Paddlestar Galactica, the ping-pong tournament event supporting 826DC’s programs, returns on Saturday, April 27th, 1 PM to 4 PM at SPIN DC! Learn more and sign up here.
News and Events
July 2019

Publishing Nonfiction Books

An 826DC student holds up her published book

826DC has the pleasure of publishing student stories through several of our programs, including our In-School Writing, Editing, and Publishing (ISWEP) program. We recently worked with second-grade Oyster-Adams Bilingual School students on original nonfiction books!

Here’s an inside look at how their ideas became finished 826DC publications:

Step One: Researching/Drafting

Students started by choosing and researching their topic of choice. Topics ranged from Stan Lee and hamsters to Mars and Greek myths!

“My favorite part was finding the facts,” one of the authors, Olive, told us, “because I like to read. Sometimes when I read, I don’t want to stop!”

The next part, though, was just as good. It was time to write! We wrote, edited, and illustrated together over several writing sessions.

Step Two: Layout

Next, it was time for the 826DC magic-makers to start conjuring up the published books. We collected and scanned everyone’s drafts and illustrations. Then, after we uploaded the files into our desktop publishing software, we carefully arranged the stories beside to their corresponding pictures.

Ethan, an 826DC intern, formats the student work.

Step Three: Printing/Binding

Then, with the help of our trusty high-tech printer and our bookbinding machine, we printed and bound each book.

The printer in our Book-Binding Studio is a key part of the process!

We made enough for every author to bring a copy of their own book home and for their teachers to have a copy of all of the books, just in case!

Step Four: Sharing

Sharing these young authors’ books is one of the most important—and most fun—parts of the publication process. On a bright Tuesday morning, we brought everyone’s books to the Oyster-Adams Bilingual School to share with the excited students and their family members.

“My son is eight years old and he just published a book,” one parent said with pride.


Looking Ahead

Want to help us make magic happen for other young authors? You can support us and our free writing and publishing programs by making a donation here.

A gift of…

–$25 helps us stock and maintain the 826DC Book-Binding Studio for a week!

–$100 helps us stock and maintain the 826DC Book-Binding Studio for a month!

–$250 lets us partner with a teacher in another DC school!