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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 12 summer writing programs for high school students (2022 -2023).

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Love reading, writing, and being creative? Then consider checking out summer writing programs for high school students! 

Whether you want to become a journalist or the next Poet Laureate, there are tons of summer writing programs that will help you achieve your goals. Participating in these programs can look great on college applications too! 

In this article, we’ll give you all the info you need to decide if creative writing summer programs for high school students are right for you, including: 

• A full description of 12 summer writing programs for high school students (including cost, eligibility, and what they cover!)
• A quick, five question quiz to help you decide if a summer writing program is right for you
• Three tips on how to impress colleges with your summer writing program

Let’s get started! 

Summer's the perfect time for sitting on the beach, eating ice cream...and participating in writing programs. 

What Are Summer Writing Programs for High School Students? 

Creative writing summer programs for high school students are a great way for students with an interest in writing to explore subjects they’re interested in, build skills for college, and meet other students who share their interests.  

As a bonus, summer writing programs can look great on college applications!

Summer writing programs for high schoolers are typically held between May and August each year . These programs are similar to a summer class or camp. Additionally, these programs last anywhere from a week to several weeks throughout the summer. 

Like summer camps, writing programs for high schoolers are pretty intensive. Students spend their time l istening to lectures from experts, participating in workshops, presenting their work, and getting real-life feedback. 

Best of all, summer writing programs are hands-on, so you’ll spend lots of time writing and creating original work ! The goal of any summer writing program is to help you develop and improve your writing skills through practice and feedback. 

While some programs teach general writing skills, many summer writing programs focus on a particular field or genre, like journalism, essay writing, or creative writing . For instance, if you’re thinking about becoming a journalism major, you might participate in a journalism writing summer program that’ll give you a glimpse of what it’s like to work in the industry.

There are many benefits of summer writing programs when it comes to college applications too. After all, writing great college essays is an important part of getting into your dream school! And because they’re extracurricular activities, summer writing programs are also a good option for students who are aiming for an arts-based spike approach on college applications. 

Dust off that typewriter...it's time to apply!

12 Summer Writing Programs for High School Students

We’ve put together a list of 12 summer creative writing summer programs for high school students to help you get a sense of the many great options out there. Our list includes journalism, research-based, and creative writing summer programs for high school students so you can find the best one for you! 

#1: The School of New York Times Summer Academy

• Eligibility: Must be entering 10th, 11th, 12th grade, or graduating high school
• Dates: Term 1: June 5-17; Term 2: June 19-July 1; Term 3: July 3-15; Term 4: July 17-29
• Location: New York City
• Cost: $6,420 for residential; $5,820 for day program
• Deadlines: Varies by term; deadlines range from early May to mid-June

The New York Times (NYT) offers a series of writing-based summer courses for high school students at their campus in New York City. Courses are designed to develop students’ curiosity and critical thinking through traditional coursework and in the museums, arts centers, think tanks, and start-up labs of New York City. Courses are offered on various topics , including creative writing and investigative journalism. 

The program “seeks talented student leaders with diverse interests, ambitions and writing styles.” To participate, students complete an online application that includes short answer questions and optional writing samples, high school transcripts, and one recommendation. 

#2: Boston University Summer Journalism Academy

• Eligibility: Must be aged 14-18 
• Dates: Vary by year; Session 1: June 20-July 1; Session 2: July 4-July 15; Session 3: July 18-July 29
• Location: Boston University, Boston, MA
• Cost: On-Campus w/tuition, room, board and activity fees: $3700; On-Campus Commuter w/tuition and activity fees: $2700; Learn-from-Home: $1300
• Deadlines: Applications due mid-May

The Summer Journalism Academy at Boston University is designed to introduce high school students to life as news reporters . Students practice their skills in the classroom then apply them to hands-on learning opportunities in a real newsroom. One of the biggest perks is that students get to learn from working journalists who cover a wide range of beats. 

Students can participate in person or remotely. In-person participants can stay on BU’s campus through the residential program, where they’ll get a chance to live alongside other academy attendees. To participate, applications must be submitted online and should include a 300-word letter explaining the student’s interest in journalism.

#3: Asian American Journalist Association (AAJA) Journalism Camp

• Eligibility: 9th-12th graders with a strong interest in journalism 
• Dates: Summer; exact program dates may vary
• Location: Varies by year; JCamp 2022 is hosted by the University of Southern California
• Cost: No cost (travel expenses are also covered by the program)
• Deadlines: Applications due March 31

The AAJA‘s six-day summer training camp, called JCamp, gives students the opportunity to learn from journalists and journalism executives while developing their writing skills. This summer writing program gives students hands-on experience producing multi-platform news packages that are published on the program’s news site, JCamp Live. 

Students who show a strong interest in broadcasting, newspaper, magazine, photojournalism, or online media are encouraged to apply online. Also, JCamp isn’t limited to Asian American students, so all high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors are eligible. Even better: all program costs are covered , including travel, university lodging, and meals. 

#4: Yale Daily News Summer Journalism Program

• Eligibility: Open to all high school students
• Dates: August 16-20
• Location: Varies by year; 2022 program held via Zoom
• Cost: Free to students from New Haven Public Schools; all other participants pay $160 in tuition
• Deadlines: Unspecified

The Yale Daily News Summer Journalism Program is a one-week journalism course for high school students. Students participate in workshops on the basics of writing and reporting, hear lectures by journalists from major publications, and work as a team to produce an issue of the Yale Daily News.  

As a bonus, the program is run entirely by undergraduate staff members of the Yale Daily News , so students will get to see what it’s like to be a real journalism student at an Ivy League school. 

To apply, students must submit four short answer questions and a pitch for one professional-grade news article . Students are encouraged to apply as early as possible as program costs may increase as the program start date approaches. 

Howard University's writing program is perfect for people who want to write across media--and yes, that includes TikTok.

#5: Howard University Multimedia Academy 

• Eligibility: Must be in 9th-12th grade
• Dates: June 14-25
• Location: Virtual/online
• Cost: Not specified
• Deadlines: Applications due June 5

Howard’s virtual summer writing program teaches students to use multimedia journalism to report on health and wellness in underserved communities . At the end of the program, students’ work appears on the Howard University News Service and on Voices of Tomorrow, a nonprofit that provides social services to immigrants and refugees from East African communities.  

Additionally, the best work by seniors and recent graduates will be eligible for the Dow Jones News Fund’s scholarship competition . To apply to Howard’s Multimedia Academy, students must fill out an online application, including a 250-word essay. 

#6: The Multicultural Journalism Program (MJW)  

• Eligibility: Rising 9th graders through college freshmen
• Dates: June 3-12
• Location: University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL
• Cost: Free, including housing, meals, and field trips; students are responsible for transportation to and from Tuscaloosa
• Deadlines: Applications due April 1

MJW’s summer writing program selects 10 to 15 students to attend an intensive workshop held in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. This workshop focuses on multimedia reporting, writing, editing, graphics, photography, and production. During the workshop, students produce an issue of the MJP Journal to showcase everything they’ve learned. 

Applicants must submit a high school transcript, a typed 500-word essay explaining their interest in journalism, and a recommendation letter. The program also encourages students to submit samples of published journalistic work , but unpublished writing samples are also acceptable. 

#7: Carnegie-Mellon University Writing and Culture Program

• Eligibility: Must be at least 16 years old by program start date; must be a current high school sophomore or junior at time of application; must have an academic average of B (3.0/4.0) and/or have received a B or higher in their last English class.
• Dates: July 5-August 12
• Location: Carnegie-Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
• Cost: $9,000 for residential program; $6,932 for commuter program
• Deadlines: Applications accepted on a rolling basis

The Carnegie-Mellon Writing and Culture Program teaches high school students to think critically and express themselves creatively. This six-week course features classes taught by Carnegie-Mellon faculty, readings and events with local authors, and hands-on visits to Pittsburgh’s museums. Throughout the program, students produce a written portfolio that explores film, art, and culture . 

To apply, students must complete an online application that includes a high school transcript, responses to essay prompts, and up to three optional writing samples. If an applicant’s cumulative high school GPA is below a B average (3.0/4.0), submitting writing samples is strongly encouraged.

#8: Iowa Young Writers’ Studio Residential Program

• Eligibility: Must be a current 10th, 11th, or 12th grader
• Dates: Session 1: June 12-25; Session 2: July 10-23
• Location: University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
• Cost: $2,500 for residential
• Deadlines: Applications due February 6

The Iowa Writers’ Workshop offers a two-week, residential creative writing summer program for 144 high school students from across the country. Once accepted, students will select a course of study from the following options: poetry, fiction, creative writing, playwriting, or TV writing. Students also participate in writing workshops, receive constructive feedback, and star in open mics and talent shows.

The Iowa Young Writers’ studio acceptance rate falls between 15% and 20% . A competitive application to this program will include a polished writing sample, statement of purpose, letter of recommendation, and high school transcript. Students from outside the United States are also welcome to apply. 

It turns out that Virginia is for writers.

#9: UVA Young Writers Workshop

• Eligibility: Session 1: rising 9th-12th graders; Session 2: rising 10th graders through rising first-year college students
• Dates: Session 1: June 19-July 1; Session 2: July 3-July 22  
• Location: Sweet Briar College, Sweet Briar, VA
• Cost: $2450 for Session 1; $3500 for Session 2
• Deadlines: Applications due March 1

UVA Young Writers Workshop is a summer program designed to immerse students in a creative writing genre . Students focus on one of the following for the duration of the program: short form creative writing, poetry, songwriting, screen and playwriting, creative nonfiction, or fiction. 

UVA Young Writers Workshop is one of the best summer writing programs for high school students because it offers two program sessions that are geared toward different skill levels . Session 1 is designed for a wider range of skill levels and experience, whereas Session 2 is geared toward more advanced writers. You can apply to both sessions online by submitting several writing samples, a brief autobiography, and a letter of recommendation. 

#10: Smith College Creative Writing Workshop

• Eligibility: Must be in 9th-12th grades; must be female-identified or gender-nonconforming students
• Dates: July 9-23
• Cost: $4,285
• Deadlines: Applications due May 15

Smith’s Creative Writing Workshop teaches the importance of practice and perseverance by engaging students in a multi-draft writing process in a variety of mediums . Students are taught by real published writers and get the chance to present their work at open mic and improv nights. In the evenings, there are even opportunities to meet with agents and learn how to create an author website!

Students are selected for this writing program based on academic performance, a written essay, and a teacher recommendation. Also, because Smith is a women’s college, this summer writing program is only open to young women, female-identified, or gender-nonconforming students . Students from outside of the U.S. are also encouraged to apply. 

#11: Sarah Lawrence Writer’s Week

• Eligibility: Must be in 9th-12th grade and 14 years of age or older by the program start date
• Dates: On-campus session: July 11-15; online session: August 1-5
• Location: Sarah Lawrence College, Bronxville, NY; online
• Cost: $1,125 for on-campus; $725 for online
• Deadlines: Unspecified; contact [email protected]​ for more information 

Writer’s Week at Sarah Lawrence is a week-long experience with creative writing and performance arts for high school students. Students attend workshops taught by real writers, artists, and Sarah Lawrence faculty and will get the chance to meet in small groups with workshop leaders. At the end of the week, the program hosts a celebration of student work and faculty and student readings. 

Sarah Lawrence Writer’s Week offers both an on-campus and online session (but note that the on-campus session is a day camp, not residential). Applications and registration must be completed online. 

#12: Alpha Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Workshop for Young Writers

• Eligibility: Must be aged 14-19
• Dates: July 20-31
• Location: University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg, PA
• Cost: $1,200
• Deadlines: Unspecified; applications open in January 

Alpha is a twelve-day writing workshop for 20 high school students at the University of Pittsburgh’s Greensburg campus. During this program, students are expected to write an original science fiction, fantasy, or horror short story of 2000 words or more. During the writing process, students receive plenty of hands-on guidance. 

The Alpha program is held in-person on the University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg campus . To apply, students must fill out an online form and submit an original short story of at least 2000 words. 

Quiz: Is a Summer Writing Program Right for You?

If you’re still not sure if participating in a summer writing program is right for you, don’t worry–we’re here to help! 

We’ve put together a five-question, yes-or-no response quiz to help you decide if summer writing programs support your interests and goals. Just read the questions below and respond with “yes” or “no.”

• Is your English class the most exciting part of your school day?  
• Do you spend free time reading and writing for fun? 
• Are you looking for new challenges and experiences as a writer? 
• Are you willing to share your writing with others, including peers you’ve just met and writing professionals and experts? 
• Are you highly motivated to pursue your interests outside of school and even during your summer vacation? 

If you responded with “yes” to three or more of the questions above, you might consider applying to a summer writing program for high school students! 

At the end of the day, you want your summer activities to support your interests and boost your college applications . If you’re aiming for a future career as a writer or just want to hone your writing hobby, a summer writing program may be the perfect fit for you.

3 Tips To Impress Colleges With Your Summer Writing Program

Summer writing programs for high school students look great to college admissions teams . But what are the best ways to showcase your writing experience on your applications? 

We’ll show you how to impress colleges with your summer writing program–just check out the tips below !

Tip 1: Work It Into Your College Essays

You want your college essays to tell a vivid story about your interests . Your experiences in a summer writing program provide a great springboard for illustrating your interests and passions on your college applications! 

Colleges want to accept students who are creative, courageous, and motivated to pursue their dreams. Writing about how you stretched and grew during your summer writing program will show colleges that you’re up for a challenge…and that you won’t give up, no matter how many revisions your draft needs. 

Tip 2: Connect It to Your Major

If you’re already certain you want to major in a writing-related field in college, your summer writing program will be especially helpful. Many elite schools ask students to apply directly to their chosen major. So if you’re applying to an arts or humanities major, there’s a good chance you’ll have to submit a writing sample as part of your college application . 

The good news is that most summer writing programs give you the chance to produce original writing and receive critiques from professional writers. By taking the writing you produce during your summer writing program and continuing to revise it, you’ll have a top-notch writing sample to include with your application.

Tip 3: Ask a Program Instructor for a Recommendation

Creative writing summer programs for high school students give you the opportunity to connect with writing faculty at elite colleges and real-life writers, journalists, poets, and more. These professionals provide feedback on your writing during your summer program…which means they’ll have unique insights into your potential as a college student ! 

In fact, several summer writing programs offer students the chance to receive a college recommendation from program faculty . For instance, the New York Times Summer Academy says this about recommendations from program faculty:

As a pre-college program, [NYT] Summer Academy gives students the opportunity to get a glimpse of the college experience while also exploring possible topics of study. Typically, college admissions officers look favorably on students who continue to enhance their academic portfolio during the summer months. Students will also benefit from receiving a narrative evaluation from their instructor which can be included as part of their college applications.

If you build strong rapport with an instructor at your summer writing program, consider staying in touch and asking them to write you a letter of recommendation for your college applications. Having a recommendation from someone outside of your high school will show colleges that you’re already building real-world connections with people in your future career field . 

What’s Next? 

Writing programs can prepare you for writing your college admissions essays . Our expert guide breaks down the whole admissions essay writing process , step by step.

One popular college essay format is the “why this school?” prompt. We’ll show you how to write an amazing “why this college” essay that will wow admissions counselors.  

If you’re not sure what a great college essay looks like, that’s okay. We’ve compiled a list of over 140 college essays that can inspire you as you’re writing yours! 

Thinking ahead to college applications?

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Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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21 Summer Writing Programs for High School Students in 2024

What’s covered:, 21 summer writing programs for high school students, how impressive are summer programs in college admissions, other ways to spend your summer.

Summer programs offer high school students an excellent opportunity to explore subjects that interest them, build valuable skills, get a taste of college life, and meet like-minded peers. They also look awesome on a college application! If you’re interested in writing, you’ll want to check out these 20 summer writing programs for high school students. 

1. Princeton Summer Journalism Program 

Dates: Classes begin mid July, residential portion is July 26th to August 5th, 2024

Location: Online and in Princeton, NJ

Application deadline: February 15th, 2024

The Princeton Summer Journalism Program (PSJP) selects 40 high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds to participate in its revered program. In the PSJP, students explore current events, listen to lectures, and participate in workshops led by professional journalists and Princeton professors. The program culminates with the publication of a student-produced newspaper, the Princeton Summer Journal . To qualify for the PSJP you must: 

• Be a junior in high school
• Live in the United States and intend to attend college in the U.S.
• Have a minimum GPA of 3.5 
• Have an interest in journalism
• The combined income of custodial parent(s)/guardian(s) plus child support payments, if any, must not exceed $60,000
• Qualify for free or reduced-price lunch 
• Qualify for an SAT or ACT fee waiver

Dates: August 3rd to August 9th, 2024

Location: Austin, Texas

Application deadline: March 1st, 2024

JCamp is a free six-day program put on by the Asian American Journalist Association that brings together a culturally diverse group of students from across the U.S. Under the eye of veteran journalists and leading media executives, students take part in workshops to sharpen their journalistic skills and gain hands-on experience producing multi-platform news packages for the program’s website. JCamp is not limited to Asian American students; any student with an interest in journalism—like writing for a newspaper or magazine—is encouraged to apply. 

3. Iowa Young Writers’ Studio 2 Week Residential Program

Dates: Session 1: June 16th to 29th, 2024; Session 2: July 14th to 27th, 2024

Location: In-person in Iowa City, IA, or virtual

Application deadline: February 4th, 2024

Cost: In-person: $2,500; virtual: $575

The Iowa Young Writers’ Studio provides high schoolers the incredible opportunity to have a residential experience and study with graduates of one of the most renowned writing programs in the nation: the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Participants in this program choose a focus—either poetry, fiction, creative writing, playwriting, or television writing—and share their work, practice their craft, and improve their writing while working alongside other high school writers from across the U.S. 

4. Sarah Lawerence Writers’ Week 

Dates: Virtual: July 15th to 19th, 2024; In-person: August 5th to 9th, 2024

Location: Virtual or Bronxville NY

Application deadline: TBD. Registration opens in February

Cost: Virtual: $1025; In-person: $1,550

During Sarah Lawerence Writers’ Week, participants (the program welcomes students entering the 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grades) explore the creative process led by esteemed Sarah Lawrence faculty and alumni. Sarah Lawerence Writing Week celebrates the risk and adventure of the creative process, fosters a non-competitive and non-judgmental environment, and keeps with the Sarah Lawrence tradition of individualized attention—groups are limited to 18 students with two faculty members per workshop. The program ends with a celebration that includes both faculty and student readings.  

5. California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA) Writing Program

Dates: July 6th to August 2nd, 2024

Location: Sacramento, CA

Application deadline: February 29th, 2024

Cost: CA State Residents: $4,600; Out-of-state: $7,000

This summer program for high school students in California is a unique public-private partnership that was founded by the California State legislature in 1987. Approximately 70 students are selected to participate in this program led by professional writers and educators who guide them through work in fiction, poetry, non-fiction, and dramatic writing. The program prides itself on its creative environment and looks for young writers who love language, reading, and are ready to share their own stories. 

6. Juniper Young Writers Online Writing Lab 

Dates: One-week program: July 29–August 2, 2024; Two-week program: July 29–August 9, 2024

Location: Amherst, MA

Application deadline: March 7th, 2024

Cost: $2,600 for one week; $4,950 for two weeks

Students in the Juniper Young Writers Online Writing Lab participate in writing sessions, share questions, and discuss their work and writing-related topics over the course of this program. Led by professional teachers, published authors, and graduate students at UMass Amherst, Writing Lab participants gain insight into the creative process, find inspiration for work, learn tips to improve their writing and develop relationships with other young writers. Students will be provided a written summary of their work, an evaluation toward writing goals, and future considerations for their writing.

7. Annenberg Youth Academy for Media and Civic Engagement (AYA) 

Dates: June 17th to July 19th, 2024

Location: Los Angeles, CA

Application deadline: March 22nd, 2024

AYA is a free, immersive experience for talented high school students from the area surrounding USC. The program allows participants to explore USC Annenberg’s undergraduate programs, gain insight into careers in media and journalism, and meet the people advancing issues of race, gender, and ethnicity in communication and journalism. Over the course of this program, students build a variety of skills, including writing and critical thinking. 

8. Reynolds Young Writers Workshop 

Dates: June 22nd to 29th, 2024

Location: Granville, OH

Application deadline: March 1st, 2024 

Cost: $1,500

For more than a quarter of a century, Denison University has welcomed talented high school writers to its acclaimed Reynolds Young Writers Workshop. Led by Denison’s creative writing faculty and notable visiting writers, participants take part in small creative writing workshops and group sessions to explore a variety of writing techniques in an intimate and relaxed atmosphere.

9. Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication

Dates: June 23rd to June 28, 2024

Location: Phoenix, AZ

Application deadline: April 1, 2024

The Camp Cronkite program is a summer media enrichment camp allowing high schoolers to dive into the world of media. Led by Cronkite faculty, staff, and students, campers learn about digital journalism, broadcast journalism, or sports media. They will work on reporting, pitching, storytelling, and editing, and receive hands-on instruction in video editing, photography, reporting and writing, script development, and more. There are several scholarships available for students who demonstrate financial need. 

10. Alpha Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Workshop for Young Writers

Dates: July 24th to August 4th, 2024

Location: Pittsburgh, PA

Application deadline: March 10th, 2024

Over Alpha’s 12 days, students with an interest in science fiction, fantasy, or horror learn how to generate ideas, turn those ideas into drafts, critique each other’s work, make revisions, and submit their work to paying markets. The program also provides students with an introduction to college life and allows them to explore a career as a professional writer. 

11. 92Y Unterberg Poetry Center Young Writers Workshop

Dates: July 8th to 25th, 2024

Location: New York, NY

Application deadline: May 28th, 2024

Cost: $2,600

The Unterberg Poetry Center has been home to established and up-and-coming poets since it was founded in 1939. Students at its Young Writers Workshop receive coaching from some of New York’s best writing teachers and explore a variety of forms, styles, and voices in a warm and supportive environment. Participants learn to look critically at their own work and will leave the workshop with a clearer understanding of their goals as a writer and what it takes to make a career in the literary world. 

12. Shared Worlds    

Dates: July 14th to 27th, 2024

Location: Spartanburg, SC

Application deadline: Rolling

This fun writing program is for high school students with an interest in speculative fiction—for example, science fiction, fantasy, and steampunk. Shared Worlds is a residential program for rising 8th-12th grade students to work under the guidance of renowned fantasy and science fiction writers. Over the course of the workshop, students imagine, build, and write their own stories and have their enthusiasm for writing encouraged. 

13. Bard College at Simon’s Rock Young Writers Workshop

Dates: July 7th to 27th, 2024

Location: Great Barrington, MA

Cost: $3,500

This program is modeled on the well-known Language and Thinking Workshop all students entering Bard College are required to take. Unlike other creative writing workshops, leaders of this young writers workshop encourage informal, playful, and expressive writing and lean on peer response to develop polished pieces of writing. Students will live, eat, and work on campus, gaining firsthand experience living and learning in a college atmosphere while producing pieces ranging from short stories and poems to brief dramatic works and experiments in creative nonfiction.

14. Kenyon Review Summer Residential Young Writers Workshops

Dates:   Session 1: June 23rd to July 6th, 2024; Session 2: July 14th to 27th, 2024

Location: Gambier, OH

Cost: $2,575

Every summer, talented writers from across the U.S. come to the picturesque campus of Kenyon College to participate in its Young Writers Workshop. In this multi-genre program, students experience what it’s like to be part of the literary community while bolstering their talents, discovering new strengths, and challenging themselves in the company of similarly interested peers. 

15. Kenyon Review Summer Online Young Writers Workshop

Dates: June 16th to 21st, 2024

Location: Online

Application deadline: April 15th, 2024

For students who can’t make it to Ohio for two weeks, the online workshop is a great alternative. With writing workshops for three and a half hours every day, it’s possible to take advantage of the program without relocating. In the evening, students will attend virtual open mics, social gatherings, and talks and readings by authors. 

16. BYU Young Authors Academy

Dates: July 8th to 13th, 2024

Location: Provo, UT

At BYU’s Young Authors Academy, students speak with local and nationally-recognized authors, review each others’ writing, work with faculty in the BYU English department, stay in campus housing, take small-group writing courses, and meet other, like-minded peers. Students can choose from two electives over the program, including Creating Believable Tales and Villains, Flash Fiction, and Breaking News. 

17. Fir Acres Writing Workshop

Dates: June 23rd to July 6th, 2024

Location: Portland, OR

Application deadline: March 8th, 2024

Cost: $3,700

Fir Acres writing program takes sixty rising 10th-12th graders from around the country and forms a community of enthusiastic writers on the campus of Lewis and Clark College. Students participate in daily workshops studying and writing under the guidance of Lewis and Clark’s faculty. They also meet and hear from visiting writers and work on their own poetry, fiction, and other writings. 

18. LMU’s Beginning Screenwriting Program 

Dates: June 23rd to July 6th; July 14th to 27th, 2024

Application deadline: March 15th, 2024

Cost: $5,800 and a $65 application fee

LMU’s School of Film and Television offers this program to students looking to enhance their writing skills and learn the elements of screenwriting. Students will work on structure, character development, dialogue, formatting, and genre while analyzing both classic and contemporary popular movies. They will learn from faculty members who are also professional screenwriters and leave the program with a short script. 

19. Carnegie Mellon Pre-College Writing and Culture Program 

Dates: June 22nd to July 20th, 2024

Cost: $6,800- $8,995

Over the weeks of the program, students at CMU will examine film, writing, design, art, and culture through various lenses. Learning will take place both on CMU’s campus and around the city of Pittsburgh. Students will produce a body of work perfect for a portfolio during the program under the tutelage of highly distinguished faculty members of the Department of English. Classes are held Monday through Friday, and students emerge with individualized feedback and guidance to enhance their creative pursuits. 

20. Boston University Summer Journalism Academy

Dates: On Campus: June 24 to July 12, 2024; Virtual: June 17 to 28, 2024; July 1 to 12, 2024; or July 15 to 26, 2024 

Application deadline: April 19th, 2024 for in person, May 10th, 2024 for remote

Location: Virtual or Boston, MA

Cost: $1500 to $6200

Taught by working journalists, BU’s Summer Journalism Academy gives high school students actual reporting assignments to give them a jump-start into the world of journalism. With both virtual and in-person options, there is something for everyone. There are scholarships and financial aid available for students demonstrating financial need. Students must be a rising 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grader in high school to attend. For applicants who get their materials in by March 8th, there is a $400 discount for in-person, and a $200 discount for virtual learning. 

21. The School of The New York Times’ Summer Academy

Dates: Term 1: June 9th to 21st; Term 2: June 23rd to July 5th; Term 3: July 7th to July 19th; Term 4: July 21st to August 2nd, 2024

Location: New York City

Application deadline: April 1st, 2024

Cost: $5,935 to $7,220

From DIY Filmmaking to A Million Lives in the Law and Pop Music as Art & Business, The School of the New York Times offers a wide range of fascinating classes to students interested in journalism. In the heart of New York City, students can spend several weeks learning from experienced journalists working in the field. Scholarship applications are only available until the end of February, so interested students should apply ASAP. 

Summer programs—and other extracurricular activities—can help set you apart, particularly at highly selective schools. CollegeVine’s free admissions calculator can tell you how colleges value your extracurricular activities and uses factors like grades and test scores (along with extracurriculars) to estimate your odds of acceptance at hundreds of schools across the country. It even provides insight into how you can improve your profile!

Though summer break provides you with the most time to explore your passions, it is not the only time. Colleges want to see that you are curious about the world around you and are constantly seeking new learning opportunities. 

Instead of participating in a program, you could create your own. Writing a book or mobilizing a team to solve an issue in your local community are examples of independent efforts that look impressive to colleges. 

You can show further initiative by taking on internships and paying jobs. Both demonstrate initiative, a career direction, and key life skills like time management and responsibility. Since most internships are reserved for college students and graduates, it can be a challenge to find opportunities for high school students. To help with the search, here is a list of summer internships for high school students. Looking for more summer programs? Take a look at this list of virtual opportunities for high school students.

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Creative Writing Academy

• How to Apply

Transform your dreams, ideas, and stories into organized, compelling, creative written works with dynamic lectures in craft topics, workshop sessions with graduate student instructors, and insightful, productive feedback from your peers. This combination of instructional approaches will help you generate and polish a wealth of new poems, stories, and essays, and allow you to experiment with innovative forms in the field of creative writing. The Academy will also focus on the publishing and professionalization aspects of the industry, exploring what markets are available for your writing, what jobs are available to creative writers, funding opportunities for your work, undergraduate and graduate programs in writing, and how to get published. Topics for discussion will include literary form and targeted craft points, often in relation to social, political, and environmental themes. In addition, this week-long program will feature excursions to sites around Washington, D.C., including an exercise in ekphrastic writing at the National Gallery of Art and the chance to read your work aloud at Busboys and Poets, a famous D.C. literary hub.

Estimated Tuition:

Price includes tuition, housing, and meals. Commuter Student tuition is $2,625.

How You'll Benefit

• Participate in writing workshops
• Awaken your powers of observation, imagination, and description
• Learn concrete elements of the craft of writing in daily workshops
• Attend readings from published authors, who will lead interactive classes and conduct group discussions
• Work with Georgetown's expert creative writing faculty to bring out your most creative ideas
• Read excerpts from award-winning works and use them to develop your own original works
• Visit local monuments, world-renowned theaters, museums, and literary organizations
• Take part in peer critiques and learn how to revise and refine your writing

Program Format & Subject Areas

As a student in the Creative Writing Academy, you'll spend your day immersed in a blend of classroom lectures, field trips, hands-on activities, and group discussions. Throughout the week, you'll have the opportunity to explore the following subject areas:

• Personal prose
• Literary history
• Technique (story structure, character development, theme, description, dialogue)
• Finding good ideas and turning them into polished pieces
• Using great literature and art for inspiration

All in all, I fell in love with the program. I got to meet so many amazing people not only from the D.C. area but all around the country.

Having the chance to experience once in a lifetime opportunities and getting to meet people from around the world made it so I got to really experience what college life was like.

My #SummerHoya experience was enriching, inspiring, and rewarding; if I could turn back the clock, I’d do it all over again.

It was amazing to be surrounded by such high caliber students and staff who were all encouraging and fabulous to work with. I took away many positive things from my week as a Summer Hoya.

As I am filling out my college applications, I am able to think back to my memories from the summer and I am reassured that I am pursuing the right educational path.

The program offers so much–from the off-site visits to the daily lectures and the on campus activities. The lectures were interesting, meeting new people was great and the off-site visits were interactive and intriguing.

Want to learn more?

Request information to find out the latest on the Summer Programs for High School Students.

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• Summer 2024

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Great Summer Creative Writing Programs for High School Students

Immersive Summer Programs for Budding Writers

Summer is a terrific time for aspiring writers to focus on creative writing . Immersive programs give high schoolers the opportunity to develop writing skills, meet like-minded students, and gain an impressive line on their activities resumé. This list of excellent summer creative writing programs for high school students may offer just what the budding writers in your family need to make the most of their talents.

Emerson College Creative Writers Workshop

Emerson’s Creative Writers Workshop is a five-week program for rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors geared at developing their writing skills in a variety of media, including fiction, poetry, screenwriting, graphic novels, and magazine writing. Participants attend college-level writing classes exploring these genres in which they write and present their own work, create a final portfolio of their writing, contribute to the workshop’s anthology, and present a reading for family and friends. On-campus housing is available for the duration of the workshop.

Alfred University Creative Writing Camp

This summer writing program introduces rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors to many different genres, including poetry, short fiction, creative non-fiction, and drama. Students read and discuss the work of established authors and participate in writing-intensive exercises and workshop sessions led by Alfred University faculty members. Campers stay in university housing and enjoy a variety of recreational activities outside of classes and workshops such as movie nights, games, and social gatherings. The program runs annually for five days at the end of June.

Sarah Lawrence College Summer Writers Workshop for High School Students

This program is a one-week, non-residential summer workshop for rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors that explores the process of creative writing in a non-competitive, non-judgmental environment. Participants have the opportunity to attend small writing and theater workshops led by faculty and guest writers and theater artists, as well as attend and participate in readings. Classes are limited to 15 students with three faculty leaders per workshop to provide individual attention for each student.

Sewanee Young Writers Conference

This two-week residential program offered by The University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, provides dedicated rising high school sophomore, junior, and senior creative writers an opportunity to develop and polish their writing skills. The conference includes workshops in playwriting, fiction, poetry, and creative non-fiction led by celebrated professional writers as well as visiting writers whose works students analyze and discuss. Participants select one writing genre and spend their two weeks attending a small workshop dedicated to that genre, with opportunities for one-on-one contact with workshop leaders. Students also participate in lectures, readings, and discussions.

Emerging Writers Institute Creative Writing Camp

Allen Grove

Education Unlimited offers the Emerging Writers Institute creative writing camp each summer at Yale University , Stanford University , and UC Berkeley . This two-week residential program for rising 10th-12th graders includes daily workshops, evaluations, peer editing groups, and creative presentations designed to encourage students to challenge themselves as writers and hone their expressive writing process.

Each student chooses to major in the writing of either short stories, poetry, playwriting, or nonfiction. The bulk of their critical reading and writing exercises and workshopping is devoted to their selected major. Students may also attend afternoon workshops on nontraditional genres such as speechwriting, graphic novels, and advertising copy, as well as guest presentations by local authors and publishers.

Iowa Young Writers' Studio

The University of Iowa offers this two-week summer creative writing program for rising juniors, seniors, and college freshmen. Students choose one of three core courses in poetry, fiction, or creative writing (a more general course sampling from poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction). Within their course, they participate in seminar classes in which they read and analyze literary selections and workshops to create, share, and discuss their own writing. Also offered are large group writing exercises, inspirational outdoor writing excursions, and nightly readings by prominent published writers. Many of the program's teachers and counselors are graduates of the university's Iowa Writers' Workshop, one of the most prestigious creative writing graduate programs in the country.

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• Summer Programs

The Best Writing Summer Programs for High School Students

Writing may be a lonely craft, but it is certainly not something that is learned in isolation. 

The best way to improve a student’s writing is to become part of a writing community where constructive feedback and encouragement can help them be the best writer they can be. 

Thankfully, many institutions and universities offer the opportunity to be part of a writing community through their summer programs. 

Many summer programs not only have students work with gifted university faculty, but they also bring students face to face with some of their favorite authors. 

The following list of programs are among the best for a number of different reasons. Some are the best value, and others because of the unique program focuses they offer. But each brings a unique take on training young people in the craft of writing. 

Regardless of why they are the best, each of these writing summer programs offers students a wide range of experience, opportunities, and support in becoming writers of the future. 

BYU’s Young Authors Academy (Provo, UT)

BYU is known for its close association with the LDS church, which brings its commitment to service and community to the university in all areas of academic life. 

As a result, the university has a thriving Young Authors Academy program that middle and high school students can take advantage of during the summer. 

This week-long program allows students to live on the BYU campus, get training from BYU professors, and even meet and speak directly to guest authors. 

Though students don’t have to stay on campus, it can be an enriching experience to live like a BYU student for a week. 

Parents may feel hesitant about their child living like a college student. BYU’s code of conduct makes the Young Authors Academy program one that parents can trust to promote a wholesome and age-appropriate environment. 

Lewis and Clark Fir Acres Writing Workshop (Portland, OR)

Lewis and Clarks’ Fir Acres Writing Workshop takes this spirit of adventure into the realm of writing and guides high school students through a two-week community writing experience. 

Students will strengthen their reading and writing skills with the help of expert faculty while communing with the beauty of the Pacific Northwest. 

In addition to living on the beautiful campus, students will get a chance to wander the creative downtown of Portland. 

As students walk the city streets, they will be walking in the footsteps of authors who made Portland home like Ursula Le Guin, Beverly Cleary, and Chuck Palahniuk. 

Lastly, a visit to Portland would be incomplete without a trip to one of the famous Portland spots – Powell’s Bookstore! 

With trips to the city, writing workshops, and wandering the campus, students will have a summer adventure they will think about for years to come at the Fir Acres Writing Workshop. 

LMU’s Pre-College Beginning Screenwriting (Los Angeles, CA)

Loyola Marymount University is known for being one of the top film schools in the US, which is little surprise with it being located in the heart of the entertainment capital. 

Students attending LMU will be in good company with alumni like X-Files co-writer James Wong and James Bond franchise producer Barbara Broccoli.

With this film school backdrop, LMU offers a unique opportunity to young writers who have a passion for the movies – Beginning Screenwriting. 

Students will spend two weeks working closely with faculty screenwriters who have written award-winning movies and tv series. 

By the end of the workshop, students will have developed their storytelling skills, learned to write in a collaborative environment, and have produced a short screenplay of their own making. 

In addition to learning how to write screenplays, students will also have the opportunity to explore the behind-the-scenes process of filmmaking by visiting a local tv or film studio. At LMU, students learn to become writers who can create the magic of movies and tv. 

Iowa Young Writers’ Studio (Iowa City, IA)

The University of Iowa knows a thing or two about excellence, particularly in writing. Out of this excellent writing program is the Young Writers’ Studio. 

High school students will attend the studio for two weeks, focusing on a core writing genre. Through the two weeks, students will be able to work collaboratively with their peers, listen to published authors discuss the craft, and explore areas of writing they haven’t before. 

Iowa has drawn writers since the university’s Writers’ Workshop was established in the 1930s and has a long and successful history of training aspiring authors. 

As a result, Iowa City is known for being the place to be if you are a writer. High school students who want to join the writer’s life will be following a long tradition of writing excellence by joining Iowa’s Young Writers’ Studio . 

Wharton Center’s Young Playwrights Festival (East Lansing, MI)

Though this opportunity is limited to Michigan students, it deserves recognition on the list because of the fantastic opportunity it provides aspiring playwrights. 

The Young Playwrights Festival is hosted by the Wharton Center, which hosts a wide range of live entertainment from plays to concerts. 

The Wharton Center and the MSU theater department work together to hold the annual Young Playwrights Festival, a unique competition connecting students with mentors. 

This event calls on young playwrights to submit their best script with the expectation that if they win, they will be able to work with MSU playwrights to polish and further develop their script. 

But this opportunity isn’t just about improving a student’s writing – it also results in the student being able to see their work come to life. The festival’s winner will have their polished play performed by the MSU theater department on the Wharton Center stage! 

Georgetown’s Creative Writing Academy (Washington, DC)

Georgetown in D.C has a rich pre-college program for high school students looking to prepare themselves for higher education and a career. The university offers students the option to choose from over 20 possible “academies” to attend over 1-3 week periods of time during the summer. 

For writers, the 1-week Creative Writing Academy offers high schoolers the chance to not only polish their skills, but also to learn what it takes to be a professional writer. 

Students will get the chance to work with advisors to find publishing areas for their writing, gain advice on what higher education programs to pursue, and discover how to find funding for writing projects. 

By the end of the program, students will even get the opportunity to publish their work. Georgetown’s literary magazine, Three Stars, features student work annually. A credential like this will look great on a student’s growing portfolio and resume. 

UF’s Summer Media Institute (Gainsville, FL)

Ranked number 5 for being a “Top Public School” in the US by US News and Word Report, and known for being one of the most extensive journalism and communications programs in the US, the University of Florida has a special opportunity to offer students who want to pursue writing in media. 

The Summer Media Institute is a 6-day workshop that draws students from all over. This program is different from the others on this list because it doesn’t require an application process. 

Instead, the program is based on a first-come, first-serve registration process that closes once the student limit is reached. 

Students attending the Summer Media Institute will learn the many different elements of storytelling in the real world. From getting to experience a newsroom to learning to build a story out of data, at UF students will learn that the writing process goes far beyond just writing words on a page.

Sewanee Young Writers’ Conference (Sewanee, TN)

The University of The South, as Sewanee is called, is one of the more picturesque locations on the list. 

Located on 13,000 acres that the university calls the Domain, students who live at and attend the university have the beauty of Tennessee right outside their door. 

This is an integral part of student life, as high schoolers will discover when they come to participate in the Sewanee’s Young Writers’ Conference. 

In addition to writing, reading, discussing, and meeting guest authors, part of the experience is also getting to experience the beauty of the Domain. 

Students who are taking a break from coursework can be found hiking the surrounding trails or going for a swim in nearby Fiery Gizzard. 

One unique feature of this program is a reading list students will need to finish before coming. 

A good writer is a reader, so students who are accepted will get to read the books of that summer’s guest authors. 

This reading will come in handy later when students hear the guest author discuss their work and offer advice for students in their own writing process. 

Being a writer means finding a workspace that inspires and reduces distractions. Students will discover that Sewanee offers both.

Princeton Summer Journalism Program (Princeton, NJ)

Princeton’s reputation reaches far and wide, making its Journalism Program the envy of Summer Programs. 

It is no wonder that students are shocked to find out that the program is free. Even better, the program is free for those who wouldn’t traditionally be able to afford a summer program, let alone an ivy league program. 

Princeton offers students from under-resourced backgrounds a full-ride opportunity to attend their 10-day Summer Journalism Program . Students whose families meet the income requirements and who are in good academic standing at their high school are eligible to go through the application process. 

The program’s goal to create more opportunities in newsrooms for those who wouldn’t usually be able to afford the training includes helping students understand the college application process. 

After a student leaves the program, they will be assigned a Princeton counselor that will assist them through all parts of the college application process no matter where they choose to attend. 

This opportunity is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of situation. Students who meet the criteria will thank themselves for investing the time and effort to attend this life-changing program. 

Susquehanna’s Writers’ Workshop (Selinsgrove, PA)

Susquehanna University is known for its commitment to being a green campus, an affordable private university, and producing students who excel. In the last nine years alone, the school has had 12 Fulbright winners and, more recently, has been awarded the STARS Silver accolade for its environmental efforts. 

The university is also known for its Writers’ Workshop . Students who attend the week-long workshop will work with talented faculty like Hasanthika Sirisena , who has won the Juniper Literary Prize for her fiction. Students will also be able to work with Monica Prince , whose “choreopoems” are studied around the US. 

The Writers’ Workshop allows students to immerse themselves in their writing craft to produce works they can take with them. 

But before they leave with their work, students will get the chance to showcase their hard work in two different ways. Students will be able to perform their pieces for their friends and family at the end of the workshop and then publish their compositions in the SWW Anthology . 

Talented faculty, an environmentally friendly campus, and talented peers – these are the makings of a great summer writing program experience. 

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Top 10 Summer Writing Programs for High School Students

Prior to coming to Scholarships360 for her first internship in 2022, Savannah utilized her campus publications by joining various fashion publications that are offered at Ohio University. One of those publications is Thread Magazine, where Savannah has had the opportunity to work on articles related to world-wide related fashion news and events, as well as articles closer to home, such as a fashion piece on Athens hometown-hero Joe Burrow. This year, Savannah also had the opportunity to be a content writing intern for Aiken House, as well as a section editor for Southeast Ohio Magazine. In 2023, Savannah served as the Chapter President of her sorority, Alpha Gamma Delta. These collective experiences, as well as her experience currently working for Ohio University’s Undergraduate Admissions, has led her to Scholarships360 and aided in her passion for helping students better understand the college admissions process and financial aid. In her free time, Savannah enjoys horseback riding, watching Formula One races, traveling, and spending time with her friends and family. Savannah will graduate from Ohio University in May 2024 with a degree in Journalism News and Information and a certificate in Italian Studies.

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If you are a high school student interested in enhancing your writing skills over the summer, look no further. Scholarships360 has you covered with our picks for top 10 writing summer camps for high school students. Let’s dive right in!

What is a summer writing program?

A summer writing program offers high school students interested in different types of writing to immerse themselves in the field. These programs range from creative writing, to playwriting, to poetry, and everything in between. 

Why we selected the following writing programs

We chose a diverse range of writing summer camps for high school students that vary in price, location, and academic focus. These are definitely not all of the writing programs that are in existence, but we wanted to name a few that impressed us.

A note on application deadlines and program dates

Application deadlines and program dates vary from program to program because these are all at different institutions, all over the country. We will do our best to keep these dates updated, so if a program that you are interested in currently says “TBD”, check back in a few weeks and the program may have released that information!

Apply to these scholarships due soon

$10,000 “No Essay” Scholarship

$2,000 Sallie Mae Scholarship

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$40,000 BigFuture Scholarship

“Gutsy Graduate Student” Essay Scholarship

Niche $10,000 “No Essay” Scholarship

“College Here I Come” Essay Scholarship for High School Seniors

“Making Waves” Scholarship for Women

$25k “Be Bold” No-Essay Scholarship

Top 10 summer writing programs for high schoolers, 1. iowa young writers’ studio.

The Iowa Young Writers’ Studio is a two-week session located at the University of Iowa campus or online. The two programs run at the same time, and there are two different date options for students to choose from. With this program, students select their primary focus throughout the program– fiction writing, poetry writing, or creative writing. 

• Program benefits : Readings by published writers; workshops on process and aspects of craft; discussions on writing-adjacent subjects (literary translation, film, revision, mental health); collaborative projects to allow small groups of students to work together; as well as open mics, talent shows, icebreakers, and social gatherings
• Application deadline: February 4th, 2024
• Session 1: June 16-29, 2024
• Session 2: July 14-27, 2024
• Cost: The in-person program is $2,500, and the online program is $575

2. Interlochen Center for the Arts Camp Creative Writing Programs

Interlochen Center for the Arts is a prestigious arts center for students of all ages who are interested in various types of arts to hone in on their craft. The Camp Creative Writing Programs are for high school students of all ages. Campers choose between four different tracks– Comics and Graphic Narratives Intensive, Creative Writing Program, Novel Writing Intensive, or Performance Poetry Intensive. The focus below is the broadest category, the Creative Writing Program. This three week intensive allows students to immerse themselves in the world of writing. 

• Program benefits : Genre workshops in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and playwriting; placed in classes outside of comfort zones to learn more about different genres; reading showcase; guest artists and speakers
• Application deadline: January 15th, 2023, for both sessions
• Session 1: June 23, 2024 to July 13, 2024
• Session 2: July 14, 2024 to August 4, 2024
• Cost: $6,765

3. Sarah Lawrence College Writer’s Week: A Creative Writing & Performance Arts Workshop

The Sarah Lawrence Creative Writing and Performance Arts Workshop is offered both online and in person. The in-person workshop is a day camp, not a residential program. Each day of the program, students attend writing workshops led by poets, prose writers, and performance artists. The program also includes faculty led workshops and meetings, as well as a celebration of student work at the end of the program. 

• Program benefits : Work with distinguished faculty and graduate students, generating materials to share, collaboration with peers, learning to revise and edit. 
• Application deadline: TBD, registration opens in February
• Virtual session: July 15 – 19, 2024
• In-Person session: August 5 – 9, 2024
• July Session (Virtual) $1,025 ($100 deposit)
• August Session (On Campus) $1,550 ($200 deposit)

4. Carnegie Mellon Pre-College Writing and Culture Program

The Carnegie Mellon Pre-College Writing and Culture Program is a six-week high school summer program where students immerse themselves in writing, film, design, art, and culture. This program teaches students how to properly tell a story, regardless of what their story may be. Applicants must be sophomores or juniors in high school at the time of the application submission. There are opportunities to receive scholarships for this program as well, which is something to keep in mind while applying. 

• Program benefits : Opportunities to explore some of Pittsburgh’s world-class museums, access to the Carnegie Mellon Archives and Fine and Rare Book Rooms, mentorship and networking opportunities.
• Application deadline : Early decision deadline is February 1st, 2024, regular decision deadline is March 1st, 2024
• Program dates: June 22nd – July 20th, 2024
• Residential: $8,995
• Commuter: $6,800

Related: Top writing and essay scholarships

5. Denison University Reynolds Young Writers Workshop

The Reynolds Young Writers Workshop based out of Denison University in Granville, Ohio is an eight-day residential writing program that helps to immerse students in poetry, fiction, and nonfiction writing. This program is open to students who have completed their sophomore or junior year of high school who have an interest in writing. Generous financial assistance is available to those who need it.  

• Program benefits : Group sessions, hands-on work with Denison faculty and staff, notable visiting writers
• Application deadline: March 1st, 2024 at 11:59 PM
• Program dates: June 22 – 29, 2024
• Cost: $1,500

6. Alpha– The Young Writers Workshop

Alpha – The Young Writers Workshop is a 12-day writing workshop for students ages 14-19 located on the University of Pittsburgh Greensburg campus. Not only will students immerse themselves in their writing and have the opportunity to hone in on that skill, but they will also learn more about the technical side of writing– submitting for publication, editing, and receiving feedback. Alpha also offers scholarships for those who may need them. 

• Program benefits : Ample time spent with influential professors, opportunities for brainstorming workshops, professional writer presentations, lectures. 
• Application deadline : March 10th, 2024
• Program dates : July 24 – August 4, 2024

Don’t miss: Top free summer programs for high school students

7. Loyola Marymount University- Beginning Screenwriting Program

The Loyola Marymount University Beginning Screenwriting Program is a hands-on two-week program located on the campus of one of the nation’s best film schools. Students learn the basics of the script developing process, gain a deeper understanding of cinematic storytelling, and enhance their writing skills. The first program dates are for eligible high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors. The second program dates are for juniors and seniors only. 

• Program benefits : Opportunity for hands-on experiences within Los Angeles’ film industry, touring local film or television studio”
• Application deadline : March 15th, 2024
• Session 1: June 23-July 6, 2024
• Session 2: July 14-July 27, 2024
• Cost : $5,800 with a $65 application fee

8. Georgetown University Creative Writing Academy

The Georgetown University Creative Writing Academy is a week-long writing academy for high school students of all ages. During this academy, students have the opportunity to work on and present a capstone project, which can be on various topics and within various subject areas. This academy focuses largely on the publishing aspects of creative writing. 

• Program benefits : Readings from published authors, work with Georgetown faculty and staff, field trips, group discussions
• Application deadline : The “Early Bird” deadline is January 31st, 2024, and the Final deadline is May 15th, 2024
• Program dates: July 14th – 20th, 2024
• Cost :$3,389, includes tuition, housing, and meals

9. Emerson Writes

The Emerson Writes is an on-campus program that focuses on topics such as fiction, prose, scriptwriting, comedy writing, graphic novel writing, and performance poetry. This program offers students opportunities to create and revise their personal writing portfolio. 

• Program benefits : Work with highly regarded faculty writers, participate in literary hangouts, participate in “final reading” at the conclusion of the program
• Application deadline : TBD, not yet open
• Program dates : Depending on which courses you choose to take, the schedule varies, but the first class starts in September 2024
• Cost : Free

Also see: How to rock the summer before your senior year

10. Harvard Pre-College Summer School Program

The last entry on our list of writing summer camps for high school students is also one of the most prestigious. The Harvard Pre-College Summer School Program is a two-week summer program that offers over 100 non-credit courses for high school students to take part in. The Speech, Writing, and Literature topic is a great option for students who want to pursue a career in writing or just want to develop their craft. This topic offers multiple different courses, such as creative writing, English, expository writing, journalism, and speech. The program also offers some financial aid for qualifying students. 

• Program benefits : Build valuable academic skills, learn to live independently on a college campus, take sample college courses
• Early Application and Priority Financial Aid Deadline — January 10, 2024
• Regular Application and Financial Aid Deadline — February 14, 2024
• Late Application Deadline — April 10, 2024
• Session I: June 23 – July 5, 2024
• Session II: July 7 – 19, 2024
• Session III: July 21 – August 2, 2024
• Cost : $5,550 + $75 application fee

Don’t miss: High school checklist: Freshman through senior year

• Now that you’ve got some writing summer camps for high school students in mind, start preparing your application materials! This may include application essays , letters of recommendation , transcripts, or sample writing materials
• Apply for program scholarships if needed
• Write! Bring your writing samples with you, as you never know when you might need them
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Creative Writing Workshop

With few writing programs that cater exclusively to students in high school, Smith’s Creative Writing Workshop allows you to explore your writing in a creative and supportive environment. This program will foster your love of writing in a variety of mediums. All of our classes apply the design model to writing: Rather than trying to craft perfect texts, we teach an open, multidraft process that embraces the unpredictable that occurs when we stop trying to control our writing. So while you will learn how to edit your own and others’ work, our primary goal is for you to learn a powerful, flexible approach that eliminates writer’s block and gives you access to your full creativity.

Program at a Glance

July 6–19, 2024

Tuition: $4,745 Deposit: $950 Application Fee: $50

Fiction, poetry, science fiction, screenwriting, and more!

Applications for all precollege programs are now open! Assessed on a rolling basis, applicants can submit their materials until May 2024.

Find Your Voice

High school students from around the world gather together to hone their writing skills in a highly creative, but nonjudgmental, environment. There is something empowering about hearing your own lines being read in a supportive way that gives you a chance to let your full voice out. The equation is simple: you, your talent and what you want to write about. The sum total: Magic!

Program Details

Instructors are published writers who have been trained in this methodology and who provide a supportive, strengths-based classroom environment. In addition to individual feedback from your instructors, you will also become part of an international writing community, as the program accepts students from all over the world.

In the evenings, students can take part in activities such as open mic night and improv, or attend workshops on publishing, finding an agent and creating an author website.

At the end of the program, you will have the start of an online writing portfolio, an anthology with writing samples from all of the students and professional contacts in the literary world.

Smith Precollege Programs are open to students entering 9th-12th grade in the fall of 2024. Smith is a residential women’s college. Our Precollege Programs offer a Smith experience for high school students. Review our  Codes of Conduct for students and parents/guardians to ensure that this program is the right fit for you. College credit is not offered.

Deposit due within two weeks of acceptance.

To learn more, see the Apply to Summer Programs webpage .

2024 Schedule

Classes are Monday–Friday. Students will participate in one morning class and one afternoon class.

2024 Courses

Morning sessions.

Students will participate in one of the following morning sessions.

• Collapse all

Writing Fantasy

Morgan Sheehan Bubla

Course Description

Do you write (or aspire to write) fiction unencumbered by what’s “realistic”? Are you inspired by fairytales, mythology, fantasy, science fiction, ghost stories or dreams? Do your characters sometimes have magical abilities? This workshop is for writers interested in exploring modes of storytelling other than realism while simultaneously learning how to strengthen all of the traditional elements of fiction. The first week, we’ll generate new work in response to a number of imaginative prompts and writing exercises. We’ll also look at short, masterful excerpts from authors who challenge realism, with special attention to the types of fabulist distortions used and the real-world truths they get at. We’ll turn an eye to questions of craft: What makes a compelling plot? How do we create characters so alive we can feel them breathing? How do we build tension from the first lines? The second week, you’ll receive feedback from the group on one story, and we’ll focus on revision and next steps in your writing journey. You’ll leave with lots of new work as well as tools and techniques that will help you continue to write and explore reality-bending stories on your own.

Writing on the Edge of Reality

Erin butler.

Sometimes, we can understand reality better by writing just beyond what is real. In this two-week workshop, we’ll study what it means to write fiction that is rooted in, but not constrained by, reality. During our first week, you will read excerpts by some of the best writers who innovate by writing in the realm of the creepy, the otherworldly, the uncanny, and the psychologically complex. Then, you will generate lots of new work by responding to writing prompts that help you explode and extend what is realistic. During our second week, you will receive feedback on the story you’ve built and provide feedback on your peers’ work. Throughout the course, you’ll be asked to challenge your assumptions, extend your thinking, and consider what you might find beyond the borders of what you know and experience.

Realistic Unreality: A Science Fiction Workshop

James l. cambias.

We live in a science fiction world, where billionaires build rocket ships and a new virus threatens civilization. The dreams and nightmares of science fiction writers are mundane reality, and nobody dismisses the genre as “Buck Rogers stuff” any longer. Realistic Unreality is a workshop for aspiring writers of science fiction and fantasy. We will focus on how to make stories which are good as fantastic fiction and good as literature. During the first week, students create stories, helped and inspired by writing prompts and readings from some of the field’s masters. Brief lectures address the fundamentals of character, plot, world building and voice. In the second week, the class will jointly critique stories and get practical advice on submitting stories, publishing and the business of writing.

Jordana Frankel

Get inspired by the timeless allure of mythology, the fantastical nature of fairy tales, and the tragic undoings of our favorite epic heroes. In this two-week workshop, we'll explore how contemporary screenplays, poems, and novels remix our favorite stories throughout history to bring modern audiences new insight. We will read from Madeline Miller's bestselling novels, examine how the Charmed reboot reinterprets Medusa, and explore myth-inspired poetry by Sylvia Plath, Nikita Gill, and Louise Gluck, among others. Then, we will attempt to understand the universal and thematic enchantment audiences seem to have with certain stories and characters. During the first week, you will take inspiration from a number of different epics until you find either a story you'd like to retell or a tale that personally resonates. You may mine from the daily drama that unfolds in the current world, dig up the messy, beautiful stuff of your life, or reimagine a journey taken by a mythic character. You will then reflect on these characters and stories through a modern lens through various prompts and exercises. This is your week for inspiration, trial, and error. In the second week, you will deepen your understanding of your chosen narrative and, through constructive group feedback, mold it into an inspiring poem, story, or essay that deftly utilizes those universal themes discussed in the first week. Expect deep connection to the mythic foundations of yesteryear and, most importantly, an ultimate recognition that your life, from the mundane to the heart-wrenching to extraordinary, is also the stuff of myth.

Jennifer Jacobson

In this two-week session, we will write and revise our stories in a supportive community. The first week is designed to tap the muse and inspire new work through a series of writing exercises in-class and around Northampton. We will read short published work to deepen our understanding of scene, point of view, character, setting and dialogue. In week two, we will focus on revision. Through group discussions and an individual instructor conference, we will consider the strengths and weaknesses of the work we produce and identify revision strategies. Students will leave this course with lots of ways to generate new writing as well as tactics to move their work to the next level.

From Pirates to Potter: Creating Historical and Fan Fiction

Bailly morse.

For centuries, authors strove to answer the question: what was life like in the past? From The Iliad to Ivanhoe , to Shanghai Girls to The Underground Railroad , writers breathe life into decades past and find new and groundbreaking ways to bring history to life for their readers. So what does historical fiction have to do with fan fiction? These genres have more similarities than you might think. Both create new stories from previously established people, events, and worlds. Both expand beyond what we have known to create new and exciting narratives. And both shed light on what might have been, if only we allow ourselves to wonder “what if?”

In this intensive course, we will explore key craft elements that apply to both historical fiction and fan fiction. We’ll discuss characterization, dialogue, setting, and the three-act structure, so that you can hone your ability to create a compelling story. Additionally, you will learn about research methods and resources that will guide you as you write. See why historical fiction still fascinates us and why fan fiction might just be the future of diverse and accessible stories.

In our first week, students will explore world-building in these respective genres by reviewing examples and utilizing unique writing prompts to generate their own new material. In our second week, students will have the opportunity to have their stories peer-reviewed and to receive constructive feedback that they can use to improve their work. Students will leave the class with a better understanding of craft elements and how to apply it to future writing, and with a first draft to inspire them to keep going!

Strange Realms

Alex terrell.

Weird worlds, peculiar places and eerie environments! That’s where we’ll find ourselves in this two-week workshop. We will explore what it means for something to be weird, mythical and magical. We will create and destroy worlds. We will become cruel gods and puppeteers pitting our characters against mythical creatures, disastrous events and maybe even apocalypses. This workshop is for writers who enjoy fiction with fantasy elements, so bring your heroines, your monsters, your ghouls, your ghostbusters, your stranger things and creatures that may live in the Upside-Down. The first week, we will engage in imaginative writing prompts, world-building exercises and generate new material as we work to create a shared knowledge of common craft elements such as writing compelling characters, choosing the right setting and story structure. The second week, we will workshop each other’s stories, provide constructive feedback and apply the tools we learned in week one to help strengthen each other’s work. You’ll leave the workshop feeling energized to tell the stories you’ve always wanted to tell!

Making Poems

Chris Ayala

In our workshop, we’ll approach writing as a playful endeavor, exploring epistolary poetry (poems as letters), ecopoetry (poems as activism for the environment), ekphrastic poetry (poetic responses to visual art), some fun new poetic forms, writing inside and outside in inspiring places, and writing in collaboration with each other. We’ll cultivate our imaginations while experimenting with our own writing and responding to the work of others. In the poems we create in workshop, and in the poems that we read and listen to together, we’ll investigate and appreciate originality, heart, music, the use of beautiful, interesting language, and the ways in which poems can represent us and take a stand for the things we hold dear and the things we want to change.

Afternoon Sessions

Students will participate in one of the following afternoon sessions.

Writing Poems

Is a song lyric a poem? Is a grocery list? Could you make a poem in the form of a grocery list?  What makes a “good” poem vs. a “bad” poem? Does poetry have rules? What happens if a writer breaks those rules? We will ask these questions and more while exploring both traditional and non-traditional poetic forms and examining how poetic elements combine to create successful poetry. We will experiment through our own writing generated and shared in class. We will also analyze published poetry to understand how meaning is shaped.

Fundamentals of Screenwriting

Afreen seher gandhi.

This course provides a basic and introductory exploration of screenwriting as a vehicle for drama development, cinematic presentation and storytelling. Students will apply their skills in the development of improvised scene work. The course will culminate with a finished working draft of either a short film or a lengthier complete scene sequence, which will then be presented through a dramatic narration and/or staged presentation. The final working draft of the script will have a complete beginning, middle and end. This course examines scenes and short films from across the world giving insight into the various different tools which can be used to create subtext in narrative. You will learn about basic screenwriting terminology, the qualities a screenwriter must have, how to format your screenplay through a screenwriting software, the difference between plot and story, creating characters and building an intriguing narrative for your initial story idea employing dialogue, action and characters.

Playwriting

Phil o’donoghue.

In playwriting, students will have the opportunity to write and develop their own, original scripts. Starting with writing prompts, students will learn how playwrights nurture their own ideas into fully realized theatrical experiences. Students will have the opportunity to see and read scenes from famous plays, and then take their own ideas and out them into action. We will constantly stress that theatre is to be seen, and thus, students will integrate all facets of theatre—acting, lighting, set design, and costume design- into their scripts. All scripts will be read, discussed, reworked and performed. The goal is to have our students not only develop an appreciation of dialogue, but also to leave the workshop with a script they further develop and perform.

Jonathan Ruseski

What does poetry look like in the year 2023? Why do we write it? Who are we writing for? What is it ‘about’? This workshop will approach these questions by exploring Emily Dickinson’s idea of the ‘Flood Subject,’ that one idea you always return to, as a means for developing a coherent body of poetic work. We will discover and explore our own Flood Subjects as a way to engage with important questions about identity, citizenship, history, origin, family, gender, sexuality, the body, love, loss, grief, joy and all the other conditions that affect our relationship to the larger world around us. We will experiment with imagery, narrative and editing techniques; and collaboratively support each to arrive at our own understanding of craft, voice and form. We will work together to take a deeper look at the complexity of poetry, not as a puzzle to be solved, but as an exciting venue to expand our capacity for language and ideas.

Screenwriting

Wade wofford.

Consider a strange form of writing...where the words on the page are but the first step to an end product that is not based in words at all! The screenwriter uses words to illicit images, thus guiding readers to "make a mind movie" (and hopefully an *actual* movie in the future).  In this course, we will study the three-act structure of film as a medium, then use our understanding of that structure to craft screenplays of our own.  We will explore the use of tone, character voice, dialogue and action as vehicles to drive our scripts. By the end of the class, each student will have created a concept, written an outline for a full feature, and penned three sequences from that film (one from each act). 

So You Want to Be a Journalist?

We’re all reporters now, even if we just post on social media. But if we really want to uphold journalistic tradition, we aim to share information in a way that engages readers and helps them make informed decisions in our democracy. We may give a voice to the voiceless, hold authorities accountable, and deepen our readers' understanding of the communities they live or participate in. Or maybe we just want to lighten up people's lives and inspire them with thoughtful or entertaining writing. Together, we'll learn to use the journalism formula proven to engage readers and the standard Associated Press Style for punctuation, abbreviations, numbers, dates and other information. We'll learn how to interview, asking thoughtful, probing questions, identifying key details and finding "quoteworthy" quotations that must always be 100 percent accurate. First, we’ll interview and write about each other and guest speakers. Then, we’ll venture into our geographical "beat" of Northampton to visit City Hall, the courts and cover an event. We'll also learn how to "pitch" one of our stories or an opinion piece to an editor at one or more publications.

Writing Into the Heart

What if your writing could lead you deeper into knowing of who  you are, what  you  really feel and value—and even into healing stresses in your life, so that you could show up as yourself more fully and freely? We  can write our way through the relentless chatter of the mind to the knowing of our heart. While all this may sound super serious—in actuality there is little as truly joyous and fulfilling as the self-awareness and discovery that can come from this kind of writing.  

In the safe and lively space of this workshop, you will be offered a variety of writing sparks daily to ignite your imagination and writing.  You will also be free to ignore the sparks and instead to write  into whatever is calling to you, be that a question or issue you wish to explore, or a memory, conversation, or event you choose to unpack in the glorious space that writing can offer.   All forms of writing will be welcome, including letters, poems, fiction, journaling, and what former students of mine dubbed “rants”, i.e. going off any topic at all.  We will have the option to share what we have written and respond to each other—also from the heart, which just means genuinely.  A bonus of writing authentically like this: it can strengthen the quality of the other writing you do.

Climate Futurism

Ethan myers.

Enough sad polar bears! Enough oil-slicked sea birds. Enough blistering post-apocalyptic scenes of wildfires incinerating forests and homes.  

There’s a place for showcasing the horrors of a changing climate. That place isn’t this class. Instead, we will draw inspiration from forward-looking, love-preaching, justice-oriented thinkers, activists, and changemakers like Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, adrienne maree brown, and Leah Penniman to imagine  what if?  What if in this moment of violence, we imagine peace? What if, amidst racial strife, we imagine equality? What if we imagine healthy, vibrant communities? What if we imagine coming together to deal with the raging effects of climate change? 

In addition to our readings, we will spend time outside, we’ll compose poems, lyrical essays, and autobiographical stories that center our experiences in nature, and that imagine vibrant futures.

Instructors

Christopher ayala.

Summer Precollege Programs Creative Writing Instructor

Assistant Director of the Jacobson Center; Writing Enriched Curriculum Specialist

Writing Instructor & Technology Specialist; Lecturer in English Language & Literature

Peter Sapira

Academic Director, Creative Writing Workshop; Writing & Public Speaking Instructor; Lecturer in English Language & Literature

Morgan Sheehan-Bubla

Request Information

If you are interested in finding out more about Smith’s Precollege Programs, please contact our office or fill out the form below. You may also request a copy of our brochure.

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• Career Edge - NYU High School Summer Program

Creative Writing

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This summer, immerse yourself in the craft of creative writing with fellow young authors in a pre-college environment. Learn from an industry expert as you transform your ideas and stories into compelling writing. Develop the techniques that are fundamental to all types of fiction writing—literary fiction, dystopian fantasies, fairy tales, and mysteries—and refine your skills in story structure, character development, description, and dialogue. Students will also experience lectures, interact with noted authors, and receive information on how to turn your passion into a career. Gain exposure to workshopping your writing with constructive feedback, ultimately walking away with a variety of short creative pieces ranging from poems, stories, and scenes, to collage texts and flash fiction.

• High school students who have completed grades 9, 10, or 11
• High school students interested in strengthening creative writing skills

You'll Walk Away With

• Refinement of your creative writing, including narrative arc, world-building, authentic dialogue, and character development
• A portfolio of peer-critiqued short stories
• An NYU transcript showing grade(s) earned upon completion of the course (Please note: No college credit or certificate of completion is granted for this course.)

Available Sessions

• Session 3 Jul 15 - 19, 2024 Mon - Fri 09:00 AM - 05:00 PM
• Session 4 Jul 22 - 26, 2024 Mon - Fri 09:00 AM - 05:00 PM
• Session 6 Aug 05 - 09, 2024 Mon - Fri 09:00 AM - 05:00 PM

Information Table

Students from around the world attend NYU summer programs, but only a college prep program like High School Academy provides the opportunity to explore both traditional and emerging career paths.

Projects and short assignments provide take-aways that prepare you for college classroom work, while demonstrating your newly acquired skills.

Career Edge Schedule

Start Date: June 24, 2024 End Date: June 28, 2024

Start Date: July 8, 2024 End Date: July 12, 2024

Start Date: July 15, 2024 End Date: July 19, 2024

Start Date: July 22, 2024 End Date: July 26, 2024

Start Date: July 29, 2024 End Date: August 2, 2024

Start Date: August 5, 2024 End Date: August 9, 2024

International Student Deadline: March 15, 2024 Residential U.S Student Deadline: May 17, 2024 Commuter U.S Student Deadline: June 7, 2024

Application Requirements and Fees

To apply you must have successfully completed grades 9,10, or 11. You must submit the online application, a 250-500 word essay, and an official high school transcript. Essay Topic: Please describe why you would like to take your selected course(s). Please include any previous courses you've taken in this subject or previous experiences with this subject. Give more detail as to why you would like to take this course over the summer. Your response should be 250-500 words total. If selecting multiple courses, please contain all responses to a single essay.

Fees for Summer 2024

Application Fee: $50 (non-refundable) Tuition: $2,579 per course Housing & Dining Fees (add on): $618 per week Please note: No financial aid, scholarships, or discounts are available for Career Edge

For International Students

Resources and visa information for international students interested in studying abroad in NYC

Program Contact

212-998-7006 - [email protected]

Admitted Students

Resources for students who have been admitted to the program

Bay Area Writing Project

Where writers grow.

Writing Programs for Rising 3rd - 12th Graders

A course or camp for every writer!

Over the past 35 years our youth programs have grown to include in person camps and courses for those entering 3rd through 12th grades, remote writing courses and international camp partnerships. We truly have a fit for every writer. 

Sponsored by the Bay Area Writing Project at UC Berkeley, our camps offer kids and teens a unique opportunity to develop their creative abilities and writing talents. Instructors are highly experienced classroom teachers who serve as BAWP Teacher-Consultants and who make it their goal to instill in each camper an appreciation, excitement and enjoyment of writing.

Explore our camp website ( bawpwritingcamp.org ) for a list of all our current and upcoming offerings. 

Young Writers Camps (rising 3rd through 9th)

 Our  Young Writers Camps   offer a relaxed atmosphere where campers will receive specific writing instruction and conference individually with teachers to build and reinforce their writing skills. The camps are for students who like to write! They are not remedial writing camps. Students will have time to explore their writing interests, discover their strengths, and learn more about the craft of writing. The camps provide in-depth writing instruction, extended periods of writing time, flexibility in writing assignments, and daily time to share writing with peers.

High School Writing Courses (rising 9th - 12th Graders)

This summer, join us for our High School Writing Courses , unique writing classes held at UC Berkeley. There is always something for everyone; from a 4-week genre mash-up course to 1-week courses that focus on popular topics like Journalism. You will be able to explore your interests, discover your strengths and take writing risks that you might not be able to in a traditional classroom setting. 

International Partnerships

BAWP is always looking for ways to work with students and teachers outside the Bay Area.

Partnerships on hold:

ULink (ISS-ULink): In an exciting partnership by the Bay Area Writing Project, and International Schools Services and ULink (ISS-ULink), BAWP is holding Youth Writing Camps in Guangdong, China. Created for Chinese national students, the camps offer Chinese students highly interactive, creative and challenging classes in a carefully structured environment for English language learners.

WFCC International Program:   This summer BAWP will be partnering with CFM Educational Services to provide a rigorous 4-week writing program, Writing Foundation for College & Career, for visiting International students. 

Please submit inquiries about this program to:

CFM Educational Services Email:  [email protected]

Third Classroom and The Bay Area Writing Project:  BAWP and Third Classroom will provide a 12-hour, six-session online course on composing an effective argument for delivering a persuasive speech on a topic of individual student interest.

For High School Students Live & Online

Level up your writing.

You get incredibly practical and effective writing programs, designed specifically for your high school student.

Introducing… PrepMaven’s Writing Workshops

All courses are held LIVE & ONLINE.

College Essay Workshop

"Stop, Grammar Time!"

"Think Then Write"

"More Than Just a Story"

How did we design these programs.

We surveyed our mailing list to determine what families actually wanted (not just what we wanted) and incorporated their feedback in our curriculum design.

Here are the percentages of survey respondents who were “Interested” or “Extremely Interested” :

• Grammar – 92.1%
• Academic Writing – 91.5%
• Creative Writing – 77.1%
• College Essay – 72.5% ( Note: this percentage is 100% if we only look at rising 12th graders)

2) PRACTICALITY

Learning for the sake of learning is an ideal we should all be striving for.

But that’s not our purpose here.

Each workshop is specifically designed to be 100% practical and immediately applicable .

Our ultimate goals are to increase grades & test scores , and to improve the quality of college essays .

We have 15 years of experience providing the highest quality academic tutoring, test prep, and college essay consulting.

We have several hundred amazing tutors on our staff.

Our workshop instructors are pulled from the top 1% .

They are Princeton and Harvard graduates, include professional screenwriters, journalists, and former teachers, and are our highest-rated instructors.

Have Questions? Contact Us Here

• Youth Writing Program

Teen Writers Fellowship

• Teen Writer Resource Page
• Youth Outreach
• Submit to the Teen Zine! “Musings”

The Muse Youth Program believes that power, healing, and change happen when creative writing  meets community and inspiration. By offering young minds  creative writing classes, mentorship programs, and  community events, we welcome young writers to explore  and develop their unique voices, improve their craft, and  pursue professional opportunities in the literary world. We  hope to foster a nurturing environment where writers of all  stripes come together, share ideas, and experience the power  that words can hold. 

Creative Writing Classes for Kids & Teens 

The Muse Writers Center is excited to offer these creative writing classes  during the 2023 Spring session:

Young Writers Workshop - The Muse Writers Center (the-muse.org)

Spring Creative Writing for Middle School Youth  (Saturday Mornings In-Person)

Spring Creative Writing for High School Teens (Saturday Mornings Hybrid)

2024 Creative Writing Summer Camps

Our summer camps are a great opportunity for young creative writers to have fun with words–both out loud and on paper. Join us for a week-long  exploration of different types of creative writing expression, including comic writing, fiction, song writing, and more!

Creative Writing Summer Camp: Elementary School (ages 8-10)

Creative Writing Summer Camp: Middle School School (ages 11-13)

Teen Zine Musings

The Muse Writers Center offers our teen students the opportunity to submit to our in-house zine, Musings . Currently, submissions are closed for the 2023 Teen Zine, but the 2024 teen Zine will be coming soon. If you've attended a class, club or event affiliated with The Muse,  we welcome you to submit!

This program is open to any sophmore or junior high school student local to the Hampton Roads area. Those selected have access to free creative writing classes and mentorship from professional writers.

Applications will open in the fall for the 2024 Fellowship. The 2023 Fellowship class is underway and our Fellows are amazing!

Muse Opportunities

Internships.

We offer a number of opportunities for students to receive hands-on experience with us, one of the nation's largest literary centers.

Teen Writers Club

Join us at The Muse Writers Center, in person or online, every second and fourth Monday for the Teen Writers Club ! The club is open to all teens with an interest in any creative writing form, including songwriting, comics, fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and anything else word related. You don’t need to be a Muse student to participate—drop by anytime during club open hours and stay for as long as you like.

Teen Open Mic Nights

We regularly host teen readings and open mic nights, both virtual and in person.  If you have any questions or are interested in co-hosting a youth event or co-sponsorships, please contact our Youth Program Manager Jessica Grace Kelley at [email protected].

Welcome to The Muse!

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Applications are still open for Arts Camp and Arts Academy. Programs fill quickly—submit your app today!

Creative writing summer program for high school students.

Why Take Creative Writing

Develop and amplify your writing voice in our immersive program. Guided by an outstanding faculty of published writers, you will experiment with multiple genres, deepen your understanding of the craft, and cultivate the confidence to share your work with the world.

What You'll Learn

During Interlochen's writing camp , you’ll focus intensively on two genres of creative writing. Genre workshops include: 

• Playwriting

In addition to exploring the fundamentals of your chosen genres, you'll discuss a wide range of published works, and craft your own pieces via in-class exercises and roundtable workshops with a class of dedicated peers. You’ll also experience the natural beauty of Northern Michigan via our Environmental Explorations class, attend readings by award-winning faculty and visiting authors, and learn to craft your work for publication and performance. Each session culminates in a camp anthology and student reading. 

Workshop Placement

Students benefit from exposure to a broad range of literary forms. By studying forms outside of your primary genre, you’ll gain new insight into the styles you love most. 

After enrolling, students rank the four genres in order of preference. We’ll do our best to accommodate the top two choices, however, space is limited. We encourage students to submit preferences as soon as possible!

Portfolio Requirements

• SESSION 1: June 23, 2024 to July 13, 2024
• SESSION 2: July 14, 2024 to August 4, 2024
• SESSION 1: Accepting applications
• SESSION 2: Accepting applications

Program Specialties

Fiction Workshop

Learn the fundamentals of narrative craft in addition to cutting-edge experimental techniques being used by contemporary fiction writers. Focus on the fundamental elements of writing short stories. You will explore story structure, point of view, characterization, plot development, setting, dialogue, and revision strategies.

Nonfiction Workshop

Survey a variety of subgenres in the the nonfiction mode, particularly lyric and hybrid essays. Studies in structure, point of view, characterization, temporality, setting, revision strategies, and the subversion of genre conventions and received voices will give students the flexibility to adapt to a wide range of nonfiction genres.

Poetry Workshop

Explore the fundamentals and contemporary techniques of poetic craft in the lyric, narrative, and dramatic modes, with particular attention given to imagery, voice, musicality, lineation, and forms—both received and invented.

Playwriting Workshop

Focus on character creation and dramatic structure. You will write scenes exploring conflict, action, dialogue, motivation, and stage directions while workshopping a scene in class.

"For me, writing feels like a release."

Learn more about Nailah's experience as a Creative Writing high school student at Arts Camp. 

Meet the Faculty

Our creative writing instructors are committed educators and accomplished artists with extensive experience in their disciplines. As mentors, they are dedicated to helping you develop your own unique voice.

Please note the gallery may showcase previous instructors.

All faculty

Megan Baxter

Instructor of Creative Writing

Reina Hardy

AM Ringwalt

Visiting Instructor of Creative Writing

Emily Pittinos

Heather Truett

Instructor of Fiction

Karyna McGlynn, Ph.D.

Director of Creative Writing

Program Highlights

Reading Showcase

The students will participate in a reading showcase in The Writing House Great Room at the end of the program.

Students contribute work to a print anthology that they can take home at the end of their session to remind them of a productive and inspiring summer.

The Writing House

During the three-week sessions, your artistic home will be the The Writing House. This comfortable space provides quiet work areas, ample seating for group projects, and a literary publications room with computer and printing stations. Take a 360-degree virtual tour .

Additional Opportunities

We have additional camp program opportunities for young writers, including our one-week Comics & Graphic Narratives , Performance Writing & Spoken Word , Novel Writing , and Screenwriting intensives.

Interlochen is also home to the Arts Academy boarding high school, which offers a Creative Writing major, as well as a post-graduate year.

Guest Artists

• Aja Gabel, author of The Ensemble
• Kaitlyn Greenidge, Harper's Bizarre features director and author of We Love You, Charlie Freeman
• Lily Hoang, associate professor of literature at University of California San Diego and author of Changing and A Bestiary
• Caitlin Horrocks, professor of creative writing at Grand Valley State University and author of Life Among the Terranauts and This is Not Your City
• Amy Kurzweil, The New Yorker cartoonist and author of Flying Couch
• Sarah Elaine Smith, author of Marilou is Everywhere and I Live in a Hut

This experience at Interlochen has been truly inspiring. I have seen and met so many people who have inspired me to continue with my own writing and explore other creative outlets like drawing and painting. The arts program at my own school is underfunded, so coming here has helped me really immerse myself in the arts.

Alexandra, Creative Writing

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Young Writers Program

Our Mission : The Young Writers Program at Lighthouse connects children and teens to literature, new friends, and a writing community. Our workshops, whether at Lighthouse or at one of our dozens of partnering sites, are taught by published and award-winning authors and are designed to foster creativity and self-expression and to empower youth to find their voices through creative writing. 

At Lighthouse, we offer a variety of in-person and virtual creative writing workshops, in all genres, on weekends, after school, and during school-closure days, including the Young Authors Collective for teens, summer camps, and more.

These ever-expanding offerings include writing classes, workshops, and clubs in libraries and museums, medical and residential treatment centers, neighborhood youth centers, and a variety of school models.

Summer Camps

Half-day and full-day options are available for all age groups from June through August. Registration for half-day camps and full-day camps are now open!

The Young Authors Collective, or YAC, is a group of talented, word-obsessed high school writers dedicated to experimenting with new creative forms, collaborating with other arts organizations, and writing a ton. Our three cohorts, YAC—Denver, YAC—Online, and YAC—Rainbow meet once a week to generate new pieces, give friendly feedback, and work towards publication. 

Tuition is $520 per semester; full and partial financial aid is available. Please apply first and request financial aid after you are accepted.

The Lighthouse Young Writers Program publishes an annual anthology of students' writing, And We Created Worlds , from participants in community engagement and in-house programs.

Check out digital copies of previous versions

Field Trips to Lighthouse

Interested in coming to Lighthouse with your students? We can customize workshops to fit individual classroom or program goals and needs. We provide hour-long presentations, one-day or week-long intensives, after-school programs, multi-week sessions, or more long-term workshops culminating in public readings or published anthologies (or both) depending on the needs of the school or program and its young writers.

A Comprehensive High School Writing Curriculum Guide

In this comprehensive high school writing curriculum guide, I explain necessary components of planning a writing for a year. 

Writing is an essential skill that students need to develop in high school. Part of teaching this essential skill is encouraging, inspiring, and mentoring.

However, not all writing curriculums are created equal. A well-structured writing curriculum can help students understand the fundamentals of writing, improve their skills, and explore their creativity.

High School Writing Curriculum: A Comprehensive Guide

Honesty time: I do not suggest one entire curriculum but rather, pieces from several sources. Many tools can get you to meeting standards, encouraging young writers, and working through common struggles. However, as someone who has taught in various capacities for over twenty years, one set curriculum will probably not work. You will need to incorporate pieces of your own to address the learners in front of you and modify it each semester.

Therefore, in this blog post, I’ll explore the components, considerations, and requirements for high school students.

Why are you writing about a high school writing curriculum?

If you have followed me for a few years, you were with me while I finished my second master’s degree, one in English Literature . Now, I teach dual-credit writing courses at my high school in coordination with a local community college. Many of my subscribers teach a similar class for high school credit.

The previous seven years, I taught freshmen and worked with those standards. Therefore, my teaching load focuses on standards for seniors, a shift for me.

As I create and build my high school writing curriculum, these considerations come into play.

Understanding the Essentials of a High School Writing Curriculum

A comprehensive high school writing curriculum will address students’ writing skills and grammatical knowledge. Meeting language skills alongside the writing standards can happen naturally.

A well-rounded high school writing course will also address essential aspects such as argumentative writing (sometimes referenced as persuasive writing), informative, and creative/narrative writing, providing students with a holistic understanding of the writing process.

Here is my teacher’s guide to incorporate all these factors.

Importance of a Structured Approach to Writing

A structured approach to writing is essential in a writing curriculum. In my teaching career, I have taught several semester-long courses like public speaking, creative writing, and English 101. My #1 learned lesson: Have an overarching project that builds community in classes. For public speaking, speakers set goals for public speaking. In creative writing, writers compile a journal with writing prompts.

In a standard writing class, we use images to write about mentor sentences and fun topics . Images help young writers envision their responses, and the images work as a form of scaffolding. An ongoing activity, a habit, allows writers to reflect on their writing process, figurative language use, and sentence structure. Take time to reflect with students.

Diverse Writing Assignments

Instilling excellence in writing skills and grammar instruction is essential for an effective writing curriculum. One research paper and one narrative alongside “drill and kill” grammar will not produce an engaging high school writing curriculum.

A few of my favorite writing assignments for high school:

• Mini-memoirs (narrative standards)
• Response to informational text (an assortment of standards)
• Argumentative RAFT (argumentative standard)
• Researched famous events (expository standards)

If you look at the mentor texts (below) and provide excerpts to your classes, you will also create diverse writing assignments from those inspired pieces.

Calendar of Writing

Map out your calendar of dates. No amount of researching and organizing will help us creators of a high school writing curriculum: We must sit down with a calendar.

My high school writing curriculum contains two large-ish type assignments, one due about six weeks into the semester and another at about fourteen weeks. I space them out so that students understand my expectations and feedback, so that we have worked through our standards together, and so that large assignments are not due when students are already overwhelmed. Spacing out assignments in this manner also provides me time to provide meaningful feedback.

If you are interested in looking at my outline for a creative writing course, you can make a copy on Canva (for free).

Grammar Excellence

If you have floated around my blog for a bit, you’ll realize that my preference is not to teach grammar with worksheets. A grammar workbook and worksheets have their place, sure. But once classes understand the basics of language, I branch into additional resources.

For instance, with my high school grammar activities , students use interactive pieces to practice punctuations, to add types of clauses to sentences, and to experiment with difficult concepts. The pieces allow writers to take their own writing and implement lessons. In doing so, they are experimenting with language.

Another addition to any writing program will be addressing grammatical errors . My suggestion is to assign paragraph writing and while grading, note common errors. Then, provide direct instruction and practice correcting the errors.

Any grammar curriculum will connect grammar to writing. One of my goals is to approach language in a positive way so that my brave writers feel empowered instead of crushed by grammar rules.

Meeting Standards with Writing

Writing standards define the expectations for what students should be able to do at each grade level. These standards aim to develop clarity, coherence, and effective communication through writing.

However, meeting these standards can sometimes be a challenge for both students and teachers. Below, I explain what helps me as my students and I work to meet writing standards.

Importance of Writing Standards

Writing standards are guidelines that outline the skills and knowledge students should acquire in writing. They provide a common framework for teaching writing skills, ensuring consistency across classrooms and grade levels.

Be prepared to breakdown standards with students in sensible ways. For instance, in my creative writing activities, I break down pieces like implementing pacing and external conflicts into smaller lessons. With those smaller activities, we can dive deep into the standards.

Overall, writing standards promote clarity, coherence, and effective communication, which are essential skills in the 21st century.

Implementation of Standards

The more you build your writing curriculum, the more engrained and natural the standards will be.

To start, align writing activities with specific standards. By doing so, you ensure that the writing skills targeted are directly tied to the standards. This alignment helps reinforce the skills and knowledge necessary for students to meet the standards effectively.

Additionally, incorporating a wide range of writing skills into lesson plans allows you to address multiple standards simultaneously, providing a comprehensive writing instruction experience for students. In the example above, pacing and external conflicts will occur in smaller activities and then implemented into larger one.

Don’t fear breaking down a standard with students. (Some teachers call this process “unpacking the standards”). The more you discuss writing expectations that derive from the standards, the more meaningful discussions you and your students will have.

Considering mentor texts.

Mentor texts are simply example texts that work well for providing example of structure, vocabulary, language use, and any other piece of writing. Below, I have included books from which I pull pieces. Included are explanations of ways I use the excerpts.

Plus, university writing courses often use excerpts, so using them is a great way to prepare classes. If you read a publication like the New York Times, keep your eyes open to pieces you can add.

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This book might be the most loaned book from my classroom library. Dashka Slater is a journalist who wrote The 57 Bus , a story told from two perspectives of what became a hate crime.

Five Little Indians

Michelle Good’s novel portrays the lives of residential school survivors. The uses for Five Little Indians is diverse. Dialogue, setting, and pacing shine through in this story.

The Forgotten Girls

Monica Potts’ memoir weaves research into a narrative. The story covers rural women and their limited options. When older students write narratives, I encourage them to add research and use Potts’ memoir as a mentor text.

The Sun Does Shine

I’ve written about The Sun Does Shine before. Pieces from Anthony Ray Hinton’s story have been in my American literature class too. For a writing class, chapter two, “All American,” works well for modeling background and flashback.

Chapter twenty-seven, “The Symbols of Caste” works as a model for comparing two situations. Isabel Wilkerson compares America’s response to slavery to Germany’s response to the Holocaust. Her pacing and transitions serve as strong examples.

Slavery by Another Name

Douglas A. Blackmon’s book provides examples of incorporating primary sources into research. The end to the chapter, “New South Rising” has a short piece to analyze with writers.

The chapter, “Took Over the OxyContin Belt” serves as a mentor text for narrative nonfiction. From its hook to its powerful concluding paragraph, this short chapter helps me to model narratives.

Patient H.M.

Patient H. M. is about lobotomies, written by the grandson of a famous doctor who performed them decades ago. Luke Dittrich incorporates interviews into research. You can also use excerpts to model writing about delicate topics.

Excerpts from larger books provide authentic texts for young writers and if they are interested, you can loan them the book. Incorporating mentor texts into your high school writing curriculum provides young writers with inspiration and examples.

For those readers who are designing a homeschool writing curriculum, you can ask your local librarian for suggestions regarding books of varying genres.

In conclusion, a high school writing curriculum should provide a structured approach to writing that covers key components such as grammar, vocabulary, and essay writing. It should also offer options that cater to different learning styles and preferences.

While most writing curriculums have their merits, it is important to incorporate creative elements to engage and inspire today’s high schoolers with your own touch. By tailoring the curriculum to your student’s needs and interests, you can make the learning experience more enjoyable and effective.

Replace a student workbook with excerpts, webinars, and audio pieces to diversity the curriculum.

Remember, the goal is to equip them with the necessary skills to express themselves confidently and effectively in various writing formats. You can see details of my high school writing curriculum as a foundation for your classes.

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Advanced Writing Exploration Program (AWE)

Summer 2024 programs.

The Advanced Writing Exploration Program invites rising 7th, 8th, and 9th-grade writers to be part of a community of dedicated, focused writers looking to explore their literary passions.

The program includes multi-genre workshops, as well as genre-specialized master class sessions. All workshops are student-driven and author-led, and writers will receive continuous feedback from their instructor and peers.

The program will prepare writers for Writopia’s popular and esteemed Creative Portfolio program for high schoolers.

This is an application-only program.

Price: $1290 Applicants can apply for need-based financial aid

Summer sessions include daily craft talks, writing exercises, and deep dives into different writing genres including poetry, memoir, playwriting, screenwriting, essay writing, fiction, comedy, and more. The session concludes with a reading and celebration.

Summer 2024 Date and Location Options:

• Upper West Side, Monday, July 29th to Wednesday, August 7th, 2024 1 PM to 4 PM ET
• Online, Monday, August 12th to Wednesday, August 21st, 2024 1 PM to 4 PM ET / 10 AM to 1 PM PT

Click here to apply for AWE!

School Year Programs

The Middle School Advanced Writing Exploration Program (AWE) invites 7th and 8th-grade writers to be part of a community of dedicated, focused writers looking to explore, expand, and deepen their literary passions. The program includes multi-genre workshops, as well as genre-specialized master class sessions. All workshops are student-driven and author-led, and writers will receive continuous feedback from their instructor and peers.

The AWE program also includes one private session in which the writer can focus on academic essay writing, admissions essays, or the creative genre of their choice.

The program will inspire and challenge middle school writers, as well as prepare them for Writopia’s popular and esteemed Creative Portfolio program for high schoolers.

This is an application-only program. We are currently accepting applications on a rolling basis.

Tuition: $645 (Limited financial aid available)

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