Who is eligible to enroll in these courses?
Students enrolled in U.S. high school grades 10-12 as of Fall 2026 or graduating seniors beginning college in Fall 2026.
Students based outside of the U.S. who speak English at the native level or whose high-school studies are conducted in English are also eligible.
Are there any supplies required for the class?
All classes will be held on Zoom, so students should have access to a reliable internet connection. All readings will be provided via PDF or will be available online, though some students may wish to print these out or purchase a copy of any related books.
How does this class compare to other creative writing courses offered to high-school students?
This program is built around a simple but rare premise: contemporary literature, taught by writers who are actively making it. Rather than reinforcing the reading and writing habits of the high-school classroom, we ask students to engage with craft the way working writers do — as practitioners, not just students. Our instructors bring experience from some of the most respected writing programs for young people, including the Yale Summer Journalism Institute, the Adroit Summer Mentorship Program, and 826NYC, as well as college teaching experience at universities including Stanford and Cornell. This course was designed as the next step: a small-group, advanced seminar for young students ready for a college-level curriculum.
Where most residential programs enroll 50–100 students, we limit enrollment to ensure a 1:6 faculty-to-student ratio. Each week includes a 90-minute craft seminar, a 2-hour writing workshop, and one-on-one instructor meetings — far more live instruction than comparable online programs, which typically offer only asynchronous content at a similar price point. The six-week structure gives students time to draft, workshop, and meaningfully revise, building toward a mature writing voice that is genuinely their own. For a full comparison with other summer writing programs, reach out at writers@thewritersperspective.org.
Who is this course for?
The Advanced Writing Workshop is ideal for students who regularly read and write outside of their high-school classroom. The course is structured to maximize individual or small-group feedback to students in order to help them refine and polish their work. The workshops will have a 1:6 student to faculty ratio and multiple chances for students to receive individualized feedback. Students will also receive personalized reading recommendations, designed to guide them more efficiently towards finding their distinct writing style. In addition, students are held to a higher standard in seminar-style discussions, and faculty will expect students to respond to works and each other with a higher level of critical engagement. This course is ideal for students who want to emerge with a set of polished pieces, potentially for submission to publications or applications to other programs or colleges.
Students applying to the Advanced Workshop are ideally students who feel they thrive in their traditional high-school English class. They may take additional writing-related electives or supplementary classes, or participate in writing-related extracurriculars or regularly write on their own. They may have participated in a summer writing program before. The class will be most helpful to students who already have some written work and wish to edit and refine their portfolio while also generating new pieces.
We are also happy to discuss your student’s specific experiences and qualifications if you email us at writers@thewritersperspective.org
Will additional classes be offered?
We will be adding course offerings throughout the year. Sign up for our email list here to learn about future classes and other events or opportunities, including one-time workshops and Fall, Spring, and Winter Break courses. We also offer one-on-one mentoring. Please contact us for more info.
Will I / my student receive a grade?
Students in the Advanced Writing Workshop will receive individualized feedback at the end of the course. If grades or any specific format of feedback is required (such as for school credit), this can be discussed individually on a case by case basis.
Will coursework be age-appropriate?
Although we will be teaching authors who primarily write for adults, we will be selecting age-appropriate excerpts to teach. All the authors we teach will be established, prize-winning writers whose work is considered integral to contemporary literature. Students will be expected to engage with complex themes, but excerpts and passages will be appropriate for a teenage audience and in line with the type of literature taught in high-school classrooms.
Are there scholarships available?
Since this is a new course, scholarships are not currently available. However, we do hope to offer need and merit-based scholarships in the future.
Is there a cancellation policy?
Please email us at writers@thewritersperspective.org with specific questions. Cancellations and refunds are offered on a case-by-case basis.
Please direct additional questions to writers@thewritersperspective.org