Words in Play - Writing Workshops, Tutoring, Editing, Copywriting - Youth Writing Workshops

Youth Workshops

I named my workshops "Words in Play" because I believe writing is and should be a fun process. I use a workshop approach because writing is not a solitary act, it is best done in collaboration! Of course, at some point the writer has to sit and write, but that is just part of the process. If a writer is inspired, the words will flow easily. Inspiration is key; inspiration feeds the imagination. And inspiration is all around us; we just need to recognize it.

Writing Creatively - Getting Jumpstarted

This class will focus on the process of writing for the beginner writer. Students will learn how to translate what they see, touch and feel into images on a page. They will be exposed to various forms of creative writing including poetry and prose. They will learn that writing is a skill that can be improved; they will build confidence in their writing abilities. The workshop format includes mini lessons on writing techniques, exercises to stimulate creativity and generate ideas, discussions on editing and peer critiques of student work. Includes lessons on the feedback process. Students will produce pieces for review and begin to build a portfolio of work.

Offered to home school groups during the school year, and as a one-week workshop during the summer. Call for a current schedule.

Creative Writing

To create means having the power to bring into being; creativity is characterized by originality and expressiveness. This creative writing workshop will awaken the students' powers of observation, imagination, and language; introduce them to valuable craft basics; and take them on a tour through the forms of fiction, personal stories, and poetry. Each class is designed to help students discover and develop their unique voices. These classes are fun and pressure-free, but students will develop thinking and writing skills that will prove valuable in high school, college and beyond.

Offered to home school groups during the school year, and as a one-week workshop during the summer. Call for a current schedule.

Essay Writing

What is an essay and why do people write them? This workshop delves into the secret life of essays. Students will learn how to craft a persuasive essay on topics of their choice within a structured framework. The workshop format includes mini lectures on formal writing techniques, exercises to stimulate creativity and generate ideas, sessions on the process of writing and revision, peer critiques of student work and publication of their work.

Poetry

Henry David Thoreau said that "poetry comes from the part of your vision that is in the corner of your eye." This class explores what he means by that. The workshop format includes poetry writing and reading, group discussion and creativity exercises and field trips. Bring an open mind.

"Deb's workshop made writing fluid and fun for my daughter who was previously intimidated to the point of not being able to get a word on the page. Her story about herself evolved from "I can't write", to "what should I write" to "look what I wrote!"

- Katherine Armstrong
Parent of Middle School Student