The National Writers Series is offering Summer Writing Workshops for students of all ages.
Register now! Each workshop has a maximum participation of 15 students.
HIGH SCHOOL WORKSHOPS
Developing Voice for Any Occasion
Grades 9-12 | August 12-16, 9-11am
Front Street Writers Studio, 123 W. Front Street
Creativity is contagious, so we will work together to hone unique writing voices in a variety of situations. In this exploration of voice, we will imitate the masters and generate a plethora of our own writing in order to find patterns, experiment, share, learn and celebrate our successes.
Instructor: Kelly Rintala
Crafting the Story: Fresh Forms
Grade 8-12, Advanced Writing | August 12-16, 11:30am-3:30pm
Front Street Writers Studio, 123 W. Front StreetWhen was the last time you got excited about a writing assignment in school? The last time you wrote in your own voice? The last time you did the kind of writing you like to do? How can you write for school in a way that doesn’t make you want to fall asleep? This workshop is about figuring out how to do all those things. Express your voice, your ideas, your thoughts, your personality. Doesn’t matter if it’s a lab report, a research paper or an analysis of a novel. There’s no reason that your school writing should be dead – bring it to life again!
Instructor: Leigh Gallagher
MIDDLE SCHOOL WORKSHOPS
I Write, Now What?!
7th & 8th grade | July 22-26, 1:30-3:30pm
Front Street Writers Studio, 123 W. Front Street
Do you love to write but don’t quite know where to start? Once you’ve written something, what do you do then? Is it a story? Could it be a poem? How do you turn it into something that you will keep forever, or perhaps share? Join us this week as we explore new techniques in writing.
Instructor: Margaret Goeman
This I Believe
7th & 8th grade | August 5-9, 1:30-3:30pm
Front Street Writers Studio, 123 W. Front StreetWhat do you believe? Can you name those ideas and moments that have shaped you? Can you explain their importance to others? Can you make them feel what you feel? That will be your writing challenge this week as you explore what influences you most and write about it! Create a non-fiction script that will inspire a digital story telling experience. No previous technology skills are necessary, but if you have a computer and/or a camera, bring it Tuesday!
Instructor: Kerrey Woughter
Terrifying Tales
6th, 7th & 8th grade | August 12 – 16, 1:30-3:30pm
Meet on the lawn at the Grand Traverse Commons/Building 50 in front of Cuppa JoeWhispering winds scatter leaves over the Traverse City State Hospital grounds. On an eerie night, spirits rise from their sleeping places. Even in the daylight a glimpse of a figure in a long abandoned window sends a chill down your spine. Explore the hospital grounds and immerse yourself in the history and lore of the former asylum to create your own terrifying tale. Wear your walking shoes and bring a notebook and pencil.
Instructors: Abigail Woughter and Kerrey Woughter
Mighty Flavor*
5th & 6th grade | July 22-26, 11:15am-1:15pm
Front Street Writers Studio, 123 W. Front StreetBuild upon your writing palette while tantalizing your palate! You’ll be tasting treats while enhancing your writing skills during this 5 day workshop. Activities will include hands on experiences to strengthen sensory details. Each day we will sample goodies from local restaurants or shops and craft critiques. Working together, we will polish and publish our favorites. Who ever said kids only want hot dogs and cheese pizza? *This session is not appropriate for writers with food allergies. Instructor: Nicole Caldwell
Spinners and Sleuths
5th & 6th grade | August 5-9, 11:15 am -1:15 pm
Front Street Writers Studio, 123 W. Front StreetYou’ll be tale spinning and mystery solving during this writing adventure! Explore details and description through games, improvisation, and collaboration to warm up your writing skills. In small groups you will travel to different scenes. As spinners, you’ll weave stories around that scene. As sleuths, you’ll work together to investigate the stories, piecing together samples of writing, in order to find the mystery location.
Instructor: Nicole Caldwell (see bio above). FSW advanced writers will assist class.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WORKSHOPS
Tale Spinning
3rd & 4th grade | July 22-26, 9-11am
Front Street Writers Studio, 123 W. Front Street
Create, expand and become characters from stories told and untold. Through improvisation, interactive games, and on site experiences, you will redefine characters, setting and plot. We will step into our favorite scenes and interact with characters, stretching our imaginations beyond the story told. We will write outside of our favorite stories, to give depth to places and characters that have a story of their own. A collage will showcase the multiple characters through sample writings.
Instructor: Nicole Caldwell, FSW advanced writers will assist class (5 student writers to 1 adult writer)
Dragons, Dinos and Dingos – Oh My!
3rd & 4th grade | August 5-9, 9-11am
Front Street Writers Studio, 123 W. Front Street
Create a creature! Whether the creature is spooky or not is up to you! Of course, every good (or-not-so-good) creature needs a place to belong and a reason to exist. You will not only create a world for your very own creature to exist in, you’ll be the voice to share the tale. We’ll venture into natural surroundings to observe sensory details, in order to draw our audience into an experience they have yet to imagine.
Instructor: Nicole Caldwell. FSW advanced writers will assist class (5 student writers to 1 adult writer)
Castle Creations
3rd, 4th & 5th grade | August 12 – 16, 9-11am
Traverse City Central High School library, 1150 Milliken Drive
Dungeons or dragons? Princesses or knights? Motes or towers? (Hey, why not all?) Create your own castle and chronicle the story of the creatures and community that call your palace home. Look to famous legends of sword play and dragon slaying to inspire your own high adventure.
Instructors: Abigail Woughter. FSW advanced writers will assist class (5 student writers to 1 adult writer).
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTORS
Nicole Caldwell is a certified teacher whose experience in teaching and writing workshops has led her to believe that it is imperative young people stretch the boundaries of conventional thinking through their practice as writers.
Leigh Gallagher is a published working writer and Master of Fine Arts graduate from the University of Michigan, as well as the 2012-13 National Writers Series Writer-in-Residence.
Margaret Goeman is a long-time teacher, tutor, musician, stone worker, gardener and avid dog lover.
Kelly Rinalta has studied with the National Writing Project and teaches English and creative writing. Writing is her passion and the power of a well-told story always amazes her.
Abigail Woughter, twice winner of the National Writers Series scholarship, is currently studying at Cornell University and is the fiction editor at the Cornell Daily Sun online.
Kerrey Woughter is the teacher and director of the Front Street Writers program.