Unless state and local sheltering-in-place regulations are lifted, all Summer Creative Writing Camps and Workshops and Summer Reading Groups will be held online. How will this work? Your child will log onto Zoom or Google Hangouts at 9:00 am for morning camps and 1:00 pm for afternoon camps, and stay logged in for the duration of the 3 hours. As with in-person writing camps, each 3-hour daily session will involve a series of large group, small group, and individual activities.
5-Day Creative Writing Camps and Workshops
For 7th to 12th Grades
Cost: $475
Add-on options available for individual consultations outside of camp/workshop hours on academic writing or creative writing projects. $120 per hour for consultations (prorated). Please inquire if interested.
In the Creative Writing Camps, participants are encouraged to write what interests them (stories, poems, etc), get to know other writers, share their writing in a supportive atmosphere, and compile a booklet of the group's pieces. We'll use fun, inspiring, easy writing prompts to generate ideas and create voices, plots, characters, and settings. Participants develop writing skills and confidence. Many participants report feeling greater ease and confidence the following year with school writing assignments.
Session 1 Creative Writing Camp for Grades 4 through 6: Monday, June 29 to Friday, July 3, 9:00-12:00 pm
Session 2: Creative Writing Camp for Grades 6 through 8: Monday, July 13 to Friday, July 17, 9:00-12:00 pm
Session 3: Creative Writing Workshop for Grades 9 through 12: Monday, July 27 to August 1, July 17, 1:00-4:00 pm
College Essay Writing Workshops
(for more info, click here)
For rising 11th and 12th Grades
Cost: $750
This essay workshop teaches your teen to how to write outstanding college application essays. Participants learn the elements of a strong essay, generate topic ideas, and draft essays for the four UC Insight Questions and the Common Application. Limited to 8 students so each student receives individualized attention and essay feedback. Workshop participants are guaranteed space in Deborah's one-on-one essay coaching practice. Workshop bonus: Each student receives follow-up feedback on one personal statement (for the Common or Coalition Application) and on the four UC insight questions.
The workshops include:
- Individualized Instruction: Throughout the workshop Deborah is available during writing time to answer questions, help students overcome writer’s block, offer on-the-spot feedback, and otherwise offer prompt individual attention.
- Prompt feedback: Students receive on-the-spot feedback as they develop ideas and write their first drafts.
- Workshop Follow-up: Workshop participants are guaranteed space in Deborah's individual essay coaching throughout the application season.
- Workshop Bonus: Students receive follow-up feedback on one personal statement and four UC insight questions written in the workshop.
Session A
Session A: College Essay Workshop, June 22-26, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Session B
Session B: College Essay Workshop, July 6-10, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Session C
Session C: College Essay Workshop, July 20-24, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Past participants say:
- "Helpful in improving confidence, writing style, and creativity."
- "It was great to be with other kids who love to write."
- "The atmosphere is so nurturing."
- "A nice personalized approach to writing."
- "Allowed me to take a wonderful leap into the realm of creative writing."
- "Would gladly return next year."
Workshop Cancellation Policy
100% minus $45 registration fee up to five weeks prior to start of workshop. 75% minus registration fee up to four weeks prior. 50% minus registration fee up to three weeks prior. 25% minus registration fee up to two weeks prior. No refunds given within 14 days of start of workshop.
About the instructor:
Deborah Davis, MFA has 30 years’ experience teaching writing classes, workshops, and camps for children, teens, and adults. She is skilled at helping both enthusiastic and hesitant writers to gain skills and confidence with writing. As an independent editor and writing coach, Deborah advises adult writers with their full-length children’s and adult manuscripts, coaches high school seniors and grad school applicants with application essays, and edits academic dissertations. Deborah also teaches the popular “Reading and Writing Young Adult Literature” course at Saint Mary’s College of California. The author of three award-winning novels for young people (The Secret of the Seal, My Brother Has AIDS, and Not Like You) and editor of the nonfiction anthology, You Look Too Young to be a Mom, Deborah lives and writes in Berkeley, CA.
For more information contact Deborah by email or call her at (510) 541-2199.
