This message is sponsored by WeWillWrite

Have you ever seen a line out the door for a restaurant – or a group of people crowded around someone (or something)?

It makes you wonder … what is going on? What are they all talking about?

I had a few moments like this about WeWillWrite. 

• I noticed a buzz on social media about teachers playing this social writing game with their students. They kept saying that students begged for it and didn’t want to leave class because they were enjoying it.
• I had a friend introduce me to WeWillWrite founder Daniel Senn and got to see it firsthand … and I got a glimpse of what they were all excited about.
• And at the FETC Conference, I led an expo hall tour and stopped at the WeWillWrite booth. When we explained what it’s all about, the raised eyebrows and curiosity were evident.

So what made WeWillWrite so different?

In a nutshell? It made students WANT to write. They weren’t just begrudgingly writing – you know, because the teacher forced them to or incentivized it with candy for participation.

No, they were getting tons of repetitions with low-stakes writing – and they wanted to do it. Over and over and over again.

I’ve seen a LOT in more than a decade writing about edtech and using its products. 

I haven’t seen anything quite like WeWillWrite.

How does WeWillWrite work?

I’d like to walk you through an example WeWillWrite challenge – a social writing game, if you will – so you can get a clear picture. I’ll share what I like and appreciate under each.

Step 1: Create an account – Sign up for WeWillWrite with just an email and password. Once logged in, educators are taken to a landing page where they can begin setting up writing challenges for their students.

• ❤️ What Matt loves: The free tier of WeWillWrite is one you can actually use all throughout the year!

Step 2: Set up a writing challenge – Choose a pre-created challenge to get your students started in minutes. They vary, from creative fiction prompts to structured assignments based on your text and beyond. Want to see how it’ll go? Use the classroom simulator to preview.

• ❤️ What Matt loves: The library of pre-made writing challenges is a HUGE value. You can find something great that’s ready to use – or find some inspiration for making your own activity based on something you see in the library.

Step 3: Share the challenge with students – Students join with a PIN code like with other gamified edtech apps. Super easy. Then they are sorted into teams.

• ❤️ What Matt loves: Students’ names are anonymous so they are more free to be bold in their writing. (Then they can decide whether to reveal who they really are. 😏)

Step 4: Students start the fun – writing! – Based on the theme of the writing challenge, students are given a 2-4 minute simple writing activity. 

• ❤️ What Matt loves: With these prompts, there’s no right or wrong answer. It breaks down self consciousness barriers and encourages students to just go for it – opening up creativity that they might not have been comfortable unleashing before.

Step 5: Students vote – Students are given a criteria for voting (i.e. “Which text is most imaginative?”) and they vote on their classmates’ writing – not their own. The votes are how they collect points in the game.

• ❤️ What Matt loves: When students vote, they’re really evaluating two texts next to each other and justifying their decision. There’s higher-level critical thinking all over that! Plus, it lets them experience the other side of writing feedback that they normally don’t – the perspective of the one leaving the feedback.

Step 6: Teacher feedback and celebration – Once students have submitted their feedback, the teacher can bring student work up on the big screen to analyze it in front of the class – whole-group feedback. Then students are awarded team points based on voting. Time to celebrate!

• ❤️ What Matt loves: WeWillWrite gives the teacher a bit of time to pull out and praise students in front of their peers – which is powerful! It’s also powerful to show an example of what LOTS of students can improve in their writing and give a bit of feedback. This is waaaaaaaaaay more efficient than writing the same comment on 24 different student papers.

Step 7: Students beg, “Can we play this again? For the rest of class? Tomorrow? Forever? Puhleeeeeeeeze?!?!?” 😂

Why I think teachers (and students!) are buzzing about WeWillWrite

Like I said earlier. I saw it on social media. In those people’s reactions at FETC. Even in my own mind. There’s a buzz.

For me, if students are excited about something that promotes serious learning, then it’s easy for ME to get excited about it.

Why are students and teachers buzzing about WeWillWrite?

• It’s low stakes. When students have to write lengthy research papers, there’s all sorts of pressure. It’s a huge part of their grade – and it’s a kind of writing they don’t do very often. It makes them anxious – and rightfully so. With WeWillWrite, students get tons of repetitions doing low-stakes writing – writing that isn’t tied to a significant part of their grade (or any part of their grade). That way, if there are adjustments or corrections to be made, they can learn as part of the process – and it doesn’t hurt the bottom line of their grade. Everyone wins.
• It’s fun. Students love consuming fun content – on social media, on video, even in articles they read online. They know what makes them smile, what makes them curious, what makes them want to share with their friends. If they get a chance to make their friends laugh – or get them to think – that’s a huge motivator at this age.
• It’s gamified. This is enough to motivate several types of students in your class – your athletes, your videogamers, even your competitive ones (that you might not think are really all that competitive – but they ARE). When a competition is a true competition – when anyone could get a little win at any time – everyone is more motivated to do their best.

Wait … are these writing activities really all that fun?!?!

Judge for yourself! Here are a few example prompts that I love – that really resonate with students:

Be a Reporter: Practice journalistic writing with the 5 W’s and H (who, what, where, when, why, and how) and adding emotions to the reporting.

• Prompt #1: You are a reporter taking notes at the scene. Write what you notice about the incident.
• Prompt #2: A police officer says they have two suspects. Write like a reporter on why they might have done it.
• Prompt #3: A surveillance camera reveals more answers. Report on when and how the incident happened.

Through Dimensions: Practice bringing settings and characters to life while crafting exciting and imaginative plots set in a world of inter-dimensional science fiction.

• Prompt #1: What are the sounds, lights, and weather like? Describe this Sci-Fi city, and create anticipation.
• Prompt #2: A mysterious visitor or an incredible voyage? What’s going on here?
• Prompt #3: Who are they, and how are they part of the story? What happens when they arrive?

Lord of the Flies: Step into the world of Lord of the Flies by William Golding. Practice various writing styles and text types inspired by different scenarios from this classic.

• Prompt #1: Crashed on a deserted island with your classmates! Write a journal entry about your first day.
• Prompt #2: Everyone’s looking for someone to follow. Write a short speech to convince others to choose you as leader.
• Prompt #3: The group has started fighting and breaking rules. You want to stop the chaos. Describe your plan.

How to THRIVE with WeWillWrite from Day 1

Here are some practical tips I picked up along the way:

Start with short, fun prompts: Begin with light-hearted, fun prompts to get students excited. For example, ask students to write a persuasive pitch to sell a pencil or create a fictional story from the perspective of a toothbrush. These prompts are simple but effective in getting students engaged. There are also Jumpstart Writing prompts available to get those creative juices flowing.

Incorporate writing across subjects: WeWillWrite isn’t limited to creative writing. Use it for expository writing, persuasive essays, or even scientific reports. For example, after a science experiment, have students write a claim, evidence, and reasoning (CER) statement to explain their findings. You can also use it to reinforce key themes in literature by prompting students to find supporting quotes.

Set clear expectations: Make sure students understand the rules, pace, and expectations before starting the game. Clear guidance helps reduce anxiety, especially for reluctant writers. If students feel stuck, they can use the tips or previews on the screen to spark ideas. The most important thing is simply to start writing!

Encourage the writing process: One of the most valuable aspects of WeWillWrite is its focus on drafting and revising. Students can submit work in its early stages, allowing them to refine their ideas and improve their writing. Encourage students to see writing as a process rather than a one-and-done task. This can help them gain confidence and view writing as a creative journey.

About WeWillWrite pricing plans

I know you’re going to want to know about pricing! Earlier, I told you that the free version was an actually good, actually usable free version, right?

Here are the details on the pricing plans …

Free plan: Core features of the game; access to most game features; a rotating selection of content

Premium plan ($9 USD monthly / $60 USD annually): Unlimited access to all features and content; AI literary device analysis; Student reports; Create your own content

School license: Volume pricing discounts for 10+ teachers per school

So with the free plan, you can show up to the WeWillWrite platform any time, assign it to all of your students, and play a social writing game (with the features and content that are available to you at the time).

Turn writing into a social game with WeWillWrite

Honestly, seeing students engaged and excited about writing was a revelation.

It wasn’t about the grade; it was about the process, the creativity, and the collaboration. It was about ditching the worksheet and embracing dynamic learning.

If you’re looking for a way to reignite a passion for writing with your students, I highly recommend giving it a try.

Give WeWillWrite a try in your classroom and watch your students develop into confident, creative writers who are eager to share their ideas. Let's get them writing!