Class Description
Class Description:
A list of all the questions that swirl inside your head about yourself—or the world—can make a great comic. Or a step-by-step guide about making your favorite snack, or how you got through a hard breakup can also make a great comic. Readers appreciate honesty: and that goes for prose or graphic narratives.
In this workshop, you’ll get practice turning your angst—or joys—into an engrossing comic. You’re invited to bring your favorite autobiographical comics in for inspiration for yourself and others or peruse the work of cartoonists that the instructor—a Scholastic graphic novelist—loves. First we’ll write in prose about an event that made us mad, sad, embarrassed, scared or ecstatic, then we’ll organize our text into what we should draw—realistically or through metaphor—or write out in captions, speech balloons or thought bubbles. Then comes the fun part: sketching out a draft of your story using a combination or stick figures and words. Finally, we’ll practice drawing a more polished version and use our phones or other devices—as needed—to find reference photos for our comic art. This workshop is for writers who want to experiment with expressing personal ideas through a combination of words and pictures. No previous art experience is needed to create a simple autobiographical comic. Open to all prose writers. For writers age 13 - 18 ONLY.
Takeaway:
Students will walk away from this workshop with a few fresh drafts as well as the fundamental knowledge of how to turn any story into a graphic narrative.
Class Format:
This class will take place in-person at our Center for Creative Writing in Boston's Seaport neighborhood. Students who need an MBTA pass to commute to class can request one using this form. Snacks, pens, notebooks, chromebooks, and post-class pizza will be provided!
Space Accessibility:
Our space is fully ADA accessible with automatic door openers, ADA compliant restrooms, desk and table spacing, braille signage, and elevator. Our classrooms can be equipped with ALS for hard of hearing individuals. We cannot guarantee a scent-free environment. For more accessibility requests, please contact our Operations team at [email protected] o
Covid-19 Updates:
GrubStreet is a mask-friendly space. When our community Covid risk level is low or medium, masks are optional. We are currently at a low community risk level, so this offering is: mask optional. If our community Covid-19 risk level becomes high, we will follow the CDC recommendations and require masks within our space. Learn more about our Covid-19 Policy here.
Registration Instructions:
- If the student is under 18, parents/guardians must complete this permission form online. You only need to fill this form 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 this form, your registrations could be voided and the cancellation policy will apply.
- If the student is 18, simply let us know by emailing [email protected].
- If you are registering on behalf of a student, add their email in the “For a Friend or Child?” field on the right-hand side of the screen at check out. This will send them a direct link and reminder to create their own profile with GrubStreet.
- Please register with your preferred name :)
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***If you have any questions or concerns, please email us at [email protected]. We’re looking forward to writing with you this winter!***
Thanks to the excellent literary citizenship of our donors, scholarships are available for all GrubStreet classes. To apply, click the gray "APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIP" button. In order to be considered for a scholarship, you must complete your application at least one week before the start date of a class. Please await our scholarship committee's decision before registering for the class. We cannot hold spots in classes, so the sooner you apply, the better. Scholarships cannot be applied retroactively.
For more detailed information about GrubStreet scholarships, including how to contribute to scholarship funds for other students, click here.
This class will take place in-person at our Center for Creative Writing in Boston's Seaport neighborhood.
Covid-19 Update:
GrubStreet's space will be mask-optional when Boston's Covid-19 Community Level is low or medium. When the Covid-19 Community Level is high, our space will require masks. Please check GrubStreet's Covid-19 page for the latest info on masking and Community Levels before visiting in person.
Space Accessibility:
Our space is ADA accessible with automatic door openers, ADA-compliant restrooms, desk and table spacing, braille signage, and elevator. Our classrooms can be equipped with ALS for hard of hearing individuals. We cannot guarantee a scent-free environment. For more accessibility requests, please contact our Operations team at [email protected] or (617) 695-0075.