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How to Teach Creative Writing to High School Students

How to Teach Creative Writing to High School Students

Creative Writing was forced onto my schedule; I didn’t ask for it. But it ended up becoming my favorite class period of the day. While academic English courses can feel high-stakes and always short on time, Creative Writing can be a refreshingly relaxed elective class. In many districts with loose curriculums, Creative Writing is what you make of it. In this post, I outline six steps to show you how to teach creative writing to high school students.

Why Teach Creative Writing

Before we get into the how , let’s first address the why . Why bother teaching Creative Writing in the first place? Students’ basic skills are lower than ever; is now really the time to encourage them to break the rules?

If you want to get really deep into why you should teach Creative Writing, I have a whole post about it here.

But think about why you love reading. Is it because you were made to annotate or close read a bunch of classic novels? Probably not. You probably fell in love with reading while you were reading something that was fun. And because it was fun, you read more, and your skills as a reader grew.

The same principle applies to writing. If we can make it fun for our students, perhaps we can foster a love for it. And passion is what leads, eventually, to mastery.

Giving our students the opportunity to fall in love with writing is a gift that might help them grow in their academic writing later.

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Teach Creative Writing to High School Students Step #1: Decide on Your Standards or Goals

Your school or district may have a mandated syllabus or curriculum. Mine did not. 

Whether you’re given student goals or have to create them, you must have an overall vision for what your Creative Writing class will accomplish. 

Is this a laid-back, engaging course designed to help students discover the fun in writing? Or is it a supplement to rigorous academics for college-bound high school students? 

If you know your school’s student population well, I encourage you to think about their needs. Some students just need to write more–more of anything, but lots more. Some students are high achieving and ready to write their first novels! If possible, design your course around the needs and interests of the general student population in your school or district. 

Regardless of how rigorous your Creative Writing course will be, deciding on these goals first will help you in backwards planning. 

Teach Creative Writing to High School Students Step #2: Choose Your Final Assessments and Big Projects

Before we can start planning our lessons, we have to decide what skills or knowledge our students will need. And to know what they need, we have to decide on their summative assessments.

Cover for It's Lit Teaching Resource: Fairy Tale Retelling Creative Writing Project

Will your final assessment be a short story? A collection of poetry? Are you required to offer a final exam?

Once you know what students will need to do, you can make a list of the skill they’ll need. This list will become a list of lessons you’ll need to teach.

Fairy Tale Retelling Project

My Fairy Tale Retelling Project is a great Creative Writing assessment. For this project, students had to first choose a fairy tale. Then, they rewrote the story from the perspective of the villain.

This project works really well because students have structure. They can pick any fairy tale they want, but they can’t write about just anything.

Cover for Teachers Pay Teachers product by It's Lit Teaching: Creative Writing Author Study Project

Secondly, students already know the story, so they don’t have to worry about a beginning, middle, and end. The open-endedness of writing a story completely from scratch has paralyzed my students before. Structure allows students lots of creative freedom without the excuse of “I don’t know what to write.”

Author Study Project

If you’d like your Creative Writing class to help beginner writers have fun and just get some practice with fiction writing, a Fairy Tale Retelling Project would probably be perfect for your class.

Another project I’ve done with my students is an Author Study . In this project, students choose one author to study in-depth. Then, they attempt to replicate that author’s style in an original work.

is creative writing required in high school

If you’d like your class to also include lots of exposure to other writers or classic literature, then this might be a great assessment for your class.

Learn more about doing an author study in this step-by-step post.

Test or Final Exam

I also gave my students a final exam focused on literary terms.

This Literary Terms Test allowed me to test students on the academic knowledge they gained throughout class instead of their writing ability. This test also helped me fulfill my district’s requirement of having a final exam at the end of each course.

Once you’ve decided on your class’s major projects and assessments, you can begin designing the rest of your class.

Teach Creative Writing to High School Students Step #3: Backwards Plan

Now that you know what your students will need to do at the end of this class, you can list out everything you need to teach them in order for them to be successful.

For example, if you opt for an author study as a final project, you know what you will need to cover. You will need to teach students some literary terms so that they can describe an author’s style. You’ll need to show them how to analyze a poem.

During the course of your class, you’ll also want to expose students to a variety of authors and mentor texts. Students will need to practice basic writing techniques in order to replicate those of their chosen authors.

If you need some inspiration for what kinds of lessons to teach, check out this post on essential Creative Writing lessons.

Teach Creative Writing to High School Students Step #4: Decide on Your Class Structure

Once you’ve decided on the end goals for your Creative Writing class, you can use them to help create day-to-day plans. 

What will your class look like? Will it be full of lots of quiet and independent work time? Will it be full of frenetic energy with students working in collaborative groups? Are students writing in notebooks or on laptops?

Cover of It's Lit Teaching Resource: Creative Writing Journal Prompts for High School

Of course, a successful class will most likely include a mixture of all of the above. But it’s up to you to decide on your ratio. 

Again, I encourage you to think about your school’s population. If you’re on ninety-minute blocks, is it realistic for students to be quietly writing that whole time? If you have high-achieving students, might they benefit from working independently at home and then getting and giving peer feedback during class time?

Use your goals to help decide on a general class structure. 

Warm-ups for Creative Writing

You’ll need a consistent way to begin each class.

When I initially began teaching Creative Writing, I just wanted to provide my students with more time to write. We began every class period with free writing. I gave students a couple of prompts to choose from each day, and then we’d write for about ten minutes. 

( Those journal prompts are right here . Every day includes two prompts plus a third option of freewriting.)

Students were given the option to share part of their writing if they wanted to. Every couple of weeks I’d flip through their notebooks to make sure they were keeping up, but I only read the entries they starred for me in advance. 

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Later, I wanted to add some rigor to my Creative Writing class and leverage more mentor texts. I created a Poem of the Week activity for each week of the course. 

This gave students the opportunity to study professional writing before using it as a mentor text for a new, original piece. 

(You can read more about using these Poem of the Week activities here.) 

As my goals for the class and my students change, so did the way we began class. 

How can you begin your class in a way that supports the end goals or teaches the desired standards? How often will peers work together?

Teach Creative Writing to High School Students Step #5: Focus on Engagement Strategies

Now you can actually start planning lessons and projects!

But as you do so, focus on creating engaging ones–especially if your class is meant to be a fun elective.

Need more tips? Check out this post full of Creative Writing teaching tips!

Use Mentor Texts and Lots of Examples

Have you ever tried putting a puzzle together without knowing what the image was going to look like? It would be pretty difficult! Similarly, students need lots of examples of strong writing to aspire to. 

Without clear models or mentor texts , students will happily turn in unread drafts. They’ll choose the first word that comes to their mind instead of searching for a better one. 

But if you surround students with great writing, highlight strong technique when discussing the writing of others, and challenge them to notice the details in their own writing, they’ll naturally become better at self-editing.

I don’t believe that you can provide students with too many mentor texts or examples of strong writing. As you teach Creative Writing, keep or take pictures of strong writing samples from students to use as examples later. 

Nearly all of my lessons and projects include an example along with instruction.

Model and Create with Your Students

You can even use your own writing as an example. When I had students free write to creative writing prompts, I always wrote with them. Sometimes I would then put my notebook under the document camera and model reading my own work.  

I would cross out words and replace them or underline phrases I thought were strong enough to keep. Model for students not just great writing, but the process of strengthening writing.

And then give them plenty of time to edit theirs. This is when having students engage in peer feedback is a game-changer. 

Without great writing to aspire to, however, students easily become lazy and turn in work that is “good enough” in their eyes. Don’t let them get lazy in their writing. Keep throwing greater and greater work in front of them and challenge them to push themselves. 

(This is another reason I love using Poem of the Week warm-ups –they expose students to a new writer every week!)

Set Clear Expectations

Creative writing causes a lot of students anxiety. There’s no “right” answer, so how will they know if they creatively wrote “correctly?”

Help them out by setting clear expectations. Offering a rubric for every project is great for this. If you can, give them specifics to include. “At least 500 words” or “three or more similes” are nice, concrete guidelines that students can follow.

Give Students Choice

Offering students choice always boosts engagement. It lets students take charge of their learning and pursue something that interests them.

For example, when I teach odes , students are given the opportunity to write about something they love.

With an author study , students can study a writer whose style and work they admire.

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Teach Creative Writing to High School Students Step #6: Use Clear and Structured Expectations

While showing students excellent prose or perfect poetry should help inspire students, your writers will still need some hard parameters to follow. 

Academic writing is often easier for students than creative writing. Usually, academic writing follows a structure or certain formula. The rubric dictates exactly how many quotes need to be included or how long an essay needs to be. MLA or APA formats tell students how to punctuate quotes and citations. 

These rules don’t apply to creative writing. And while that’s exactly what makes creative writing awesome, it’s often overwhelming. 

So do your students a favor and give them some clear expectations (without, of course, entirely dictating what they need to write about).  

The project also includes a rubric, so young writers know what should be included in their stories.

Don’t give your students so much creative freedom that it paralyzes them! Your writers are still students; give them the same level of structure and organization that you would in any other class. 

is creative writing required in high school

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Teach Creative Writing to High School Students Step #7: Give Students Choices

So how do you give students frameworks, requirements, and uphold high expectations without stifling their creativity?

Give students choices. You can write about A, B, or C, as long as you meet requirements 1, 2, and 3. 

Offering choices works with small one-day assignments or lessons as well as bigger, longer-term projects. 

Cover for It's Lit Teaching Resource: Show. Don't Tell Creative Writing Mini Lesson Workshop

The previously mentioned Fairy Tale Retelling Project is a great example of offering a narrow selection of choices that uphold expectations without dictating what students write. 

Another one of my favorite examples of offering students choices is my “Show. Don’t Tell” Mini-lesson . This lesson touches on everything students need to successfully learn creative writing. 

First I teach them the concept of showing vs. telling in writing through direct instruction. I show them lots of examples of expanding a “telling sentence” into a “showing paragraph.”

Then I model for students how I would write a paragraph that shows crucial information, rather than telling it. 

Lastly, I have students pick a strip of paper from a hat or a bag. Each strip of paper contains a “telling sentence” that they must then write as a “showing paragraph.” Students are limited by the sentences I provide, but they still have complete freedom over how they achieve that detailed paragraph. 

If you wanted to give students even more freedom, you could let them pick their sentences or trade with a peer rather than blindly choosing. 

Any time you can give students a choice, you give them permission to use their creativity and allow them to take some of the initiative in their own learning.

Teach Creative Writing to High School Students Step #8: Encourage Peer Collaboration and Feedback

We can tell students something a hundred times, but they won’t listen until a peer says the same thing. Us educators know the value of positive peer interaction, so don’t limit it in a creative writing class!

There are a ton of ways to implement peer interaction in a creative writing class. I often do this on the first day of class with a writing game. You’ve probably heard of it: everyone writes a sentence on a piece of paper, then everyone passes the paper and adds a sentence, and so on. 

I highly encourage you to use peer feedback throughout the class. I usually start having students share their work from day one with my free “I Am” Poem Lesson so that they can start getting used to having their work read by others immediately.

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Make getting feedback so routine in your room that students don’t even question it.

It’s really tempting to let students get away without sharing their work. We don’t want to make shy or anxious students uncomfortable. I mean, what better way to completely ruin creative writing for a student than to make them feel embarrassed all the time, right?

But keep trying to encourage shy students to share. Even if that means you share it anonymously or read it aloud for them. 

I recommend including some kind of peer feedback with every writing assignment . Yes, even short practice assignments. This will work as a kind of “immersion therapy” for receiving feedback on more involved work.

After some time, you might find that your students even begin to share their work without your prompting! 

I like to organize the desks in my Creative Writing class so that students are in little groups. I’ve found that at least half of my classes will begin talking and sharing with one another in their little groups while working on projects. 

They’ll ask each other questions or to remind them of a word. They’ll read sentences aloud and ask if they sound right. Personally, I would much rather hear this kind of chatter in my class than have a dead silent room of boring writers!

However you decide to allow students to work together, be sure to provide the opportunity. Reading and getting feedback from peers could possibly teach students more about writing than any of your instruction (sorry!).

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One of the truly great things about teaching creative writing to high school students is that there often isn’t a rigid curriculum. Of course, this is also sometimes one of the worst things about teaching creative writing to high school students!

You have total freedom over the assignments you give, the standards you teach, and how you organize and structure your classroom. After a few years of teaching Creative Writing, however, I’ve found that sticking to these six steps is a great way to have a successful semester.

If you’re excited about teaching your Creative Writing class, but are running low on prep time, check out my complete 9-week Creative Writing course ! Included are two different types of warm-ups, poetry analysis activities from well-known authors, mini-lesson, projects, and more!

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Language Arts Classroom

A Comprehensive High School Writing Curriculum Guide

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.

use several writing curriculums

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.

high school writing curriculum guide

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.

essentials for English class

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.

a structured approach

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 activities

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.

create a calendar for your writers

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 and writing

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.

writing standards

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

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.

implement your writing curriculum

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.

mentor texts

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.

high school writing curriculum guide

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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Creative Writing Prompts

Academic Insights: Revisiting Creative Writing in High School

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My name is Debbie, and I am passionate about developing a love for the written word and planting a seed that will grow into a powerful voice that can inspire many.

Academic Insights: Revisiting Creative Writing in High School

The Importance of Creative Writing in High School Education

Exploring the benefits of incorporating creative writing in the curriculum, nurturing imagination and expression through creative writing, enhancing critical thinking and problem-solving skills through creative writing, fostering empathy and emotional intelligence through creative writing, strategies for implementing effective creative writing programs in high schools, supporting and encouraging creative writing talent in high school students, frequently asked questions, concluding remarks.

Creative writing is an invaluable component of high school education, fostering a wide range of skills that extend far beyond the realm of literature. By encouraging students to explore their imaginations, express their thoughts and emotions, and develop their own unique voice, creative writing helps students to develop vital communication skills that are applicable in every sphere of life. It nurtures creativity and originality, allowing students to think outside the box and approach problems with fresh perspectives.

Engaging in creative writing also enhances critical thinking skills, as students learn to analyze and evaluate their own work and the work of their peers. It encourages self-reflection and self-expression, helping students to understand and articulate their own thoughts and feelings more effectively. Through writing and receiving feedback, students develop the ability to think critically and improve their own writing, an essential skill in any academic or professional pursuit.

Moreover, creative writing fosters empathy and understanding by encouraging students to develop characters and narratives that differ from their own experiences. By exploring diverse perspectives and cultures, students broaden their horizons and gain a deeper appreciation for different viewpoints. Creative writing provides a safe space for students to explore difficult topics and grapple with complex emotions, enabling them to develop empathy and compassion for others.

In conclusion, cannot be overstated. It equips students with crucial communication and critical thinking skills while fostering empathy and understanding. By allowing students to unleash their creativity and explore new ideas, high schools can empower students to become well-rounded individuals with a lifelong love for learning and self-expression.

Exploring the Benefits of Incorporating Creative Writing in the Curriculum

Introducing creative writing into the curriculum brings a plethora of benefits that extend beyond just honing writing skills. This expressive form of writing opens up new doors that encourage students to think critically, enhance their communication abilities, and foster their creativity. Here are some key advantages of incorporating creative writing in the curriculum:

  • Development of Self-Expression: Through creative writing assignments, students are provided with a platform to effortlessly express their ideas, thoughts, and emotions. This can significantly contribute to their self-confidence and overall emotional well-being.
  • Cultivation of Critical Thinking Skills: Engaging in creative writing exercises challenges students to think outside the box, leading to improvements in their analytical and problem-solving abilities. As they explore different perspectives and concepts, students become better at generating innovative ideas and making connections.

With the incorporation of creative writing, educators will witness an improved classroom environment that encourages collaboration and nurtures imagination. Moreover, students will discover the joys of crafting something uniquely their own, allowing their creativity to flourish alongside their academic growth.

Creative writing is a wonderful avenue for nurturing the imagination and fostering self-expression. Through the power of words, individuals are transported to worlds beyond their wildest dreams, exploring new ideas, characters, and emotions. Whether it’s penning a captivating short story, constructing vivid poetry, or crafting a compelling screenplay, creative writing provides an outlet for artistic expression like no other.

When engaging in creative writing, it’s essential to embrace the freedom that comes with it. There are no limits to what one can create on the blank canvas of a page. Encourage your imagination to soar by delving into various genres and experimenting with different writing styles. From whimsical fairy tales to gripping thrillers, let your creativity roam free, unbound by convention. Unleash your unique voice and infuse your writing with your own personal experiences and insights. By doing so, you not only develop your writing skills but also harness the power of storytelling to connect with others on a deeper level.

To nurture imagination and expression through creative writing, consider the following techniques:

– **Brainstorming**: Kickstart your creative process by brainstorming ideas or themes that intrigue you. Jot down words, phrases, or images that come to mind and let your imagination make connections between them. – **Free Writing**: Allow your ideas to flow freely without any judgement or editing. Set a timer and write continuously, exploring different tangents and ideas. This practice helps overcome writer’s block and taps into the subconscious mind. – **Character Development**: Create multidimensional characters by giving them unique traits, backstories, and desires. Explore their motivations and conflicts, allowing them to come alive in your writing. – **Setting the Scene**: Paint a vivid picture by describing the setting in detail. Engage the reader’s senses to transport them to the world you have created. – **Revision and Feedback**: Don’t shy away from revising your work multiple times. Seek feedback from trusted friends, writing groups, or online communities. Constructive criticism can help refine your storytelling skills and enhance your writing.

In the realm of creative writing, the possibilities are endless. By conquering your inhibitions and embracing the world of imagination, you can embark on a thrilling journey of self-discovery while captivating others with your words. So, grab your pen, open your mind, and let your creativity flow onto the pages – there’s a captivating story waiting to be told!

Creative writing is not just a form of self-expression; it is also a powerful tool for enhancing critical thinking and problem-solving skills . Through the act of creating stories, poems, and other forms of written expression, individuals are encouraged to think critically and analyze situations from different perspectives. This process allows them to develop valuable problem-solving skills that can be applied to various aspects of their lives.

When engaging in creative writing, individuals are required to think deeply and imaginatively. They must analyze characters, plot developments, and conflicts, evaluating the consequences of different choices and decisions. By doing so, they begin to develop a greater understanding of cause and effect, honing their critical thinking abilities. Furthermore, creative writing encourages individuals to think outside the box and explore unconventional solutions. This type of thinking can be extremely beneficial in problem-solving scenarios, as it opens up new avenues and possibilities.

  • Through creative writing, individuals learn to ask critical questions and challenge assumptions, further strengthening their critical thinking skills.
  • By experimenting with different writing styles and techniques, individuals develop their ability to analyze and solve complex problems creatively.
  • Creative writing allows individuals to practice empathy, as they deeply connect with various characters and explore different perspectives, fostering a more nuanced approach to problem-solving.

Ultimately, incorporating creative writing into one’s routine can have a tremendous impact on their critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. It not only allows individuals to explore their own creativity but also equips them with valuable skills that can benefit them in academic, professional, and personal domains.

In today’s fast-paced and technology-driven world, fostering empathy and emotional intelligence has become crucial. One effective way to develop these skills is through creative writing. By engaging in the art of storytelling and self-expression, individuals can better understand and connect with the emotions and experiences of others.

Through creative writing, individuals can learn to identify and explore their own emotions, as well as develop a deeper understanding of the diverse range of human experiences. This process encourages self-reflection and introspection, allowing individuals to gain insights into their own emotional world.

  • Enhanced empathy: Creative writing allows individuals to step into the shoes of different characters, experiencing their joys, sorrows, and challenges. This practice prompts a more empathetic and understanding attitude towards others in real life.
  • Improved communication skills: Writing creatively involves finding the right words to express complex emotions and ideas. This exercise develops effective communication skills that can be utilized in various personal and professional settings.
  • Increased self-awareness: By writing about their thoughts and feelings, individuals gain a deeper understanding of themselves. This self-awareness can lead to personal growth and improved emotional intelligence.

Whether through poetry, short stories, or journaling, creative writing provides a platform for individuals to tap into their emotions, expand their perspective, and cultivate empathy. It offers a unique opportunity to explore the human condition and foster meaningful connections with others.

Strategies for Implementing Effective Creative Writing Programs in High Schools

Implementing an effective creative writing program in high schools can greatly enhance the writing skills and creativity of students. Here are some strategies that can be employed to create a thriving creative writing environment:

  • Encourage freedom of expression: Allow students the freedom to explore their own unique writing styles and ideas. Avoid limiting them to strict guidelines and encourage them to think outside the box.
  • Provide diverse writing prompts: Offer a wide range of writing prompts to cater to different interests and inspire creativity. Include prompts related to various genres, such as fiction, poetry, and non-fiction, to give students the opportunity to explore different writing styles.
  • Create a supportive community: Foster a sense of community among aspiring writers by organizing workshops, writing groups, or open mic sessions where students can share their work and receive feedback from peers. This creates an environment that is conducive to growth and learning.

An effective creative writing program should also focus on skill development. Here are a few strategies to develop and enhance the writing skills of high school students:

  • Incorporate grammar and language exercises: Dedicate some time to reinforce grammar rules, punctuation, and syntax. Provide exercises and worksheets to help students practice and improve their understanding of the English language.
  • Introduce writing techniques: Teach students various writing techniques, such as storytelling, descriptive writing, and character development. Explore different literary devices and encourage students to experiment with their usage in their own writing.
  • Review and provide constructive feedback: Regularly review students’ writing and give constructive feedback that focuses on both strengths and areas for improvement. Encourage students to revise and edit their work based on feedback received.

At [Organization Name], we believe in fostering and nurturing the creative writing talents of high school students. We understand the importance of providing a platform for young writers to express their thoughts and ideas through the power of words. Through our various initiatives and programs, we aim to support and encourage these budding authors, helping them unlock their full potential.

1. Workshops and Writing Labs: Our organization hosts regular workshops and writing labs conducted by experienced authors and poets. These sessions provide students with the opportunity to enhance their writing skills, learn different writing techniques, and receive valuable feedback on their work. By participating in these interactive sessions, students can develop their unique writing style and improve their storytelling abilities.

  • Gain insights from professional writers
  • Learn techniques to enhance creativity and imagination
  • Understand the nuances of different genres

2. Writing Contests and Scholarships: To recognize exceptional talent, we organize annual writing contests exclusively for high school students. These contests encourage students to push their boundaries, experiment with different writing styles, and showcase their literary prowess. Winners of these contests not only receive recognition for their skills but also have the chance to win scholarships to further their education or attend writing programs, fostering their passion for creative writing even more.

  • Opportunity to compete with other young writers
  • Promote healthy competition and self-improvement
  • Potential funding for future educational endeavors

Q: What is the importance of creative writing in high school? A: Creative writing in high school is invaluable as it enhances students’ communication skills, fosters creativity, and encourages critical thinking. It allows students to express themselves freely and develop their unique voices.

Q: How does creative writing benefit students? A: Creative writing provides students with a platform to explore their imagination, develop empathy, and gain a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them. It also helps improve their writing and storytelling skills, which are essential in various academic and professional fields.

Q: What are the key elements of a successful high school creative writing program? A: A successful creative writing program in high school should offer a wide range of genres and writing styles, provide ample opportunities for feedback and revision, and encourage experimentation and risk-taking. It should also expose students to contemporary and diverse voices while promoting a supportive and inclusive learning environment.

Q: How can creative writing be integrated into the high school curriculum? A: Creative writing can be integrated into the high school curriculum by dedicating specific classes or modules to it. Additionally, it can be infused into other subjects, encouraging students to write creatively as part of their assignments or projects across disciplines like history, science, or even mathematics.

Q: What role should teachers play in fostering creative writing skills? A: Teachers play a crucial role in fostering creative writing skills by providing guidance, constructive feedback, and encouragement. They should create a safe space for students to express their ideas and creativity, while also introducing them to various literary works and writing techniques.

Q: How can technology support creative writing in high school? A: Technology can support creative writing in high school by providing students with easy access to online resources, writing communities, and digital tools for drafting, editing, and publishing their work. It can also facilitate collaborative writing projects and allow for peer feedback and discussions through online platforms or writing software.

Q: How can high schools collaborate with local writers and authors to enhance creative writing programs? A: High schools can collaborate with local writers and authors by inviting them as guest speakers, organizing workshops or writing contests, or establishing mentorship programs. Such collaborations provide students the opportunity to learn from professionals, gain insights into the publishing industry, and receive valuable feedback on their work.

Q: How can creative writing competitions and publications motivate high school students? A: Creative writing competitions and publications provide high school students a goal to strive for and a platform to showcase their talent. They create a sense of accomplishment and recognition among students and can serve as a catalyst for further improvement and engagement in the field of creative writing.

Q: Are there any long-term benefits of studying creative writing in high school? A: Absolutely! Studying creative writing in high school can have long-term benefits. It can help students develop their passion for writing, discover career paths in writing and publishing, and improve their college admission prospects. Furthermore, creative writing skills are transferable and applicable in various professional domains, fostering critical thinking and effective communication.

Academic Insights: Revisiting Creative Writing in High School

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Our 2020-21 Writing Curriculum for Middle and High School

A flexible, seven-unit program based on the real-world writing found in newspapers, from editorials and reviews to personal narratives and informational essays.

is creative writing required in high school

Update, Aug. 3, 2023: Find our 2023-24 writing curriculum here.

Our 2019-20 Writing Curriculum is one of the most popular new features we’ve ever run on this site, so, of course, we’re back with a 2020-21 version — one we hope is useful whether you’re teaching in person , online , indoors , outdoors , in a pod , as a homeschool , or in some hybrid of a few of these.

The curriculum detailed below is both a road map for teachers and an invitation to students. For teachers, it includes our writing prompts, mentor texts, contests and lesson plans, and organizes them all into seven distinct units. Each focuses on a different genre of writing that you can find not just in The Times but also in all kinds of real-world sources both in print and online.

But for students, our main goal is to show young people they have something valuable to say, and to give those voices a global audience. That’s always been a pillar of our site, but this year it is even more critical. The events of 2020 will define this generation, and many are living through them isolated from their ordinary communities, rituals and supports. Though a writing curriculum can hardly make up for that, we hope that it can at least offer teenagers a creative outlet for making sense of their experiences, and an enthusiastic audience for the results. Through the opportunities for publication woven throughout each unit, we want to encourage students to go beyond simply being media consumers to become creators and contributors themselves.

So have a look, and see if you can find a way to include any of these opportunities in your curriculum this year, whether to help students document their lives, tell stories, express opinions, investigate ideas, or analyze culture. We can’t wait to hear what your students have to say!

Each unit includes:

Writing prompts to help students try out related skills in a “low stakes” way.

We publish two writing prompts every school day, and we also have thematic collections of more than 1,000 prompts published in the past. Your students might consider responding to these prompts on our site and using our public forums as a kind of “rehearsal space” for practicing voice and technique.

Daily opportunities to practice writing for an authentic audience.

If a student submits a comment on our site, it will be read by Times editors, who approve each one before it gets published. Submitting a comment also gives students an audience of fellow teenagers from around the world who might read and respond to their work. Each week, we call out our favorite comments and honor dozens of students by name in our Thursday “ Current Events Conversation ” feature.

Guided practice with mentor texts .

Each unit we publish features guided practice lessons, written directly to students, that help them observe, understand and practice the kinds of “craft moves” that make different genres of writing sing. From how to “show not tell” in narratives to how to express critical opinions , quote or paraphrase experts or craft scripts for podcasts , we have used the work of both Times journalists and the teenage winners of our contests to show students techniques they can emulate.

“Annotated by the Author” commentaries from Times writers — and teenagers.

As part of our Mentor Texts series , we’ve been asking Times journalists from desks across the newsroom to annotate their articles to let students in on their writing, research and editing processes, and we’ll be adding more for each unit this year. Whether it’s Science writer Nicholas St. Fleur on tiny tyrannosaurs , Opinion writer Aisha Harris on the cultural canon , or The Times’s comics-industry reporter, George Gene Gustines, on comic books that celebrate pride , the idea is to demystify journalism for teenagers. This year, we’ll be inviting student winners of our contests to annotate their work as well.

A contest that can act as a culminating project .

Over the years we’ve heard from many teachers that our contests serve as final projects in their classes, and this curriculum came about in large part because we want to help teachers “plan backwards” to support those projects.

All contest entries are considered by experts, whether Times journalists, outside educators from partner organizations, or professional practitioners in a related field. Winning means being published on our site, and, perhaps, in the print edition of The New York Times.

Webinars and our new professional learning community (P.L.C.).

For each of the seven units in this curriculum, we host a webinar featuring Learning Network editors as well as teachers who use The Times in their classrooms. Our webinars introduce participants to our many resources and provide practical how-to’s on how to use our prompts, mentor texts and contests in the classroom.

New for this school year, we also invite teachers to join our P.L.C. on teaching writing with The Times , where educators can share resources, strategies and inspiration about teaching with these units.

Below are the seven units we will offer in the 2020-21 school year.

September-October

Unit 1: Documenting Teenage Lives in Extraordinary Times

This special unit acknowledges both the tumultuous events of 2020 and their outsized impact on young people — and invites teenagers to respond creatively. How can they add their voices to our understanding of what this historic year will mean for their generation?

Culminating in our Coming of Age in 2020 contest, the unit helps teenagers document and respond to what it’s been like to live through what one Times article describes as “a year of tragedy, of catastrophe, of upheaval, a year that has inflicted one blow after another, a year that has filled the morgues, emptied the schools, shuttered the workplaces, swelled the unemployment lines and polarized the electorate.”

A series of writing prompts, mentor texts and a step-by-step guide will help them think deeply and analytically about who they are, how this year has impacted them, what they’d like to express as a result, and how they’d like to express it. How might they tell their unique stories in ways that feel meaningful and authentic, whether those stories are serious or funny, big or small, raw or polished?

Though the contest accepts work across genres — via words and images, video and audio — all students will also craft written artist’s statements for each piece they submit. In addition, no matter what genre of work students send in, the unit will use writing as a tool throughout to help students brainstorm, compose and edit. And, of course, this work, whether students send it to us or not, is valuable far beyond the classroom: Historians, archivists and museums recommend that we all document our experiences this year, if only for ourselves.

October-November

Unit 2: The Personal Narrative

While The Times is known for its award-winning journalism, the paper also has a robust tradition of publishing personal essays on topics like love , family , life on campus and navigating anxiety . And on our site, our daily writing prompts have long invited students to tell us their stories, too. Our 2019 collection of 550 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing is a good place to start, though we add more every week during the school year.

In this unit we draw on many of these resources, plus some of the 1,000-plus personal essays from the Magazine’s long-running Lives column , to help students find their own “short, memorable stories ” and tell them well. Our related mentor-text lessons can help them practice skills like writing with voice , using details to show rather than tell , structuring a narrative arc , dropping the reader into a scene and more. This year, we’ll also be including mentor text guided lessons that use the work of the 2019 student winners.

As a final project, we invite students to send finished stories to our Second Annual Personal Narrative Writing Contest .

DECEMBER-January

Unit 3: The Review

Book reports and literary essays have long been staples of language arts classrooms, but this unit encourages students to learn how to critique art in other genres as well. As we point out, a cultural review is, of course, a form of argumentative essay. Your class might be writing about Lizzo or “ Looking for Alaska ,” but they still have to make claims and support them with evidence. And, just as they must in a literature essay, they have to read (or watch, or listen to) a work closely; analyze it and understand its context; and explain what is meaningful and interesting about it.

In our Mentor Texts series , we feature the work of Times movie , restaurant , book and music critics to help students understand the elements of a successful review. In each one of these guided lessons, we also spotlight the work of teenage contest winners from previous years.

As a culminating project, we invite students to send us their own reviews of a book, movie, restaurant, album, theatrical production, video game, dance performance, TV show, art exhibition or any other kind of work The Times critiques.

January-February

Unit 4: Informational Writing

Informational writing is the style of writing that dominates The New York Times as well as any other traditional newspaper you might read, and in this unit we hope to show students that it can be every bit as engaging and compelling to read and to write as other genres. Via thousands of articles a month — from front-page reporting on politics to news about athletes in Sports, deep data dives in The Upshot, recipes in Cooking, advice columns in Style and long-form investigative pieces in the magazine — Times journalists find ways to experiment with the genre to intrigue and inform their audiences.

This unit invites students to take any STEM-related discovery, process or idea that interests them and write about it in a way that makes it understandable and engaging for a general audience — but all the skills we teach along the way can work for any kind of informational writing. Via our Mentor Texts series, we show them how to hook the reader from the start , use quotes and research , explain why a topic matters and more. This year we’ll be using the work of the 2020 student winners for additional mentor text lessons.

At the end of the unit, we invite teenagers to submit their own writing to our Second Annual STEM writing contest to show us what they’ve learned.

March-April

Unit 5: Argumentative Writing

The demand for evidence-based argumentative writing is now woven into school assignments across the curriculum and grade levels, and you couldn’t ask for better real-world examples than what you can find in The Times Opinion section .

This unit will, like our others, be supported with writing prompts, mentor-text lesson plans, webinars and more. We’ll also focus on the winning teenage writing we’ve received over the six years we’ve run our related contest.

At a time when media literacy is more important than ever, we also hope that our annual Student Editorial Contest can serve as a final project that encourages students to broaden their information diets with a range of reliable sources, and learn from a variety of perspectives on their chosen issue.

To help students working from home, we also have an Argumentative Unit for Students Doing Remote Learning .

Unit 6: Writing for Podcasts

Most of our writing units so far have all asked for essays of one kind or another, but this spring contest invites students to do what journalists at The Times do every day: make multimedia to tell a story, investigate an issue or communicate a concept.

Our annual podcast contest gives students the freedom to talk about anything they want in any form they like. In the past we’ve had winners who’ve done personal narratives, local travelogues, opinion pieces, interviews with community members, local investigative journalism and descriptions of scientific discoveries.

As with all our other units, we have supported this contest with great examples from The Times and around the web, as well as with mentor texts by teenagers that offer guided practice in understanding elements and techniques.

June-August

Unit 7: Independent Reading and Writing

At a time when teachers are looking for ways to offer students more “voice and choice,” this unit, based on our annual summer contest, offers both.

Every year since 2010 we have invited teenagers around the world to add The New York Times to their summer reading lists and, so far, 70,000 have. Every week for 10 weeks, we ask participants to choose something in The Times that has sparked their interest, then tell us why. At the end of the week, judges from the Times newsroom pick favorite responses, and we publish them on our site.

And we’ve used our Mentor Text feature to spotlight the work of past winners , explain why newsroom judges admired their thinking, and provide four steps to helping any student write better reader-responses.

Because this is our most open-ended contest — students can choose whatever they like, and react however they like — it has proved over the years to be a useful place for young writers to hone their voices, practice skills and take risks . Join us!

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is creative writing required in high school

Creative Writing Opportunities for High School Students

is creative writing required in high school

Do you have a plan for applying to college?

With our free chancing engine, admissions timeline, and personalized recommendations, our free guidance platform gives you a clear idea of what you need to be doing right now and in the future.

If you’re a high school student interested in creative writing, you may or may not have a number of broad extracurricular options to pursue during the school year, depending on your school. You might be a part of your school’s literary magazine, or participate in creative writing workshops. Maybe you are lucky enough to attend a school with dedicated creative writing classes or poetry electives.

But what if your school doesn’t seem to offer much for students who want to pursue creative writing? Or what if you don’t even know where to begin looking? How can you keep your momentum headed towards your goal or otherwise use your time productively if you passionate about creative writing?

There are many activities available to high school students who enjoy creative writing. Some might be available through your school, but many are out there waiting for you to pursue them independently.

In this post, we’ll outline how you can take the initiative to pursue multiple creative writing opportunities both in and out of school. Keep reading to learn more about what opportunities are out there for high school-aged creative writers.

Why Pursue Creative Writing?

There are many reasons to pursue extracurriculars in general. They can serve to strengthen your academic profile, they allow you to pursue interests not otherwise available through traditional classwork, and they can provide valuable, real-world experience.

Creative writing is an extracurricular that is closely tied with your academic coursework in English and Language Arts and in fact is probably a partial requirement of at least some of your English classes. Pursuing it further exemplifies your commitment to the craft and gives you some insight into writing as a possible career path.

It might be easy to think of creative writing as nothing more than a hobby, but in reality many careers exist in which strong writing skills are coveted. By pursuing creative writing, you become well equipped for a career as not only an author or poet, but also in many other fields. We’ll discuss these more in depth at the end of this post.

Opportunities to Pursue Creative Writing

Literary magazine:.

This is the most obvious and most common way to study and produce creative writing in a formal setting at school. Many schools already have a literary magazine established and likely have regular meetings and a faculty adviser equipped to lend insight and advice.

You can usually join your school’s literary magazine at the beginning of a new school year, though you may also be able to join mid-year in some circumstances. Contact the editor or faculty advisor if you want to become involved. Over time you may even be able to take on a leadership role yourself. To learn more about the importance of this, check out CollegeVine’s Your Resume, Revamped: Securing Leadership Positions and Perfecting Your Extracurricular Profile . 

Another way to be involved with the literary magazine, even if you aren’t a part of its team, is to become a regular contributor. This isn’t always easy; some schools have highly competitive literary magazines or only produce one printed edition per year. If this is the case at your school, don’t get discouraged. Submit your best work, learn from feedback, and keep trying.

If your school does not have a literary magazine, you might consider starting one. Begin by talking to other students who have expressed interest in creative writing. Once you have a strong group of interested students, approach a member of your school’s faculty who would make a good adviser.

Your faculty adviser should be someone who has worked closely with you in the past and has some level of expertise in creative writing. Be clear what sort of commitment you are asking for from this person. You may need him or her to be present at every meeting, or you might simply need his or her signature and sporadic stamp of approval. Also remember that you will have some associated costs so having a faculty adviser who can help with fundraising could be important.

Literary magazines provide students interested in creative writing with some general insights into a formal writing publication, a glimpse at the process for submitting work and receiving feedback, and the opportunity to have their writing published for all to see.

Creative Writing Club:

If your school does not have a literary magazine or you are interested in pursuing creative writing in a less formal setting, a creative writing club might be a good bet for you.

These clubs generally operate as regular writing workshops during which students respond to prompts or practice free-writing, and then share their work and offer feedback to others. It is often similar to the submissions approval process at a literary magazine without the stress of possible rejection.

In addition, a creative writing club does not generally produce a publication, though some might print a collection of work at the end of the school year. Again, this differs from the traditional literary magazine because work is selected by the author rather than submitted for acceptance or rejection.

If your school does not have a creative writing club, it is easy to start one. Because there is no associated publication as in the case of a literary magazine, the process is generally less formal. You could meet before or after school and sometimes you don’t even need a faculty adviser; you just need a teacher who’s willing to share classroom space outside of school hours.

Alternatively, you could form a writing club that is completely independent of your school by meeting at the library or a friend’s house. Simply gather creative writing exercises from books or online searches and then gather on a regular basis to respond to them, share work, and offer constructive criticism.

A creative writing club can also be an important accountability tool for students who are working on independent creative writing projects. If you’re writing a longer piece or even a novel, or working on a collection of poetry, meeting regularly with like-minded writers can help to keep you on track and provide outside feedback that might otherwise be unavailable.

Creative Writing Tutor:

If creative writing is your passion and you want to share it with others, you might consider becoming a creative writing tutor for younger students.

Contact a local elementary school and ask if you might be able to volunteer. If so, arrive prepared to lead a small writer’s workshop. Bring any handouts you might need and practice your oral presentation ahead of time. If you need some inspiration for activities, check out the Creative Writing for Children page at PBS parents or the Story Starters page at Scholastic . These kid-friendly writing prompts are sure to inspire even the youngest authors.

If you can’t find a volunteer position at an elementary school, you could try reaching out to other local organizations. Girl or boy scout troops, community centers, or the local library are all possibilities.

Leading a creative writing group for younger students is a great way to hone your own thinking about creative writing, to practice your teaching and leadership skills, and to give back to your community.

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Writing Contests:

If you’re looking for more direction for your writing, and the idea of fame and fortune intrigues you, you should consider entering some writing contests. There are many to choose from, and most offer either cash prizes or scholarship money. Some are also quite prestigious.

For a list of some of the most respected writing contests open to high schoolers, check out The CollegeVine Ultimate Guide to High School Writing Contests .

Summer Programs:

As is now the case for most extracurriculars, there are many strong summer programs to choose from if you’d like to pursue creative writing during your school break. These programs can be competitive to get into and you will usually be required to submit a writing portfolio as a part of your application.

Programs such as these also strengthen your college application and reinforce your commitment to writing. A few of the strongest are:

  • Interlochen
  • Kenyon Review Young Writer’s Workshop
  • California State Summer School for the Arts (Primarily for California residents, but a small number of non-residents are accepted each year.)

Many of these programs have scholarships available, so if finances are a concern, be sure to research a few options before ruling anything out.

In addition, many colleges offer summer programs in creative writing as well. These are usually similar in format to any of the aforementioned summer programs, with the added bonus of allowing you to build connections at colleges or universities that you might wish to attend. 

See if any schools on your list of potential colleges or universities offer summer programs and look into attending those. Otherwise, consider one of the following, which are known for their high quality instruction:

  • Duke Young Writer’s Camp
  • Carleton College Summer Writing Program
  • Stanford Summer Institutes
  • Lewis and Clark Fir Acres Workshop
  • University of Iowa Young Writer’s Studio

Start a Blog

If you find that you are writing often but have nowhere to showcase your work or have trouble holding yourself accountable for producing work on a regular basis, starting your own blog might be a good fit. A blog is a great way to share your writing on a public platform, it can act as an informal portfolio of your work, and it helps to hold you accountable to a larger audience.

Many blogs are easily set up and hosted for free on websites such as WordPress , Blogger , LiveJournal , or Weebly . Share a link to your blog on your social media accounts or send out a group email to let friends and family know about it. As is the case any time you add to your online presence, be sure to discuss your plans with a parent or guardian ahead of time. 

Get Published Elsewhere

A blog isn’t the only platform for publishing your work. Many magazines and periodicals accept submissions from high school students. A long list of publications reviewing high school submissions can be found in the NewPages Young Authors’ Guide . 

You can also check with local publications like newspapers, smaller regional magazines, or even blogs you follow that might accept a guest post.

There are a myriad of ways to get your work to a bigger audience, and if that’s something you’re interested in doing, don’t be shy about asking or even sending unsolicited submissions. All it takes is one person to take a chance on you before you can call yourself a published author.

Career Aspirations for the Creative Writer

It’s easy to think of creative writing as the entry point to becoming a novelist or poet. You might even think that these are your only long-term career options should you choose to pursue creative writing seriously.

This is definitely not the case. Many, many career paths incorporate writing, and while you may not be writing fictional works the entire time, that does not mean that you won’t be incorporating your background in creative writing. All strong writing benefits from creativity.

Writers are especially valued in the fields of:

  • Advertising
  • American Literature
  • Digital Media
  • Educational and Instructional Technology
  • Media Studies
  • Public Relations
  • Radio and Television
  • Sports Communications
  • Technical and Business Writing
  • Webpage and Multimedia Design    

Remember, pursuing creative writing doesn’t necessarily mean you have to write a novel or publish a collection of poetry. Writers have valuable skills that can be applied broadly depending on their others skills and interests.

Want access to expert college guidance — for free? When you create your free CollegeVine account, you will find out your real admissions chances, build a best-fit school list, learn how to improve your profile, and get your questions answered by experts and peers—all for free. Sign up for your CollegeVine account today to get a boost on your college journey.

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High School Students Interested in Creative Writing: How to Build Your Profile

Padya Paramita

January 12, 2021

is creative writing required in high school

If you fall under the category of high school students interested in creative writing , chances are, you want to continue honing your writing skills in college. As one of your strengths, writing will not only help you with the components of your college application, but seeing prowess in the field in your activities list and honors section can also help admissions officers understand just how strong a writer you are! To guide you through how to succeed in the college admissions process as a budding writer, I’ve gone through the list of top English programs at colleges, how to take advantage of your personal statement and supplemental essays, ways to boost your extracurriculars, and finally summer programs that can help you sharpen your writing skills and help you get one step closer to admissions at a top humanities college.

School List

High school students interested in creative writing usually major in English or concentrate in creative writing with the English major. Although all colleges have English majors, some colleges are better known for it than others thanks to esteemed faculty, specialized classes, and greater opportunities to grow as a writer. US News’ top 20 English programs are as follows:

As you’re making your college list, look through the course offerings, the list of professors, notable alumni, and opportunities to pursue writing beyond the classroom through the school newspaper, literary magazines, writing internships, and more. While it might not seem like a big deal, strong mentorship from esteemed writers can make a big difference in your development as a writer, as well as for future recommendation opportunities if you want to apply to creative writing Masters programs.

Personal Statement

If you’ve always wanted to be a writer, one of the most obvious ways to showcase your writing skills is through writing a stellar essay. While your personal statement can be a different story about another topic that holds significance to you, the way you write this essay matters. The personal statement is an effective way to demonstrate your creative side—how can you tell a unique story in a unique way. And of course, you can use this essay to write about your journey as a writer and your future goals. If you’ve helped a person or group in your community by writing an article in a newspaper, or you’ve worked hard on a novel about your life, these would make for standout essay topics. Whatever you write about, make sure that the admissions office comes out of the experience knowing that you will be bringing these skills to campus.

Supplemental Essays

While you have less room to be creative, your supplemental essays are the place to discuss what you’ve done to work on becoming a writer. Although there aren’t essay prompts explicitly dedicated to high school students interested in creative writing , there are supplemental essay prompts that ask students to elaborate on why they have chosen a certain major or to expand on one of the activities on their profile. This could be a great opportunity to discuss why you want to study writing, what your specific interests within the field are, and how you’ve developed your craft. Some possible prompts where you can address your writing, for example, are:

New York University : We would like to know more about your interest in NYU. What motivated you to apply to NYU? Why have you applied or expressed interest in a particular campus, school, college, program, and or area of study? If you have applied to more than one, please also tell us why you are interested in these additional areas of study or campuses. We want to understand

- Why NYU? [Max. 400 words]

Harvard University : Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences. [Max. 150 words]

Vanderbilt University : Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences. [200-400 words]

Essays like this provide you with the chance to write about why you wish to be an English or creative writing major—or to outline how you’ve taken advantage of the opportunities around you and made an impact on an activity of your choice. If you write about why you wish to be an English or creative writing major, discuss how your interest in the topic developed, how you pursued it in high school, and how that specific school can help you achieve your writing goals through specific classes, professors, internships and more. If you choose to talk about an activity, don’t just go on about your interest in writing in general. Pick a specific activity that involves writing and take the reader through your journey, whether it’s elaborating on leadership, collaboration, or how it might have shifted your perspective.

Extracurricular Activities 

Face it: there are numerous high school students interested in creative writing . Saying you like to write isn’t enough. You must ensure that you have gone beyond just writing essays for school in order to develop your writing skills and establish yourself as a strong writer. You could specialize in this field even further through one or more of the following ways:

  • Start an activity centered around creative writing: Colleges love to see students who have taken their own initiative and showcased their leadership skills. If your school doesn’t have a creative writing club, here’s your chance to start your own. You can be in charge of creating lessons, bringing guests, facilitating workshops with each other. If your school already has a creative writing club, you could start an activity that’s even more niche, such as a poetry writing club or a mystery writers’ club. Make sure to think out of the box and consult your classmates to see how they would like to work on their writing.
  • Write your own novel or collection: This is an independent project that’s pretty straightforward. There are fewer more effective ways to show that you’re a dedicated and strong writer than writing your own long piece of work. Whether it’s a novel, a poetry collection, or an anthology of short stories, take advantage of summers or other long breaks to conceptualize, write, and edit your own original work. High school students interested in creative writing can also take advantage of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) which is a writing challenge that takes place in November of every year. 
  • Submit your work to journals: College admissions officers will want to see evidence of your writing skills. No better way to do so than to provide links to publications that have printed your work. Fortunately, the steps it takes to get published in high school actually aren't that hard. While you need to submit quality work, there are definitely journals out there that receive and publish high schoolers’ writing. Check out the list of excellent publications (some online and some in print) that will accept and publish good writing regardless of the writer’s age in this blog .
  • Enter writing competitions: Another way to establish yourself as a writer worth paying attention to is to place in writing competitions. The scale of these competitions can be national—but they can also be local, so take advantage of any opportunities in your school or city. If you can win an award in a statewide or national context, that’s incredible. Some well-known writing competitions for high school students are:
  • The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
  • YoungArts’ National Arts Competition
  • Bennington Young Writers Award
  • Jane Austen Society Essay Contest
  • New York Times Student Contest
  • Help others with their writing: Learning how to give feedback is as important a part of growing as a writer as the actual writing is. If you’re looking for extracurricular activities for high school students interested in creative writing , and you’re someone interested in community outreach, think about how you can combine these two passions. You might offer an evening class for members of your community who have 9-5 jobs. Or, you can start a Zoom writing workshop and invite students from any location. Don’t be afraid to get as creative as possible.
  • Find a writing-related job: Finally, check out if anyone is hiring! Local newspapers often look for teen reporters, while many other companies need to fill roles such as copy editor, writer’s assistant, journalism intern, content writer and more. Having a job can not only sharpen your writing and editing skills, but you’ll also be able to convey that you’re a responsible and mature individual in your College Application. You can look for jobs specifically for teenagers on websites such as SnagAJob and Indeed .

Summer Programs

High school students interested in creative writing can have the opportunity to learn from college professors and share their work with peers starting early. The following summer programs allow high schoolers to hone and share their writing skills in a variety of degrees. Whether you write fiction, plays, or think pieces, acceptance and participation in one of the following would show that you have worked hard to sharpen your craft.

Iowa Young Writers’ Studio

As an aspiring writer, you might have heard about the Iowa Writers’ Workshop at the University of Iowa. While you can’t apply to the prestigious workshop until graduate school, the university does host a summer program for young writers, known as the Iowa Young Writers’ Studio . This two-week-long creative writing experience for high school students interested in creative writing provides an environment to hone your craft through seminars and workshops. Upon choosing fiction, poetry, or a mix of both as your concentration, you will attend courses that encourage you to improve your writing skills through peer-edits, writing exercises and activities, different approaches to writing, and constructive criticism from mentors. 

Interlochen Center for the Arts Summer Arts Camp

If you’re already highly talented and looking for arts summer programs that can enable you to grow as a writer, The Interlochen Center’s summer camp helps artistic students work on their skills in creative writing alongside other fields such as music and theatre design. You will have to show a final project (probably a story or longer piece of writing) to complete the program. You’ll not only have the opportunity to learn from professional artists and instructors, but you’ll also collaborate with other like-minded students and share your writing with each other.

Medill-Northwestern Journalism Institute

The Medill-Northwestern Journalism Institute is a journalism camp that allows rising seniors to gain hands-on experience in writing, reporting, and editing for print and digital broadcasting. Especially if you’re hoping to apply to a top journalism program, participation in Medill’s program would look excellent on your profile. As part of this five-week summer institute, you’ll meet aspiring journalists from all over the world and partake in a variety of journalistic initiatives, from conducting interviews to working on stories about trending topics. You’ll also be paired with a mentor who will meet with you weekly to critique your writing assignments. Students are encouraged to pitch their articles and get published in the Daily Northwestern, which you should definitely strive for in order to impress college admissions officers! 

Columbia Creative Journalism Summer Program

Columbia Creative Journalism is a program for high school students hoping to quickly understand the basics of reporting. If you’re among high school students interested in creative writing who wish to pursue journalism, this one-week course gives you the opportunity to learn from esteemed journalist Elizabeth Walters and Columbia writing professor Kristen Martin. Students hone their reporting and interviewing skills through writing assignments such as profiles, op-eds, features, and audio pieces while staying in the journalistic hub that is New York City. You will also be asked to read a variety of articles as well as write a new article draft every night to better understand the landscape of journalism today.

New York University Tisch Summer Program

NYU’s Tisch School of Arts offers students in search of arts summer programs with an array of options at this four-week-long camp, where participants can choose to focus in dramatic writing alongside other performance genres. Tisch emphasizes projects, professional training, and structured classes. To complete the program, you have to turn in all of the intensive assigned coursework and professional training requirements for your chosen track. If you’re concentrating in dramatic writing, you will have to present your work to your peers, which is then reviewed and critiqued by the rest of the workshop members. You’ll have the opportunity to stay in an NYU residence hall and get a glimpse of what college might be like if you plan to attend art school in the Big Apple. At the end of the program you will have a chance to showcase your work—your play, video game, choreography—depending on your track.

Hopefully, you’ve come out of reading this blog with a strong idea of what it takes to succeed as high school students interested in creative writing . Admissions officers want to see students who have gone the extra mile and really dedicated themselves to their field. Don’t just perform well in the classroom. Start a writing club, apply for a writing internship, write your own novel if you have the time. Nothing is too small. You got this!

Tags : young writers , creative writing major , advice for writers , high school students interested in creative writing , creative writing , high school writers

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TheHighSchooler

Teach Creative Writing In High School With 10 Fun Activities

Creative writing is a meaningful aspect of literature that mandates you to utilize your expertise, ingenuity, and story to depict a critical message, emotion, or plot. It defies the traditional bounds of other forms of writing and is completely subjective to our preferences and experiences. In creative writing, it’s all about imaginativeness!

Using creative imagination and originality to convey feelings and concepts in a unique way is at the heart of creative writing. Simply stated, it’s about infusing your own ‘flair’ into your writing, moving beyond academic or other technical kinds of literature. 

In this post, we will explore the various activities which would be advantageous for a high schooler who wishes to indulge in creative writing!

is creative writing required in high school

What Happens When Creative Writing Is Put To Use?

Creative writing is any form of writing that deviates from traditional professional, investigative journalism, educational, or technological forms of literature. It is typically distinguished by emphasizing narrative craft, character development, literary tropes, or various poetic traditions.

Here are the few ways how high schoolers can benefit from creative writing –

1. Imagination

When you write creatively, you expand your imagination by creating new environments, scenarios, and characters. This way, you are also boosting and stretching your imagination, as well as “thinking out of the box.” This allows you to concentrate your energy on many other things and improve your ability to find fresh ideas and alternatives to problems you’re having. Whether you’re a researcher or a businessman, creative writing will increase your imagination and help you think more creatively, and push the boundaries.

2. Empathy and Communications skills

When you create characters, you’ll be constructing emotions, personalities, behaviors, and world views that are distinct from your own. Writers must conceive personalities, emotions, places, and walks of life outside of their own lives while creating universes with fictional characters and settings.

This can give children a good dose of empathy and understanding for those who aren’t like them, who don’t live where they do or go through the same things they do daily. Writers are better equipped to communicate when they have a greater understanding of other points of view. They can come up with creative ways to explain and debate subjects from multiple perspectives. This ability is crucial in both professional and personal situations. 

3. Clarification of Thoughts 

Creating structures in creative writing allows you to organize your impressions and emotions into a logical procedure. You may express both your thoughts and your sentiments through creative writing. For example, if you’re a marketing executive, you could create a short tale in which your clientele reads your promotional emails. You can guess what they’re up to, where they’re seated, what’s around them, and so on.

This enables you to focus on the language and strategies you employ. Alternatively, if you’re a technical writer writing on a new desktop platform, you could create a creative scenario in which a user encounters a problem. 

4. Broadens Vocabulary and gets a better understanding of reading and writing

You’ll learn a larger vocabulary and a better understanding of the mechanics of reading and writing as you begin to practice writing exercises regularly. Even if you’re writing a budget report, you’ll know when rigid grammar standards work and when they don’t, and you’ll know what will make your writing flow better for your readers. Exploring different ways of expressing yourself when writing creatively allows you to extend your vocabulary.

You’ll notice a change in your use and range of language as you improve your writing over time, which will be useful in any professional route and social scenario. You’ll be able to bend and break the rules when you need to, to utilize your voice and make what you’re writing engaging without coming off as an amateur, dull, or inauthentic once you’ve grasped the fundamentals of writing professionally and creatively.

5. Building Self-Belief 

When you write creatively, you’re actively involved in an activity that allows you to fully develop your voice and point of view without being constrained. You have a better chance to investigate and express your feelings about various issues, opinions, ideas, and characters. And you’ll feel more at ease and secure stating your thoughts and perspectives in other things you write as a result of this.

Writers who don’t write creatively may be concerned about appearing authoritative or trustworthy. They accidentally lose their voice and sound like drones spouting statistics by omitting to include their perspective on the topics they’re writing about. As a result, they miss out on using their distinct voice and presenting themselves as an expert with real-world expertise.

Creative Writing Activities That Will Strengthen Your Writing Skills  

Short spurts of spontaneous writing make up creative writing activities. These writing exercises push a writer to tackle a familiar topic in a new way, ranging from one line to a lengthy tale. Short, spontaneous projects are common in creative writing programs, but any writer should make them a regular practice to extend their abilities and learn new tactics to approach a series of stories.

These activities must be performed for ten minutes at a time, several times a week – by creative writers. They’re designed to help you improve your writing abilities, generate fresh story ideas, and become a better writer.

1. Free Writing

Writing is the first and foremost activity that is going to give your creative writing a boost. Start with a blank page and let your stream of thoughts and emotions flow. Then simply begin writing. Don’t pause to think or alter what you’re expressing. This is known as “free writing.” This writing activity is referred to as “morning pages” by Julia Cameron, the author of ‘The Artist’s Way.’ She recommends that authors do this every day when they first wake up. Stream of consciousness writing can provide some intriguing concepts.

Allow your intellect to take the lead as your fingers type. Or write a letter to your younger self.  Consider a topic you’d like to discuss, such as a noteworthy event, and write it down. Give guidance or convey a message that you wish you had heard as a youngster or a young adult.

2. Modify a Storyline – Read

Most of us like to read. However, just reading won’t really help augment your creative writing skills. While reading bestows insight into the deeper meanings of numerous things, you need a more concrete approach to better your aptitude. To do this, you can modify any storyline. Take an episode from a chapter, if you’re feeling brave—from one of your favorite books and recreate it. Write it from the perspective of a different character. Swap out the main character in this exercise to examine how the story may be conveyed differently.

Take Percy Jackson’s thrilling conclusion, for instance, and rework it with Annabeth as the primary character. Another way to approach this creative activity is to keep the primary character but switch viewpoints. Rewrite a scene in the third person if the writer has told a story in the first person. 

3. Add Creative Writing Prompts or Create Flash Fiction

Use writing prompts, often known as narrative starters, to produce writing ideas. A writing prompt is a sentence or short excerpt that a writer uses to start composing a story on the spot. You can look up writing prompts online, pick a sentence out of a magazine at random, or use a brilliant line from a well-known work as the start of your short scene.

is creative writing required in high school

Another thing you can do to accentuate your writing is to create flash fiction. Sit down at your desktop or pick up a pen and paper and write a 500-word story on the spur of the moment. This isn’t the same as just writing whatever comes to mind. With no fixed guidelines, free writing generates a stream of consciousness. All of the basic components of a story arc, such as plot, conflict, and character development, are required in flash fiction, albeit in a shortened form.

4. Create a Fictitious Advertisement

Pick a random word from a nearby book or newspaper and create a fictitious commercial for it. Write one ad in a formal, abbreviated newspaper classified format to require you to pay special attention to your word choice to sell the item. Then write one for an online marketplace that allows for longer, more casual text, such as Craigslist. Describe the item and persuade the reader to purchase it in each one.

5. Engage in Conversations 

Engaging in conversations with your friends/family – or simply communicating can help brush up your writing skills. Talk to your loved ones about their hobbies, career, views on societal issues – any suitable topic for that matter. This helps implement others’ points of view and expands your mental ability. Another useful thing that you can do is – make another person’s tale and create it by implementing your own thoughts. Then talk about it in an impeccable manner. Also, talk in complete sentences. This goes to show your Linguistic intelligence proficiency – and helps augment your creative writing skills.

6. Create Your Own Website/Blog

Start your search for blogging. There are a million writing suggestions out there, but they all boil down to the same thing: write. Blogging is excellent writing practice because it gives you a place to write regularly.

is creative writing required in high school

To keep your fingers and mind nimble, write a post every day. Like most bloggers, you’ll want to restrict your subject—perhaps you’ll focus on parenting or start a how-to site where you can tell stories from your point of view.

7. Participate in Debates/Extempores  

Participating in debates, extempores – anchoring for your school function, giving a speech, all of these activities help boost your creative spirit. These group events make you understand what other people are envisioning, which in turn helps you generate new ideas, approaches, and methods. Not only do they improve your articulation and research skills, but they also develop critical thinking and emotional control abilities. All of these promote a better creative writing aptitude.

8. Start a YouTube Channel or Podcast 

Starting a YouTube channel or podcast will definitely level up your creative game. YouTube is a never-ending platform, covering myriads of topics. Choose a particular niche for your channel.

is creative writing required in high school

Then do your topic research, create content, manage SEO, approach brands, talk to clients and influencers – do all the good stuff. Communicating with other influencers and creating content will take your creative writing skills to another level. Starting a podcast will have a similar impact. 

9. Love them? Say it with your words!

We have many festivals, occasions, birthdays, parties, anniversaries and whatnot! You can employ these special days and boost your creative writing skills. You can make a token of love for them – writing about your feelings. You can also make gift cards, birthday cards, dinner menus, and so on. So let’s say, it’s your mother’s birthday, you can write her a token of love, elucidating your feelings and letting her know what all she’s done for you and that you’re grateful. Do this for all your near and dear ones. This not only spreads positivity and love but helps you develop your creative aptitude.

10. The What-if Game

The What-If game is an incredible way to upgrade your creative abilities. You can play this game with your friends, cousins, relatives, or solo. Here, you need to find links to many interesting hypothetical questions. For instance, what if the sun doesn’t rise for a week? What if there’s no oxygen for one minute? Play it with your peeps, or ask these questions to yourself. It can be anything random but concrete. If you don’t know the answers to the questions, look them up on Google. This way, you’re training your mind to learn new concepts all the while enhancing your visualization process. 

We can conclude that creative writing encourages students to think creatively, use their imaginations, imply alternatives, expand their thinking processes, and improve their problem-solving skills. It also allows the child to express themselves and grow their voice. Besides, it enhances reasoning abilities. The principle behind the creative writing concept is that everyone can gain the qualities that are needed to become a successful writer or, rather become good at writing. Creative writing is all about using language in new and innovative ways.

is creative writing required in high school

Sananda Bhattacharya, Chief Editor of TheHighSchooler, is dedicated to enhancing operations and growth. With degrees in Literature and Asian Studies from Presidency University, Kolkata, she leverages her educational and innovative background to shape TheHighSchooler into a pivotal resource hub. Providing valuable insights, practical activities, and guidance on school life, graduation, scholarships, and more, Sananda’s leadership enriches the journey of high school students.

Explore a plethora of invaluable resources and insights tailored for high schoolers at TheHighSchooler, under the guidance of Sananda Bhattacharya’s expertise. You can follow her on Linkedin

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Homeschool Help and Curriculum

High School Writing Requirements: An Authoritative Guide

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Another post in the suite of Authoritative Guides for homeschooling high school: High School Writing Requirements: An Authoritative Guide.

High School Writing Requirements: An Authoritative Guide

When my youngest son headed off to college (he started out at our local community college ), one of his first courses he had to take was Freshman Composition. After the first writing assignment was graded, his instructor asked him to stay after class for a second. This, of course, was a bit anxiety inducing…was he in trouble for something?

But no, he was not in trouble. Instead, his instructor asked him, “What high school did you go to? This is one of the best papers I’ve ever seen from a freshman.”

My son was able to proudly share that he was homeschooled and learned to write by lots of practice. (He did not mention that the curriculum that he used was 7Sisters! In fact, over the high school years, He completed every single writing guide that we had constructed!

Anyway, the point of the story is that writing matters.

For college-bound teens, it is vital that homeschool high schoolers head to college well prepared to do lots of quality writing . For non-college bound teens, writing is a life skill that will be needed for lots of practical needs.

Because writing matters, it is an important part of every English/Language Arts credit (as you know, homeschooling high schoolers need four ELA credits for graduation ). The components of an English/Language Arts credit include:

  • Literature (check out our Authoritative Guide to Literature for Homeschool High School )
  • Writing (the topic of this entire post)
  • Public Speaking

Writing develops important thinking and communication skills

In this Authoritative Guide we will discuss the writing component of homeschool ELA credits

We will cover the following topics:

  • What kinds of writing should be covered for homeschool ELA credits?

Where is the best curriculum for my teen?

  • many papers should my teen write each year?
  • do I grade papers?
  • can I motivate my teen for writing projects?
  • do I find resources to help my struggling writer?
  • can I teach the writing requirements in homeschool co-op classes?

High school writing requirements: What kinds of writing should be covered for homeschool ELA credits?

To be clear, there’s not ONE right way to look at writing requirements, so you do what is best for your homeschool high schoolers and your family. However, in our years of advising homeschool teens and working with colleges and employers, we have found that there are some writing components that are:

  • Good yearly requirements

Introductory Guide to High School Essay Writing is a no-busywork, step-by-step, day-by-day writing guide for homeschool high schoolers.

Yearly writing requirements include:

  • Essay writing is important because it trains teens to own their own thoughts and ideas, synthesize them, capture them and defend them. This is the exact process that writing essays takes teens through. It trains their minds on this kind of critical thinking skills and helps them learn to communicate accurately.
  • This genre of writing can sometimes feel like boring busywork to teens, but when they understand that essay writing is like going to the gym and building muscles (only they are going to the essay-gym for their brains and building their critical thinking and communication skills) it helps the hard work feel purposeful.
  • All 7Sisters essay writing guides include writing prompts, but here are some more prompts that might be relevant to your teens
  • For more on critical thinking skills check out this post on c ritical thinking and this post on thinking well .

Research Papers

  • Dig for information
  • Learn valid information versus bad information (learn to look for good sources of information)

APA Style Research Paper Writing Guide

  • Citing sources of information
  • Choosing research topics
  • Developing thesis statements
  • If you get confused (it’s easy to get confused, we know) on the difference between essays, reports and research papers, here’s an explanation .

Short Stories

  • Have fun with a project (and sometimes this kind of fun builds confidence in writing skills which generalizes to other types of writing
  • Exercises the creative part of the brain, which in turn activates other parts of the brain to work better. Creativity is part of a healthy lifestyle (that’s why we include some creativity advice in the health curriculum).
  • 7Sisters even has an optional Holiday Family Narrative Writing Guide
  • Two: Tall Tale (where teens have a blast getting creative with characters, conversation and storyline)

Introductory Guide to Poetry Writing

  • Poetry is so very useful for homeschool high schoolers. Because poetry says a lot in relatively few words, it teaches teens how to use words powerfully. It teaches teens to think about the best way or most impactful way to say things. (My teens have told me that their poetry writing gave them word-usage skills that have helped them write more interesting papers in college. More interesting papers get better grades.)
  • This genre of writing is also a creative avenue for expression and healing .
  • Because many pre-high school writing curriculum include little poetry writing (or get SO serious that it takes the fun out of poetry), 7Sisters recommends starting from scratch in high school (which is what our Introductory Guide to High School Poetry Writing does). Going back to basics in high school gives a chance for poetry to be fun and memorable.

Occasional requirements (those that should be covered at least once before graduation) include:

Professional writing.

  • Complaint Letters

High School Guide to Professional Writing

  • Organizational Newsletters
  • Taking and Formatting Meeting Minutes
  • Advertising Copy and Press Releases
  • Product Reviews
  • Book Reviews
  • Sets of How-To Instructions
  • Professional Bios
  • Expository Speeches
  • Project Proposals and Abstracts

Out of the box creative writing, for instance:

  • Biographies or other non-fiction as a narrative. This Homeschool Highschool Podcast interview with Janet and Geoff Benge tells you how
  • It is a delightful combination of scrapbooking and writing! This is such a fun senior-year writing project !

College application essays

  • Click here for an excerpt from the college application essay writing guide .

For more specific details, check out these posts about the kinds of writing that should be done by:

  • college-bound teens
  • non-college bound teens

That’s a trick question!

No, really. There’s not ONE right way to homeschool high school and there’s not ONE right curriculum that is best. However, there are writing curricula and courses out there for just about any need. For instance:

  • 7Sisters Writing Curriculum: Essays, Research Papers, Short Stories, Poetry, Professional Writing, Creative Writing…all with the classic 7Sisters NO busywork, adjustable to different levels of rigor, don’t overdo it, style.
  • FundaFunda Academy
  • True North Academy
  • Dreaming Spires Home Learning
  • Heavy duty, college prep programs like Institute for Excellence in Writing.
  • More traditional courses (lots of grammar) like Time4Writing , Abeka, Bob Jones.

You do what is best for you and your teen!

High school writing requirements: How many papers should my teen write each year?

As you know there’s not ONE right way to homeschool high school, so there’s not ONE right number of papers to write each year. Every family and teen have different needs and goals, so paper writing will vary.

We have found that we can expect that each year:

  • More and longer papers from a tenth grader than a ninth grader
  • A bit more and longer papers from an eleventh grader than a tenth grader
  • And then more and longer papers from a twelfth grader than an eleventh grader

We also have found that writing needs differs by the level of rigor that a student needs:

  • Remedial students needs for support, types and lengths of papers will vary by student. (Check the section below on suggestions for special needs students.)
  • Average (non-college-bound students) do not need to waste their time on extremely long papers. They should definitely write to increase their critical thinking, communication and creative skills, but there is no need to overdo it.
  • Here are more tips for college prep writin g for college-bound teens

If you want a in-depth, year-by-year, leveled breakdown of how many papers we have found work best for the homeschool families we have advised over the years, check out this post: How many papers should my teen write .

How do I grade papers?

We have found over the years, that we have grown to love rubrics . You can easily find one you can adapt on the internet or use our guidelines in this freebie: Tips for Grading Writing.

Also, many writing curriculums, including 7Sisters Writing Guides, include grading rubrics with each guide.

There are more guidelines for grading particular writing projects in these posts:

  • How to Grade Poetry
  • Grading Papers for History or Science
  • Homeschool Highschool Podcast episode on goals and grading writing assignments . (GOOD info.)

Tips for Grading Writing freebie

How can I motivate my teen for writing projects?

There are lots of things you can do to motivate your teen for their writing projects:

Start with a growth mindset, teens need to:

  • know that learning to write skillfully takes practice. The more they practice, the easier and more natural writing becomes.
  • talk resiliently. Instead of saying, “I’m bad at writing,” try, “I’m learning to be a good writer.”
  • think hopefully. Their brains need to know that they will keep working on their writing in order to improve. Talking hopefully makes a difference in the way the brain works. For more growth mindset ideas, check this post

Take a giant step back

  • Remember, you are homeschooling your teens in order to do what is best for them. You get to choose the educational goals. So if you are setting your teens’ goals, then do not pressure yourself to have “grade appropriate” writing to start with. Take a step back:

Make assignments short

Keep them simple.

  • And as often as possible, make them interesting, meaningful or fun (believe it or not, there are even fun essay topics- check out this post )

Here’s a post with more practical tips for helping reluctant writers with essays (sometimes this is the writing project that most intimidates young writers).

For teens with struggling with writing because of special needs:

  • Feel free to make the compensations they need:
  • Dictate writing assignments for first drafts to mom or using Dragon Dictation or other dictation app. (We are not affiliates, btw.)
  • Do journaling daily or weekly where students can free write with no need to be graded. This can be done by hand, dictation or dictation app.
  • Create a verbal progressive story (instructions in YouTube below)
  • Check out SPED Homeschool’s website or Facebook group for lots of ideas and support
  • 7Sisters Introductory Poetry and Introductory Short Story Writing (Family Narratives) can be good fits for the short lessons and achievable success
  • Here’s more favorite curricula for teens with special needs

How can I teach the writing requirements in co-op classes?

If you are teaching writing high school homeschool co-op classes , you can have SO much fun! We have done some of the work for you, so read these posts then create some plans and a syllabus for your teens.

  • Check out these how-to posts:
  • How to Teach Essay Writing in Homeschool Co-op
  • Using Myth-Fantasy Writing in the Classroom
  • How to use College-Application Writing Guide in Homeschool Co-op
  • Activities for MLA Research Paper for Homeschool Co-op
  • How to Teach Short Story Writing in Homeschool Co-op
  • Introducing Poetry in Homeschool Co-op
  • How to Teach Writing Co-op Using 7Sisters Comprehensive ELA bundles
  • Bonus post: If your teen feels overwhelm with all the writing, here are some helpful tips

Don’t forget we have co-op discounts on 7Sisters curriculum ! (And feel free to contact us with questions at [email protected] or even more fun, throw questions out to the 7SistersHomeschool Facebook group and get lots of ideas from your many 7th Sisters!)

Do you have teens who are homeschooling high school or are planning to homeschool high school soon? Check out 7Sisters Authoritative Guide post on planning high school .

Your homeschool high schoolers can love their writing experiences. High school writing: You CAN teach this!

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Vicki Tillman

Hi Christina, Welcome to homeschooling high school. These are the best years yet! All 7Sisters curriculum are pdf downloads. When you complete a purchase, the screen will show you links to download the curriculum (be sure to remember where you save it- maybe start a “high school” file). You will also receive an email with the links.

I am very interested in this writing curriculum for my daughter and so do I get it in my email and then print it? My daughter is going into ninth grade. Of course I know I need to pay for it. Thanks. . Thanks much.

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Creative Writing and Literature Degree Requirements

The Master of Liberal Arts, Creative Writing and Literature degree field is offered online with one 3-week course required on campus at Harvard University.

Getting Started

Explore Degree Requirements

  • Review the course curriculum .
  • Learn about the on-campus experience .
  • Determine your initial admissions eligibility .
  • Learn about the 2 degree courses required for admission .

Required Course Curriculum

Online core and elective courses

On-campus summer writer’s residency

Capstone or thesis

12 Graduate Courses (48 credits)

The program is designed for creative writers interested in fiction, nonfiction, and dramatic writing.

The degree is highly customizable. As part of the program curriculum, you choose either a capstone or thesis track as well as the creative writing and literature courses that meet your learning goals.

The synchronous online format and small class size ensure you’ll receive personal feedback on your writing and experience full engagement with instructors and peers.

Required Core & Elective Courses View More

  • HUMA 101 Proseminar: Elements of the Writer’s Craft
  • 1 advanced fiction writing course
  • 3 creative writing courses
  • 1 creative writing and literature elective or creative writing independent study
  • EXPO 42a Writing in the Humanities is a literature option
  • On-campus summer writer’s residency

Browse Courses →

Thesis Track View More

The thesis is a 9-month independent research project where you work one-on-one in a tutorial setting with a thesis director.

The track includes:

  • Thesis proposal tutorial course
  • Master’s Thesis (8 credits)

Capstone Track View More

The capstone track includes the following additional courses:

  • 1 literature course
  • Precapstone: Building the World of the Book (fiction and nonfiction options)
  • Capstone: Developing a Manuscript (fiction and nonfiction options)

In the precapstone , with support from your instructor and peers, you’ll engage in a series of structured writing exercises that make it possible to delve deeply into your characters—what they look like, what they want and need, and how they interact with the world in which they live—as you structure the world of your fiction or nonfiction.

In the capstone , with ongoing community support, you continue your work of in the precapstone and write two additional chapters or stories, or approximately 30 pages of new work. The capstone project in total should be about 50-60 pages — the equivalent of a thesis.

You enroll in the precapstone and capstone courses in back-to-back semesters (fall/spring) and in your final academic year. The capstone must be taken alone as your sole remaining degree requirement.

On-Campus Experience: One-Week Writer’s Residency

Participate in an weeklong writers’ workshop on campus.

Learn and network in person with your classmates, agents, and editors.

Nearly all courses can be taken online, but the degree requires an in-person experience at Harvard University where you enroll in a summer residency.

After completing 7 or more courses, you come to Harvard Summer School for a weeklong master class taught by a notable instructor. HSS offers, for an additional fee, housing, meal plans, and a prolonged on-campus experience here at Harvard University. An agents-and-editors weekend follows.

Choose between two on-campus experience options:

  • One-week Writer’s Residency with extended online sessions: During the two weeks that follow the intensive week of on-campus instruction, you attend additional writing classes online and submit a final piece of writing.
  • One-week Writer’s Residency with extended on-campus sessions: During the two weeks that follow the intensive week of on-campus instruction, you attend additional writing classes on campus and submit a final piece of writing. Three-week housing is available for this extended on-campus option. Learn more about campus life at Harvard .

International Students Who Need a Visa View More

To meet the on-campus requirement, you choose the One-Week Writer’s Residency with extended on-campus sessions and study with us in the summer. You can easily request an I-20 for the F-1 student visa through Harvard Summer School. For more details, see International Student Study Options for important visa information.

In-Person Co-Curricular Events View More

Come to Cambridge for Convocation (fall) to celebrate your hard-earned admission, Harvard career fairs offered throughout the year, HES alumni networking events (here at Harvard and around the world), and, of course, Harvard University Commencement (May).

Confirm your initial eligibility with a 4-year bachelor’s degree or its foreign equivalent.

Take two courses in our unique “earn your way in” admissions process that count toward your degree.

In the semester of your second course, submit the official application for admission to the program.

Below are our initial eligibility requirements and an overview of our unique admissions process to help get you started. Be sure to visit Degree Program Admissions for full details.

Initial Eligibility View More

  • Prior to enrolling in any degree-applicable courses, you must possess a 4-year regionally accredited US bachelor’s degree or its foreign equivalent. Foreign bachelor’s degrees must be evaluated for equivalency.
  • You cannot already have or be in the process of earning a master’s degree in creative writing or a related field. Check your eligibility .
  • If English is your second language, you’ll need to prove English proficiency before registering for a course. We have multiple proficiency options .

Earn Your Way In — Courses Required for Admission View More

To begin the admission process, you simply register — no application required — for the following two, four-credit, graduate-level degree courses (available online).

These prerequisite courses count toward your degree once you’re admitted ; they are not additional courses. They are investments in your studies and help ensure success in the program.

  • Before registering, you’ll need to pass our online test of critical reading and writing skills or earn a B or higher in EXPO 42a Writing in the Humanities.
  • You have two attempts to earn the minimum grade of B in the proseminar (a withdrawal grade counts as an attempt). The proseminar cannot be more than two years old at the time of application.
  • Advanced Fiction Writing

While the two courses don’t need to be taken in a particular order or in the same semester, we recommend that you start with the proseminar. The 2 courses must be completed with a grade of B or higher, without letting your overall Harvard cumulative GPA dip below 3.0.

Applying to the Degree Program View More

During the semester of your second degree course, submit the official application to the program.

Don’t delay! You must prioritize the two degree courses for admission and apply before completing subsequent courses. By doing so, you’ll:

  • Avoid the loss of credit due to expired course work or changes to admission and degree requirements.
  • Ensure your enrollment in critical and timely degree-candidate-only courses.
  • Avoid the delayed application fee.
  • Gain access to exclusive benefits.

Eligible students who submit a complete and timely application will have 10 more courses after admission to earn the degree. Applicants can register for courses in the upcoming semester before they receive their grades and while they await their admission decision.

The Office of Predegree Advising & Admissions makes all final determinations about program eligibility.

Search and Register for Courses

The Division of Continuing Education (DCE) offers degree courses all year round to accelerate degree completion.

  • You can study in fall, January, and spring terms through Harvard Extension School (HES) and during the summer through Harvard Summer School (HSS).
  • You can enroll full or part time. After qualifying for admission, many of our degree candidates study part time, taking 2 courses per semester (fall/spring) and 1 in the January and summer sessions.
  • Most fall and spring courses meet once a week for two hours, while January and summer courses meet more frequently in a condensed format.

To Complete Your Degree

Maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Complete your courses in five years.

Earn your Harvard degree and enjoy Harvard Alumni Association benefits upon graduation.

Required GPA, Withdrawal Grades, and Repeat Courses View More

GPA. You need to earn a B or higher in each of the two degree courses required for admission and a B– or higher in each of the subsequent courses. In addition, your cumulative GPA cannot dip below 3.0.

Withdrawal Grades. You are allowed to receive 2 withdrawal (WD) grades without them affecting your GPA. Any additional WD grades count as zero in your cumulative GPA. Please note that a WD grade from a two-credit course will count as 1 of your 2 allowed WD grades. See Academic Standing .

Repeat Courses. We advise you to review the ALM program’s strict policies about repeating courses . Generally speaking, you may not repeat a course to improve your GPA or to fulfill a degree requirement (if the minimum grade was not initially achieved). Nor can you repeat a course for graduate credit that you’ve previously completed at Harvard Extension School or Harvard Summer School at the undergraduate level.

Courses Expire: Finish Your Coursework in Under Five Years View More

Courses over five years old at the point of admission will not count toward the degree. As stated above, the proseminar cannot be more than two years old at the time of application.

Further, you have five years to complete your degree requirements. The five-year timeline begins at the end of the term in which you complete any two degree-applicable courses, regardless of whether or not you have been admitted to a degree program.

Potential degree candidates must plan accordingly and submit their applications to comply with the five-year course expiration policy or they risk losing degree credit for completed course work. Additionally, admission eligibility will be jeopardized if, at the point of application to the program, the five-year degree completion policy cannot be satisfied (i.e., too many courses to complete in the time remaining).

Graduate with Your Harvard Degree View More

When you have fulfilled all degree requirements, you will earn your Harvard University degree: Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) in Extension Studies, Field: Creative Writing and Literature. Degrees are awarded in November, March, and May, with the annual Harvard Commencement ceremony in May.

Degree Candidate Exclusive Benefits View More

When you become an officially admitted degree candidate, you have access to a rich variety of exclusive benefits to support your academic journey. To learn more, visit degree candidate academic opportunities and privileges .

Harvard Division of Continuing Education

The Division of Continuing Education (DCE) at Harvard University is dedicated to bringing rigorous academics and innovative teaching capabilities to those seeking to improve their lives through education. We make Harvard education accessible to lifelong learners from high school to retirement.

Harvard Division of Continuing Education Logo

The Curriculum Choice

Making homeschool decisions easy

in High School · Language Arts · Writing

A Complete Guide To Creative Writing Curriculum for Homeschool High School

I feel like creative writing is either one of those things kids love or one that they hate. Whichever way your child leans, there is sure to be something to get their creative juices flowing. When it comes to teaching writing, specifically for high school, I have created a collection of your options for creative writing curriculum for high school.

Creative Writing Curriculum for Homeschool High School is a collection of curriculum options and other ways to teach creative writing to high schoolers.

I often feel as though high school writing is solely focused on essay writing, response, and research papers. While all of these are important types of written work, we should not be leaving out creative writing in our homeschool high school studies.

Creative Writing Curriculum Options

High School Creative Writing Curriculum Options

One Year Adventure Novel – a high school fiction writing curriculum through which the kids write an entire novel by the end of the year. It’s entertaining, educational, adventurous and fun!

Cover Story – From the same company as the One Year Adventure Novel. While it is listed as a middle school curriculum it is great for your struggling or reluctant high schoolers.

Bardsy Homeschool – an online program with multiple digital helps for writing

Byline Video Writing Program – turns students into time-traveling reporters who practice journalism in the forgotten corners of history. 

No Plot! No Problem – is a low-stress, high velocity guide to writing a novel in 30 days.

Writing Workshop for Multiple Ages – Sometimes in our homeschool we just need to focus on a certain subject. In this case, writing. See how multiple curriculum options are used to infuse writing into your homeschool.

Other Ways to Teach Creative Writing

There are more ways to teach creative writing for homeschool high school than with a full curriculum. Here are some writing prompt and project ideas to get you started.

Other Ways to Teach Creative Writing

Writing About Nature: A Creative Writing Book for Your Homeschool – The Writing About Nature book will help a wide range of writers who find their passion for nature moves them to document in words the creatures, plants, rhythms and cycles experienced in the great outdoors.

Fairy Tale Retelling – is a great Creative Writing assessment. For this project, students choose a fairy tale. Then, they rewrite the story from the perspective of the villain.

Author Study – In this project, students choose one author to study in-depth. Then, they attempt to replicate that author’s style in an original work.

55 Creative Writing Activities and Exercises – Activities that teach creative writing serve as drills to exercise your student’s writing muscle. When used effectively, they help reluctant writers get past that intimidating blank paper and encourage the words to flow. 

Engaging Homeschool Literature Activities Your Kids Will Love – With these engaging homeschool literature activities, you can create a homeschool learning environment that celebrates the wonder of the written word and the magic of storytelling. Literature can come to life by infusing your homeschool studies with imagination, hands-on activities, and student-led learning. 

37 Creative Writing Prompts for High School – Prompts for poetry, fiction (long and short), and even non-fiction.

The Ultimate Guide to Nature Journaling: Tips for Writing About Nature – A creative writing idea from the Outdoor Nature Challenge

More Writing Options for High School

  • Homeschool Writing Curriculum Round Up – a collection of all the writing curriculum reviews here at The Curriculum Choice
  • Essay Rockstar – Writing courses for grades 7-12 in The Expository Essay, The Textual Analysis Essay, The Persuasive Essay, The Personal Statement
  • Using Writing & Rhetoric for Homeschool Writing –  a 12-book series that will teach students to write and speak persuasively

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Heidi Ciravola is mom to three kids who were all homeschooled. Two have graduated college and one is finishing homeschooling high school. She spends much of her time navigating the high school waters (from electives to college prep) and reviewing homeschool curriculum for all ages. You can find her writing about these things as well as her love of books and homeschool life in general over at Starts At Eight .

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Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, the high school english classes you should take.

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Coursework/GPA

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It's no secret that colleges want you to take English class each year of high school. But what exactly are you supposed to be learning? What options do you have to exceed expectations and show off your stuff? And what if you're such a book-loving reader that in the dictionary under "bibliophile" there's a picture of you—how can you really max out your high school English experience?

Read on to learn about the common core, honors and AP classes, and going beyond what the standard curriculum offers!

What Do Colleges Expect?

You'll be hard-pressed to find a college that doesn't expect you to have taken 4 years of English or Language Arts classes. Likewise, the vast majority of high schools require 4 years of English in order for you to graduate. These 4 years are cumulative, meaning each year builds on what you learned before, and now each year is most likely based on the common core standards.

So, colleges assume that when you start freshman year, you've been learning all of this:

9th Grade is the setup year

  • you practice basic essay-writing skills
  • you study different literary genres
  • you analyze narrative voice, characters, and plot

10th Grade is the building year

  • you practice the outlining, drafting, and revising process
  • you focus on themes and literary devices like imagery and voice

11th Grade focuses on American literature

  • your writing gets more complex, as you do your own research and use outside sources
  • you now start reading not just for content but also for historical context, period, setting, and point of view
  • this is a good year to take American history as well

12th Grade looks out at the world

  • you read British literature and sometimes world literature, depending on your high school
  • you put all your skills together, analyzing complex literature and nonfiction
  • you produce research papers, presentations, and maybe even multimedia projects
  • this may be a good year to also take European or world history

Common Core Reading Standards

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Want to know the type of books colleges assume you will have read by the time you get in? Here are some examples of what the common core standards want you to be reading in high school, broken down by year:

If you want a very long breakdown of what the common core recommends you study, check out their year-by-year guide .

How Can I Exceed Expectations?

Honors classes.

These will most likely be similar to the standard classes your school offers, but the works you read will be more challenging and the assignments more complex and demanding. In other words, you'll do more work and put in more effort, but you'll be better prepared for college-level writing!

Pro tip: in your school, honors classes may be a prerequisite for AP classes.

AP English Classes

There are two AP English options:

  • if your school offers both AP English classes, this is the one you'll take Junior year
  • this class and exam are all about how writers do what they do: how they use rhetoric , genre, style, and how they play with audience expectations
  • if your school offers both AP English classes, this is the one you'll take senior year
  • this class and exam have to do with critical analysis, close reading, literary structure, themes, as well as imagery

IB Diploma Classes

There are three IB literature options:

  • this course focuses on the analysis of literary texts
  • this class takes the analysis further by looking at both literary and non literary genres, and by considering how the context of writing or reading something affects its meaning
  • this class is all about the relationship between literature and theater, focusing on close reading, critical writing and the aesthetic and symbolic elements of performance

Both Language A classes are offered in a variety of languages, and Literature and Performance can be taken in French or Spanish by special request, so these may be great options for non-native speakers or bilingual students .

Some IB diploma classes can be taken online, but the closest you'll come to English online is the Film SL class, which is all about the history, formal elements, technical production, and of course critical analysis of film.

What If I'm an English Class Junkie? Is There More?

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Please, sir, may I have some more... English class? In this bowl, for some reason?

Check Out Your School's Electives

This is the time to think just a little bit outside the box! For example, classes in creative writing offer a great window into later being able to see how someone else did it. Electives in the humanities can often offer what is basically a modified literature class. And there are many other subjects that focus on reading, analyzing, and writing about texts—subjects like philosophy, theater studies, world religions, psychology, or anthropology.

Design Your Own Course

Your school is your resource, so don't be afraid to get creative. Consider asking a teacher to help you set up an independent project or independent study to explore your interests!

For example, in my senior year, on top of my coursework, with the help of my favorite English teacher I designed an independent study of reading and writing poetry. It was incredibly rewarding!

Take High School Classes Online

For instance, Stanford University has an online high school which features 7 English courses and lets you enroll to take as many of them as you want.

Brown University also offers a set of online pre-college courses . They have 4 related classes on nonfiction, travel writing, formal college writing, and a humanities seminar on evolutionary thought.

Take Summer Classes on College Campuses

You can check out our guide to the Summer Institute for the Gifted or all the info we have collected about Stanford's two summer programs .

Take Some Online College-Level Classes

Are you super confident in your abilities or interested in something specific you can't find anywhere else? Maybe the best thing for you to do is prove yourself on a whole another level! Just think, doing well on a college-level course will look great on your transcript, and you might even get college credit for it!

What's Next?

Need to improve your acquaintance with key literary terms? Use our articles on personification , imagery , rhetorical devices , point of view , literary elements , assonance , and iambic pentameter to aid you in your quest.

Still wrestling over whether AP or IB is better? Check out our guide to deciding between them .

Curious how your writing skills will apply to the SAT? Read about how to improve your SAT writing score , or better yet, how to get a perfect 800 and how to get a 12 on the SAT essay .

And don't forget to read about the ACT Writing test and SAT essay .

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Anna scored in the 99th percentile on her SATs in high school, and went on to major in English at Princeton and to get her doctorate in English Literature at Columbia. She is passionate about improving student access to higher education.

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Creative writing portfolio requirements for summer programs (high school students).

Please submit up to five PDF files for Interlochen Art Camp's creative writing summer programs.

PDF #1:  A one-page, double-spaced personal essay that addresses these two points:

  • How the practice of reading and writing enriches your life.
  • How your time at Interlochen will help you attain your goals for creative writing.

PDFs #2-5:  Assemble a portfolio that includes at least two of the following genres:

  • Poetry—four to five poems, preferably non-rhyming, that offer a variety of forms, styles, and subject matter.
  • Fiction—two short stories, only one of which may be so-called "genre" writing (science fiction, fantasy, etc.).
  • Playwriting—two dialogue-driven scenes or plays.
  • Nonfiction—two personal or outward-looking essays. Please do not send academic essays, like book analyses for English class.
  • Experimental or Unclassifiable work—one or more pieces that don't play by the rules and which perhaps include visual or sonic components.

All portfolio materials should be typed and proofread, double-spaced, with a standard 12-point font. Single-spacing is preferred but not required for poetry. Portfolios must not exceed 25 pages.

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Howard W. Blake High School

A Hillsborough County Public School

  • Creative Writing

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Program Description The Creative Writing program encourages and develops the unique voice and talent of the student interested in writing. Students will explore opportunities and careers in the areas of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction and public speaking.

Click Here for the Creative Writing Brochure

Mutunhu

Nyasha Mutunhu, Director, Creative Writing

Contact:  [email protected]

Audition Requirements Once you have applied, you will receive an email with specific step-by-step instructions for how to submit your audition! 

The audition is an opportunity for students to share their best work and provide insight into their motivation for writing. We welcome your interest in the award-winning writing program at H.W. Blake and are excited to hear from you. Below are the audition requirements:

Students will prepare the following:

1. Three writing samples that reflect work you are proud of.

2. You will participate in a job interview requiring you to answer questions such as:

  • Your grade and current school
  • How long your've been writing
  • What and why you like to write (poetry, fiction etc.)
  • Why you want to study at Blake High School
  • Anything else you'd like us to know
  • Questions or Feedback? |
  • Web Community Manager Privacy Policy (Updated) |

Creative Writing

Young writers learn the value of craft and sound writing techniques from experienced, published authors..

Developed by professional writers, the Creative Writing program is intensive and highly challenging to ensure talent development and productivity. During their two years in the Creative Writing program, students create short stories, poems, personal essays, and movie scripts.

The program attracts talented young writers in South Carolina by offering a creative, supportive atmosphere and a course of study supervised by practicing, published writers. 

Creative Nonfiction  |  Fiction  |  Poetry  |  Screenwriting  

Creative Writing students spend their time in small, collaborative sessions where they are constantly reading, writing, editing, and critiquing works under the guidance of practicing writers/mentors. Several times during the school year, students have the opportunity to meet with nationally-known, visiting writers.

Creative writers give two public readings a year and submit their work to a variety of state, regional and national competitions for additional critique, publication, and awards.

Guest artists in the Creative Writing department have included an Oscar winner, a Tony winner, a National Book Award winner, a Pulitzer Prize winner, and U.S. Poet Laureates. 

Student Achievements

  • 13 students have received $10,000 Portfolio Awards in the national Scholastic Writing Competition.
  • 9 writers have been named U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts, an annual honor bestowed on only 20 high school seniors nationally.
  • In the past decade, 32 Governor’s School writers were recognized as YoungArts National Finalists.
  • Governor’s School students have received prestigious scholarships including YoungArts Lin Arison Excellence in Writing Award and the Thomas Wolfe Scholarship from UNC.
Dear Young Artist: A Letter from a Govie Creative Writer

Award-Winning Student Works

  • "Six Feet Under Silence," by Camryn Hambrick, American Voices Medal, Scholastic Art and Writing Awards (2020)
  • "For XYZ Institution" , by Tyler Kellog, Gold Medal Portfolio Award, Scholastic Art and Writing Awards (2021)
  • "A Daydream for Sofia, " by Cristina Sanchez, Silver Medal, Scholastic Art and Writing Awards (2021)  

Apply for Creative Writing 

Questions about the Creative Writing program? Email: [email protected] Call: 864.546.0197

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High School Creative Writing Workshop

In this section.

CBU's creative writing program is hosting FREE virtual creative writing workshops on October 17, 2023 and March 28, 2024. The workshop is open to all high school students, but registration space is limited.

The virtual creative writing workshop is a set of online sessions and workshops where you can hone your craft, get tips on writing, learn about editing, and meet other creative writers. This is also a great time to work on a piece you might like to submit to our creative writing contest (but that's not required).

October 17, 2023 and March 28, 2024.

All high school students may attend.

Sessions will run live from 5 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.

Any high school student (2023-2024) is welcome to join us. Nothing else is required except that you have tech capability to join us via Zoom.

Registration is limited, so you'll want to sign up as soon as possible. Click the registration button here to sign up:

Contact the Department of Modern Languages and Literature

Chair: Dr. Erika Travis Administrative Secretary: Sean Langevin Email: [email protected] Phone: (951) 343-4590

8432 Magnolia Avenue Riverside, CA 92504

Hiptoro

Martin Freeman and Jenna Ortega Lead Miller's Girl! Starz Release Date, Cast, Plot and What to Expect in 2024

I n the landscape of cinematic storytelling, “Miller’s Girl” emerges as a black comedy that defies the norms, marking the directorial debut of Jade Halley Bartlett. With an ensemble cast led by Martin Freeman and Jenna Ortega, the film delves into the intricate dynamics of a student-teacher relationship set against the backdrop of a high school creative writing course.

As the streaming release date rumors swirl, fans and cinephiles alike are eager to mark their calendars for when they can immerse themselves in this compelling narrative from the comfort of their homes.

A Streaming Debut on the Horizon

After captivating audiences at the Palm Springs Film Festival in January 2024 and a subsequent theatrical release in the United States, “Miller’s Girl” is poised to make its digital entrance. With Lionsgate holding the distribution rights and Starz operating under its umbrella, the film is anticipated to stream on Starz in mid-to-late 2024, adhering to the Pay-One Window strategy. This estimated timeline offers viewers a beacon of hope as they await the chance to explore Bartlett’s unique vision.

Starz: The Gateway to “Miller’s Girl”

As the in-house network for Lionsgate, Starz is set to be the first platform to host “Miller’s Girl,” leveraging its Pay-One rights to Lionsgate’s theatrical releases. This arrangement ensures that Starz subscribers will have exclusive early access to the film, with plans to later extend its availability to Peacock through a Pay-Two Window deal. With subscription options designed to suit different viewer preferences, Starz positions itself as a premier destination for the film’s streaming debut.

The Creative Odyssey Unveiled

“Miller’s Girl” presents a narrative rich with complexity and nuance, chronicling the journey of Cairo Sweet, a talented young writer, and her teacher, Jonathan Miller. As Sweet embarks on a creative odyssey for a class project, the lines between fiction and reality blur, weaving a web that entangles both student and teacher. The film’s official synopsis promises a story that explores the depths of creativity, ambition, and the intricate relationships that shape us.

A Stellar Ensemble Cast

The casting of “Miller’s Girl” brings together a diverse group of talent, including Martin Freeman in the role of Jonathan Miller and Jenna Ortega as Cairo Sweet. Supported by Gideon Adlon, Bashir Salahuddin , Dagmara Domińczyk, and Christine Adams, the film boasts performances that are poised to captivate and engage audiences. Each character’s journey within the narrative promises to contribute to the film’s darkly comic and introspective exploration of human connections.

As “Miller’s Girl” prepares for its streaming release on Starz, anticipation continues to build among fans eager to dive into Jade Halley Bartlett’s cinematic world. The film’s exploration of complex relationships, creative endeavors, and the challenges of coming of age offers a fresh perspective on the black comedy genre.

With its debut on Starz, “Miller’s Girl” is set to become a significant addition to the digital cinematic landscape, inviting viewers on a journey that promises to be as thought-provoking as it is entertaining.

In the landscape of cinematic storytelling, “Miller’s Girl” emerges as a black comedy that defies the norms, marking the directorial debut of Jade Halley Bartlett. With an ensemble cast led by Martin Freeman and Jenna Ortega, the film delves into the intricate dynamics of a student-teacher relationship set against the backdrop of a high school creative writing course. As the streaming release date rumors swirl, fans and cinephiles alike are eager to mark their calendars for when they can immerse themselves in this compelling narrative from the comfort of their homes. A Streaming Debut on the Horizon After captivating audiences […]

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  1. How to Teach Creative Writing to High School Students

    is creative writing required in high school

  2. How to Teach Creative Writing to High School Students

    is creative writing required in high school

  3. How to Teach Creative Writing to High School Students

    is creative writing required in high school

  4. How to Teach Creative Writing to High School Students

    is creative writing required in high school

  5. 30 Creative Writing Prompts for High Schoolers • JournalBuddies.com

    is creative writing required in high school

  6. 150+ Fun Creative writing prompts for high school

    is creative writing required in high school

COMMENTS

  1. How to Teach Creative Writing to High School Students

    Teach Creative Writing to High School Students Step #1: Decide on Your Standards or Goals Your school or district may have a mandated syllabus or curriculum. Mine did not. Whether you're given student goals or have to create them, you must have an overall vision for what your Creative Writing class will accomplish.

  2. What's the Standard High School Curriculum You Should Take?

    Possible electives include British literature, creative writing, and world literature. Colleges will expect all high school graduates to have completed four years of English. To Exceed Expectations: Take honors or AP classes when possible.

  3. Unveiling the Craft: What Is Creative Writing in High School?

    Creative writing in high school goes beyond the simple act of writing; it is a craft that requires practice, experimentation, and a willingness to take risks. So, what exactly does creative writing entail in the high school setting? Here are some key elements:

  4. Creative Writing Unit for High School Students

    Creative Writing Unit for High School Students Lauralee 0 My creative writing unit for high school students allows for adaptations and for fun! With plenty of creative writing activities, you'll have flexibility. If you are looking for a creative writing unit, I have ideas for you.

  5. A Comprehensive High School Writing Curriculum Guide

    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.

  6. Academic Insights: Revisiting Creative Writing in High School

    The Importance of Creative Writing in High School Education. Creative writing is an invaluable component of high school education, fostering a wide range of skills that extend far beyond the realm of literature. By encouraging students to explore their imaginations, express their thoughts and emotions, and develop their own unique voice ...

  7. Our 2020-21 Writing Curriculum for Middle and High School

    Our 2020-21 Writing Curriculum for Middle and High School A flexible, seven-unit program based on the real-world writing found in newspapers, from editorials and reviews to personal...

  8. Creative Writing Opportunities for High School Students

    Creative writing is an extracurricular that is closely tied with your academic coursework in English and Language Arts and in fact is probably a partial requirement of at least some of your English classes. Pursuing it further exemplifies your commitment to the craft and gives you some insight into writing as a possible career path.

  9. High School Students Interested in Creative Writing: How to Build Your

    High school students interested in creative writing can also take advantage of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) which is a writing challenge that takes place in November of every year. Submit your work to journals: College admissions officers will want to see evidence of your writing skills. No better way to do so than to provide links ...

  10. Teach Creative Writing In High School With 10 Fun Activities

    Teach Creative Writing In High School With 10 Fun Activities February 11, 2022 by Sananda Bhattacharya Creative writing is a meaningful aspect of literature that mandates you to utilize your expertise, ingenuity, and story to depict a critical message, emotion, or plot.

  11. High School Writing Requirements: An Authoritative Guide

    For non-college bound teens, writing is a life skill that will be needed for lots of practical needs. Because writing matters, it is an important part of every English/Language Arts credit (as you know, homeschooling high schoolers need four ELA credits for graduation ). The components of an English/Language Arts credit include:

  12. 20 Writing and Literature Programs for High School Students

    Eligibility: High school students with little or no experience writing literary nonfiction or poetry. Columbia University's Creative Writing program is a premier writing and literature program for high school students, renowned for its rigorous approach and prestigious setting in New York City.

  13. Creative Writing and Literature Degree Requirements

    The Master of Liberal Arts, Creative Writing and Literature degree field is offered online with one 3-week course required on campus at Harvard University. Getting Started Explore Degree Requirements Review the course curriculum. Learn about the on-campus experience. Determine your initial admissions eligibility.

  14. A Complete Guide To Creative Writing Curriculum for Homeschool High School

    Creative Writing Curriculum Options. One Year Adventure Novel - a high school fiction writing curriculum through which the kids write an entire novel by the end of the year. It's entertaining, educational, adventurous and fun! Cover Story - From the same company as the One Year Adventure Novel. While it is listed as a middle school ...

  15. PDF Proclamation 2020 Breakout

    Creative Writing (One-Half to One Credit) The study of creative writing allows high school students to earn one-half to one credit while developing versatility as a writer. Creative Writing, a rigorous composition course, asks high school students to demonstrate their skill in such forms of writing as fictional writing, short stories, poetry ...

  16. The High School English Classes You Should Take

    you practice basic essay-writing skills you study different literary genres you analyze narrative voice, characters, and plot 10th Grade is the building year you practice the outlining, drafting, and revising process you focus on themes and literary devices like imagery and voice 11th Grade focuses on American literature

  17. High Creative Writing

    High School Courses Creative Writing Back to Catalog Print Course Details Description Whether you are new to creative writing or you have authored your own fabulous piece (or pieces), this course is designed to help you unlock your creativity as well as give you the tools to develop your storytelling abilities.

  18. Creative Writing Portfolio Requirements for Summer Programs (High

    Please submit up to five PDF files for Interlochen Art Camp's creative writing summer programs. PDF #1: A one-page, double-spaced personal essay that addresses these two points: How the practice of reading and writing enriches your life. How your time at Interlochen will help you attain your goals for creative writing.

  19. 15 Creative Writing Competitions for High School Students

    Contest Date: Early April 2024. Application Deadline: February 29, 2024. Eligibility: Open to students aged 5 to 19 enrolled in kindergarten through 12th grade. One of the widely-known creative writing competitions for high school students is the River of Words Poetry and Art Contest.

  20. Creative Writing

    In order to complete the application process, your student must attend an audition. Please email a portfolio of varied samples of your writing (preferably pieces you wrote outside of school - including poetry, fiction, nonfiction, screenplays, etc.) to Ms. Sisson at [email protected]. Put "Creative Writing Magnet Audition ...

  21. School of the Arts / Creative Writing

    Nyasha Mutunhu, Director, Creative Writing. Contact: [email protected] . Audition Requirements Once you have applied, you will receive an email with specific step-by-step instructions for how to submit your audition! The audition is an opportunity for students to share their best work and provide insight into their motivation for writing.

  22. Creative Writing

    Developed by professional writers, the Creative Writing program is intensive and highly challenging to ensure talent development and productivity. During their two years in the Creative Writing program, students create short stories, poems, personal essays, and movie scripts. The program attracts talented young writers in South Carolina by ...

  23. High School Creative Writing Workshop

    In This Section. High School Creative Writing Contest. High School Creative Writing Workshop. CBU's creative writing program is hosting FREE virtual creative writing workshops on October 17, 2023 and March 28, 2024. The workshop is open to all high school students, but registration space is limited. Register.

  24. What records are exempted from FERPA?

    What records are exempted from FERPA? Records which are kept in the sole possession of the maker of the records, are used only as a personal memory aid, and are not accessible or revealed to any other person except a temporary substitute for the maker of the records. Records of the law enforcement unit of an educational agency or institution.

  25. Starz: The Gateway to "Miller's Girl"

    The Creative Odyssey Unveiled "Miller's Girl" presents a narrative rich with complexity and nuance, chronicling the journey of Cairo Sweet, a talented young writer, and her teacher, Jonathan ...