
We empower young people to write their own stories.
An exciting, challenging, and supportive community where young authors thrive
Based in Washington Heights, Uptown Stories offers after-school, weekend, and summer creative writing workshops for children ages 8-18, led by rockstar teachers, who are also professional authors and artists.
Students learn the art and craft of writing, how to revise their work, and how to give and receive constructive feedback. Each workshop ends with a celebratory reading at the Word Up Bookshop in Washington Heights, and the publication of a paperback anthology, so every student leaves our program as a published author.
To ensure our program is accessible to our ethnically and economically diverse community, our tuition is “Pay-What-You-Can.” Uptown Stories creates an exciting, challenging, and supportive community where young authors thrive.
Why Creative Writing?
We believe that writing is an essential tool for:
Joseph
Student
Graydon
Alumnus
Elias
Alumnus
Nina
Parent
Susannah
Student
HK
Parent
Isabella
Student
Tallulah
Student
Ready to Join a Workshop?
The internet is a crazy place, but it gives us powerful tools to tell our stories. Digital Journalism is all about using the digital world to our advantage! Through writing, video, and audio, we’ll learn the fundamentals of storytelling, reporting, and online journalism in unconventional ways. We’ll investigate questions like: What makes a compelling news story? How do we verify facts? And how can content like TikTok videos and mini podcasts be used to inform our audiences? By the end of this workshop you’ll be a certified a young journalist, creating your own captivating multimedia projects for the world to see.
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 and test out what we’ve learned with some on-the-spot writing. You’ll work with your peers, giving advice and feedback, while hearing what they have to say about your work. Not only does this workshop make you a better writer, but when you understand the process, it makes you appreciate your favorite writers even more. Don’t leave us on the edge of our seats – register for now for this workshop!
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; plot-twists; and, of course, the art of the satisfying ending. We’ll look to our favorite fiction writers for inspiration, and discover new works worthy of your attention.
This workshop is for students who are familiar with the basics of fiction writing, and who would like to grow as writers.