Starting on September 23, spend six weeks with the irrepressible Anne Shirley as she leaves her beloved Avonlea to fulfill her dream of attending college in Writing with Anne of the Island.
How does such a delightfully vivid character like Anne stay fresh and relatable to readers of all ages, even as she enters young adulthood? And how does L.M. Montgomery make us care so deeply about Anne’s daily life—and the lives of everyone she meets? Those are exactly the kind of questions we’ll be asking in Writing with Anne of the Island.
In six 90-minute lectures, we will study Anne of the Island through the lens of a writer, looking closely at the principles and techniques by which Lucy Maud Montgomery creates the characters, places, and stories that we love so much. Then, through weekly writing exercises and mutual feedback and discussion with your fellow writers, you will apply Montgomery’s principles and techniques to your own writing.
Writing with Anne of the Island includes six 90-minute live lectures* via Zoom, as well as a dedicated online forum for discussion and writing exercises.
Topics to be covered include (but are not limited to):
*Recordings of the lectures will also be available for students who can’t attend the live lectures.
Dates:
Tuesdays, September 23 to October 28, 2025.
Times:
Student Cohort: 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. Central
Cost: $119
Intended Audience:
Writers ages 13-18 (There is no adult cohort for this class.)
REQUIRED TEXT:
L.M. Montgomery, Anne of The Island
READING:
Six to seven chapters in Anne of the Island
WRITING:
One 500-word writing exercise
WATCHING:
One live 90-minute lecture/discussion via Zoom
ONLINE DISCUSSION:
Throughout the week, the students will discuss the reading and lectures and post their writing exercises for feedback from their fellow writers in a moderated online discussion forum.
