5 Reasons to Create a Classroom Anthology offered several good reasons to create a classroom anthology but didn’t get into details about how to do so. Here are the steps teachers need to take to create a classroom anthology:

1. Establish Parameters

During the first phase of creating a classroom anthology, the teacher must establish the parameters the students will write within. Will the anthology feature fiction or non-fiction works? What topics will be covered? What restrictions will there be on content? What size should each installment in the anthology be?

All of these things should be decided before the start of the project. These decisions should be based on class size, age of students, and desired anthology length. The latter will be determined by the desired aesthetic, page size, illustrations, and font size.

Longer books will cost more to print than shorter books but are typically more aesthetically appealing. InstantPublisher has a print cost estimation tool to help teachers decide the best book length for their classroom.

The teacher should also determine whether artwork from the students should be included in the anthology. For example, will the artwork be black and white drawings or color images?

2. Have Students Create an Outline

Outlines will help students write more succinctly and allow the teacher to give input in the planning stage of each anthology installment.

Fiction, non-fiction, and poetry outlines will all look different, but they will give the student and teacher a roadmap to follow for the project. In addition, it will help students stay on track and meet their writing goals.

Fiction outlines should include where a story begins and ends and critical plot points.

Non-fiction outlines should include a thesis statement and a list of the most important points covered.

3. Edit Drafts

After the outline is completed, the first draft can be written. It is essential for the teacher to enforce deadlines and ensure that plenty of time is provided for re-writes. Once the draft is completed, the teacher can make corrections and return the project to the student. It may take several rounds of edits to perfect the student’s work.

A well-edited anthology is important. Many students will remember their contribution to the anthology with pride. Whether the anthology is intended as a keepsake or a fundraiser, it should be as close to perfect as possible.

4. Create a Cover

The cover for the anthology can be a student work of art, if appropriate. If student art isn’t suitable for the cover, the anthology cover can be created by the teacher or purchased.

Covers should give readers an idea of the topics or themes of the works within. It should have colors congruent with the tone of the work.

InstantPublisher offers an easy-to-use cover template for those using their printing services.

5. Make Printing Decisions

Many choices need to be made before a classroom anthology is printed. These include binding options and book size. InstantPublisher can help guide teachers through this process.

6. Order and Distribute the Completed Classroom Anthology

Once the printing choices have been made, there is nothing to do but wait for the finished books. In some instances, the teacher may wish to order a proof copy of the anthology to ensure the aesthetics are as desired.

Be sure to get book orders from students and their families before making the final order. The number of books ordered often affects the printing cost, which may create additional book orders cost-prohibitive.

InstantPublisher can give you step-by-step assistance with all your printing needs. Call us today at 1-800-259-2592 for personalized service.