Young Adult Writers Program (YAWP): Animals, Land, & Plants, Oh My: Nature as Metaphor

Teen Class Description:

Have you always felt a kinship with a specific animal or plant? Does the landscape outside your window feel like the embodiment of your inner world? Looking for the backbone that'll tie your latest project together? In this workshop, we'll pay homage to our favorite creatures and/or natural features by using them as metaphors in our writing. First, we'll read pieces that employ nature-based metaphor, such as Lily Hoang's "A Bestiary" and Alexis Pauline Gumbs's "Undrowned." We will discuss how, exactly, nature-based metaphors bring depth and perspective to these works. Then, we'll explore the parallels we innately see between our own chosen animal/land/plant and the story plots we're crafting. Bring your current project that's begging for a connecting theme, or come to start a new piece! Writers of all prose genres (memoir, fiction, non-fiction, etc) welcome! For writers age 13 - 18 ONLY.

Class takeaways:

Students will leave class with a (re-)grounding in the natural world; a new, fresh theme for their current writing project; the beginnings of a piece; and a deeper understanding of metaphor.

Note About Our NEW Class Format: 

We’ve made our remote classes more flexible than ever — with plenty of optional portions designed to allow for screen breaks — while still keeping us connected as a writing community. Learn more. 

How Remote Learning works: 

This class will be hosted remotely! You will be able to participate in class via Zoom video conference from wherever you’re most comfortable. All you’ll need is a laptop or a phone! About 15 minutes before your class is scheduled to begin, you'll receive an email from your instructor with a link to join the class meeting via Zoom–no need to download anything or sign up for Zoom in advance! 

For parents registering their teens: 

*Note: Parents/guardians must complete this permission form online if your teen is under 18.* Unlike previous forms, you only need to fill this out ONE TIME, not for every class. If you cannot remember whether you have already filled it out, please email [email protected] and we will check for you!

If you do not complete the form, registrations could be voided and the cancellation policy will apply. If the student is 18, simply let us know at [email protected]. 

*If you are registering on behalf of your teen, add their email information in the “For a Friend or Child?” field on the right-hand side of the screen before you check out. This will send them a direct link and reminder to create their own profile with GrubStreet. 

(After adding the class to your cart, click "Checkout" and click “Add” next to “For a Friend or Child?” on the right-hand side to fill in their email. This is an easy way of linking the class to your child and encourages them to create their own account.)