Young Historians Academy

Your student can spend another year writing papers that disappear into a folder. Or they can spend a year writing a book the world can read.

Young Historians Academy is a year-long seminar for juniors and seniors. They choose a real subject, conduct historical research, write a short historical novel, design the pages, and publish on Amazon. The work maps to West Virginia Grade 11–12 English, Social Studies, Creative Writing, and Computer Science academic standards. The words are their own. The book belongs to them. They become authors, entrepreneurs, and publishers.

I built the course from nearly thirty years in publishing and education. If you want your student in a proven, project-based year—one that ends in a real book and skills they can use—ask about a seat.

Overview

What Do Students Take Away?

An original book they conceptualize and write
Published on their own Amazon KDP account in Kindle, paperback and hardcover formats
Historical Research logbook
Certificate of completion cross-walked with WVDE academic standards for Social Studies, English & Liberal Arts, Creative Writing, Technology & Computer Science – IN ONE COURSE

Who is it For?

Juniors and seniors (9-10 by exception)
Homeschool
Micro-Schools
Independent Study
Parents who want a project-based learning seminar that produces tangible, real-world skills

What the Year Looks Like

Task #	Primary Task	Supporting Tasks and Details
1	Identify historical subject	Choose one specific historical event or person. Write a short justification (1–2 paragraphs) explaining why this subject can support an 18,000–20,000-word historical fiction story and what central question or conflict it raises.
2	Develop & Implement Research Plan	With the mentor/instructor, list primary and secondary sources, assign completion dates, and note expected discoveries. Complete the research and keep a simple log of sources used and key facts found.
3	Develop Supplemental Reading Plan	Identify and read selected fiction and nonfiction from the target era. From those readings, record notes on period mood, possible characters, and themes that will shape the storyline.
4	Draft Logline and Story Synopsis/Outline	Create a working title, a one-sentence logline, a short story synopsis/outline, and a back-cover-style description that accurately reflects the researched events and characters.
5	Conduct Market Opportunity Analysis	Use online sources to analyze current market opportunity for the book concept. Record the findings and make a clear decision: continue with the original concept or return to the title/synopsis and revise it.
6	Write the Story	Write an original historical-fiction story of 18,000–20,000 words that uses correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation; maintains a distinct narrative voice; and communicates one or more central themes.
7	Edit the Story	Use AI tools to revise the draft for clarity, consistency, and mechanics while keeping the voice and story yours. Document every AI change. Total AI-driven changes must stay at or below 5% of the original manuscript.
8	Peer Review and Edits	Submit the current draft to classmates for peer review. Collect written feedback, note what you will accept or reject, and make a first round of revisions based on that review.
9	Final Draft	Complete remaining edits and produce a finished manuscript in Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or another text editor. This file is the semester writing deliverable before layout begins.
Second Semester — Layout, Design, and Launch
10	Cover Design	Research comparable books in the marketplace. Using Adobe Creative Suite, design a draft cover that is visually strong and optimized for online display (thumbnail readability, genre cues, title/author hierarchy).
11	Manuscript Layout	Import the final manuscript into Adobe InDesign and format it to industry best practices: typeface, margins, spacing, running heads, chapter openings, and pagination.
12	Establish KDP Account and Run Proof	Create an Amazon KDP account (registered in a parent or guardian’s name because of Amazon’s age rules). Upload the draft layout and order or generate a proof copy for review.
13	Proof Edit and Peer Review	Examine the physical or digital proof for layout, typography, and remaining text errors. Have at least three peers review the proof and submit edit notes.
14	Finalization and Proofing	Apply peer and proof feedback, then upload the corrected files to KDP and generate the final proof copy.
15	Create Multiple Formats	Using Adobe Creative Cloud, produce hardcover, paperback, and Kindle versions and upload all three to the KDP account.
16	Develop Basic Marketing Plan	Write a short marketing plan that includes target readers, comparable titles, key selling points, and a few specific tactics (listing copy, categories/keywords, simple launch actions).
17	Launch	Publish the book on KDP and carry out the first steps of the marketing plan (live listing, categories/keywords, any planned announcement or giveaway). Confirm the title is live and the listing is complete.

How to Enroll

Offer	Price	What they get
Curriculum license only	$495	Sequence, parent guide, standards maps
Academy	$2,400 / year or $1000 initial payment + $300 a month for five months	Seminar seat, monthly 90-minute session, office hours, peer review at Tasks 8 and 13, written notes.
Mentored build	$8,500 / year	Academy plus scheduled 1:1 at the four gates and a line pass under the 3% AI cap

Ask About a Seat

If your student is ready for the work—and for a book that can be held—contact me today. I will answer questions about the year, the standards map, and whether a seat is open.

Use the button, or email officialzacnorthup@zacnorthup.com.

I look forward to it.

Zac Northup

Email For More Information

WVBE Academic Standards Met

Young Historians Academy is aligned to WVBE Policy 2520.1A (Grade 11–12 English Language Arts and Creative Writing) and Policy 2520.4 (high school Social Studies). Students meet these standards by researching a real subject, writing an 18,000–20,000-word historical novella, designing the book, and publishing it. The list below is what a counselor or evaluator can file. Matching-era Social Studies codes depend on the subject the student chooses.

**English Language Arts — Policy 2520.1A (ELA.11 / ELA.12 / ELA.C)**

Reading. Students read complex informational sources and period literature at the Grade 11–12 band (about 1185–1385 Lexile). They cite evidence; analyze structure, point of view, theme, and author choices; and use those readings to shape their own narrative. Claimed across the year: ELA.11.1–11.12 and ELA.12.1–12.12; ELA.11.15, 11.18–11.19 and parallel Grade 12; ELA.C.1–C.8, C.10, C.13–C.15. ELA.11.14 / ELA.12.14 / ELA.C.12 is claimed when period reading includes two American texts from the same era. ELA.11.16–11.17 / ELA.12.16–12.17 only if founding documents or works of public advocacy are on the source list. ELA.11.13 / ELA.12.13 / ELA.C.11 only if a film, audio, or staged version is compared to print.

Writing. The year is an even mix in practice: argument (subject justification, continue-or-revise decision, marketing claims), informative (research plan, findings brief, synopsis, listing copy), and narrative (the novella). Students plan, revise, edit, research with citation, and use technology to produce and publish. Claimed: ELA.11.20–11.29 and ELA.12.20–12.29; ELA.C.16, C.19–C.26. Poetry and drama (ELA.C.17–C.18) are not claimed unless assigned.

Speaking and listening. Mentor conferences, two peer rooms (manuscript and proof), and a short public statement at launch. Claimed: ELA.11.30–11.35 and ELA.12.30–12.35; ELA.C.27–C.32.

Language. Conventions, syntax for effect, academic and domain vocabulary (county, roster, deed, household—not slang for “olden times”). Claimed: ELA.11.36–11.41 and ELA.12.36–12.41; ELA.C.33–C.38.

Production and technology. Word or Google Docs through lock; Adobe InDesign and cover tools; KDP upload in three formats. AI, if used in edit, is logged and capped at 5% of the original manuscript. Claimed under ELA.11.23–11.25 / ELA.12.23–12.25 / ELA.C.21–C.23 and ELA.11.31 / ELA.C.28 (reliability of sources and tools).

**Social Studies — Policy 2520.4 (grades 9–12, target 11–12)**

Disciplinary work, every student. Develop and refine a historical question. Evaluate primary and secondary sources. Separate fact from inference. Note limitations. Synthesize. Place the subject in time and on a map. Write a reasoned historical narrative and take it public. These are the 9–12 Indicators and the History and Literacy strand.

Matching-era content (claim only what the subject requires).
• U.S. Comprehensive: SS.USC.20–SS.USC.30
• Contemporary Studies (1914–present): SS.CS.16–SS.CS.24
• U.S. Studies (colonial–early 20th century): SS.US.18–SS.US.23
• World Studies (a world event with U.S. or West Virginia consequences): SS.W.16–SS.W.28

Common era examples. Revolution and frontier: SS.US.19; SS.USC.21. Industry, labor, immigration: SS.US.22; SS.USC.24; SS.W.20. World War II, homefront, veterans: SS.USC.27–28; SS.CS.19–20; SS.W.25.

Geography. Region, county, settlement, why a farm, river town, mine, or workshop sat where it did: SS.USC.14–15, SS.USC.18; SS.CS.13, SS.CS.15; SS.US.13, SS.US.16–17; SS.W.10, SS.W.13, SS.W.15.

Civics, when the story turns on rights, citizenship, loyalty, courts, or public speech: SS.USC.1–4; SS.CS.1–3. The parent-held KDP account is the civic constraint on a minor in a marketplace (SS.USC.2; SS.CS.2).

Economics, when the work treats markets, labor, scarcity, competition among titles and formats, or the cost of print versus digital: SS.USC.7–9, SS.USC.12–13; SS.CS.6–9, SS.CS.12; SS.W.6–9, SS.W.28; and the career/human-capital codes SS.USC.30 / SS.CS.24.

Launch. A live listing is a public secondary interpretation of the past. Students communicate conclusions and take informed action (9–12 Indicators; SS.USC.2–3; SS.CS.2).