Essay Writing for High School Applications

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.

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, grabbing our pens, and meeting at the P.S. 187 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 explore the wilds of language out in the world, allowing a stream of poetry to flow from the river of possibility.

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 our own way – whether it be fiction or nonfiction, the choice is yours. Which way will your adventure go?