The Young Writers' Workshop is a two-week, non-residential summer camp with daily afternoon sessions to help young people develop their creative writing talents.

Sponsorship

The Young Writers' Workshop began as a nonprofit project by the Raleigh Writing Alliance, a group representing area writers and writing instructors. The program is now sponsored by the NC State College of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Department of English.

Eligibility

Students who will enter the 4th-8th grades in Fall 2009.

Tuition

$200. Include your check payable to Young Writers' Workshop with your application. Refunds are available, minus $10 for handling, through June 1. After that date, refunds will be granted only if a replacement applicant is available.

Structure

Students are grouped by age and, if possible, by interests. Each student will take two classes per day, in two different genres. Classes are 65 minutes long with a 15-minute snack break in between. Students are supervised at all times.

Classes

Every summer, the workshop offers instruction in fiction, poetry, and playwriting. Depending on faculty experience, YWW may also offer classes in creative nonfiction & science fiction or fantasy. Each student will select two courses to attend. Students will be placed in at least one of their preferred classes.

Last-Day Celebration

On the final day of the workshop, we will celebrate the students' work. A guest author will give a reading and answer questions about writing. Workshop participants will read their own material and then will receive an anthology of work produced by all participants during the workshop. Parents, families, and friends are invited to attend the celebration. In years past, speakers have included storyteller Donna Washington, writer and artist Mike Artell and actor/writer/director Ira David Wood III.

Faculty

Workshop teachers include published writers from the Triangle area as well as faculty from NC State and other area colleges.

Method

Experienced writers of fiction, poetry, drama and nonfiction encourage participants to explore their own creative writing abilities. Student-to-teacher ratio is low — no more than 12 students per class — so that participants can receive the benefit of the instructor's expertise. Students are not graded but are encouraged, nurtured, and invited to explore their own styles of writing. They will read from their own writings, work in small groups, and receive one-on-one instruction.

Enrollment

The workshop is limited to the first 55 applicants selected based upon their writing samples and the recommendations from Language Arts teachers. (Workshop alumni do not need to resubmit a writing sample or recommendation.)

Application

Please download the application and follow the instructions for submitting it.

Deadline

May 15, 2009. Participants will receive a confirmation letter with workshop details upon acceptance.