creative writing summer school 2023

Course details

Creative writing summer school.

The intermediate-level strand of the summer school is currently full, with an extensive waiting list, and we are no longer accepting applications.

Immerse yourself in your writing over three intensive weeks spent in Oxford. 

This unique summer school offers opportunities for writers at both intermediate and advanced levels to work under the guidance of experienced tutors.

You will write, develop your technique, sharpen your critical faculties and discuss your work in small, focused seminars. Each weekday you will attend a talk given by an author, publisher, agent, or editor. You will live and work in beautiful Exeter College, the environment that nurtured J R R Tolkien, Philip Pullman, Martin Amis, William Morris, and many others.

At the end of your three weeks, you will have acquired new skills, made new friends, and developed a fresh portfolio of creative writing.

• A three-week residential summer school.
• Take part in interactive seminars featuring writing exercises and group discussion.
• Benefit from guidance by tutors who are both published authors and experienced teachers.
• Attend daily talks given by established authors, agents, editors and others.

Participate in open mic nights and peer-led workshop sessions.

• Study and live at Exeter College, founded 1314 - one of Oxford University's oldest colleges.
• Enjoy a range of social events, including walking tours and excursions.

What is meant by intermediate and advanced?

The intermediate strand of the summer school is open access; it is for keen readers aged 18 and over who have written regularly and read widely over a sustained period. Students on the intermediate programme take two seminars, one in fiction and one in creative non-fiction. Applications for the intermediate strand do not require samples of written work.

The advanced strand of the summer school is an intensive programme which is suitable for writers who have completed or nearly completed a single-honours degree in Creative Writing or English Literature, or who have taken a significant number of courses in creative writing or English literature. Students on the advanced strand are likely to have developed specialisms in their work; they choose two from seven available seminars: creative non-fiction, fiction (two options), middle-grade and teen/young adult fiction, poetry, scriptwriting, and short story. Applications for the advanced strand include a statement of purpose and samples of written work.

Both strands live and work in beautiful Exeter College, socialising, dining and attending plenary lectures together.

All of the seminars involve writing exercises, group discussion, and the development of a portfolio of creative writing.

Each seminar has two two-hour meetings per week. Classes typically contain no more than 15 students.

(See "Programme details", below, for seminar descriptions.)

Contact hours

The programme provides you with a minimum of 46.5 contact hours, comprising:

• 24 hours of seminar meetings (12 hours per seminar); and
• 22.5 hours of talks (15 sessions, each lasting 1.5 hours).

Social programme

You can enjoy optional social events throughout the summer school. These may include a walking tour of Oxford, after-dinner talks and weekend excursions to sites of literary and/or historical interest. Most of these activities incur additional costs.

You will have an opportunity to share ideas and work with your fellow students at open mic nights (one per week) and informal peer-led workshop sessions (two per week).

Beyond the summer school, Oxford is a vibrant and cosmopolitan city with a busy cultural and social scene offering a wide variety of plays and shows, concerts, films and exhibitions.

Programme details

Intermediate-level seminars.

Click here to download the intermediate-level seminar timetable .

Creative Non-Fiction

Writing about real lives and experiences – your own, or someone else’s – is rewarding but also daunting. What if you have too much information, or your story involves other people? How do you fill the gaps? How do you keep the reader reading? What if your core purpose is to write creatively not about a life, but about a specific place or time, journey or sickness, idea or vocation? And when does storytelling tip over into fiction? In this course we will use practical exercises, examples, discussion and the sharing of writing to explore ways of imagining, researching, developing, shaping and voicing real-life material to form a narrative.

Tutor: Dr Emma Darwin’s memoir,  This is Not a Book About Charles Darwin  (Holland House Books, 2019), explores her disastrous attempt to write a novel about her family. Her debut novel,  The Mathematics of Love  (Headline Review, 2006), was nominated for the Commonwealth Writers’ and other awards; her second,  A Secret Alchemy  (Headline Review, 2009), was a  Sunday Times  bestseller;  Get Started in Writing Historical Fiction  (John Murray Learning) was published in 2016. She has a PhD in Creative Writing (London) and was an Associate Lecturer at the Open University; she blogs at  This Itch of Writing .

In this course you will explore who you are as a writer, reflecting on the stories that you see and hear in the stuff of everyday life and thinking about what you, uniquely, can bring to those stories that you choose to tell. We will discover how to depict fictional worlds, characters, relationships, situations and sequences of events so that they seem ‘real’ but at the same time sing on the page and make for compelling reading. To this end, we will be spending our time on writing exercises and discussion - sharing our work, ideas and experiences as and when we are comfortable to do so.

Tutor: Suzannah Dunn has published two collections of short fiction and twelve novels, seven of them historical, one of which,  The Confession of Katherine Howard,  was a Richard and Judy Pick. Her thirteenth novel,  Levitation for Beginners , will be published by Little, Brown in 2024. She has decades of experience as a tutor of creative writing in all kinds of settings with writers of all levels of confidence and skills. For five years she was Director of Manchester University’s MA in Novel Writing, and is now a tutor and mentor at Curtis Brown Creative.

Advanced-level seminar options

Click here to view the advanced-level seminar timetable .

We tell stories about ourselves and others every day. Taking a close look at autobiography, memoir, and biography, we will discuss how these stories are told and the extent to which this influences what we think we know about our own lives and those of others. The course will focus on narrative prose. It will provide an opportunity for students to work on an idea for a life story or an existing project. Students will be encouraged to work on their own writing during the course. We will discuss the challenges we all face as writers and how to address them. There will be opportunities to explore contemporary examples of life-writing that challenge traditional autobiographical and biographical narratives and the boundaries between fiction and non-fiction. We will address questions about form and style that help us to decide what kind of narrative we want to write, whether it be a book, an article, or a short life story.

Tutor: Rebecca Abrams is the author of Touching Distance , which won the MJA Open Book Award for Fiction and was shortlisted for the McKitterick Prize for Literature, The Playful Self ,   Woman in a Man's World , and Licoricia of Winchester: Power and Prejudice in Medieval England .  She is the editor of Out of Exodus , two anthologies of new fiction, and Jewish Treasures of Oxford Libraries , which was long-listed for the 2021 Wingate Literary Prize.  A journalist of many years standing, Rebecca is a regular literary critic for the Financial Times , a former columnist for the Daily Telegraph , and the recipient of an Amnesty International Press Award for Journalism.

Fiction: Turning Ideas Into Narratives

This course is aimed at those who are starting to write prose but do not yet feel fully confident. Using a variety of exercises and some examples from literature, we shall investigate the formation of character, and develop character arcs. Then we shall develop story and plot outlines together, planning scenes. Finally, we shall attempt to identify and discuss your unique strengths and preferences with a view to finding your USP - unique selling point.

Tutor: Dr Rachel Bentham has been Royal Literary Fellow at Bath University, and teaches for both Bristol and Bath Spa Universities. Her plays and short stories have been regularly broadcast on BBC Radio 4, and her poetry is internationally published. She has recently completed a novel set in nineteenth-century Tahiti. A recent collection of haiku was called  Let All Tongues Flower  (Firewater Press, 2013); and her most recent collection, also of haiku, is titled  Other Roads North  (2019) and reached number one on Amazon.

Fiction: Fine-Tuning Your Writing

This course is designed to help you hone your craft as a writer and see your project through to its completion. We shall start by examining your aims and motivation, troubleshooting any problems you are having in maintaining commitment and progress. We shall explore how to give your writing maximum resonance and power, analysing how you can use voice and point of view, give your characters extra depth and weave together story strands, themes and images. Finally, we shall look at sending your work out into the world, with workshopping and advice on editing and pitching.

Tutor: Lorna Fergusson is a writing coach, editor and speaker. She runs Fictionfire Literary Consultancy and has taught on various Oxford University writing programmes since 2002. She is the author of The Chase and An Oxford Vengeance . Her stories have won an Ian St James Award and the Historical Novel Society’s Short Story Award, as well as being shortlisted for the Bridport Prize and Pan Macmillan’s Write Now prize. In both 2021 and 2022 she was runner-up for the Mogford Prize. She is developing one of the Mogford stories into a novel, and is working on poetry, a collection of short stories and a book on mindset for writers.

Middle-Grade and Teen/Young Adult Fiction

The middle grade and teen/young adult fiction markets are exciting, and rewarding, areas of publishing. This course, run by an established novelist, will look at the way successful writers have chosen subjects and themes, explored fantasy and/or social realism, and found exactly the right voice to appeal to younger readers. It will also explore such key topics as planning, plot development and perspective. Students will be guided in the development of a story of their own, and there will be plenty of opportunities to workshop ideas and get feedback on stories as they progress.

Tutor: Julie Hearn is the critically acclaimed author of a number of novels for young adults, all published by Oxford University Press. Included are:  Follow Me Down,  shortlisted for the Branford Boase First Novel Award , The Merrybegot,  shortlisted for the  Guardian  Children’s Fiction Prize and the Highland Children’s Book Award ,  and  Rowan the Strange,  shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal and described by  The Guardian  as “nothing short of extraordinary”. Her eighth novel,  I am NOT adorable,  written for younger children, was published by Jolly Heron in 2018 and a collection of short stories,  The Princess Thing,  is in the pipeline.

Poetry may well be 'a pheasant disappearing in the brush', as Wallace Stevens quipped, but on this course we will carefully and cunningly follow that pheasant into the underwood. In this series of workshops, we will go in deep and examine new and old examples of poetry, to figure out how it can be made. You can write poetry in so many ways these days, and you will experiment with traditional and avant-garde methods of writing poems, learning not only how to write different kinds of metrical lines but also accomplished free verse, among other things. Ben Jonson knew that 'a good poet's made, as well as born', and on this course you will be made into one through continual practice, innovative imitation, and workshop discussion.

Tutor: Dr Edward Clarke teaches English literature and art history at various colleges and the Department for Continuing Education, Oxford University. He is the author of two books of criticism, The Later Affluence of W. B. Yeats and Wallace Stevens and The Vagabond Spirit of Poetry , and he has edited a selection of poems by Henry Vaughan and George Herbert, Divine Themes and Celestial Praise . His collection of poems, A Book of Psalms , was published 2020. ‘Clarke’s Psalter’, the documentary he presented about writing these poems, was broadcast on BBC Radio 4. His latest collection of poems is called Cherubims . A selection of his poems, The Voice inside Our Home , was recently published.

Scriptwriting

This course is based on the study and creation of scripts for stage, screen and radio and on helping aspiring dramatists to develop a practice to engage with a golden age of script writing. Convincing characters in coherent plots, with a keen awareness of genre, is the basis of all good fiction. We shall explore such core elements, culminating in the submission of a short script. In the third week, students can workshop a script begun outside the course. Dramaturgy will be strictly focused to help writers to develop individual writing for performance projects, using processes that are ‘industry standard’.

Tutor: Shaun McCarthy has had over a dozen stage plays professionally produced and a range of radio dramas broadcast. His adaptations include J.M. Synge’s  The Aran Islands  (BBC R4 Classic Serial), a stage version of  A Christmas Carol  that was a critique of David Cameron’s ‘big society’ and had a happy, unexpected ending; and a re-set of Strindberg’s  Miss Julie  to Oxford 1963. He teaches a range of creative writing courses for OUDCE, runs Hooligan Theatre Productions to develop his new plays and co-runs the writing events and residential writers’ retreats company ‘Stage and Page' in the UK and Italy.

The Short Story

This course encourages you to become a braver, more vital writer by experimenting with the short story form. As close to poetry as it is to prose, the short story is ideal for testing uncommon characters and situations, innovative structures and syntax. Unlock voices and creative techniques that will transform your writing practise. In the final week we will focus on intensive self-editing and how to transform a saggy, weak story into a powerful, shapely narrative, through close examination of language, rhythm, energy and pace. Perfecting short fiction is a great way to build your track record through publication in literary journals and entry to awards judged by agents and publishers.

Tutor: Susannah Rickards' collection of short fiction,  Hot Kitchen Snow,  drawn from experiences of growing up in North East England and working in East Africa, won the international Scott Prize in for best debut fiction collection in 2010, and is published by Salt. Her writing regularly appears in journals and anthologies and has been broadcast on BBC radio. She read English at Oxford University and now lives in Surrey, UK, where she writes and mentors new and established authors.

Recommended reading

Each seminar has its own requirements for preparatory reading.

Students will be enrolled as readers at Oxford University's main reference library, the Bodleian. They will also have access to the Continuing Education Library.

Certification

All students who complete the programme will receive an attendance certificate.

Those seeking credit at their home institution may request a detailed certificate which lists contact hours (for seminars and talks), an assessment of their contribution to seminar discussions, grades achieved for written work, and the number of private study hours required. Certificates will usually be sent to students' home institutions within a month of the end of the summer school.

As Oxford University does not offer credit for this summer school, those wishing to obtain credit from their home institution for attending this programme must make appropriate arrangements with that institution in advance.

Residential: Standard (shared bathroom) - £4,380; Residential: En suite (private bathroom facilities) - £4,765; Non-residential (no accommodation; limited meals) - £2,255

Programme fees

Residential: Standard (shared bathroom facilities) - £4,380 Fees include tuition (2 seminars and the daily programme of talks); access to IT facilities and libraries; accommodation in a standard single room with shared bathroom facilities for the nights of Sunday 21 July to Friday 9 August 2024 inclusive; meals in hall from dinner on Sunday 21 July to breakfast on Saturday 10 August 2024 (except lunch on Saturdays and Sundays).

Residential: En suite (private bathroom facilities) - £4,765 Fees include tuition (2 seminars and the daily programme of talks); access to IT facilities and libraries; accommodation in a single en suite room with private shower and toilet for the nights of Sunday 21 July to Friday 9 August 2024 inclusive; meals in hall from dinner on Sunday 21 July to breakfast on Saturday 10 August 2024 (except lunch on Saturdays and Sundays).

Non-residential - £2,255 Fees include tuition (2 seminars and the daily programme of talks); access to IT facilities and libraries; no accommodation; lunch Monday-Friday, and the programme`s formal opening and closing dinners on Sunday 21 July and Friday 9 August 2024, respectively.

There are no sources of funding (scholarships, bursaries, etc) available for applicants.

Invoicing and payment

Successful applicants who accept their offer of a place on the summer school will be invoiced for the appropriate programme fee once they have been formally enrolled on the programme.

Invoices will be emailed to students together with full instructions for payment. Fees may be paid online with a credit or debit card, or by bank transfer.

Students are required to pay the full fee within 30 days of the date on which their invoice was issued. Late applicants (see "Apply for this course", below) are required to pay the full fee within 7 days of their invoice date.

Please note that:

• students need to purchase travel insurance to cover the programme fee, travel costs, and any other expenses incurred (see "Cancellations", below);
• a student's place on the summer school is not confirmed until their fees have been paid in full;
• places will not be held for students whose fees are not paid in full by the due date; and
• in no circumstances will students be admitted to the summer school unless all fees have been paid in full.

When you have paid your fees

Your place on the summer school is confirmed as soon as your payment is received by OUDCE.

You will receive a receipt for your payment: an automated email from [email protected] if paid online, or via email from [email protected] if paid by bank transfer.

The Programme Administrator will provide all non-UK/Irish nationals enrolled on the summer school with a standard format pdf letter by email confirming enrolment and course details (see "Level and demands", below).

Cancellations

Intermediate-level strand

All enrolments are subject to OUDCE's Open Access Terms and Conditions .

You will enter into your contract with the University when you pay the course fees in full.

You have the right to cancel your contract at any time within 14 days, beginning on the day you paid your fees. You will receive a full refund of any payments you have made.

Advanced-level strand

All enrolments are subject to OUDCE's Short Selective Course Terms and Conditions .

By accepting your offer of a place on the summer school you enter into your contract with the University.

You have the right to cancel your contract at any time within 14 days, beginning on the day you accepted the offer. You will receive a full refund of any payments you have made within those 14 days.

Both strands

If you cancel your place at any time after the expiry of the 14-day period you will not be entitled to a refund.

You need to purchase travel insurance to cover the programme fee, travel costs, and any other expenses incurred.

If you wish to cancel your place on the summer school you must inform the Programme Administrator by email at [email protected]

OUDCE reserves the right to alter details of any course should illness or any other emergency prevent a tutor from teaching, and to cancel a course or individual seminar if exceptionally low enrolment would make it educationally unviable.

Course aims

Each seminar has its own course aim and objectives.

Teaching methods

Students will attend a programme of talks and readings.

Elements of seminar teaching will normally include:

• mini lectures by tutors;
• tutor-led class discussions;
• writing exercises;
• small group activities; and
• individual student presentations.

Students will attend short (10-minute) one-to-ones with their tutors to receive feedback on their written work.

Learning outcomes

Each seminar has its own learning outcomes.

Assessment methods

Tutors will monitor and assess students’ contribution to class discussions.

Students are expected to submit an assignment of 2,500 words in length for assessment for each seminar taken.

Application

Before you submit your application.

• ensure you meet the admissions requirements (see "Selection criteria", below);
• check the seminar timetable  carefully to ensure that your first and second choice courses do not run at the same time (advanced-level applicants only);
• make sure you have all the required supporting documents listed below;
• ensure you are familiar with the terms and conditions of enrolment on the summer school, especially those relating to payment of fees and cancellations (see "Payment", above); and
• read the 'Important information regarding immigration and visa requirements' (see "Level and demands", below).

The application process - intermediate strand

Complete the application form (intermediate) .

Please ensure all sections are completed fully, clearly, and in BLOCK CAPITALS.

The form must be accompanied by:

In the case of non-native speakers of English, official evidence of English language proficiency.

A portrait photograph (JPEG format).

Applications should be emailed to: [email protected]

Application deadline

Applications for the intermediate strand will be processed on a first come, first served or rolling basis until 1 May 2024.

Subject to the availability of places, late applications may be accepted until 1 June 2024.

After you have submitted your application

Applicants will normally be offered a place by email from [email protected] within 14 days of their application having been received.

Applicants who are offered a place on the summer school must respond in writing within 14 days to accept or decline the offer. In accepting an offer of a place applicants are committing to paying their programme fees in full by the due date.

Late applicants will normally be offered a place within 7 days of their application having been received, and will then have 7 days in which to accept or decline the offer.

The application process - advanced strand

Complete the application form (advanced) .

The form must be accompanied by the following documents as PDF files unless otherwise indicated:

• A brief statement of purpose (250-300 words) detailing your academic reasons for wishing to attend the summer school. This should include what you feel the programme would offer you and your writing, and what you feel you could bring to the summer school. This may include details of creative writing courses you have previously taken, or the relevance of the summer school to your present course of study or professional development. It is essential that you clearly state your reasons for wishing to enrol on specific seminars.
• Please provide samples of your work relevant to your first and second choice courses and ensure that the name of the seminar is printed at the top of each sample. As a guideline prose fiction, creative non-fiction and dramatic dialogue samples should be no more than 1,000 words in length (please provide an extract of a longer piece of work if appropriate); applicants for the poetry seminar should provide five short poems.

You will receive an email from [email protected] confirming receipt of your application materials, and informing you when your application will be reviewed by the admissions panel.

Application deadlines

The advanced strand of the summer school operates a gathered field closing date system by which applications are reviewed fairly and equally in batches at specific dates throughout the admissions period rather than on a first come, first served or rolling basis.

There is a limited number of places available on every seminar within each gathered field, and in assigning successful applicants to seminar groups the admissions panel will pay particular attention to applicants' personal statements.

There are three deadlines for applications to the advanced strand of the programme:

• Gathered field 1 - 1 March 2024
• Gathered field 2 - 1 April 2024
• Gathered field 3 – 1 May 2024

Subject to the availability of places, late applications may be considered on a first come, first served basis until 1 June 2024.

Notification of the admission panel's decision

Applicants will normally be notified of the panel's decision by email from [email protected] within 14 days of the relevant gathered field deadline.

Late applicants will be notified within 7 days of their materials having been received, and successful applicants will then have 7 days in which to accept or decline the offer of a place.

Enrolment - both strands

Students will be formally enrolled on the summer school once they have accepted their offer of a place.

The enrolment process includes the issuing of invoices, which will be emailed to students together with full instructions for payment (see "Payment", above).

Any queries?

Please contact the Programme Administrator by email at [email protected]

Level and demands

Participants are expected to.

• undertake preparatory reading in advance of the programme;
• attend all seminar sessions and talks and readings;
• be actively engaged with their seminar topics;
• submit an assignment of 2,500 words in length for each seminar taken; and
• undertake approximately 96 hours of private study during the programme (elements of private study will include: reading, writing and other preparation between seminar meetings, work in the library, writing papers, etc).

Important information regarding immigration and visa requirements

OUDCE welcomes international students on all its courses. However, it is the responsibility of successful applicants to ensure that they conform to UK immigration law.

If you are not a UK or Irish national, you might need to apply for a Standard Visitor visa to study in the UK. We strongly recommend that you establish whether you will require a visa before submitting your application.

Information regarding visiting the UK to study is available on the UK Government’s website  as well as Oxford University’s Student Immigration website .

If you will require a visa, you should ensure your summer school application is submitted as early as possible to allow yourself sufficient time to complete the visa application process (see current visa processing times ).

The Programme Administrator will provide all non-UK/Irish nationals enrolled on the summer school with a standard format pdf letter by email confirming enrolment and course details once their fees have been paid in full.

For legal reasons the Programme Administrator is not permitted to provide any visa advice to applicants; any queries should be addressed to [email protected] .

The University takes no responsibility for a visa being denied at any point before or during a course.

Please note that the standard cancellation policy applies in all cases. (See "Cancellations", above.

Support for students with disabilities

OUDCE welcomes applications from students with disabilities or learning difficulties. Individual student needs are taken into account, and adaptations and assistance provided within the resources available. We ask that students advise us in advance where any special provision might be needed. Further information is available at www.conted.ox.ac.uk/about/students-with-disabilities .

Selection criteria

This is an intensive programme of study taught to an informed international audience. Applicants should be confident that they are academically and linguistically prepared for such a programme.

Academic requirements for the intermediate strand

We welcome applications from all aspiring writers aged 18 and over.

You should be a keen reader who brings an open-minded, questioning approach to both reading and writing; you should also have written regularly and read widely over a sustained period.

Academic requirements for the advanced strand

Applications are welcomed from those who have completed or nearly completed a single honours university degree programme in creative writing or English literature, or a combined honours university degree programme in creative writing and English literature.

If your degree is in a different, but related, subject, the admissions panel will look for evidence that you have taken a significant number of courses in creative writing or English literature, namely the equivalent of two years’ worth of credits.

The summer school is not appropriate for those who have already achieved commercial publication.

English language requirements

As students are expected to participate fully in seminar discussions and are required to produce written work, it is important that applicants can demonstrate an appropriate level of proficiency in the four language skills - listening, reading, writing and speaking.

If English is not your first language, you must provide evidence of your proficiency in the form of an original certificate or a certified copy that is not more than two years old on the date the summer school starts. You must satisfy one of the following requirements:

IELTS Academic - minimum overall score of 7.5, with not less than 7.0 in each of the four components

TOEFL iBT - minimum overall score of 110, with not less than 22 for listening, 24 for reading, 25 for speaking and 24 for writing

C1 Advanced (formerly known as Cambridge English: Advanced or CAE) - minimum overall score of 191, with not less 185 in each of the four components.

For further information on English language qualifications:

Click here for IELTS

Click here for TOEFL

• Click here for Cambridge English

The requirement to provide English language test scores may be waived in either of the following circumstances:

• If you have completed a full-time degree-level programme at a recognised institution where teaching and assessment throughout the course was undertaken entirely in English, and the programme was completed with a gap of no more than two academic years to the course to which you are applying. If you studied this course in a country that is not majority English speaking, you will need to provide evidence that the course was taught in English. This can either take the form of a link to the appropriate page of the institution’s website or a statement from the institution confirming this.
• If you have worked for a minimum of two years in a majority English speaking country where the main language for the role was English, and your role involved daily professional use of each of the four language components (reading, writing, listening and speaking).

Accommodation

Founded in 1314, Exeter College is one of Oxford University`s oldest colleges and is situated in a prime city centre location.

Bedrooms and meals

Students who choose to attend the summer school on a residential basis will have a single study bedroom.

Bedrooms are located up the four to nine floors of a staircase; bath and/or shower and toilet facilities on each staircase are shared. A limited number of rooms have private bathroom facilities (shower and toilet) and these are available for a higher fee. Early application for these rooms is essential.

Students cannot be accommodated at Exeter College either prior to or beyond their programme dates. Family members and/or friends who are not enrolled on this summer school cannot be accommodated in college.

Residential students will take meals in the college's dining hall. All meals are self-service with a range of options available. The only exceptions are the summer school's opening and closing dinners, which are formal served set menu meals. Should applicants have any dietary requirements (eg vegetarian, gluten-free) they are required to complete the relevant section on the application form.

Please be aware that accommodation at Exeter College is limited and may not be available for those who submit their applications towards the end of the admissions period.

Non-residential students

Students who choose to attend the summer school on a non-residential basis are responsible for finding their own accommodation. Information on accommodation in Oxford is available at:

• Conference Oxford
• Experience Oxfordshire
• University Rooms Oxford

Lunch is provided for non-residential students Monday-Friday, and the summer school's opening and closing dinners are also included in the non-residential programme fee.

IT requirements

Although it is not required, most students bring a laptop to Oxford to assist them with their studies.

For residential students, wireless internet access is available in all bedrooms; for all students, wireless access is available in communal spaces of the college.

All students will be eligible to use the computers and printer in Exeter College's computer room.

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

21 Summer Writing Programs for High School Students in 2024

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

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

1. Princeton Summer Journalism Program 

Dates: Classes begin mid July, residential portion is July 26 – August 5

Location: Online and in Princeton, NJ

Application deadline: February 15

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

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

Dates: August 3 – 9

Location: Austin, Texas

Application deadline: March 1

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

3. Iowa Young Writers’ Studio 2 Week Residential Program

• Session 1: June 16 – 29
• Session 2: July 14 – 27

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

Application deadline: February 4

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

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

4. Sarah Lawerence Writers’ Week 

• Virtual: July 15 – 19
• In-person: August 5 – 9

Location: Virtual or Bronxville NY

Application deadline: TBD. Registration opens in February

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

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

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

Dates: July 6 – August 2

Location: Sacramento, CA

Application deadline: February 29

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

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

6. Juniper Young Writers Online Writing Lab 

• One-week program: July 29 – August 2
• Two-week program: July 29 – August 9

Location: Amherst, MA

Application deadline: March 7

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

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

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

Dates: June 17 – July 19

Location: Los Angeles, CA

Application deadline: March 22

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

8. Reynolds Young Writers Workshop 

Dates: June 22 – 29

Location: Granville, OH

Cost: $1,500

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

9. Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication

Dates: June 23 – 28

Location: Phoenix, AZ

Application deadline: April 1

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

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

Dates: July 24 – August 4

Location: Pittsburgh, PA

Application deadline: March 10

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

11. 92Y Unterberg Poetry Center Young Writers Workshop

Dates: July 8 – 25

Location: New York, NY

Application deadline: May 28

Cost: $2,600

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

12. Shared Worlds

Dates: July 14 – 27

Location: Spartanburg, SC

Application deadline: Rolling

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

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

Dates: July 7 – 27

Location: Great Barrington, MA

Cost: $3,500

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

14. Kenyon Review Summer Residential Young Writers Workshops

• Session 1: June 23 – July 6

Location: Gambier, OH

Cost: $2,575

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

15. Kenyon Review Summer Online Young Writers Workshop

Dates: June 16 – 21

Location: Online

Application deadline: April 15

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

16. BYU Young Authors Academy

Dates: July 8 – 13

Location: Provo, UT

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

17. Fir Acres Writing Workshop

Dates: June 23 – July 6

Location: Portland, OR

Application deadline: March 8

Cost: $3,700

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

18. LMU’s Beginning Screenwriting Program 

Application deadline: March 15

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

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

19. Carnegie Mellon Pre-College Writing and Culture Program 

Dates: June 22 – July 20

Cost: $6,800- $8,995

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

20. Boston University Summer Journalism Academy

• On Campus: June 24 – July 12
• Virtual Session 1: June 17 – 28
• Virtual Session 2: July 1 – 12
• Virtual Session 3: July 15 – 26

Application deadline: April 19 for in person; May 10 for remote

Location: Virtual or Boston, MA

Cost: $1500 to $6200

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

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

• Term 1: June 9 – 21
• Term 2: June 23 – July 5
• Term 3: July 7 – 19
• Term 4: July 21 – August 2

Location: New York City

Cost: $5,935 to $7,220

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

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

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

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

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

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

Extracurriculars

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

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

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

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

Let’s get started! 

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

What Are Summer Writing Programs for High School Students? 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

12 Summer Writing Programs for High School Students

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

#1: The School of New York Times Summer Academy

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

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

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

#2: Boston University Summer Journalism Academy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

#4: Yale Daily News Summer Journalism Program

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

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

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

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

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

#5: Howard University Multimedia Academy 

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

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

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

#6: The Multicultural Journalism Program (MJW)  

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

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

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

#7: Carnegie-Mellon University Writing and Culture Program

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

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

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

#8: Iowa Young Writers’ Studio Residential Program

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

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

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

It turns out that Virginia is for writers.

#9: UVA Young Writers Workshop

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

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

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

#10: Smith College Creative Writing Workshop

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

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

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

#11: Sarah Lawrence Writer’s Week

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Quiz: Is a Summer Writing Program Right for You?

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

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

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

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

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

3 Tips To Impress Colleges With Your Summer Writing Program

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

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

Tip 1: Work It Into Your College Essays

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

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

Tip 2: Connect It to Your Major

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

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

Tip 3: Ask a Program Instructor for a Recommendation

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

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

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

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

What’s Next? 

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

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

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

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

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Summer 2024 & Fall 2024 applications are now open.

Columbia writing academy: summer.

July 15–25, 2024 Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays | 7:00 p.m.–8:15 p.m. ET

Columbia Writing Academy: Writing the College Admissions Essay 

As many colleges place less emphasis on standardized test scores, the admissions essay has taken a larger role in the application process. The Columbia Writing Academy is a two-week online course created and designed by Dr. Nancy Sommers to help students develop their own personal voice and style, and use those skills to craft a unique and impressive college admissions essay. 

Students will explore each stage in the essay-writing process—brainstorming, drafting, revising—and will receive in-depth feedback from the teaching team throughout the process. Due to the importance of small-group workshops and 1:1 tutorials, this course is intended for students highly motivated to perfect their personal statement.

This course gave me the space, constructive feedback, and tools I needed to start, and learn how to write a powerful admissions essay." – Chanel M.

Course Dates

July 15-25, 2024  

Online    Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays     7:00 p.m.–8:15 p.m.

Format and Expected Workload

The Columbia Writing Academy will be a lively, stimulating two-week online course that requires six to eight hours of work each week, including reading, writing, 1:1 tutorials, and participating in three weekly Zoom workshops. Tutorials and workshops will be led by Seminar Leaders following Dr. Sommers' course design and syllabus. Sessions will be held on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, 7:00 p.m.–8:15 p.m. ET.

Student Experience and College Preparation

By the end of the two-week course, students will have written an essay that personalizes their college application, captivates readers, and shows colleges why they should accept them. Students are also encouraged to join the following online co-curricular activities, workshops, and events to further prepare themselves for the college application process: 

• Finding the Right College for You
• Putting Your Best Foot Forward on a College Application
• Insider Tips for the Common App

Registration Details

The Columbia Writing Academy is offered as a course within the 2-Week Online Summer program; be sure to select this program when applying. Due to the importance of focused time with individual students, the admissions committee looks for exceptional students eager to contribute original ideas and a spirit of intellectual curiosity to a community of enthusiastic learners.

Program Costs

Program costs are subject to Board of Trustee approval and may change. The costs below are for Summer 2023. Summer 2024 costs will be available in Spring 2024.  

Program Cost: $3,960 per session (single course registration) 

The amount above includes the fee for the program itself along with activity, health services, and technology fees. The Columbia Writing Academy is offered as a course within the 2-Week Online Summer program. Please visit the Academic Enrichment Cost and Fees page for cost details; costs align with the costs listed under "Online Summer (2-Weeks)" program. 

The non-refundable $1,000 deposit, due upon notification of acceptance to the program, is credited toward this cost. Not included are the application fee ($80). Students are advised to budget at least $50 toward course materials, such as textbooks and supplies.

View Cost Details

Pondering the application process? Curious about commuting? Just wondering what to wear? Visit our Frequently Asked Questions to find Many Helpful Answers.

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If you would like to be part of the Columbia Writing Academy, be sure to select the course when applying for the Online Summer Program.

Creative Writing Academy

• How to Apply

Most High School Academies are full. For availability, visit each program’s Schedule page.

Summer College housing is nearing or at capacity.

For more questions, email [email protected].

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

Estimated Tuition:

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

How You'll Benefit

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

Program Format & Subject Areas

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Want to learn more?

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

All fields are required.

• Summer 2024

* indicates required field

Explore summer courses and register.

Offered in collaboration with the School of the Arts, the Writing Department at Columbia University offers summer workshops and craft seminars in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry designed by acclaimed writers and editors. Hone your craft in courses that cater to a wide variety of writing styles, from comedy writing to travel writing, children's books, YA, art writing, and everything in between. Students can apply to take individual courses listed below as a Visiting Student or as a part of the Arts in Summer program .

For questions about specific courses, contact the department.

FICTION WORKSHOP WRIT1001S001 3 pts

The Fiction Writing Workshop is designed for students who have little or no experience writing imaginative prose. Students are introduced to a range of craft concerns through exercises and discussions, and eventually produce their own writing for the critical analysis of the class. Outside readings supplement and inform the exercises and longer written projects. Enrollment limited to 15.

Course Number

Summer 2024, times/location, section/call number, fiction workshop writ1001s002 3 pts, nonfiction writing workshop writ1101s001 3 pts.

The Nonfiction Writing Workshop is designed for students new to the practice of such genres as reportage, criticism, biography and memoir. Various techniques are explored through exercises and other assignments. Critique of student work is supplemented by outside readings.

NONFICTION WRITING WORKSHOP WRIT1101S002 3 pts

Poetry writing workshop writ1201s001 3 pts.

The Poetry Writing Workshop is designed for all students with a serious interest in poetry writing, from those who lack significant workshop experience or training in the craft of poetry to seasoned workshop participants looking for new challenges and perspectives on their work. Students will be assigned writing exercises emphasizing such aspects of verse composition as the poetic line, the image, rhyme and other sound devices, verse forms, repetition, collage, and others. Students will also read an variety of exemplary work in verse, submit brief critical analyses of poems, and critique each others original work.

POETRY WRITING WORKSHOP WRIT1201S002 3 pts

Writing about art writ3215w001 3 pts.

Prerequisites: No prerequisites. Department approval NOT required. 

This course will introduce students to writing about visual art. We will take our models from art history and contemporary art discourse, and students will be prompted to write with and about current art exhibitions and events throughout the city. The modes of art writing we will encounter include: the practice of ekphrasis (poems which describe or derive their inspiration from a work of art); writers such as John Ashbery, Gary Indiana, Eileen Myles, and others who for periods of their life held positions as art critics while composing poetry and works of fiction; writers such as Etel Adnan, Susan Howe, and Renee Gladman who have produced literature and works of art in equal measure. We will also look at artists who have written essays and poetry throughout their careers such as Robert Smithson, Glenn Ligon, Gregg Bordowitz, Moyra Davey, and Hannah Black, and consider both the visual qualities of writing and the ways that visual artists have used writing in their work. Lastly, we will consider what it means to write through a “milieu” of visual artists, such as those associated with the New York School and Moscow Conceptualism. Throughout the course students will produce original works and complete a final writing project that enriches, complicates, and departs from their own interests and preoccupations.

WRITING CHILDREN'S BOOKS WRIT4313S001 3 pts

Travel writing writ4320s001 3 pts, writing the young adult novel writ4323s001 3 pts.

The Young Adult (YA) publishing boom has changed the way we read—and write—coming-of-age stories. This course will introduce students to the elements that shape YA novels, and explore the fiction writing techniques needed for long projects, including narrative arcs, character construction, worldbuilding, and scene work. We’ll study work from a wide range of YA genres and authors, including Angie Thomas, Elana K. Arnold, Leigh Bardugo, Jason Reynolds, A.S. King, Elizabeth Acevedo, and more.

Students will begin to write and outline their own YA novel, and a variety of in-class writing exercises will support the development of each project. All students will workshop their own writing and respond to the work of others. By the end of class, students will have a portfolio of materials to draw from, and a richer understanding of the YA landscape and its possibilities.

HOW TO WRITE FUNNY WRIT4810S001 3 pts

Emory College of Arts and Sciences Creative Writing Program

Home » The Creative Writing Program » Summer School

Summer School

The summer 2023 sections of introduction to poetry writing and introduction to fiction writing are not permission courses. an application is  not  required.   summer registration opens february 7, 2023., first session: may 12 - june 21, 2023, engcw 271w-1 introduction to poetry writing, online tu/th 9:45-11:15am, nick sturm.

Contemporary Lineages  

This class is an opportunity to generate new creative work in a collaborative, critical setting. In order to develop the relationship between creative reading practices and creative writing practices, we will read and discuss books by a number of 20th and 21st century poets whose work will guide our discussion of poetic techniques and aesthetic practices. We will study these poets in order to study our own interests, intentions, and practices as writers. In particular, we will explore and critique the concept of “other lineages,” of the various micro-traditions and aesthetic affiliations that exist between poets. Students should expect to devote themselves to a practice of reading and writing and be prepared for mature discussions of complex material. We will write new poems in correspondence with the material we read, recite poems, engage with poets’ archival materials in Emory’s Rose Library, create a poetics statement, and produce chapbooks of our own poetry.

The Sonnets , Ted Berrigan (Penguin Books, 2000)

ISBN 9780140589276

The Past , Wendy Xu (Wesleyan University Press, 2021)

ISBN 9780819580467

Before Whiteness , D.S. Marriott (City Lights Publishers, 2022)

ISBN 9780872868847

Provided as PDFs : selections from the work of Amiri Baraka, Alice Notley, James Schuyler, and others

Second Session: June 26 - August 2, 2023

Engcw 272w-1 introduction to fiction writing, online tu/th 1:15-2:45pm, andrew plattner.

Course Description & Learning Objectives

For Intro to Fiction Writing, students will be asked to read short stories by writers such as James Baldwin, Grace Paley, Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, Anton Chekhov and Ernest Hemingway, as well as the seminal book on fiction-writing,  The Art of Fiction  by John Gardner. Our additional textbook will be  Flash Fiction International .

There are short writing assignments tied to these readings. Each student in the class will be asked to write two short original works of fiction as well as a handful of flash fiction stories.

All student stories will be treated in a workshop setting. The workshop is designed to both acknowledge the positive attributes of a story as well as identify areas of a story that might be improved. A traditional-length short story written for this class should run from 5-12 pages (typed, double-spaced), though said story might also be a little shorter or a little longer. No novel excerpts, please.

Hopefully, by the end of the term, students will wind up with a meaningful understanding of the art of short story writing.

Texts/eBooks

* The Art of Fiction,  by John Gardner (ISBN: 978-0679734031)

* Flash Fiction International,  edited by James Thomas, Robert Shapard and Christopher Merrill (ISBN: 978-0393346077)

*Additional reading assignments will be posted on Canvas.

Emory College Summer School Website

For information on registration, tuition and fees, and housing.

Course Information

First session, engcw 271w-1 introduction to poetry writing  (4 credits).

Course Description:

Assessment:

Second Session  

Engcw 272w-1 introduction to fiction writing (4 credits).

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The Summer Creative Writing Institute offers students opportunities to write and share poetry and fiction under the guidance of a highly accomplished faculty member. At the same time, students will enjoy Paris life and culture while becoming steeped in some of its great literary legacy.

Throughout its history, Paris has inspired writers from France and around the world, often providing a refuge from the intolerance, censorship, or the parochialism of their home countries. Paris is, and always has been, a place of literary salons and lively gatherings of artists and writers in cafés. Amid social and political upheaval, revolutionary approaches to literary form and subject matter have emerged more often from Paris than from any other metropolis, reflecting life in the throes of a modernizing world. The towering figures of French literature such as Hugo, Zola, Balzac, Baudelaire, and Apollinaire all took Paris as their subject, and the preeminence of the written word and the artistic spirit of Paris attracted foreign writers including Stein, Joyce, Hemingway, Beckett, Miller, Baldwin, Rhys, and Wright, to name a few.

Visiting students enrolled in the Summer Creative Writing Institute select a single writing workshop in Poetry, Fiction, or Creative Nonfiction. The three creative writing workshops are designed to help students to read their own work objectively, develop a critical vocabulary, and work deeply on issues of craft. Workshops meet three and a half hours per day, four days a week, allowing three-day weekends for writing, travel, and tourism. 

One evening per week, students will attend readings and question-and-answer sessions with inspiring authors. The event evenings also unite the full group of creative writing students to enjoy informal discussion and refreshments. The combination of workshops and evening events make up four transferable academic credits for those who are coming from other universities. For AUP students, these courses can be applied to the B.A. in Creative Writing or the Creative Writing minor. Lower fees are available to auditors.

During the day, students benefit from the University’s library, common spaces, student café and, of course, the richness of the surrounding 7th arrondissement. Bordered by the Seine to the north, the Eiffel Tower to the west, and Les Invalides to the east, the  septième  is among the most enchanting and elegant of Paris neighborhoods, offering a rich array of restaurants, cafés, stores, and public spaces that, in the height of summer, show Paris at its best.

A large variety of AUP’s own cultural excursions  provides students with organized opportunities to experience Paris and France. Students wishing to travel independently will find a wealth of advice available through the Cultural Programs Office .

Creative Writing Institute 2024 Travel Stipend Competition

• A sample of your creative writing: for fiction and nonfiction writers please include between 5 and 10 pages of your work, and for poets, between 3 and 5 poems      
• A paragraph explaining how this three-week intensive course in Paris might help you develop as a writer

All students who wish to be considered for the travel stipends must submit their applications by April 15, 2024 . Winners will be announced in early May.

Travel stipends must be used for legitimate travel expenses that students incur in reaching Paris and will be disbursed only after students have completed their travel. Travel stipend recipients  must retain and furnish  all original receipts, boarding passes, train tickets, etc for their stipend to be processed.

COURSES STARTING IN JULY

Click on the course you would like to take, to view the individual dates and times under the header "schedule."  Pick from any of the courses below. Your choice is not limited to one category. 

3-week classes:

• The Poetic Experience
• Fiction Writing Workshop
• Creative Nonfiction: Crafting Personal Narratives

Past AUP Summer School Readers and Guest Speakers:

Samantha Chang, Cyrus Cassells, Siân Melangell Dafydd (faculty), Stuart Dischell, Stacey D’Erasmo (faculty), Heather Hartley, Ellen Hinsey, Michael Hudson, Diane Johnson, Jake Lamar, Debora Landau, Megan O’Rourke, Nahid Raclin, Lisa Robertson, Darcey Steinke (faculty/co-founder), Daren Strauss, Ryan Van Winkle and Cecila Woloch.   

• Mentions Légales

Creative Writing

College of arts & sciences, introduction to creative writing.

Primarily a creative writing workshop, in which students write and revise their own short fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry, and read their peers' work with generosity, providing constructive feedback. Students also learn to read closely the work of literary masters past and present. Effective Fall 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Aesthetic Exploration. 4 cr. Tuition: $3180

Summer 2 (July 2-August 8)

Reading and Writing Literary Nonfiction

Prereq: First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., CAS EN 120 or CAS WR 100 or CAS WR 120) and two previous literature courses or junior or senior standing. This reading and writing seminar explores literary nonfiction, a wide-ranging, sometimes controversial genre in which writers use techniques associated with fiction and poetry to make meaning of lives. How do writers describe their world, especially peoples, places, and things? What are different ways of using personal voice? Each weekly meeting includes discussion of published nonfiction along with writing short exercises, and workshopping writing. The learning goals of this course are to become better readers and more skillful practitioners of the craft of literary nonfiction. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Creativity/Innovation. 4 cr. Tuition: $3180

Summer 1 (May 22-June 26)

Interdisciplinary Studies in Creative Writing: Writer as Illustrator

A workshop-based class, for the artist interested in creative writing, the creative writer interested in art and the history of comics, or any student interested in interdisciplinary studies in humanities. Explores the overlaps between the disciplines of creative writing and illustration, as well as the surprises and difficulties that arise when combining the two. Students write and revise their own creative works, as well as receive feedback from their classmates and professor in the workshop environment. Readings include literary works, comics, and historical articles. 4 cr. Tuition: $3180

Summer 1 (May 21-June 27)

• Program Overview
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CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP

This workshop is designed for those with little or no experience in creative writing but eager to give it a try! During our four weeks together, we’ll fully immerse ourselves in the art and craft of creative writing, working collaboratively and doing activities designed to ignite our imaginations. Each week will offer the opportunity to experiment with four genres: the personal essay (also known as the “college application essay”), creative nonfiction, flash fiction, and the short story, respectively. In the process, we’ll learn about the literary techniques of accomplished writers, learn to “read like a writer” and “write like a reader,” and even take a field trip or two to find our inspiration in the city of Los Angeles. You’ll also receive constructive feedback from peers and your instructors to help you to discover your own writing voice. Let’s write!

PROGRAM DATES June 16 – July 13, 2024

PREREQUISITES None

RECOMMENDED International students who are non-native English speakers need meet the program’s English Requirement

DAILY SCHEDULE & ACTIVITIES MONDAY – FRIDAY 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Classes in session 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Lunch 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Classes in session

COURSE OVERVIEW

• Produce a portfolio of your own work, including a polished personal essay suitable for college applications
• Meet other writers and share your work in a collaborative workshop environment
• Learn the benefits of revision and see the evolution of your writing
• Take creativity-inspiring field trips to artistic venues in L.A.
• Gain skills and craft approaches you can carry into your future writing life

Topic of Study

• Personal essay
• Creative nonfiction
• Flash fiction
• Short story
• Literary techniques of accomplished authors

HEAR FROM OUR FORMER STUDENTS

English Literature and Creative Writing

Join the english literature and creative writing summer school at oxford summer courses.

At Oxford Summer Courses, we nurture inquisitive young minds to explore the captivating realms of English Literature and Creative Writing. Our bespoke learning experiences, tailored for ages 13-15, foster independent thought within a vibrant and inclusive community setting, hosted at the prestigious Oxford and Cambridge University colleges. Apply now to study English Literature and Creative Writing and embark on a transformative summer school journey with Oxford Summer Courses.

Choose your English Literature and Creative Writing summer school

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# Summer # Maximum class size of 8

Teaching methodology (ages 13-15).

Learning in small groups, typically comprising no more than 8 students (often fewer), ensures that each participant receives ample personalised attention from their tutor. Our interactive teaching approach involves guiding students through new concepts, providing practice tasks to bolster their understanding and skills. Moreover, students engage in group work, independent research, and homework assignments, fostering collaborative learning and critical thinking. In our small classes, every voice is heard, encouraging vibrant debates and enriching peer-to-peer learning experiences.

What's Included (Ages 13-15)

• All teaching, including small group seminars (8 students or less) and workshops.
• Accommodation and all meals.
• All evening meals including those at local restaurants.
• A Friday evening three-course formal hall.
• A graduation ceremony.
• All programmed visits and excursions.
• Airport transfers.
• Access to Oxford Summer Courses Foundations.
• Travel and medical insurance included.
• Welcome pack: Including an Oxford Summer Courses backpack, notebook, and water bottle.

Reasons to Study English Literature and Creative Writing

Enrolling in the English Literature and Creative Writing Comprehensive teaching sessions with in-class sizes limited to 15 students or fewer. Students can explore the rich traditions of literature while honing their creative writing skills. Through engaging with diverse literary works and experimenting with various writing techniques, participants develop critical thinking, creativity, and effective communication skills. This interdisciplinary journey not only fosters a deeper appreciation for literature but also nurtures the creative talents of young writers, preparing them for future academic and professional pursuits.

Apply Now to Oxford Summer Courses

• Ready to embark on an unforgettable summer of learning and growth? Apply now and join us at Oxford Summer Courses.
• Limited spaces available - don't delay!
• Did you know that you can extend your stay with Oxford Summer Courses when you apply?
• Did you know that we offer flexible payment options ?

Bree, Canada

"the creative writing course helped me properly analyse famous writers’ works in order to fully understand them while letting me create my own short stories and poems.".

Liberty, United Kingdom

"as i was studying english literature this was especially exciting to me, learning about authors that studied here was an experience i have never had before.".

Valentina, Italy

"i attended the english literature course and have fully adored every single moment. my teacher has been such an inspiration to me, he has helped me expand my horizons and explore complex ideas and feelings through the use of words.", limited places available, don't miss out limited places are available at our renowned summer school. secure your place today and dive into an unforgettable learning experience at oxford summer courses. apply now before it's too late..

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Iowa Young Writers' Studio

Creative writing programming for high school students

2-week Summer Residential Program and 6-week Online Courses

2-Week Summer Residential Program

At the Summer Residential Program, you will choose a single core course—Poetry, Fiction, Creative Writing, Playwriting, or TV writing—as your focus for the two weeks of the program.

6-week Online Courses

We offer asynchronous 6-week online creative writing courses for high school students every winter and summer.   You can study creative writing with us your own schedule, from anywhere in the world!

Teachers and Counselors

Teachers and counselors at the Iowa Young Writers’ Studio are chosen, with rare exceptions, from among the students and graduates of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop at the University of Iowa.

Experience the Iowa Young Writers' Studio

Watch this short video for an inside look at the Iowa Young Writers’ Studio experience.

IYWS Alum Joe Fassler To Publish Debut Novel, THE SKY WAS OURS

IYWS counselor and teacher Melissa Mogollon to publish debut novel, "Oye."

Crafting Engaging Narratives with Suzette Sheft: A Free Summer Online Workshop For Jr. High Students!

IYWS ’19 Student Alora Young Publishes Memoir in Verse

IYWS ’22 Student Publishes YA Book About Her Grandmother’s Holocaust Experience

IYWS ’11 Student Alina Grabowski To Publish Debut Novel

NOTICE: The University of Iowa Center for Advancement is an operational name for the State University of Iowa Foundation, an independent, Iowa nonprofit corporation organized as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, publicly supported charitable entity working to advance the University of Iowa. Please review its full disclosure statement.

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Creative Writing Summer School

Alumni globally

Participants would recommend Immerse

Explore Creative Writing in an Immersive Summer School

• Unleash and expand your creative expression with Immerse Education's Creative Writing Summer Programme. Meticulously designed to provide you with an immersive exploration of narrative techniques, character development, and the art of storytelling. Through engaging writing workshops, peer critiques, and insightful discussions, you will nurture critical thinking and storytelling skills vital for success in creative writing.
• Guided by experienced writers and academics, the programme encourages collaborative writing projects, literary analyses, and workshops that deepen your understanding of writing concepts and challenges. Personalized guidance and constructive feedback empower you to unlock your learning potential and flourish in the captivating realm of creative writing.

Where Do We Offer Creative Writing?

Find a programme in one of our prestigious locations or online.

• Academic Pathways

Creative Writing in Cambridge (13-15)

Creative writing in oxford (13-15), creative writing in sydney (13-15), creative writing in cambridge (16-18), creative writing in oxford (16-18), creative writing in sydney (16-18), creative writing online, what to expect in a creative writing programme.

What is the course about? Immerse™ Creative Writing programmes offer participants an immersive journey into the art of storytelling, covering diverse genres and techniques. It covers a wide range of topics, from narrative structure to character development and creative expression.

Learn analytical and problem-solving skills

Gain real-world and practical experience, develop academic and critical skills, knowledge in theory application, meet some of our qualified tutors.

An example of the tutors who have previously taught on our programmes.

Jessica is an English Literature tutor at Lucy Cavendish College in the University of Cambridge - where she completed her PhD.

What Do Our Alumni Say About Immerse?

Hear from some previous participants who took part in an Immerse programme

Current undergraduate of the Imperial College London

• Academic Insights Sydney

Why Immerse?

Immerse Education offers a lot more than your average summer school provider. Our programmes ignite a lifelong educational journey, nurturing growth with ongoing educational support, while equipping you with essential skill sets for every step of your education pathways.

We cater to all types of learners, offering academic and career programmes with flexible learning options, and offer our award-winning programmes in locations across the globe.

We have the highest educational standards and seek to realise the highest possible outcomes for our participants.

Enrolling in an Immerse Education programme will award you:

• Superior and future-forward curriculum
• Exceptional tutors with deep academic and industry experience
• Dedication to personalised learning and real outcomes
• Career opportunities through our alumni network events
• Access to exclusive Immerse programme discounts

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What is Creative Writing?

It’s a form of artistic writing that uses imagery, drama, and narrative to express ideas. Genres in Creative Writing include fiction, poetry, and screenplays. As opposed to more technical forms of writing you see in research papers or news articles. Why is it important to study creative writing?

It’s important to study creative writing because it enhances your communication skills. When you find the right words to say, your message becomes impactful. This skill is especially crucial in business. Why? Because the core of creative writing is empathy. When you write poems or stories, it’s about putting yourself in other people’s shoes. What’s going on in their minds? What are they feeling? Empathy is also centre-stage in business. After all, isn’t entrepreneurship all about solving people’s problems? How can you help people if you don’t understand what they’re going through? And when you understand them, how can you communicate what you do? Creative Writing helps you express what your brand stands for. And how your products solve problems. Even in non-profit organisations, Creative Writing comes in handy. Because you need support. And the only way to gain that is by sharing your stories and advocacies through words. So whatever profession or business you enter, the communication skills you develop with Creative Writing are valuable assets.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 9% employment growth for writers and authors from 2020 to 2030. Opening up about 15,400 job openings per year. In the UK, 6 of the Top 10 careers for those who took English as their Major are the following: teaching professionals; marketing professionals; public relations professionals; authors, writers, and translators; human resources and industrial relations officers; and newspaper and periodical journalists and reporters.

Immerse Education offers both online and residential summer courses for Creative Writing. The residential courses are available in the UK in Cambridge and Oxford. Also, outside of the UK in Sydney.

No previous skills, experience, or education is required to enrol in the Creative Writing course. However, a keen interest in the subject can be beneficial. Your expert creative writing tutor will provide you with preparatory materials before the commencement of your summer school. This ensures that all participants begin the programme on an equal footing in terms of knowledge.

For 13-15 yr. olds: Blank Page

What’s the most challenging part of the writing process? Starting. Even for experienced writers, staring at a blank page and coming up empty is often daunting. What do you do? In this module, you’ll learn warm-up exercises and quick-fire short assignments. Plus, you’ll discover how to gain inspiration from the work of other writers. These techniques will help you overcome the fear of the blank page. Character Creation

The best characters come alive beyond the page. So it’s no surprise that creating such memorable characters is a massive challenge even for the best authors. But don’t worry, because you’ll discover character creation techniques in this class, such as creating CVs, family tress, and relationship networks. These will help you identify potential sources of conflict in your characters’ lives. Plot Mapping

The plot is what happens in a story. In Plot Mapping, you’ll understand the importance of crafting ‘tension points’ and ‘turning points.’ And the creative possibilities of ‘plot twists.” Without these, the plot degrades into a simple sequence of events with no central question that drives your characters forward. Written Portfolio

By this point, you will have completed a short written piece. What better way to conclude the programme than to present it to the class? You’ll also have the opportunity to receive constructive feedback from your tutor and peers. For 16-18 yr. olds: An Introduction To Creative Writing

What are the conventional assumptions of writing in the 21st Century? Let’s challenge that in this introductory module. Here you’ll discuss your expectations of the programme. What do you hope to achieve at the end of it? And you’ll also have the opportunity to discuss the writing methods and routines you prefer. The best part? You’ll learn how to overcome your fear of a blank page. Then, with the right techniques, you can start writing in a breeze! The Importance of Character

Do you believe that great characters drive the best stories? Think Sherlock Holmes and Jay Gatsby. In this session, you’ll dive deep into the clichés and tropes of a range of comedic and conflicted characters. Plus, you’ll investigate how characters can shift the tone and plot. Learning The Industry: The Basics

Great, you now have a finished manuscript. What’s next? Do you know that even the best authors experience setbacks from not knowing how the publishing industry works? You’ll learn about the various publishing options in this module, from competitions, magazines and traditional publishing, to e-books, self-publication and film writing. Written Portfolio

As you go through the programme, you’ll be writing a portfolio of creative writing or a novella. You’ll have the opportunity to complete your work in this final module. The most important part? Your tutor will give you personal written and verbal feedback to help you become the best writer you can be.

The Creative Writing courses are ideally suited for driven individuals who aspire to pursue English-related subjects at university. Engaging in this course will provide you with a competitive advantage over your peers.

Those eager to benefit from the expertise of world-class tutors from the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford will find this course particularly rewarding!

Related Subjects

• English Literature
• Creative Writing & Film
• Female Future Leaders
• Film Studies
• International Relations
• Marketing & Entertainment

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Yale Young Writers' Workshop

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About the Yale Young Writers' Workshop 

Virtual high school program: july 7 - 12, 2024.

Yale is excited to offer a one-week online summer writing workshop for 16 - 18 year old rising high school juniors, and seniors. We’re seeking bookish wordsmiths interested in adding to their writerly toolbox! Writers will generate and share their work in an intimate, non-competitive, online community.

Writers choose from one of three genres: fiction, nonfiction, or poetry. We have capped the workshops at twelve writers per genre to ensure all voices are heard. Participants attend talks on the craft of writing, open mics, faculty and visiting author readings, student readings, and learn about careers in writing.

Each day starts with a craft talk from a visiting writer followed by a small group workshop for three hours in the afternoon. The craft talks expose writers to genres outside of their own. The workshop is a safe creative space to experiment, play, and develop storytelling skills. Students will generate new material and then read it back to the group for feedback with an eye for revision.

Participants will read one assigned book from a visiting writer prior to the start of the workshop. This will create a shared literature and allow students to investigate writing techniques from published work, and then have the opportunity to ask the author about their creative process.

Our faculty are gifted teachers and published writers. They will meet writers where they are and teach them skills to help them write their next story, essay, or poem. Our faculty may be the closest readers you’ve ever had. They will challenge writers to produce their best work.

Before You Begin the Program:

• Your instructor will assign a short exercise for you to complete before the first workshop.
• You’ll be assigned one book to read by a visiting writer. The writer will present and then visit with your genre group. Book assignments below.
• Start writing now in your journal. Activate your muse in preparation for your workshop.

Guest Authors . Writers are required to read the book for their workshop but are welcome to read all visiting authors’ work.

Poetry Guest Author - Allison Joseph  Assigned Reading Confessions of a Barefaced Woman  (For Sean Forbes, Catherine Pierce and Summer Tate's workshops)

Fiction Guest Author - Jennifer McCauley  Assigned Reading When Trying to Return Home  (For Jotham Burrello, Kristin Bair, Sarah Darer Littman and Lara Ehrlich's workshops)

Graphic Forms Guest Author - Trung Le Capecchi-Nguyen  Assigned Reading The Magic Fish  (For Anne Thalheimer's workshop)

Non-Fiction Guest Author - Jane Wong Assigned Reading This Is the Place: Women Writing About Home  (For Catina Bacote’s workshop)

• Application Opens: January 16, 2024
• Application Deadline: April 1, 2024
• Decisions Released: will be released on a Rolling Amissions Basis Every Week
• Payment Due (to secure your spot): Within 2 weeks of Admission

Eligibility:

• Applicants must be between 16 - 18 years old and a rising high school junior or senior.

Admission Process:

• A writing sample is required. It needs to accompany your application for admission and must be uploaded electronically. Submit your writing sample as a Word document: 500 words, double-spaced in Times Roman, 12-point font, one-inch margins. Each page must include your name. Note genre of the submission: Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry or Graphic Forms.
• 2 Letters of Recommendation 

Refund Policy:

• We will refund 75% for cancellation requests received by April 26, 2024, and 50% for cancellation requests received by May 3, 2024.   We will be unable to honor refund requests received after May 3, 2024.

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Top 10 Summer Writing Programs for High School Students

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

Learn about our editorial policies

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

What is a summer writing program?

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

Why we selected the following writing programs

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

A note on application deadlines and program dates

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

Apply to these scholarships due soon

$10,000 “No Essay” Scholarship

$2,000 Sallie Mae Scholarship

“Mom to Scholar” Scholarship for Mothers

$40,000 Build a College List Scholarship

“Gutsy Graduate Student” Essay Scholarship

Niche $25,000 “No Essay” Scholarship

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

“Making Waves” Scholarship for Women

$25k “Be Bold” No-Essay Scholarship

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

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

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

2. Interlochen Center for the Arts Camp Creative Writing Programs

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

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

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

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

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

4. Carnegie Mellon Pre-College Writing and Culture Program

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

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

Related: Top writing and essay scholarships

5. Denison University Reynolds Young Writers Workshop

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

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

6. Alpha– The Young Writers Workshop

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

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

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

7. Loyola Marymount University- Beginning Screenwriting Program

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

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

8. Georgetown University Creative Writing Academy

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

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

9. Emerson Writes

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

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

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

10. Harvard Pre-College Summer School Program

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

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

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

• Now that you’ve got some writing summer camps for high school students in mind, start preparing your application materials! This may include application essays , letters of recommendation , transcripts, or sample writing materials
• Apply for program scholarships if needed
• Write! Bring your writing samples with you, as you never know when you might need them
• Don’t forget that Scholarships360 offers all the resources you need as you continue your education! It’s never too early to learn about extracurricular activities and when to start applying to colleges ! 

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Manchester Writing School: Creative Writing Summer School

22-23 June 2023

9:00 am to 6:30 pm

www.mmu.ac.uk/english/courses/short/creative

Manchester Metropolitan University

This two-day intensive course is designed to give participants a taste of life in the manchester writing school at manchester metropolitan university, one of the uk’s most successful literary centres, and home to the country’s largest postgraduate english and creative writing community..

The course will introduce you to tutors and current students and offer opportunities to develop your own writing – and reading – in a lively and supportive environment. The programme will include a choice of in-person or online masterclass workshops, seminars and talks, delivered by practising writers and critics, with input from special guests.

Sessions may include fiction, poetry, writing for children & young adults, scriptwriting, creative non-fiction, how to present your work for publication, performance skills, and talks/Q&As with industry experts. The full programme will be confirmed and circulated in advance, and you will be asked to choose which sessions you would like to attend each day, which are all subject to availability. You will also be asked to let us know, when confirming your session choices, if you have any specific learning or accessibility needs.

Our 2023 Creative Writing Summer School will run on 22nd and 23rd June 2023 with a choice of in-person and online sessions. Core sessions will run between 9.30am and 5.30pm both days, with comfort breaks scheduled throughout, and optional evening events. Further details for 2023, including timetables, delivery modes and booking options, will be confirmed in early June. This course is unaccredited and doesn’t carry any formal assessment or academic credits. It could help you develop or hone your writing portfolio, if you are working towards applying for one of our degree programmes.

The cost of attending is £250 per person. You can book your place on eStore.

Find out more about the Manchester Writing School or contact [email protected] with any queries, including if you’d like to see copies of example Summer School programmes from previous years.

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APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED.

BCLT Summer School, 22-26 July 2024, ONLINE Fee - £350 

Bursaries are available, find out more below.

The Workshop strands for 2024 are:

• Arabic 
• Japanese (Advanced) - This year's workshop is for mid-career literary translators and/or translators that have previously attended a Japanese workshop at the BCLT Summer School
• Literature from Flanders -  Suitable for Dutch to English translators - no previous knowledge of Flemish literature required

Multilingual Poetry

Multilingual prose, multilingual theatre, training the trainer.

All workshops are translating into English.

After 24 years of running literary translation summer schools, the BCLT Summer School is a vibrant, tried and tested format for the professional development of literary translators. Not only does it provide a nurturing environment for translators to work on their craft; it also establishes a valuable network of translators, editors, publishers and indeed friends from around the world.

The core activity of the week is the literary translation workshops, led by experienced literary translators and editors, working from a range of languages into English. We also include in the programme two creative writing sessions for literary translators with authors writing in English, as well as plenary sessions addressing various aspects of the theory and practice of literary translation, with a focus on professional development for translators.

Download an example programme to find out more about the timings for the week.

Applications are now closed.  

We have made the decision to offer both in-person and online Summer Schools in the future. Our 2024 Summer School will be ONLINE followed by an in-person Summer School in 2025. We will then continue to alternate between the two formats. We will not be offering a hybrid event.  

What happens at a BCLT Summer School? 

Summer School Faculty

BCLT Summer School 2024 Faculty 

Nariman Youssef - Workshop Leader

Nariman Youssef is a Cairo-born literary translator and translation consultant based in London. Her literary translations include Mo(a)t: Stories from Arabic (UEAP, 2021), Inaam Kachachi’s The American Granddaughter (new edition, Interlink, 2020) , Donia Kamal's Cigarette No. 7 (Hoopoe, 2018), and contributions to publications like The Common , Arab Lit Quarterly , and Words Without Borders . In recent years, she has managed an in-house translation team at the British Library, and led and curated translation workshops with Shadow Heroes, the Poetry Translation Centre, Shubbak Festival and Africa Writes. Nariman holds a master’s degree in Translation Studies from the University of Edinburgh.  

Nayrouz Qarmout is a journalist, author and women’s rights campaigner. Born in Yarmouk Refugee Camp, Damascus, in 1984, as a Palestinian refugee, she was ‘returned’ to the Gaza Strip at the age of 11 as part of the 1994 Oslo Peace Accord, where she now lives. She used to work in the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, raising awareness of gender issues and promoting the political and economic role of women in policy, law, and the media. She has won a number of prizes including the English Pen Award and the Creative Women’s Award for her debut collection The Sea Cloak.

Jen Calleja – Workshop Leader

Jen Calleja  is a writer, literary translator from German, and publisher based in Hastings, UK. She has translated nearly twenty works of German-language literature by writers including Marion Poschmann, Wim Wenders, Raphaela Edelbauer, Michelle Steinbeck and Kerstin Hensel. She has been shortlisted for the Man Booker International Prize, the Oxford-Weidenfeld Prize and the Schlegel-Tieck Prize for her translations. She was a Translator in Residence at the British Centre for Literary Translation (2023), and the inaugural Translator in Residence at the British Library (2017-2019) and the Austrian Cultural Forum London (2015-2017). Her own books include  Vehicle: a verse novel  (Prototype, 2023),  Dust Sucker  (Makina Books, 2023) and  I’m Afraid That’s All We’ve Got Time For  (Prototype 2020). Alongside Kat Storace, she is co-founding publisher at Praspar Press, a small press for Maltese literature in English and English translation. @niewview |  www.jencalleja.com | @prasparpress | www.praspar.com 

Helene Bukowski – Writer in Residence

Helene Bukowski, born in Berlin in 1993, now lives in her hometown again. She studied at the Hildesheim Literature Institute. In addition to writing, she runs seminars and workshops for creative writing. Her debut novel Milchzähne was published in 2019, followed by the novel Die Kriegerin (The Warrior) in 2022. Her books have been translated into various languages and have been nominated for the Mara Cassens Prize, the Kranichsteiner Literaturförderpreis and the LiteraTour Nord Prize, among others. Milchzähne (Milkteeth) was made into a film directed by Sophia Bösch and will be released in cinemas in 2024

Clarissa Botsford – Workshop Leader

Clarissa Botsford grew up in the UK, moved to Italy as an English lector in 1980 and ended up staying. She holds MAs in Modern and Medieval Languages from Cambridge, Comparative Education from the Institute of Education (London University) and Intercultural Studies from Rome, La Sapienza. A taste for literary translation developed later in life, after decades of non-fiction translating and running translation workshops at the University of Roma Tre. She went on to win a Pen Heim grant, was short-listed for the Crime Fiction in Translation dagger and a finalist in the 2022 ALTA Italian Prose in Translation prize. She has collaborated with the BCLT Summer School and the ESLT Rome conference and featured at numerous translation events, including a translation slam at the CEATL Conference, the Swiss-UK Publishing Day, and, recently, the first Festival of Italian and Irish Literature in Dublin. She has translated novels by Elvira Dones, Viola Ardone, Alessandro Baricco, Erica Mou, Concita De Gregorio, Sacha Naspini and Lia Levi. Clarissa is also a musician, as well as a Humanist wedding and funeral celebrant and celebrant trainer. 

Fabio Andina – Writer in Residence

Fabio Andina (Lugano, Switzerland - 1972) graduated in cinema in San Francisco where he had the opportunity to meet the poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti who opened up the world of the Beat Generation to him - also regarding styles and compositional techniques. His publications, translated into various languages and winners of important literary prizes, include novels, collections of short stories, poems and screenplays. He lives and writes in Leontica, in the Swiss Ticino Alps. His website is www.fabioandina.com

Japanese (Advanced)

Polly Barton - Workshop Leader

Polly Barton is a Japanese-English translator based in the UK. Her translations include Butter by Asako Yuzuki, Where the Wild Ladies Are by Aoko Matsuda, Spring Garden by Tomoka Shibasaki, and There's No Such Thing as an Easy Job by Kikuko Tsumura. Her translation of Mild Vertigo by Mieko Kanai was awarded a 2023-2024 Lindsley and Masao Miyoshi Translation Prize. She is the author of Fifty Sounds and Porn: An Oral History, published by Fitzcarraldo Editions.

Rory Williamson - Editor

Clare Richards – Workshop Leader

Clare Richards is an editor and translator from Korean. Clare has attended the BCLT Summer School twice, in 2020 and 2023, and after being mentored by Anton Hur through the NCW Emerging Translators Mentorship scheme in 2020-1, she is this now year's mentor, working with mentee Joheun Lee. Her debut novel translation, Kang Hwagil’s gothic thriller, Another Person , was published by Pushkin Press last year, and her translation of Yeon Somin's The Healing Season of Pottery is upcoming with Viking in the UK and Algonquin in the US. She has also translated Lim Solah's short story collection, To Say That It's Nothing, with a grant from LTI Korea. Clare has a particular interest in the intersection between disability and translation, and is passionate about making literary translation more accessible as a field. @clarehannahmary

Lim Solah – Writer in Residence 

Poet and novelist Lim Solah is an extraordinary talent who has won essentially every award to be had in South Korea. First and foremost an activist, Lim’s work shines a glaring light on some of modern society’s most exploitative—and under-scrutinised—practices, giving voice to those who suffer most within their grip. Lim debuted in 2015 with hit novel The Best Life , inspired by her own experiences as a teenage runaway, which received the Munhakdongne University Fiction Prize and was later adapted for screen with director Lee Woo-jung’s Snowball in 2020. She has authored two poetry and two short story collections, winning the prestigious Munhakdongne Young Writer’s Award in 2022 for short story Tending to Fruit Flies. Her second novel in eight years, I Say I Am There, was published at the end of 2023.

Literature from Flanders

Laura Watkinson – Workshop Leader

Laura Watkinson loves reading and translating books of all kinds, from picture books to YA thrillers, literary fiction and non-fiction. Two of her career highlights have been visiting the film sets for the Netflix series  The Letter for the King by Tonke Dragt, which she translated for Pushkin Press, and the shortlisting of her translation of Annet Schaap’s Lampie (also Pushkin Press) for the Carnegie Medal, the first translated book to be nominated for the award since it was established in 1936. Three of her translated books have won the Mildred L. Batchelder Award: Bibi Dumon Tak’s Mikis and the Donkey and Soldier Bear (Eerdmans) and Truus Matti’s Mister Orange (Enchanted Lion). Laura lives in a tall, thin house on a canal in Amsterdam with her husband, her cat, and lots of shelves of lovely books.

Bart Moeyaert - Writer in Residence

Bart Moeyaert (b. 1964) was barely nineteen when he made his debut as a writer. His work has been described by critics as poetic, cinematic and appealing to the senses, and has been translated into twenty-seven languages. In 2014 he was appointed as the artistic director of the Frankfurt 2016 project, when Flanders and the Netherlands were joint guests of honour at the Frankfurt Book Fair. He is the Laureate of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award 2019. This year he is shortlisted for the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Award for the fourth time. In April 2024 his Een ander leven (Another Life) will be published as the 328th title in Privé-domein, a series of autobiographical books at De Arbeiderspers, Amsterdam. Moeyaert’s work is published by Querido, Amsterdam. www.bartmoeyaert.com  

Portuguese 

Daniel Hahn – Workshop Leader

Susana Moreira Marques -   Writer in Residence 

Susana Moreira Marques is the author of four books of literary non-fiction, most recently of Terceiro Andar Sem Elevador: Notas de Lisboa ( Third Floor Without a Lift: Notes from Lisbon ). Her first book, Now and at the Hour of Our Death , was translated into English by Julia Sanches, and also published in Spanish and French. Her writing has appeared in Granta , Tin House , Literary Hub , and elsewhere. As a journalist, she worked for the BBC World Service, Público , Jornal de Negócios , amongst others, and won several prizes, including the UNESCO ‘Human Rights and Integration’ Journalism Award (Portugal). She has been awarded fellowships and residencies from the Gabriel García Márquez Foundation (Colombia), the Jan Michalski Foundation (Switzerland), the Danish Centre for Writers and Translators, and Art Omi (US). She also writes for film and television. She lives in Lisbon with her two daughters.

William Gregory is a translator and dramaturg whose work with Hispanic playwrights has included A Fight Against… by Pablo Manzi and B by Guillermo Calderón (Royal Court), Cuzco by Víctor Sánchez Rodríguez (Theatre503) and The Bit-Players by José Sánchez Sinisterra (Southwark Playhouse). Published works include The Uncapturable by Rubén Szuchmacher (Methuen) and The Children of Taltal by Bosco Cayo (Laertes). He has collaborated with the translation mentorship programme of London-based theatre company Foreign Affairs since 2016. In 2020 he facilitated the Summer School’s first-ever theatre group, and in 2022 led the Royal Court’s inaugural Introduction to Translation workshop. He was joint BCLT Translator in Residence in 2020-21 and shortlisted for the 2019 Valle Inclán Award for translation from Spanish for The Oberon Anthology of Contemporary Spanish Plays. He is a member of the Ibero-American theatre collective Out of the Wings. 

Adriana Hunter - Workshop Leader

Award-winning translator Adriana Hunter spent four years in a French school as a child and studied French & Drama at the University of London. Since ‘discovering’ the first book she was to translate, she has brought just over 100 books to English-language readers and still enjoys the buzz of finding promising new francophone authors. Her recent work includes the international bestseller The Anomaly by Hervé Le Tellier and Sapiens: A Graphic History based on Yuval Noah Harari’s global phenomenon, Sapiens. She relishes the challenges of translating anything from intricate literary fiction to the goofy antics – and even goofier word games – of Asterix and Obelix.  

MA in Literary Translation Strand

Michele Hutchison – Workshop Leader

Plenary Programmer

Mayada Ibrahim

Mayada Ibrahim is a literary translator based in Queens, New York, with roots in Khartoum and London. She works between Arabic and English. Her translations have been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and published by Willows House in South Sudan, Archipelago Books, Dolce Stil Criollo, and 128 Lit. She is the managing editor at Tilted Axis Press.

Plenary Session Speakers

Nuzhat Abass  is writer, editor, educator and publisher. Born in Zanzibar, she has lived and worked in various parts of the world teaching courses on literature, gender, conflict and migration; facilitating art and writing projects for refugees and immigrants; curating grassroots cultural events and festivals; and working with feminist and independent collectives, bookstores and non-profit organizations. She is the founder and director of trace press, and editor of River in an Ocean: Essays on Translation (trace, 2023).

Sohini Basak is a freelance editor and writer from India, currently publishing poetry at Words Without Borders . Previously, she was a commissioning editor with HarperCollins India, where she published literary translations from various Indian languages. Sohini is also a writer and her first poetry collection  We Live in the Newness of Small Differences  was awarded the inaugural International Beverly Manuscript Prize and published in 2018. She studied literature and creative writing at the universities of Delhi, Warwick, and East Anglia, where she received the 2015 Malcolm Bradbury Grant for Poetry. Other honours include a Toto Funds the Arts writing award (2017), a Vijay Nambisan Sangam House fellowship (2022) and a Speculative Literature Foundation Gulliver Travel Grant (2024). 

Rachael Daum was awarded a 2021 PEN/Heim Translation Fund Grant for her translation from Serbian of  Lusitania  by Dejan Atanacković. She is the translator from Croatian of  The Story of a Man Who Collapsed Into His Notebook  by Ivana Sajko (Fraktura, 2023), and from Russian of  Letters to Robot Werther  by Natalia Rubanova (Carrion Bloom Books, 2021). Her original work and translations have appeared in  128 LIT, Asymptote Journal, Words Without Borders, The Los Angeles Review , and elsewhere. She holds an MA in Slavic Studies (Indiana University) and BA in Creative Writing (University of Rochester); she also received Certificates in Literary Translation from both institutions. She lives in Cologne, Germany.

Andrew Felsher  is a New York City based writer, editor, and film producer. He is the author of the prose chapbook  Notes from a Prison Cell  (Bottlecap Press, 2023), which has been translated into Portuguese. His writing has appeared in EPOCH, São Paulo Review, Heavy Feather Review, Fiction Writers Review, among other publications. In 2022, he founded, and has since edited, 128 LIT, winner of CLMP’s Firecracker Award for Best Debut Magazine. 

Yasmine Haj  was born in Nazareth, Palestine and is a writer, editor, and translator, currently working with the arts organization, Mophradat. Her writings and translations have appeared in Assafir , Assafir Al Arabi , Asymptote , Best American Experimental Writing , Romman, Specimen , TNI , Turning Point Books , and in projects published by the A.M. Qattan Foundation. She co-facilitated trace: translating [x]/ ARABIC workshops in 2022-2023, and is co-editor of its forthcoming collection (trace, 2024). Her essay “Rast” appears in River in an Ocean: Essays on Translation (trace, 2023)   

Kira Josefsson is a writer, editor, and translator working between Swedish and English. Her translations have been shortlisted for the International Booker Prize and the Bernard Shaw Prize. She organises with the National Writers Union and lives in Queens, New York, where she writes on US events and politics in the Swedish press.

Dr. Lisa Ndejuru  is an academic, psychotherapist, oral historian and community artist. She experiments with storytelling, play, and improvised theatre and works with survivors of large-scale political violence to create accessible, scalable, non-medicalized strategies for healing and change. She received Concordia University’s Distinguished Doctoral Dissertation Prize and was a Concordia public scholar in 2017, the first John F. Lemieux fellow for genocide studies in 2018, and a Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Toronto in 2020. Lisa is currently activating an archive of Rwandan precolonial ibitekerezo wisdom tales.

Nedra Rodrigo  is a translator, academic, and curator of multi-arts events. She translated Prison of Dreams , a quintet of novels by Devakanthan, and other writings and translations have appeared in Kalam, Briarpatch, C Magazine, Studies in Canadian Literature,   Human Rights and the Arts: Essays on Global Asia;   Words and Worlds, Jaggery Lit, and Still We Sing: Voices on Violence Against Women. She is the founder of the Tamil Studies Symposium at York University, and the bilingual reading series The Tam Fam Lit Jam . She co-facilitated trace: translating [x]/ TAMIL workshops in 2022-2023 and is co-editor of its forthcoming collection (trace, 2024). Her essay “Crossing Terrains: Unsettling Tinai while Translating Tamil” appears in River in an Ocean: Essays on Translation (trace, 2023)

Shadi Rohana is a Mexico-based literary translator, translating between Arabic and Spanish. He has introduced and translated a number of Latin American authors from Spanish to Arabic, as well as speeches and declarations from the EZLN in Chiapas. He pursued Latin American Studies in the United States (Swarthmore College) and Mexico (UNAM) and is currently  a full-time faculty member at the Center for Asian and African Studies at El Colegio de México, where he teaches Arabic language and literature, as well as literary translation . The Arabic translation of José Emilio Pacheco’s   Las batallas en el desierto   (Palestine, 2016) was his first novel-length work, followed by Lina Meruane's  Palestina en pedazos  (Cairo, 2020) and  Contra el apagón: Voces de Gaza durante la guerra en curso  (Arabic to Spanish; Puerto Rico, 2024).

Alex Zucker has translated novels by the Czech authors Magdaléna Platzová, Jáchym Topol, Bianca Bellová, Petra Hůlová, J. R. Pick, Tomáš Zmeškal, Josef Jedlička, Heda Margolius Kovály, Patrik Ouředník, and Miloslava Holubová. He has also Englished stories, plays, subtitles, young adult and children’s books, song lyrics, reportages, essays, poems, philosophy, art history, and an opera. Apart from translating, he organises, on a volunteer basis, with the National Writers Union and the New York City chapter of SURJ (Showing Up for Racial Justice). More at linktr.ee/AlexZucker.   

How to apply

Applications for the 2024 summer school are now closed..

Applications for the 2025 BCLT Summer School will open in January 2025.

Please take a look at the  Petra-E Framework  to get an idea of the level of experience required to apply. The BCLT Summer School is suitable for translators that consider themselves Level 2 (Advanced Learner) or Level 3 (Early Career Professional).

Although we cannot offer bursaries to all participants, we always try to have a variety of full bursaries available.

Please note that if you receive a bursary you will be asked to write a short one-page report on your experience of the Summer School.

To apply for a bursary you just need to complete the bursary section of the Summer School application form.

It's also worth investigating other sources of funding that might be available to you in your home country, such as Arts Council grants or funding provided by your relevant embassy, college or university.

Arabic - English  All 10 chosen participants in the Arabic-English workshop will receive a full tuition fee bursary, kindly supported by the Sheikh Zayed Book Award. 

German - English Goethe-Institut London and New Books in German are offering 2 full tuition fee bursaries. We would particularly encourage applications from translators from a social or ethnic background that is traditionally under-represented in literary translation.

Italian – English All 10 chosen participants in the Italian-English workshop will receive a full tuition fee bursary, kindly supported by Pro Helvetia. 

Japanese - English  All 10 chosen participants in the Japanese-English workshop will receive a full tuition fee bursary, kindly supported by the Yanai Initiative. 

Korean - English All 10 chosen participants in the Korean-English workshop will receive a full tuition fee bursary, kindly supported by LTI Korea. 

Literature from Flanders  All 10 chosen participants in the Literature from Flanders workshop will receive a full bursary, kindly supported by the Flip Through Flanders initiative by Flanders Literature. 

BCLT BCLT is offering 1 full tuition fee bursary. This bursary is open to translators that are on a low income or that specifically require some extra financial support. We would like this bursary to make it possible for a translator to attend that may not have had the opportunity otherwise.

Translators Aloud Translators Aloud is offering 1 full tuition fee bursary for a Black, Asian or Ethnically Diverse literary translator from anywhere in the world to attend the Summer School.

Frequently asked questions

Here you'll find answers to questions you have, from experience needed to what the creative writing workshops involve.

If you don't find the answer you're looking for please email us and we will respond as soon as possible.

Do I need to be an experienced literary translator to attend?

The answer is no you do not need to be an experienced literary translator to attend, although you do need to some have experience of translating. The Summer School attracts a wide variety of people from across the world with varied experiences. To give you an idea of our selection criteria we ask you to refer to the Petra-E framework of reference for the education and training of literary translators . The Summer School is aimed at translators in levels 2 and 3. Please note: the Japanese workshop this year is an advanced workshop , specifically for mid-career translators and/or translators that have previously taken part in a Japanese workshop at the BCLT Summer School. We are not asking for specific evidence, but translators can identify whether they consider themselves to be mid-career. For example, you may have already published a book in translation. You may have attended one or two Japanese workshops at the Summer School and have published work in magazines or journals.

I have already published a translation, is the Summer School still relevant to me?

As the answer above stresses, the Summer School attracts a wide variety of people. Each person that attends will take something away from the week, whether it be knowledge of the industry, strategies for certain translation challenges, contacts, friends...the list goes on. Many published translators attend as it is a useful professional development opportunity. 

If I apply, am I guaranteed a place on the course?

The BCLT Summer School has been running for almost 25 years and is a popular Summer School with a very good reputation. Therefore, some of our workshops can be oversubscribed. This is why we ask applicants to choose a first and second preference if that is possible for them and their interests. If a workshop is oversubscribed we work with the workshop leader to try to create a group that we feel will work well together based on the information from your application. We contact all applicants after the deadline to state whether your application has been successful. If you are offered a place, it is at that point that we will send you a link to book onto and pay for the course in full.

What do the literary translation workshops involve?

The core activity of the week is the literary translation workshops, led by experienced literary translators and/or editors, working from a range of languages into English. During these sessions the participants work on a consensus translation of one particular text. In a majority of the workshops the author is present to talk about his or her work, answer questions and contribute to the translation process. The focus is on the process, rather than the end product. While each group is expected to come up with a consensus translation at the end of the week, it doesn’t really matter how much or how little text is actually translated. What is important is that, as a group, you really think about the possibilities, and engage with your workshop leader, author and one another in a creative, collaborative exercise. 

For translators working from other languages, there are multilingual workshop strands. These workshops focus on translating into English. 

All the workshops are designed to encourage collaboration and peer learning.

The Japanese workshop this year is an advanced workshop -  The workshop will be led by Polly Barton and she will be joined by one or two English-speaking editors (to be confirmed). Each translator in the workshop will be asked to bring an extract that they are working on and the group will workshop each text alongside Polly and a professional editor. This is a great opportunity to work with a group of more experienced translators to share skills and experience. It is also a rare chance to spend time with a professional editor working in the industry.

The core activities will be taking place between 9.30am and 5.30pm (BST) each day. The Wednesday will be a half day finishing at around 1pm (BST). You must be available to attend all of the core sessions. There will be optional evening events/activities that will usually run between 7pm and 9pm (BST).

What do the creative writing workshops involve?

The Tuesday and Thursday mornings begin with creative writing workshops for all delegates, developing different creative writing skills for translators. The whole cohort are divided between 4-8 tutors. These sessions are designed to help literary translators focus on themselves as creative writers and take a practical, exercise-based, rather than a theoretical approach.

What are the timings for the week?

The core Summer School workshop sessions and plenaries will take place between 9.30am and 5.30pm (BST). If you are offered a place you will be expected to attend all of these core sessions, as they are interactive and often in small groups. There will also be optional morning and evening events. You can download an example programme here .

Training the Trainer workshop

This workshop strand is for experienced literary translators that have published work and would like to receive some training in leading literary translation workshops.

If you are successful in gaining a place, you will spend the summer school week shadowing our experienced workshop leaders. Adriana Hunter will also be running dedicated workshops for the Training the Trainer cohort. These workshops address specific techniques, ideas and challenges when leading literary translation workshops.

You will also have the opportunity to experience at least one of the Creative Writing workshops.

The BCLT Summer School is run in partnership with the National Centre for Writing and is generously supported by a number of national and international sponsors. The 2024 Summer School was supported by the following partners:

Arts Council England

Flip Through Flanders - Flanders Literature

Goethe-Institut London

New Books in German

Poetry Translation Centre

Pro Helvetia

Sheikh Zayed Book Award

The Yanai Initiative 

Translators Aloud

Testimonials

The BCLT's International Literary Translation Summer School has been running since 2000 at University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.

Throughout those years the Summer School has been invaluable for many literary translators for many different reasons, including professional development and networking. Here is some of the feedback we have received:

The Summer School provided me with multiple valuable professional connections and information about the field, both of which will help me immensely as a full-time freelance literary translator. Summer School attendee, 2023

The BCLT summer school is an extraordinary experience -- so concentrated and so valuable for taking a deep dive into the craft of translation, honing negotiation skills and building new relationships. Summer School attendee, 2023

I gained more confidence in my translation skills, met people I can consult or collaborate with in the future, and learned a lot about the professional/marketing side of translating. Summer School attendee, 2022

I found the online format a smooth and enjoyable experience. It was successful in replicating the main parts of the campus-based event. Once I had got over the initial unfamiliarity of working with other people who I had not met in person, I almost became unaware of the online environment. Dutch workshop attendee, 2020

Being relatively new to the field of translation and particularly literary translation, I felt a little nervous before coming to the Summer School. I quickly came to learn that all the participants and instructors - regardless of their level of experience or chosen career path - were eager to share their advice, ideas and philosophies on translation, and equally willing to listen to my views. The BCLT Summer School was, for me, an overwhelmingly positive experience and I would recommend it wholeheartedly to any budding or seasoned translator. French workshop attendee, 2019

I feel re-energized, and ready to tackle the challenges of translating children's literature! I was given so much to think about this week and feel like I want to apply it right away. And if I run into snags (inevitable!) I know I have a wonderful support group to turn to. Multilingual Prose workshop attendee, 2019

It was a truly wonderful week, spending time with a diverse range of interesting people. The final presentations were genuinely moving as we were able to see how much high calibre work could be produced across many languages and styles in a very short space of time. German workshop attendee, 2017

It has inspired me to keep going and pursue a career in the field, to have the confidence to believe in my own writing. German workshop attendee, 2016

The workshops themselves were fantastic, but it was these unrepeatable chances to chat and hang out with like-minded aspiring linguists over breakfast, coffee, dinner and drinks, that made the Summer School such a valuable experience. Daniel Bradley, Japanese workshop attendee, 2013.

I attended the BCLT Summer School as a participant in 2006.....It was a life-changing experience....Many of the people I met that week later helped me to get work, and vice versa. Katy Derbyshire, German workshop attendee, 2006 - German workshop leader 2012 onwards.

Immerse yourself in a creative writing workshop this summer!

The 2024 workshop is scheduled to run from June 23-28, 2024

About the workshop:

Since 1992, the Humber School for Writers (HSW) has offered an immersive, focused workshop to jump start your creative writing. Mornings are spent in classes with one of Humber’s esteemed writing advisors, and afternoons are devoted to craft and industry talks by Canada’s top authors, poets, publishers, editors and agents. You’ll connect with peers and build your literary support network. Whether you’re a beginner or a more experienced writer, there’s something for you in our June writing workshop!

Kate Cayley will be leading a dedicated poetry workshop section.

David Bezmozgis, Creative Director - Humber School for Writers

David Bezmozgis, a writer and filmmaker, is the author of Natasha and Other Stories , The Free World , The Betrayers and Immigrant City . His writing has appeared in many publications, including The New Yorker , Harper’s , Zoetrope All-Story ,  Best American Short Stories  and Best Canadian Stories . He has been nominated three times for the Scotiabank Giller Prize, twice for the Governor General’s Literary Award and has received the Amazon.ca First Novel Award among other prizes. In 2010, he was one of The New Yorker ’s 20 Under 40. David has written and directed two feature films, Victoria Day and Natasha, and was a screenwriter on the animated feature, Charlotte, all of which were nominated in the writing category for the Canadian Screen Awards.

Creative Director's Message

The workshop returns this year with a few new twists. We’ll be convening at the end of June rather than the middle of July, and we’ll be housed at Humber’s International Graduate School where we will take advantage of the advanced audio-visual capabilities and offer access to our afternoon panels and talks to the wider public. Anyone who cannot attend the workshop but who wishes to hear our mentors delve into various elements of craft, or select publishing professionals offer insights on writing and the business of writing, will be able do so by buying a ticket through Eventbrite. The technological flexibility afforded by our new space will also allow for the participation of publishing professionals who are not based in Toronto or in Canada and so broaden the range of voices and perspectives.

For those who can attend the workshop, the format remains the same. Your mornings will be spent in workshop sessions with your mentors, who include beloved veterans Joe Kertes and Colin McAdam, as well as Kate Cayley and Antonio Michael Downing who taught last summer and were eager to return. New to the workshop, though not to Humber, is Shyam Selvadurai, author of numerous novels including the iconic Funny Boy , which was made into a film by Deepa Mehta. And teaching for the first time at Humber is Harriet Alida Lye, author most recently of the excellent novel Let It Destroy You , as well as a remarkable work of creative nonfiction, Natural Killer .

As ever, I look forward to this extraordinary week, and hope you will join us either in person or virtually.

David Bezmozgis Creative Director and Faculty, Humber School for Writers Summer Workshop in Creative Writing Humber Faculty of Media & Creative Arts

Faculty Bios

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His 2010 debut novel, MOLASSES (Blaurock Press), was published to critical acclaim. In 2017 he was named by the RBC Taylor Prize as one of Canada's top Emerging Authors for nonfiction. SAGA BOY , his 2021 memoir, an enthralling deeply personal account of a young immigrant's search for belonging was shortlisted for both the 2021 Speaker's Book Award and the 2021 Toronto Book Award. Giller winner Ian Williams called it: "...the triumph of Blackness everywhere--the irrepressible instinct for survival in a world where Blacks are prey." He has written two children's books slated for release with Thundra Books Canada in 2023 and his novel LITTLE ORPHAN BLUE has recently been purchased by Simon and Schuster Canada. When not writing Antonio Michael performs and composes music as John Orpheus.

Joseph Kertes was born in Hungary but escaped with his family during the Revolution of 1956. He studied English at York University and the University of Toronto. He was for many years Humber's Dean of Creative and Performing Arts.

His first novel, Winter Tulips, won the Stephen Leacock Award for Humour. His third novel, Gratitude, won a Canadian National Jewish Book Award and the U.S. National Jewish Book Award for Fiction. His novel, The Afterlife of Stars, was a New York Times Book Review: Editor’s Choice. His latest novel is called Last Impressions.

He was the recipient of the 2017 Harbourfront Festival Prize for his contribution to literature and to the literary community.

Colin McAdam is the author of four internationally acclaimed novels, which have been nominated for the Scotiabank Giller Prize, the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize, the Governor General's Literary Award, and the Commonwealth Writers' Prize, among others.

His debut novel, Some Great Thing , won the Amazon / Books in Canada First Novel Award in 2004, and his third novel, A Beautiful Truth , won the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize in 2013. His writing is unique in style and subject and has attracted the praise of writers as diverse as Miriam Toews, Elizabeth Strout, Helen Macdonald, Max Porter, and Eleanor Catton. He has a PhD in English from Cambridge University and has taught and mentored for several years at Humber, Banff and the University of Toronto. Colin's essays and memoirs have appeared in Harper's , Granta , The Walrus , Hazlitt, Salon and elsewhere.

Shyam Selvadurai's first novel  Funny Boy , won the W.H. Smith/ Books in Canada First Novel Award and the Lambda Literary Award in the US.

He is the author of  Cinnamon Gardens  and  Swimming in the Monsoon Sea , and the editor of an anthology,  Story-wallah! A Celebration of South Asian Fiction . His books have been published in the US, the UK and India, and published in translation in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Turkey and Israel. His third,  The Hungry Ghosts , was published April 2, 2013 in Canada, India and Sri Lanka. Shyam co-wrote the screenplay of his first novel  Funny Boy  with the award-winning Deepa Mehta, who also directed the film. He won Best Adapted Screenplay for his work at the Canadian Screen Awards 2021 and the New York Cinema Independent Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. The film is available for viewing on CBC Gem in Canada and on Netflix in the USA, UK, Australia and New Zealand. Shyam’s new novel  Mansion of the Moon , a historical novel about the Buddha’s wife, was published by Knopf in  May 2022. In 2016, Shyam had the interesting honour of having a spider named after him: Brignolia shyami, a small goblin spider.

Harriet Alida Lye  is the author of the novels The Honey Farm and Let It Destroy You , as well as the memoir Natural Killer .

Content and Format

You should attend if.

• you want to learn to write short stories, novels, poetry, memoir, creative non-fiction, Y/A (young adult) or children’s literature
• you’re already working on a book but would like to improve your writing with feedback from established writers and your peers
• you’d like to know how to find someone to publish your work
• you’d like to expand your own writing community by meeting like-minded aspiring writers
• you’d like to build your professional network through meeting top authors, agents, editors, publishers, and publishing professionals

The workshop runs from June 23 to 28, 2024 and consists of orientation programming, five three-hour workshop classes, numerous craft talks and industry lectures, and one one-on-one feedback session with your mentor.

Summer 2024 afternoon panels

Members of the public may purchase tickets for individual panels so they can attend virtually via zoom., industry panels.

Ask the Publisher with Dan Wells June 24, 2024 — 3:45 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Hear from the publisher behind Biblioasis, the visionary and intrepid independent press based in Windsor, Ontario.  Register Now  

Flash Assessments with Kelly Joseph (McClelland & Stewart) and Michael Ray (Zoetrope: All-Story) June 25, 2024 — 2:45 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. A top book and top literary editor respond to the first pages of student work and explain if they would read on and why. Register Now  

What Agents Want with Hillary Jacobson (CAA) and Sam Hiyate (The Rights Factory) June 26, 2024 — 2:45 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. An agent from CAA in New York and the Rights Agency in Toronto discuss how they work with their clients. Register Now  

Craft Talks

Connecting To Your Why with Antonio Michael Downing June 24, 2024 — 1:45 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. How to harness the personal stories that spawned your desire to write. Register Now  

Doing Your Own Thing with Colin McAdam June 24, 2024 —   2:45 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. How to ignore the wisdom of publishers and make your words the servants of your heart. Register Now  

Maintaining Momentum with Harriet Alida Lye June 25, 2024 — 1:45 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Practical suggestions and existential ideas for sticking with your project for the long haul. Register Now  

Writing Vivid Characters with Shyam Selvadurai June 26, 2024 — 1:45 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Various techniques that can be used to bring characters alive on the page, both in fiction and non-fiction. Register Now  

Poetry As a Domestic Art with Kate Cayley June 27, 2024 — 1:45 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. What poetry means in daily life and how it fits into it. Register Now  

Writers I've Known with Joe Kertes June 27, 2024 — 2:45 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Award-winning novelist, humourist, and founder of the Humber School for Writers draws on three decades of working with established and emerging writers to focus on the extent to which writers need to combat or embrace their natures to create their art.  Register Now  

Exceptional Book Story with Nina Dunic June 27, 2024 — 3:45 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Synopsis of event: David Bezmozgis talks to Nina Dunic about her Scotiabank Giller Prize-longlisted first novel, The Clarion. Register Now  

Application Process

The deadline to register is June 21, 2024. Those who register and pay their fees by May 3, 2024, are eligible for an early bird discount.

The 2024 regular fee is $1,666.75. Students who register and pay by May 3, 2024, will pay $1,583.41. Humber School for Writers graduates from the last three years (2021 to 2024) will pay $1,550.08.

The fee displayed is the standard domestic tuition fee and should be used as a guideline only. Actual fees will be calculated when you complete your registration and may vary slightly.

Cancellation Policy: Humber reserves the right to cancel the workshop due to low enrollment. If the workshop is cancelled, registrants will be notified by June 2, 2024. and a full refund of fees paid to Humber will be issued.

How to Apply

Students are encouraged to apply as soon as possible in order to improve their chance of being paired with their preferred mentor. To apply, please click on the link below and follow the steps to sign up for Slideroom and submit all the information requested.

For application inquiries, please contact David Bezmozgis at 416-675-6622, ext.3465 or [email protected] .

Over 330 of our alumni have published over 1000 books!

Notable alumni authors include

• Eva Stachniak ( The Winter Palace )
• Roberta Rich ( The Midwife of Venice )
• Cathy Marie Buchanan ( The Painted Girls )
• Robert Rotenberg ( The Guilty Plea )
• Shari Lapeña ( The Couple Next Door)

Olive Senior leads a workshop class.

Testimonials

“The structure was ideal with mornings in intimate groups working on our own writing projects and afternoons attending lectures about all aspects of editing and publishing. It provided me with a lovely community of fellow writers. I found it to extremely helpful and I learned a great deal from the week.”

– Jeannie Clark, 2023 Workshop Participant

“I attended the Summer Workshop in 2023, and it really changed how I think about writing fiction. It was energizing to be around a group of other writers, and I found it helpful getting (and receiving) feedback on our work. I think I got even more out of the in-class exercises and discussion with a great teacher (Sheila Heti). I'm still friends with people I met at the workshop, and we meet regularly to work on our writing.”

– Glen Bullock, 2023 Workshop Participant

“The whole class discussions by published authors and one-time Humber students, prior to breaking off into the subject sections, were exciting opportunities to pose questions of individuals who had found paths to success. Additionally, the smaller class sections created the intimacy needed to be expressive. Being in an easily accessible spot downtown Toronto was a bonus.”

– Jeremy Tompkins, 2023 Workshop Participant

“The Summer 2023 Creative Writing Workshop was a huge learning experience for me. The program packs a lot into one week… I came away with a much greater understanding of what to do when I'm ready to try to get my fiction published. The summer workshop offered so much that my head was exploding at the end of each day. I was inspired by top authors and bonded with aspiring writers like myself. The week was a powerful experience that renewed my enthusiasm for writing.”

– Paul McKeague, 2023 Workshop Participant

“The in-person summer workshop was incredibly inspiring. It provided an encouraging and safe space to talk about writing. All the guests and mentors were approachable and genuine. They all provided honest, practical advice on how to move forward in creative writing.”

– Sarah Cheng, 2023 Workshop Participant

About the Workshop Location

At 59 Hayden Street, Humber’s International Graduate School (IGS) campus is uniquely integrated into Toronto’s downtown core. With proximity to the city’s business, technology, and cultural hubs, the IGS features classroom tools and technologies that encourage collaboration and creativity. Meeting rooms with smart technology and workstations with functional writable desks offer multiple ways to make ideas visible and workshop solutions.

Take a Tour of the IGS

Opportunities for Further Study

The creative writing graduate certificate.

The Humber Summer Workshop in Creative Writing is a complement to the online Creative Writing graduate certificate , the two together comprising a flexible and affordable alternative to a standard low-residency MFA.

Humber’s Creative Writing graduate certificate program helps you improve your writing from the comfort of home. You’ll work one-on-one with a professional writer-mentor to improve your book-length project, learning how to develop plot, character, dialogue, style and more through feedback on your own manuscript.

We've recently added a playwright and a screenwriter to our list of available mentors – giving you the opportunity to complete a large body of work which may be all or parts of a full-length novel, memoir, feature-length screenplay or multi-character play; or a collection of poetry, short fiction or creative nonfiction essays.

This is a project-based program in which you meet the learning outcomes by working through your own manuscript. As well, you will attend weekly online classes synchronously or asynchronously to discuss craft, readings and the writing process to support your development. Writers looking for an affordable alternative to a low-residency MFA program will find this program especially helpful following the Summer Workshop in Creative Writing.

UCLA Writing Project 2024 Summer Camps for Students

We at the UCLA Writing Project are excited to announce our 2024 summer programs for students entering grades 5-12 in fall 2024. This year we are pleased to offer two sessions for you to choose from, the first on campus, the second virtual.

Our promise:  We’ll continue to give students exquisite attention, and they’ll experience pleasure and joy as they find the best words to capture their thoughts.

Just what will happen during the workshop activities for students enrolled in Crafting The Story – Grades 5-6 , Literary Adventures – Grades 7-8 , and College-Ready Writing – Grades 9-12 ? Simply put, students will grow dramatically as writers. They’ll expand their stylistic repertoires, focus on a particular genre—but try out several others.  They’ll draft short and long pieces and gain confidence as they develop their individual style.  By the end of the workshop time, students will think of themselves as writers—a big deal!

And what about the entering twelfth graders in the College Personal Essay workshop ? They meet for just 12 hours over a four-day period. And that’s the perfect amount of time for zeroing in on the challenging and exciting task at hand: showing in what ways their hard work has translated to insightful understandings and how their experiences have built character.

What else should you know?

Our teachers are all UCLA Writing Project fellows.  This means that they participated in our Invitational Writing Project , a leadership institute that gathers wonderful teachers of writing PK-University—to share their expertise through demonstration workshops, to refine their own writer’s craft, to pay good attention to social justice issues in schools and communities.  They are teachers who love to write and to guide young students to grow as thinkers, readers and writers.

More still:

• All classes will offer students appreciation, support, structure—and fun!
• The day will combine whole group class time, small group sharing with peers, individual writing time.
• Those classes scheduled to be virtual will have synchronous and asynchronous components.
• All students will also have time to interact with their teacher one-on-one.
• Students in the two-week workshops will craft an anthology of selected writing. They will also receive a certificate commending their participation.

We hope to see you this summer!

Faye Peitzman, Ph.D. UCLA Writing Project Director

Crafting the Story – Writing Workshop (Rising 5-6th Graders)

Ten-day workshop from 9AM-12PM for students entering 5th-6th grades. Welcome, young writers! Join us for an exciting time of writing, reading and collaborating with fellow students.

Be a Force of Nature: Reading and Writing about the Environment – Writing Workshop (Rising 7-8th Graders)

Ten-day writing workshop from 9am -12pm for students entering 7th-8th grades. Two sessions: in-person at UCLA or online.

College-Ready Writing: Personal and Academic, Both! (Rising 9-12th Graders)

Writing workshop from 9am-12pm for students entering grades 9-12. Learn how to organize, develop and refine your writing, and how to find your academic voice. Two sessions: in -person at UCLA or online.

Writing the College Application Personal Essay Workshop (Rising 12th Graders)

Four-day workshop for students entering grade 12. Try your hand at a variety of application topics, explore the role of style, and analyze sample personal statements.

Online Writing Workshop – Crafting the Story (Rising 5-6th Graders)

Online writing workshop – literary adventures (rising 7-8th graders), online college-ready writing: personal and academic, both (rising 9-12th graders).

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Nancy Lee Sayre , Program Manager

Faye Peitzman , Director

Upcoming Events for Teachers

Improving student writing: lessons and strategies to aid in writing improvement throughout the year, summer events for students.

TopWrite Applications for young writers (18-30) are open 

Join Us For 2024

Our Diamond Jubilee Year

Swanwick Writers' Summer School

We are a residential writing conference for creatives (18+) with a full programme of courses, workshops, speakers, activities and entertainment. 

Each August, the Writers' Summer School meets at the Hayes Conference Centre (part of the Christian Conference Trust). The Hayes is set in peaceful surroundings in the beautiful Derbyshire countryside. Why not walk around the lake

and take in the healing power of nature?

Enrich Your Writing Journey With Us

Join us and mingle with like-minded individuals for an eclectic week of exploration and fun. You will find writers at all stages of their craft, from beginner to published and established author, poet, playwright, and scribe of many talents. 

We foster a community of caring, daring, and sharing writers, willing to help each other and form lifelong friendships. Even shy ones will find their tribe. There are also plenty of breakout spaces for collaboration with others and downtime spaces where you can be alone with your words and quiet reflection if you wish. 

2024 Programme

Supporting You

Supporting Us

Get In Touch

What our delegates say.

"Spending a week amongst so many creative people is a real privilege."

"It is truly the best week of my year."

"A lovely environment to spend a life-enhancing time away."

CCWP Registration for Invitational Summer Institute 2023-24

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• Publication date June 5, 2023
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Inquiry and the Role of Writing in Antiracist and Culturally Sustaining Curriculum and Instruction

Register Here

$1,000 Fellowship for completion of CCWP ISI May Orientation and Institute. Units are available.

Who should apply?

• teachers of all subjects/disciplines and all grade levels, TK-University

(i.e., teachers of multilingual students, math, science, history/SS, Art, ELA); and

• reflective educators who are willing to share their expertise and learn from others.

Orientation (virtual):  a Sat. morning in May 2023

Hybrid Institute :   M-F: June 19-23    M-Th: June 26-29, 2023   Virtual and In-Person

1 Follow-up day in school year 2023-24

Application is due  May 5, 2023 .

Fourteen applicants will be selected to attend.

During the Invitational Leadership Institute, we will

• develop our own writing;
• demonstrate and share lessons we use to teach writing;
• develop our own inquiry questions for classroom research;
• have constructive conversations about social justice, equity, culturally sustaining pedagogy, antiracist teaching, and meaningful writing in our classrooms;
• read current research about writing in disciplines, critical literacy, policy, instruction and assessment;
• participate in Writing Groups, sharing and responding to our writing;
• use and share digital tools to support our learning and our students’ learning; and
• develop our leadership skills.

Fellows who complete the institute

• become CCWP Teacher Consultants (TCs);
• join our National Writing Project community of teacher leaders who participate in ongoing collaboration; and
• may provide professional learning for our region’s educators and support for students in young writers’ programs.

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Sweet Briar retreat welcomes creative minds to campus

An immersive experience was how one participant described the inaugural Sweet Briar Summer: Arts and Writing Retreat, which took place on campus from June 22–25. 

Posted on July 12, 2023 by Sandra Huffman

During lunch on Friday, fellows from the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts (VCCA), Caitlin Cass, Pamela Lawton and Sam Modder, discussed their works during an artist panel moderated by Clare van Loenen, director of the campus galleries and museum.

In addition to events on campus, trips were available to the Ankida Ridge Vineyards in Amherst VA on Friday, and the Anne Spencer House in Lynchburg VA, the former home of the renowned Harlem Renaissance poet, on Saturday. Other optional events also included a campus tour, a tour of the greenhouse, and a yoga class.

Special thanks to workshop instructors: professors John Gregory Brown, Erica Trabold, Medford Taylor, Tracy Chapman Hamilton, Joshua Harris and McCormick Templeman; and Colette Krogol and Matt Reeves from Orange Grove Dance.

The second annual Sweet Briar Summer: Arts and Writing Retreat will be held June 27-30, 2024. More details will be announced early in 2024. Sign up here to be one of the first to know! 

S&P Global increases Sweet Briar’s bond rating

Abigail McAllister ’24 named Presidential Medalist

Author Tessa Fontaine to speak at annual Arts & Writing Retreat

NCEA Team Earns Runner-Up at National Championships