YAWP Summer Writing Fellowship
GrubStreet's Teen Summer Writing Fellowship immerses high school students in the writer's life of creative craft and publishing. During three weeks at GrubStreet, teens work with published authors and meet with literary agents and editors, take field trips to inspirational locales like the ICA, and more. In the spirit of writers' residencies for adults, all teens will receive a stipend for their commitment to the program and their time spent as working writers.
Applications for 2023 have now closed.
Update: Applicants will hear back about decisions on April 10th.
Program
The Teen Summer Writing Fellowship is an intensive, three-week creative writing program for young writers. Through classes, workshops, and readings, students will generate new work, learn about the craft of writing, and gain knowledge of the writing/publishing world. In the tradition of adult writing fellowships, each student will receive a stipend of $625 upon completing the program and successfully completing its requirements.
The YAWP Fellowship is by application only and 20 students will be chosen to participate. YAWP fellowship recipients may only attend the fellowship every other year, once as an incoming freshman/sophomore and once as an incoming junior/senior. Students learn techniques in all genres: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and screenwriting. And no matter their favorite genre, they’re expected to try any and all writing techniques covered in the program. Students are also encouraged to fuse genres and explore sub-genres like sci-fi/fantasy, verse novels, speculative fiction/magical realism, mystery, romance, and whatever their imagination calls for. This program is rooted in artistic exploration and learning how to commit to their art no matter where life takes you.
Note: We are planning for this year's fellowship to be held in-person, but this is subject to change depending on CDC guidelines. The information below applies to the in-person version of the program; however, if we go remote, comparable benefits will be provided before, during, and after the three-week program.
When: Mondays through Fridays, July 10th - July 28th, 2023
10:00am-3:00pm (Half day Fridays ending at 1:00pm)
- If needed, transportation assistance (MBTA subway/bus pass) is also provided upon request. (Commuter rail passes are available on a case-by-case basis, depending on budgets.)
- A live and in-person fellowship reception and showcase is scheduled for Wednesday July 26th, 6:00-8:30pm.
Who: All incoming 9th-12th graders in the Greater Boston Area with an interest in creative writing. (This means that you must be both a full-time resident of the Greater Boston Region and going into the 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade in Fall 2023 to apply.)
Where: GrubStreet Seaport location (if it is safe to gather; otherwise, it will be remote).
The program has these 3 elements:
- Generative: Writing from exercises in fiction, poetry, nonfiction, screenwriting, etc. (with an emphasis on experimentation).
- Workshopping: Learning how a traditional workshop works, learning how to give and receive feedback.
- Learning About the Editing/Writing/Publishing World: Learning about opportunities for writers during and outside of college, as well as the world of agents, editors, and the writing marketplace.
Optional 4th Week of Publishing: Monday through Friday, July 31st - August 4th, 2023
- For the second consecutive year, a council of Teen Writing Fellows will be selected to create their cohort's anthology.
- Fellows will learn the ins and outs of layout design and printing while also planning the reunion event where the finished anthologies will be unveiled.
- Compensation for this extra week is $15/hour with lunch and transportation being provided as needed.
Still unsure if you should apply? Read about a past fellow's experiences here.
Stipends
In the spirit of adult writers' residencies, teen participants will be paid a $625 stipend for their three-week commitment to learning about writing. Payment of the stipend is contingent on being on time, attending all of the sessions, and meeting fellowship requirements.
The Application Process
Once the application period opens, each student must upload in their online application the following documents:
- Creative Writing Sample (2-10 pages) which can include fiction, nonfiction, poetry, plays, screenplays, songs, cross-genre or experimental work. This may include multiple pieces and/or genres (no academic essays). Don't be afraid of spelling mistakes or in-process drafts, we're looking for your unique voice!
- Personal Statement (no more than 600 words) -- Answer the question:
If you were chosen as a writing fellow, what do you think you'll gain from this experience and what do you think you can offer this writing community?
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The online application will also ask for the following information:
- Your name, contact information, and high school name.
- Your parent/guardian name, contact information
- A teacher/mentor name, contact information
- Your demographic information (optional)
Please email [email protected] with any questions.
Application Deadline: Monday, March 20th at 11:59pm
NO APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER the deadline. No changes can be made to submissions after they have been received. 20 students will be chosen to participate with a short list of alternates. Any updates or additional information will be posted to this site, as appropriate. Students will be notified by Friday, April 7th, 11:59pm.
No phone calls please. We cannot release any information prior to the deadline. Any updates/information will be listed on this page.
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YAWP Summer Fellowships are made possible, in part, thanks to the Boston Public Library, the Calderwood Charitable Foundation, the Liberty Mutual Foundation, MassHousing Community Services, RBC Wealth Management, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and donors like you.
If you have questions or need help selecting a course, please call (617) 675 9632, or email us at [email protected].