Emerging Writers Institute creative writing camp is a two-week summer writing program for teens. Rising 10th-12th graders experience a unique curriculum designed to develop and support students’ imaginative writing across literary genres. This creative writing summer program encourages students to challenge themselves technically and artistically through guided daily writing workshops, one-on-one instructor evaluations, group editing sessions, and creative presentations of their work. Moreover, the participants in the program will be uniquely positioned to profit from the literary culture of the San Francisco Bay Area. By the program’s conclusion, students will produce and perfect quality pieces suitable for publication in their own literary magazine and professional teen publications.

What makes our summer creative writing programs at Stanford University, Yale University and UC Berkeley distinctive?

• A curricular emphasis in expressive writing as a process, rather than in rules or formulas. Students will discover and refine their own voice!
• Inclusion of critical reading exercises as an essential tool for growth.
• Seminars to ready students’ work for professional submission to youth publications, such as The Claremont Review, The Writer’s Slate, Stone Soup and Teen Ink.

Students select a major focus area called a Writer’s Block. In each Writer’s Block, they will read classic and contemporary examples of the genre, craft and hone their writing composition, and prepare to present their piece to an audience of readers and listeners. This year’s Writer’s Blocks include:

• Short and Sweet: Short Story Seminar
• Well-Versed: Poetry Seminar
• The ‘Wright Stuff: Playwright’s Seminar
• The Real Word: Nonfiction Seminar

The offering of majors is based upon enrollment and student choices which seems to vary pretty substantially from year to year and even camp to camp. If enrollment for a particular major is very small we may in some cases move that offering to be an afternoon elective/workshop, in which case the student will still be able to devote most of their time to that subject, and by their choice of how they allocate their time still make their desired subject their 'major' in a sense for the camp. Our diverse afternoon workshops have included nontraditional writing genres, such as speech writing, ‘zine creation, graphic novels, journalism, nature writing, and advertising copy. These offerings vary from camp to camp based upon staff interest and special experience. These courses seek to engage participants on new material and open their horizons when they are not working on their principal piece. Furthermore, the program recruits guest speakers from the publishing industry and Bay Area authors to give readings and answer questions about literary life and labor. There are no grades, so ultimately students will choose how to best spend their writing time to a large degree, allowing each student to focus on the subjects that interest them most.

In order to attend the EWI, students must demonstrate their potential as writers by submitting a creative writing sample in any of the four major areas of focus. This program assumes that its students possess a formidable understanding of the English language and are prepared to employ this familiarity in inspired and inventive ways.

A few words from our Emerging Writers Institute 10th - 12th Campers!

"I learned to be true to my own voice and write about believable, developed characters." — Seth N., participant

“I wouldn’t want anyone who likes writing to go through high school without coming to this camp and having as much fun as me!” — Annelise H., participant

“I liked it…my poetry class was small, so everyone got a chance to speak, read, and receive feedback.” — Jordan K., participant

“I loved evening classes and I loved Fiction class. I learned so much. [My instructor] taught me that I not only have something to say, I have a LOT to say.” — Jessalyn M., participant

"I had a incredible time at the education unlimited camp at Yale.  Thank you so much for providing the opportunity for me to really find myself as a writer and helping me advance my interest in it.  I had a great time, I really loved all the classes, and the environment that you all created was incredible. This was by far the best summer camp I had ever been to, and everyone there only added to the experience.  I only wish that it had lasted longer." — Nick D., participant

Education Unlimited also offers a 7th-9th grade Emerging Writers Program.  Click here for more information. 

Looking for a more cultural experience for the summer? Check out Summer Focus Enrichment: Writing for a unique combination of curriculum, Bay Area excursions, and college-life.