Youth Summer Camp: 7th-11th Graders
Sci-Fi/Fantasy with Zac Ginsburg

Online for summer 2023

StoryStudio is proud to offer multiple week-long writing workshops for young scribes across the nation. That’s right, now that we’re online, you can join us from anywhere. With our talented instructors, young writers can expect to learn elements of writing, build friendships and community with fellow peers, and get feedback on their creative works. Check out our different sessions here, ranging from 5th grade to 12th grade, and a special session for our genre writers.

StoryStudio is pleased to offer full scholarships to students who are unable to meet the tuition requirements.
If your child would like to apply for a scholarship, please ask them to fill out this form.

July 10 – 14: 10am – 12pm Central
Instructor Zac Ginsburg returns for this genre-specific camp for writers who are looking to build their own worlds.

Do you want to create your own magical world similar to Lord of the Rings or Children of Blood and Bone? Does the futuristic technology in Ender’s Game inspire you to write your own sci-fi novel? If so, this creative writing summer camp is for you!

Over the course of one week, students will generate their own science fiction and fantasy pieces and workshop them with the help of their peers. They will learn the differences between the genres and read the works of notable authors. Our adventure will culminate in a celebration where students will have the opportunity to read their works aloud.

Authors the course will reference may include: J. R. R. Tolkien, Tomi Adeyemi, J. K. Rowling, Neil Gaiman, Ray Bradbury, Nnedi Okorafor, Neal Shusterman, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Marissa Meyer.

Structure of the course:

  • Mentor Readings: Students will read a piece of published creative work and discuss it each day as craft discussion.
  • Writing: Writing prompts will spark imagination, help break through blocks, and encourage new heights of creativity. Each day, Zac will have students send their work to him and he will read, make comments, and return the work with feedback the following day.
  • Workshopping: Students will share their work and give feedback on what’s working well and what opportunities we can find in each piece. We’ll talk about how to bring out elements of the sci-fi and fantasy genres, where we can extend scenes and dialogue to push the narrative, how to spice up language, and how writers can find—and trust—their own amazing original voice.
  • Showcase: Campers will have the opportunity to rehearse and perform their written work via Zoom. A link can be shared with friends and family members from around the globe; anyone who wants to tune in is welcome.
REGISTER NOW: EARLY-BIRD PRICE $250 ENDS MARCH 31

Zac Ginsburg, from Chicago, teaches composition and rhetoric at Pace University and creative writing through StoryStudio. He has a passion for helping young writers develop their own unique voices. His fiction and nonfiction have appeared in The Brooklyn Rail, Wired, The Adroit Journal, Public Seminar, Midway Journal, The Corvus Review, and The Writing Disorder.

Daily Timeline & Breakdowns

  • 10am: 35 minutes – Writing Exercises
    • 7 minute break
  • 10:45am: 35 minutes – Reading and Discussing Craft
    • 7 minute break
  • 11:30am: 35 minutes – Working on Longer Pieces
  • 12:00pm: END
Youth Summer Camp writers on their last day