Calling Young Writers! Get Involved in Your Writing Community!

At Writopia Lab, writers of all ages and backgrounds find a supportive, fun, and engaging community of writers and thinkers.

“Writing used to be a solitary activity. But now I am beginning to believe that writing is best done in a community, surrounded by fellow wordsmiths who can comment on your pieces, provide inspiration, gently offer suggestions, and encourage you to forge ahead.”

Emma K., 15, Writopia writer

At Writopia Lab, we offer a wide range of programs for learning, leadership, activism, and growth. Check out some opportunities for young writers and teens below!

• About our Workshops and Camps
• Clubs & Organizations
• Upcoming Events
• Publishing Opportunities
• Internships & Leadership Opportunities
• FAQ

About our Workshops and Camps

So what is Writopia Lab? And what can you expect in our workshops?

First and foremost, you will have the time and space to develop your work with the support of your instructor and your fellow workshoppers. Your instructor is there to help you if you are developing a new idea, struggling with writer’s block, or are uncertain about where your story is headed. Though many of our writers choose to continue working on their writing outside of workshop, we do not assign homework.

In each session, you will also get the opportunity to workshop your piece with the group and to receive positive and constructive feedback from your fellow writers. Also, based on writers' requests, workshoppers often play Writopia Lab writing games or do writing exercises that inspire new stories, encourage character investigation, or are just relaxing and fun.

Click here to see our full schedule of workshop offerings.

Clubs & Organizations

Enviroactivism

The Enviroactivism Club is a teen-founded, student-led environmental activism club. We have worked with the community at farmers markets, educated with environmental films, reflected on and taken action on current events, and become activists in our own communities. We have expanded nationally, published a newspaper, and dreamed up many more endeavors to come. Get involved: fill out this form, follow us on Instagram @enviroactivism_writopia, and email enviroactivism@writopialab.org with any questions.

Turning the Page

Turning the Page is a teen-led social justice committee that is part of the year-long <ahref="https://www.writopialab.org/programs/what-we-do/creative-writing/teen-creative-portfolio">Creative Portfolio Program. Each year, this leadership committee will pick a social justice issue or theme to focus on, and how to raise awareness, both regionally and nationally. This year's team picked Identity, and have spearheaded roundtable events for our national teen community, started a picture book drive of diverse books for two community centers in need, and are now focusing on creating an anthology of poetry, prose, and art with submissions from the community at large. For more information about Turning the Page and/or the Creative Portfolio Program, email Léna at lena@writopialab.org

The Next Chapter

The Next Chapter is a teen-founded and teen-run activist group that fights to end gun violence for a better world to write the next chapter. Get involved: fill out this form, follow us on Instagram @nextchapternyc, and email thenextchapter@writopialab.org with any questions.

Celebrating Pride with Writopia Lab

Every year, Writopia hosts Pride month events throughout June to celebrate our LGBTQ+ writers!

Upcoming Events

Check out our calendar of upcoming events, and follow us on Instagram and Facebook to be notified of community events!

Publishing Opportunities

Diatom Journal

A national magazine of original writing, visual arts, and music, Diatom Journal is curated by Writopia Lab teens. This group of teens, a collective of young editors from all around the country working together, set out to create a "place where artists can excavate and amplify their voices on the different ways the human condition is understood." They began with a call for submissions in late 2019, and even when the challenges of the pandemic arose, they pushed through and published Issue #1 in November 2020.

Internships & Leadership Opportunities

High School Workshop Internship Program

Internships are available for high school students who have taken a Writopia Lab workshop within the past calendar year. High School interns serve as role models and provide workshop, editorial, and moral support to our six- to nine-year-old writers. High school interns assist instructors with our workshops, providing typing and story-development support. This is a volunteer opportunity, and we are happy to sign off for volunteer or community service requirements for schools.

Requirements

High school interns must

• be at least 15 years old at the start of their internship
• have taken at least one Writopia Lab 15-hour workshop within the past calendar year (trimester, school break, and summer workshops all qualify), and
• commit to at least two week-long summer workshops or one trimester-long weekly workshop.

Apply Online

• Summer Applications due May 1st
• School-Year Applications accepted on a rolling basis
• Please fill out this form to apply
• Questions? Email Tasnim Hussain (tasnim@writopialab.org).

Frequently Asked Questions

What will I do in workshop?

First and foremost, you will have the time and space to develop your work with the support of your instructor and your fellow workshoppers. Your instructor is there to help you if you are developing a new idea, struggling with writer’s block, or are uncertain about where your story is headed. Though many of our writers choose to continue working on their writing outside of workshop, we do not assign homework.

In each session, you will also get the opportunity to workshop your piece with the group, and to receive positive and constructive feedback from your fellow writers. Also, based on writers' requests, workshoppers often play Writopia Lab writing games or do writing exercises which inspire new stories, encourage character investigation, or are just relaxing and fun.

What can I work on in workshop?

Whatever you want. (Really!) All our workshops are multi-genre, which means you can focus on fiction, playwriting, poetry, memoir, screenwriting, etc. Some writers come in with a clear idea of what they want to work on; others arrive looking for inspiration. Your instructor will help you brainstorm and start a project that speaks to you. Over the course of the semester, your instructor and peers will help you develop your piece and see it through to the end.

Who are the instructors?

All of our instructors are published authors or produced playwrights. You can read their bios.

Who else will be in my workshop?

There are a maximum of six to eight writers per workshop. You will always be in an age-based group, so the other writers will be right around your age. Writopia writers come from all different sorts of schools, communities, and neighborhoods.

What else goes on at Writopia outside of the workshops?

We host regular readings at local bookstores and libraries, as well as spoken word events at the Nuyorican Cafe in New York City. We also run theater festivals, Dungeons & Dragons games, a two-week sleepaway camp, and over a dozen other programs!

Can I intern at Writopia Lab?

Yes — if you've taken workshops with us before! High school interns are an integral part of our programs.

College students may also apply for paid internships. Stay tuned for fall 2021 listings!

What if there's not a Writopia Lab near me?

In addition to running workshops at our locations across the US, we also offer private sessions and weekly, half-day, and full-day workshops online via Zoom.