Young Adult Writers Program (YAWP): Defying Genre: Exploring Experimental Writing

This class will be hosted remotely! You will be able to participate in class via Zoom videoconference 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! If you have questions about remote learning, please feel free to reach out to [email protected] for more information.

Class Description: Do you have a hard time answering the question, “what kind of writer are you”? Do traditional writing conventions constrain your wildest and most brilliant ideas? Are you still trying to figure out your “voice”? Your stories should never be pigeon-holed into any single style. During this session of genre-bending, -blending, and -embodying, we will smash the boundaries of our craft and mosaic the shards into something bold. We’ll read excerpts from Lily Hoang’s collection of prose-memoir-essays, “A Bestiary,” and from John Keene’s imaginative collection of short [historical] stories, “Counternarratives”. Then, we’ll hone our technique so that our form/structure/syntax carries as much weight as our content. Find your edge, collaborate with your fellow rebellious writers, and redefine the rules of the game.

Takeaways: Students will leave with the beginnings of 2-3 pieces that don’t conform to any single genre or form, and new techniques to inspire future writing.

Who Should Register?
For writers ages 13 - 18 ONLY. Writing notebooks are available, but feel free to bring your own.
Remember, parents/guardians must also complete this permission form online before the start of the class. Otherwise, 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.)