Writing Workshops

Experiences

The best way to learn a skill is by doing it. At every Rising Writer session students will be assigned a writing experience. We refer to these writing assignments as “experiences” because we want students to approach each task not as just another hoop to jump through for a teacher but as an experience from which they can gain insights, develop skills, and perhaps even find enjoyment. We want students to feel motivated to make choices and write with a voice that expresses ideas and opinions that matter to them, knowing that the best writing comes when we’re writing about subjects we’re passionate and knowledgeable about. But this doesn’t mean a sacrifice of rigor. Each task will still require a clear process of brainstorming, drafting, revision and editing and will often require research to gather evidence in support of the writer’s ideas.

Objectives

The main objective of The Rising Writer Workshop is for young writers to develop a writing process that works for them and allows them to generate high-quality, effective pieces of writing. There is more to writing instruction than just drilling the formulaic structure of a five-paragraph essay and asking students to replicate it in response to a narrow set of academic prompts. Our aim is to direct students’ attention away from mechanics and toward questions of audience, purpose, genre, message and style — the elements that guide writerly choices and thus make writing a highly personal and potentially fulfilling endeavor. With this approach, we hope to redefine writing for students who have previously seen it as a futile process of guessing what a teacher or other authority wants them to say. Writing is actually an opportunity to solve interesting problems, develop complex opinions, and participate meaningfully in conversations that matter to us.

The four categories of activity in The Rising Writer Workshop are skills drills, analytical experiences, argument experiences, and reflections. Writing experiences might include the following high-interest prompts:

• Pop culture reviews
• “Adventure” reporting
• Conspiracy theory analysis
• Playing a pundit
• Impossible arguments
• Tributes or profiles
• Self-assessments

Besides guiding these writing experiences, instructors focus on crucial writing skills and the challenges writers (young and old) often face in their writing process:

• Why proofreading is so difficult
• Procrastination and the fear of getting started
• Why good writing starts with critical reading
• Finding your flow
• Determining what makes a reliable source
• Introductions that’ll hook your reader
• The importance of a good title

Students will be expected to submit writing assignments weekly and, at the end of the course, will reflect on the portfolio of pieces they have created and the progress they have made. Instructors will provide formative written comments for each assignment and will devote time in class to group discussions about the experiences. The goal is to encourage students to write more, enjoy writing, and improve their skills.