Class Description
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!
*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]
Class Description:
All young writers interested in learning how to write playable stories, join us during this week! A story can go in many directions and whether you already have a video game idea or simply like branching out your stories and wish you could use all possibilities in your writing, give this form a try! You will design, map, and write stories, and learn how to turn them into interactive games within text-based user interfaces in your web browsers. We will use Texture to write and play games. For writers age 13 - 18 ONLY.
Takeaways:
By the end of the class, you’ll have a 5-minute long text-based game and a story map that lays out all possibilities in your interactive story.
Note About Our NEW Class Format:
Based on your suggestions, GrubStreet put together a weeklong class that provides a balance of creative writing craft sessions and exercises with plenty of optional components so that teens can take screen breaks if they need them. Each morning session will feature a craft talk or group exercise in your “home” class group with your designated instructor. On Monday and Wednesday afternoons, you’ll have optional class meetings that could consist of:
- Silent group writing with music and available Q&A chat with the writing instructor.
- Book club/silent reading party and optional chat (if the class wants to read the same book, it will be provided to all students via ebook at the student’s registered email address)
- Guest instructor session on varying topics
- Group movie viewing followed by a class Q&A about craft techniques reflected in the movie
- Virtual field trips to museums and other virtual venues.
- Online writing game(s)
- Open Mic/sharing
- Anything else students request!
On Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, programming will consist of various YAWP instructors taking turns leading an ALL YAWP group session on certain topics related to writing and artistic life. Sessions might include any of the above listed items or craft topics like submitting work for publication or running a strong writing group, etc. Every Friday afternoon we’ll feature an optional open mic and milestone celebration to cheer our accomplishments. This means that every YAWPer taking a class in a given week will have three chances to come together as a large group and learn from instructors and students beyond their own classroom.
Afternoons are optional and lowkey, so you can opt-out if you are fatigued or dive in if you want more shared creative activity. It’s up to you! Either way, instructors will always be available to answer questions via email and/or Zoom chat.
Who Should Register?
For writers ages 13 - 18 ONLY.
Remember, 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 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.)
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 using Zoom videoconferencing. After registering, a yellow Resources tab will appear in this section containing a link to join class. Please note that you will need to be logged into view the Resources tab.
Zoom Participation:
In our experience, the intimate nature of a writing workshop benefits from on-camera participation. Students are of course welcome to turn their camera off whenever they need to, but it is a community norm for cameras to be on most of the time. You can learn more about using Zoom here.
Zoom Accessibility:
You can enable closed captioning at any time during the meeting by clicking the CC button at the bottom of the screen. If you'd like to access the transcript after class, please make sure to let your instructor ahead of time that you'd like a copy.