Class

Strange Worlds: Writing Sci-Fi, Fantasy, & Horror (for ages 12 to 14)

Welcome to the Loft's Summer Youth program at Open Book! Join us for a week of writing and all-day creativity!

SESSION 1:
THE SCIENCE OF MAGIC
(for ages 12 to 14, with Holly Day)

In this class, we'll explore how magical ideas such as phrenology, numerology, casting runes – and other ways to predict the unpredictable – have been used as science. We'll also cover basic actual scientific principles such as magnetism, natural decay, and plant metabolics to do in-class experiments. We'll then use these concepts to inspire fantastic and horrific stories in our in-class writing.

LUNCH & 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:
LIVE BY THE SWORD, ETC. FANTASY WITH TEETH
(for ages 12 to 14, with Alice Paige_

The sword bides its time within the stone. The ocean ripples with the weight of ancient prophecies. Let's get fantastical! Students will spend the week exploring a series of fantasy short stories and poems provided in class. We'll discuss the common tropes and archetypes found within these stories. Students will be invited to participate in writing exercises which play in or reinvent these craft elements. What happens when the protagonist befriends the dragon? Or refuses the responsibility of the sword? How does the story change when it's told from the perspective of the lady of the lake?

Each class will be split between in-class readings, group discussion, and writing. At the end of the week, students will be given the opportunity to write, share, and receive feedback on a short story or story excerpt.

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