AMC ONLINE
Young Writers:
Virtual Creative Writing Summer Camp for Teenagers
The American Center in Moscow invites Russian teenagers to spend 2.5 weeks experimenting with different elements of fiction and write their own short stories in a free virtual creative writing summer camp for teenagers “Young Writers”!
Apply by June 15 to take a journey into the world of creative writing!
About "Young Writers"
“Young Writers” is a 2.5-week free online summer afternoon program that helps budding writers ages 14-18 develop and explore their creative writing talents and skills. “Young Writers” will immerse teenagers in the writers’ world of creative craft and connect them to literature, new friends, and a writing community. It will also help young aspiring writers improve their English and empower them to express their ideas and their voice through creative writing. Selected participants will spend 2.5 weeks experimenting with different elements of fiction and write their own short stories.
“Young Writers” runs online on June 20 — July 6, 2022, on weekdays at 3:00-4:00 PM MSK. This camp is held in English, is entirely free, and is available for 14-18 year olds who have minimum an Intermediate/B1 level of English.
Summary
(read a more detailed description below)
Dates: June 20, 2022 — July 6, 2022; weekdays at 3:00-4:00 PM MSK
Apply by: June 15, 2022
Ages: 14-18
Level of English: Intermediate and above
Venue: Online (Zoom)
Cost: Free
Instructor: English Language Specialist Damien Shuck
about the instructor
Damien Shuck is currently an English Language Instructor at Fort Hays State University where he teaches courses in business networking and global business perspectives. His book of poetry, The Drowning Room, won the 2013 New American Poetry Prize. His work has appeared in multiple reviews and literature magazines. Damien Shuck is a former English Language Fellow in Shenyang, China and former Peace Corps Volunteer in Chongqing, China.
activities
In this camp, you will:
-explore elements of great fiction writing (such as developing ideas, creating characters, building unique settings, forming plots and twists, using different points of view) and contemporary writing styles in short informative video lectures, created specially for this camp.
– complete fun writing exercises and prompts together to build on your stories-in-progress during online writing seminars.
– develop your English language skills by discovering how to use such devices as metaphors, meaning, connotation, foreshadowing, and allegory to make your writing more interesting.
– work on daily creative writing activities at home to create 6 short stories over the period of the camp.
– read and discuss short stories from master writers and apply their ideas to your own writing.
– receive feedback on your writing from the instructor and the other participants and learn how to give constructive feedback.
No matter where you are in the writing process, you’ll finish each day of the camp with new creative writing insights and most importantly, words on the page. By the end of this camp, you should all experience the joy of completing the drafts of your short stories!
Eligibility
This program is designed for academically motivated high school students (14-18 years old) who:
– have minimum an Intermediate / B1 level of English;
– are interested in learning the fundamentals of creative writing in English and creating several works for their creative writing portfolio;
– have a range of creative writing experience. We welcome those who have some creative writing experience in Russian or in English as well as those who have little or no experience of creative writing but want to learn the fundamentals of this craft.
Application
1. Fill out this application form by June 15, 2022.
2. Selected candidates will be notified of their acceptance into the course by June 18, 2022 via email from [email protected] to the email address specified in the application form. Only selected candidates will begin the program on June 20, 2022.
Please note that the number of places in the course is limited and applicants will undergo a selection process based on the completed application form.
Schedule
Each day of the camp includes the following activities:
– a short video lecture about that day’s topic (different elements of fiction) that participants watch on their own before a writing seminar;
-a virtual meeting or an online writing seminar (on Zoom) with the instructor, where the participants discuss that day’s topic and complete writing exercises and prompts;
– a creative writing activity that the participants work on at home and complete before the next writing seminar;
– a short story that illustrates that day’s topic and that the participants read before the next writing seminar and discuss it in class;
– feedback on the participants’ writing from the instructor.
The schedule of 11 online meetings
The schedule of 11 online meetings (on Zoom) (subject to change):
- June 20 at 3:00-4:30 PM MSK — Introductory session
- June 21 at 3:00-4:00 PM MSK — Meeting with young Russian writers
- June 22 at 3:00-4:00 PM MSK — Seminar: Developing a plot
- June 23 at 3:00-4:00 PM MSK — Seminar: Developing characters
- June 24 at 3:00-4:00 PM MSK — Seminar: Describing a place
- June 27 at 3:00-4:00 PM MSK — Seminar: Exploring conflict in fiction
- June 28 at 3:00-4:00 PM MSK — Seminar: Point of view
- June 29 at 3:00-4:00 PM MSK — Seminar: Symbolism
- June 30 at 3:00-4:00 PM MSK — Seminar: Tension
- July 1 at 3:00-4:00 PM MSK — Seminar: Metaphor and poetry
- July 5 at 3:00-4:00 PM MSK — Seminar: Putting a story together
- July 6 at 3:00-4:30 PM MSK — Final readings and feedback
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I'm your personal assistant and I'll help you find what you’re looking for at the American Center. We have "AMC Online | Online Models for English Teaching - Entrepreneurship in English Language Teaching Series" on 12 April (on Wednesday). Would you like to visit it?
I'm your personal assistant and I'll help you find what you’re looking for at the American Center. We have "AMC Online | Online Models for English Teaching - Entrepreneurship in English Language Teaching Series" on 12 April (on Wednesday). Would you like to visit it?