A good idea, but did not work well in my classroom setting.

I like that this tool emphasizes collaboration; I think this is a great intrinsic motivator. The high reward possibility also achieves this. Any way to incorporate creative writing into a high school English classroom is a positive option for me that I will almost always be willing to incorporate.

I think this program offers an efficient and fun way to work on creative writing as a class, and can be adapted in a number of ways--writing individual stories/poems, or participating in a single work together. The one critique I would have is that it's important to not make students feel put on the spot and judged, and that's why I would be hesitant to use the voting system, for instance, in a round robin.

By itself, Boomwriter will not make students into better writers. But in tandem with explicit instruction during Workshop, Boomwriter provides students with another opportunity to practice their writing skills at school and home. And the prospect of students having their ideas published in a book, makes them experience writing as an enjoyable activity and motivates them to write more. The best thing about Boomwriter is that it is flexible. Although originally conceived to create narrative chapter books, a teacher can easily use Boomwriter to write informational or opinion writing. I am particularly impressed with the way Boomwriter has students compete with each other to choose the best chapter for the final book, but does so in an anonymous, engaging way that fosters collaboration. So students who are struggling writers, can still practice and improve their writing skills while feeling part of the process.