Youth Writing Program
Welcome Young Writers!
We aim to create a warm, ambitious literary community at the Muse for our kid and teen writers through youth writing classes, author events, internships and more.
This is a resource page for young writers, where you’ll find opportunities both inside and outside of The Muse Writers Center. Explore these in more detail below, and know this page is regularly updated.
We just went live with our youth writing class schedule for Summer 2021. Tuition Assistance is always available. All of our classes will be virtual, so you can join from anywhere.
We are offering the following five youth writing classes during this Summer Session:
2) Teen Writing Level 1: Creative Writing
3) Teen “Writers in Action” Workshop
4) Writing the College Application Essay
5) Teen Writing Level 2: Writing Workshop
The Young Writers Workshop is taught by Songwriter Skye Zentz, Poet Kindra McDonald, and Writers Susan Deutsch and Remy Smidt. This Workshop is geared toward children ages 7-9 and will lead them through exercises that will allow them to engage their creativity.
Teen Writing Level 1: Creative Writing is taught by Jessica Kelley and Sierra Foltz and will explore the fundamentals of craft and will ground the student in the language and techniques necessary to take their writing to the next level!
- Great Beginnings: Students learn what makes a story’s first page pop by writing an opening “hook”.
- Killin’ the Villain: students get to create a complex villain while learning the basics of characterization.
- (If students are interested in fantasy) The Rules of Magic: we study different types of magic systems, and students get the opportunity to build their own magic system.
- (if students are not interested in fantasy) Let’s write a fight scene: Students get to learn how to write their own action scene in class
“Writers in Action” Teen Workshop is taught by Sierra Foltz and Susan Deutsch will provide the space for students to hone their skills and share work in an energized environment.
Writing the College Application Essay is taught by Cristina Foss and is intended to help high school students learn how to develop an effective essay for their college admission applications.
Teen Writing Level 2: Writing Workshop is taught by Remy Smidt (prose) and Jeffrey Hecker (poetry). In this class, teen students will encounter the model that serves as the basis for writing at the college and graduate level: The Workshop! **Our Level 1 Class or another Muse class with approval from Remy is a pre-requisite to this class.
Muse Opportunities
Just A Phase Literary Journal April 1st Deadline
You can submit to our literary journal. Our anthology of teen writing is open to submissions from any high schooler local to the Hampton Roads Area. This is a great chance to have your work published. The deadline is April 1st.
Teen Fellowship
This program is open to any 10th or 11th grader local to the Hampton Roads area. Those selected have access to free creative writing classes and mentorship from professional writers. We are in the middle of our current session, but will open up applications for our next one soon.
Internships
We offer a number of opportunities for students to receive hands-on experience with us, one of the nation’s largest literary centers. Right now, we are looking for an Editorial Intern to join us to assist with the publication of our literary journal Just A Phase.
Youth Writing Classes
We offer a variety of teen-specific classes. We just launched our summer schedule. For more information, watch the video above!
Readings
We regularly host teen readings (now virtually!) If you’d like to read at one, contact our Youth Coordinator Remy Smidt at rsmidt@the-muse.org.
Outside Opportunities
Kenyon Review Young Writers Online, Summer 2021
Apply here.
Submit To Journals
New Pages aggregates most of the literary anthologies that are open to teen submissions. Send out your work!
All Ears is looking for young writers just starting out in the creative industry. They accept poetry, fiction, non-fiction (including book & film reviews), and visual art.
One Story To Accept Teen Submissions Submit in the Fall of 2021.
Keep An Eye On:
New England Young Writers’ Conference
Adroit Journal Summer Mentorship
University of Virginia Young Writers Workshop