual storytelling, the Graphic Novel program is also an excellent starting point. Writing a novel is a rewarding but demanding process that requires time, practice, and perseverance. As author Bryan Davis often tells young writers, "You need to get about a million words under your belt before you write really well." Whether taken literally or not, the principle is sound: strong writing develops through consistent practice.

Short story and graphic novel projects provide greater flexibility while allowing students to learn the complete writing and publishing process. Students can experiment with ideas, work with varying project lengths, and still publish a completed collection even if an individual story is not finished. These courses also provide a strong foundation in character development, setting, conflict, plot structure, dialogue, and revision without the pressure of completing a full-length novel. As an added benefit, they are a more affordable option for families while students build confidence, gain experience, and develop the skills needed for future novel-writing success.

One of the most common concerns we hear from parents is whether their child will be able to keep up with the course pacing. They are learning, writing, revising, and self-publishing a book in one school year. That is no small thing! Every novel student is writing a chapter each week. Writing any length book is challenging, and we want to be honest about that. If it were easy, far more people would finish writing and publishing books. To help students succeed, we spend the first 8-9 weeks of the program guiding them through idea development, story planning, character creation, and workbook activities. Students who stay focused, participate in class, and complete their planning work are typically much better prepared when it is time to begin drafting their chapters.

We also provide extensive support for manuscript formatting and publishing requirements. Formatting is demonstrated in class, instructional videos are posted on the KWN Author Platform, and we host a dedicated publishing Zoom meeting that walks students through the entire publishing process. While we work hard to prepare students for success, writer's block is a normal part of the creative process. Even professional authors experience periods where writing feels difficult. We teach students practical strategies to work through those challenges, but learning to write consistently is part of the growth process for every writer.

Kids Write Novels is committed to maintaining a family-friendly learning environment. For that reason, the program does not permit horror, stories centered on extreme darkness or gratuitous violence, or romantic content that extends beyond age-appropriate interactions. These guidelines help ensure that classes, peer discussions, and shared writing remain appropriate for students and families from a wide range of backgrounds.

At the same time, we recognize that parents are the primary authority over their children's education. If a parent allows their student to write about a topic that falls outside KWN's content guidelines, the student may do so independently. However, that material may not be shared on the KWN platform, discussed in class, submitted for peer review, or included in any KWN-sponsored writing activities. We appreciate the partnership of our families in helping us maintain a positive and welcoming environment for all students.

This program is designed and priced to teach students the complex process of writing and self-publishing their own stories. While students are encouraged to share writing samples in class and on our author platform, full manuscript feedback is not included. For students in our live classes, beta reader feedback from another student is provided through the Critique Partner Program. There are many options from writing coaches to manuscript evaluation which are all professional services available online.

We understand this may be disappointing to some families, so we want to set clear expectations. Instructors are happy to provide guidance on story ideas and offer feedback on short writing samples upon request.

Professional editing is a specialized skill that requires significant training, experience, and time. Whether reviewing grammar, sentence structure, story development, pacing, character arcs, or manuscript organization, editors often spend days or weeks evaluating a single book. While Kids Write Novels teaches students how to write stories and guides families through the self-publishing process, we do not operate as a professional editing service. Our role is to educate, mentor, and support students as they develop their writing and revision skills, not to provide comprehensive editing of entire manuscripts.

To provide perspective, professional editorial services often cost thousands of dollars. A manuscript evaluation or editorial assessment may range from $1,500–$3,000, while a full developmental edit typically ranges from $2,000–$8,000 or more. Experienced developmental editors working on longer or more complex manuscripts may charge $5,000–$10,000 or higher. Writing coaches commonly charge $50–$250 or more per hour, with monthly coaching services ranging from several hundred to several thousand dollars. 

We share these figures not to discourage families, but to help establish realistic expectations regarding the scope of professional editorial support. Our instructors are happy to answer questions, provide guidance, and offer limited feedback within the structure of the program, but families seeking comprehensive manuscript editing should plan to work with a professional editor outside of KWN.

Our Learning Management System (LMS) serves as the academic hub for the program. This is where families register for classes, access Zoom links and recorded lectures, view weekly assignments, check the school calendar, and receive important announcements and communications. Parents and students should become familiar with the LMS, as it contains the core information needed to participate successfully in the program throughout the year.

KWN is our optional author community platform for students and parents. While participation is not required, we strongly encourage it because community and support are a significant part of the writing journey. Writing can often feel like a solitary activity, and many students benefit from connecting with peers who are facing the same challenges and celebrating the same successes. Within KWN, students can safely share story ideas, discuss aspects of their projects, receive feedback, and build friendships with young authors from across the country. We have found that this sense of community is one of the most valuable contributors to student success. 

Students have their own accounts, and all content is monitored and managed by staff and instructors to maintain a safe and positive environment. For parents, the optional parent space provides a convenient location for support, discussions, and program information, particularly for those who prefer having resources and communications organized in one place rather than across multiple emails.

We recognize that every family prefers to receive information differently. Some parents prefer email updates, while others prefer reading information on a website, watching videos, or engaging directly with staff and other families. Some want frequent communication, while others prefer only the most important updates. Because it is impossible to accommodate every individual preference, we have developed a communication system that has proven to be the most effective for the greatest number of families.

Each month, we send a parent newsletter containing important administrative information, announcements, program reminders, and updates from individual classes. We also maintain a dedicated parent support space on the KWN Author Platform where families can ask questions, find resources, and receive assistance throughout the year. In addition, parents will occasionally receive targeted emails related to a specific class, program, or student group when information applies only to those families. Clear communication is essential to the success of the program, and we encourage parents to regularly review newsletters, emails, and platform announcements to stay informed.

We collect the first month's tuition at registration so that accounts remain one month ahead throughout the school year. This approach helps create a more stable and predictable payment process for both families and the program. By maintaining a one-month tuition reserve, we can minimize administrative issues related to late payments and avoid disruptions that can occur when accounts fall behind.

Our goal is to spend our time supporting students and families rather than managing payment issues. This policy helps keep the program running smoothly, reduces the need for late fees or collection efforts, and allows us to focus on providing the best possible educational experience for all students.

Students in this program must rely on their own imagination, critical thinking, and writing skills to develop their stories and participate in class or KWN discussions. Large Language Model (LLM) tools—such as ChatGPT or other text-generation AI—may not be used for planning, generating details, drafting, or writing any part of student work. This includes brainstorming, outlining, creating story elements, or composing dialogue. The purpose of this program is to strengthen each student’s unique voice and creativity, and the use of LLMs undermines that learning process.

Students may, however, use image-generation AI tools for creative purposes such as designing book covers, character sketches, maps, or other visual elements that support their stories. These tools may be used only for artwork and not for producing written content.

All assignments, projects, and class discussions are expected to be the student’s original written work. Instructors may submit writing to AI checkers to ensure authenticity. While the results may be inconclusive in some situations and we do not assume any student violated this policy intentionally, any work with strong potential to have been created using an LLM will not be accepted and may result in loss of credit for the assignment, removal from KWN, or additional consequences as necessary. Students are encouraged to ask questions, collaborate with peers, and use instructor feedback to overcome writing challenges—these are the tools intended to help them grow as writers.

This policy is subject to change as digital tools and technology continue to advance. We will make every effort to provide effective notice to students and families before enforcing any updated version of this policy.

We offer a month-to-month commitment on all courses and families may withdraw on those timelines. We do not offer refunds on any monies paid for materials due to their consumable nature or paid-in-full courses. In many cases, a credit from course tuition can be applied to the parent account for future use.

For specific details, the full refund policy is below.