Class Description
***This class will be hosted remotely! You'll receive an email from your instructor about 15 minutes before your class is scheduled to begin with a Zoom link. There is no need to download or sign up for Zoom in advance!***
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Class Description:
So you think a little differently. You move through the world a little differently. Maybe you read, imagine, communicate a little differently too. Well if you’re into writing, you’ve come to the right place! This class invites teens who identify as neurodivergent to come together for a week of writing grounded in just that: engaging with difference. This week, we’ll immerse ourselves in neurodiversity through themes, characters, structure, practice, and more! Each day will be filled with writing and reading exercises designed to get you thinking and creating. We’ll work together to set up a class structure and schedule that suits us as a group, and there will be plenty of opportunities for each writer to engage with the material in a way that works for them.
As we read from ND authors like Holly Smale, Helen Hoang, Octavia Butler, and CL Polk, we’ll explore themes of madness and outsiders in literature and work on telling our own stories as we’re reminded of the call for “nothing about us without us.” We’ll discuss characterization and neurodivergent representation and dream up the new characters we’d like to see inhabiting the books of the future (aka yours!). We’ll also discuss plot and narrative structure, finding new ways of engaging with typical linear plots, while also making space to experiment with different forms—like episodic storytelling or the use of footnotes and diversions—as we map our often fresh, nonlinear thinking on the page. And as we build community with other neurodivergent writers, we’ll talk about ways of creating a writing practice that work with our brains rather than against them.
Come find your neurokin—those writers who share your neurotype, or more broadly, those of us who share the common experience of neurodivergence—as we explore what it means to write our stories our way. Not sure if you’ll fit in? This is a space for each of us to stand out! Have questions or requests about the class? Feel free to reach out in advance to chat. This is your space. For writers age 13 - 18 ONLY. This class was previously listed as, Writing with Neurokin.
Zoom Accessibility:
Online Class Format--Sustainability and Community:
Based on student suggestions and to offer writers a sustainable learning experience, this YAWP weeklong provides a balance of craft sessions and exercises with plenty of optional components so that teens can take screen breaks as needed.
Each morning session will feature a craft talk or group exercise with your designated instructor, and in the afternoon you’ll have optional and lowkey meetings that could consist of:
- Q&A chat with your writing instructor
- Group writing with music
- Reading party
- Movie viewing followed by a chat about craft
- Writing games
- Open mic/sharing
Students are encouraged to self-advocate, opting out if they are fatigued or diving in if they want more creative activity. Either way, instructors will always be available to answer questions via email and/or Zoom chat!
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 summer!***
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.