Class

Imagination to Page (for Ages 9 to 11)

This full-day summer writing experience invites young storytellers to spend four imaginative days creating magical worlds, memorable characters, and stories all their own. Mornings focus on fairy tales and bookmaking, guiding students through classic story structures while they write and build a beautiful book to hold their work. After a midday lunch and enrichment break to recharge and explore, afternoons open up space for creative writing and hands-on art projects that spark ideas and bring stories to life. Together, the day blends writing, art, and play in a supportive community designed to nurture creativity and confidence.

SESSION 1: Fairy Tales, Magic and Bookmaking: Write Your Own Story (for Ages 9 to 11) with Marie Olofsdotter

Explore the timeless territory of magic and write your own fairy tale! Students will record the hair-raising adventures of a main character who sets out on a magical journey to save a troubled world. Along the way they will encounter menacing villains and mystical beings. Students will invent their own settings, characters, and plot, and create an elegant hardcover accordion book to house the story.

This class is perfect for anyone who loves to write and is interested in bookmaking. Students will discover adventures as they uncover new twists in the plot every day. Class sessions are constructed using fairy tale archetypes: students will create a main character who goes on a classic Hero’s Journey. Within this format, there will be ample space for everyone to express their unique literary vision.

LUNCH AND ENRICHMENT:
We'll break for lunch with more activities that will inspire us to express ourselves while having fun! We may explore Gold Medal Park to seek creativity outside the classroom! Please bring a packed lunch.

SESSION 2: Creative Worlds (for Ages 9 to 11) with Holly Day

Many writers are also visual artists, and often use arts and crafts to jumpstart their brain and help them focus on their writing. In this class, we'll craft a variety of art projects related to story creation as well as personalized projects based on objects writers need for organization, all of which can serve as inspiration for young writers.

We'll also write stories that focus on character creation and development, the anatomy of an adventure/quest, and how to develop realistic settings...even when writing about an unrealistic work.

Aspiring writers, grab your notebooks and pens, and let’s write at the Loft!