Fall Workshops 2023

Fall 2023 Writing Workshops

Fall can be overwhelming–new school year, new friends, new expectations. Most young people could use a little extra support during this time, and creative writing will give them exactly what they need.

Sure, participating in our workshops can help boost your child’s grades, but as our families will tell you, there’s so much more to it than that. Uptown Stories offers every student a place to be themselves, with other kids who revel in being their most authentic, creative selves. Every workshop is a safe place where the funniest, scariest, and weirdest ideas can be shared. And, because our class sizes are small, our amazing teachers are able to spend quality time with every writer.

All our workshops are Pay-What-You-Can for every family–no exceptions, no proof of income needed. If you’re unsure if your child will love creative writing or illustration as much as we say, we recommend registering them for a workshop and giving it a try. If your child doesn’t love the first class as much as we think they will, we’ll refund your tuition or transfer them to another workshop.

Help your child thrive this fall and write their world–register today!

If you’re not ready to register but would like to stay in touch, join our mailing list! Be in the know about new workshops and Uptown Stories news, plus once a month you’ll get the best student writing in NYC, delivered right to your inbox. 

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600 W 168th St (@Broadway)
Starts 9/18, Mondays 3:45-5:15PM
High School
Girls, it’s time to let your voice be heard! Come write, discuss, and revel in what you love, in what inspires you, and discover how you’re going to change the world. From politics to body image to #metoo, we’ll be tackling what it means to be an empowered young woman right now. Any and all kinds of writing are welcome - from real-life to poems to fiction...
178 Bennett Avenue
Starts 9/18, Mondays, 4-6PM
10-14
We’re calling on the brave and bold for a writing adventure! This semester we’ll be writing stories that have multiple choices for the reader - different storylines lead them down alternative paths or to alternative endings. We’ll take inspiration from a few examples like Jason Shiga’s Meanwhile and Ryan North’s To be or not to be, then we’ll build worlds of our own. We’ll dig into key writing techniques and learn some new approaches while we forge...
178 Bennett Avenue
Starts 9/19, Tuesdays, 5:30-7:30PM
12-18
Let’s journey into the deepest, darkest corners of our minds, where our imaginations make us shiver, squirm, and silently scream. Yes, we’ll be writing our own page-turning horror stories and screenplays, the kind that make your pulse raise and your hair stand on end. We’ll visit works by masters of the genre, like Edgar Allen Poe, Shirley Jackson, and Stephen King, while discovering newer voices like Steven Graham...
178 Bennett Avenue
Starts 9/20, Wednesdays, 3:30-5:30PM
8-12
If you can’t wait to turn the page, the writer has succeeded in telling you a great story. What does it take to develop characters, settings, dialogue, and plot elements that have you on the edge of your seat? This workshop answers those questions and more! We’ll breakdown the parts of fiction writing each week and test out what we’ve learned with some on-the-spot writing. You’ll work with your peers, too – giving advice and feedback...
178 Bennett Avenue
Starts 9/20, Wednesdays, 5:45-7:45PM
12-16
There's always more to learn, fiction writers! Come build on the skills you've already got, and dig deeper into the qualities that give all the best stories that extra POP. Whichever genre of fiction you prefer (historical, fantasy, realistic, etc.) is welcome! We'll focus on the fine details that will take your writing from good to great: natural, character-driven dialogue; proper pacing; inciting incidents; raising the stakes...
178 Bennett Avenue
Starts 9/21, Thursdays, 4-6PM
8-11
For many of us, picture books are what first sparked a lifelong joy for reading and crafting stories. From Max's wild rumpus to Sam-I-am's obsession with green eggs and ham, these books stay in our hearts long after the last page has been read. In this bilingual workshop, we'll revisit our favorite children's books through the eyes of a writer and illustrator, getting to the bottom of what makes some books so memorable. Then we'll develop...
178 Bennett Avenue
Starts 9/22, Fridays, 4-6PM
10-14
Get ready to run faster and jump higher, one frame at a time! Together we’re taking your stories and transforming them into comics. You’ll take an ordinary day (or the wildest story you can imagine) and use comic book language, illustration, and frames to share with everyone the next super-adventure.
178 Bennett Avenue
Starts 9/23, Saturdays, 11-1PM
8-11
It's time for you to be the master of your universe! Let's explore worlds of your own creation, inhabited by beings that only you can imagine. We'll work together - whether you prefer fantasy, science fiction, magical realism or dystopia - to bring your ideas to life. We'll map out stories rich...
PS187 Schoolyard, Fort Tryon
Starts 9/28, Thursdays, 4-6PM
8-10
Tired of being inside? Do you want to be wild and/ break out of the limitations that are always being set? Poetry is the answer. We’re strapping on our shoes and grabbing our pens, then meeting at the PS187 school yard to go on a poet’s adventure! Poetry is a way of seeing things outside the boxes they are always being put in. We’ll be rejuvenated by the nature of Ft. Tryon Park and emboldened by our resilient neighborhood. We’ll...
178 Bennett Avenue
Starts 9/30, Saturdays, 1-3PM
14-16
We welcome you to Snobby Poetry, should you be up for the challenge. We’re a self-motivated, uber-supportive band of misfits who read, write, and share poems. We love words, rhyme (only when used sparely, thank you), observation, and Walt Whitman (obviously.) Poetry is an illogical measuring device, filled with seemingly impossible comparisons and instructions; that is why we are called to write it. We are the liars who tell the truth. If this...