Class

Worlds of Possibility: Worldbuilding & Interactive Writing (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:
WRITING PICK-A-PATH STORIES
(for ages 12 to 14, with Kat Shepherd)

Interactive book series keep readers turning the pages because the story changes every time. Every decision the reader makes takes the plot through unexpected twists and turns that lead to a host of exciting new endings. And writing them is even more fun than reading them! This class offers the chance to plan and create pick-a-path stories of your own in a variety of genres, and you’ll walk away with your own pick-a-path book to share with family and friends. Whether you’re writing horror, adventure, or realistic fiction, you’ll learn the secrets behind creating a thrilling interactive multi-plot story that will keep readers coming back for more!

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:
UTOPIAN AND DYSTOPIAN WORLDBUILDING
(for ages 12 to 14, with Amy Sailer)

In this workshop, students will write a collaborative novella that takes place in a utopian or dystopian society. We'll discuss examples of utopian and dystopian stories from diverse writers such as Ursula K. Le Guin, Octavia Butler, and Becky Chambers in order to collaborate on creating a society that has fundamentally shifted from our own. Students will then write their own 3 - 5 page stories that take place in this shared society.

On the final day of class, we'll read and workshop each other’s stories for craft and continuity, and the teaching artist will send out the final anthology at the end of the course. Along the way, we'll experiment with worldbuilding techniques — social relationships, setting, and figurative language — and discuss the relationship between utopian and dystopian literature. Taking a page out of the utopian stories we discuss, the class will endeavor to use creative writing to build stronger communities in and out of the classroom.

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