Resources for Writing Teachers
The Audacity to Write
Teachers, I’m excited to work with you as we encourage students to cultivate their own audacity to write! If you are using The Audacity of Sara Grayson in your classroom, the resources below can help. Please contact me if you would like more information on bringing Audacity to your classroom.
A Book for Writers
“Elliott’s debut novel is crafted for writers or anyone interested in writing.”
Library Journal
Audacity's Impact on Writers
“I just finished The Audacity of Sara Grayson and I loved the book. Joani Elliott’s depth of understanding for writers was amazing, heartwarming, and inspiring.” Daryl Wood Gerber, Agatha Award-winning author
“In the last fifteen years, I’ve taught a lot of books for students as a class. I have never seen them so excited about a book as this class is about Audacity.” Dominique Replogle, Creative Writing Teacher
“I read it the first time for enjoyment and the second time with a yellow pencil.” Dan Skoubye
“The Audacity of Sara Grayson is by far one of the best books I have ever read. If ever there was a character I could relate to…it is Sara Grayson. This book makes we want to write.” K. Heslip
“This has been the most perfect book for me to read while working on my final book in a four-book series. Sara’s journey captures so many feelings of a writer at so many different stages of the writing journey. A true delight!” Tara Allred, award-winning author and writing coach
“I read the Audacity of Sara Grayson after my husband died, and it inspired me to want to start living again and share my life through writing. I can relate to Sara because she didn’t feel like a writer to start, but she kept moving forward and writing and getting better.” Alice Jo Miner
“I’ve read 45 books this year and yours is the one I can’t stop daydreaming about. Your book was just the kick in the pants my heart needed to get back to writing. It felt like a love letter to the writer’s process and had me yearning to follow my writer’s heart again.” Hayley Jensen
“I’m an aspiring author and reading this book helped me get excited about the writing process. When I read The Audacity, words came to me ‘raw, awake, alive,’ and I took those words and ran with them. There is a lot of warmth and wisdom in this book that gave me more desire to start writing than to think that writing is too hard. It got my creativity flowing.” Caden Browning
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is reading your book?
The book is contemporary adult fiction. I have a wide range of readers, teens to older adults, male and female.
Is there any objectionable content?
The book is PG. There are a few cuss words sprinkled. Damn, Hell, Sh**. That’s it.
Did you write this book so you could teach people about writing?
No. I think it would be a bad book if I did. I just wanted to write a good story. After Audacity was published, however, I began to receive letter after letter from writers, former writers, and aspiring writers telling me what the book had meant to them. Some told me that it helped them write again, taught them a writing skill, or gave them courage to share their work. Some of them told me it simply inspired them to keep writing. Having taught public school and university English, I began to see how the book could be a powerful addition to a creative writing curriculum.
Which classrooms are the best fit for your book?
I believe the sweet spot for Audacity is in high school and undergraduate creative writing classrooms.
Schedule a Virtual Author Visit
I would love to join your writing classroom either in-person or virtually. I offer free virtual visits for any classroom implementing The Audacity of Sara Grayson in their creative writing program.
Classroom Materials
Check back here for lesson outlines and other resources to use in teaching The Audacity of Sara Grayson in the classroom.
Other Resources Coming Soon