creative writing camps

• Create Account

Signed in as:

[email protected]

Our Programs and Mission

Tailored Instruction Expertly Delivered

Young Writers Studio of New Jersey offers dynamic and interactive workshops and camps for elementary and middle school students targeting core competencies in the timeless craft of storytelling.  Designed and facilitated by experienced, Master's level educators, our programs incorporate music, video, and movement to keep students engaged and excited to develop new skills. 

Our Mission is Storytelling

It is through stories that we navigate our world, share life experiences, and explore the human condition.  Our mission at YWSNJ is to creatively cultivate the next generation of writers into skilled and responsible storytellers.  Through varied compositions including poems, narratives, songs, and movie trailers, students analyze character, setting, plot, purpose, figurative language, and more.

Live and Online Offerings

Our programs are diverse and flexible to meet the unique abilities, interests, and needs of our students. Through facilitation of both live and online programs we  inspire and develop young writers within large and small groups, and even one on one.

Drop us a line!

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

2688 Lawrenceville School Road, Lawrenceville, New Jersey 08648, United States

Copyright © 2023 Young Writers Studio New Jersey - All Rights Reserved.

Powered by GoDaddy

This website uses cookies.

We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.

Search form

• Login/Register
• Upcoming Workshops
• Where to Start
• The Book Project
• Poetry Collective
• Writing in Color
• Queer Creatives
• Post-Grad Year
• Community Partnerships

Young Authors Collective

• YWP Anthology
• Young Writers Summer Camp
• Community Programs
• Upcoming Events
• Writing Communities
• Fellowships
• Visiting Authors
• Readings and Parties
• Member Events
• ILLUMINATION 2024
• Nonfiction Fest
• 2024 Lit Fest Fellows
• Sponsorship Opportunities
• Gift Certificates
• Monthly Giving
• Planned Giving
• Lighthouse Supporters
• Become a Member
• Our New Home
• The Lookout
• In The News
• Mission and Values
• Board of Directors
• Reports and Publications
• Location/Contact
• Equity, Diversity, Inclusivity, and Access (EDIA)

Young Writers

Lighthouse's Young Writers Workshops are designed to foster creativity, self-expression, and excitement about writing. There are no grades here, just the stories. We offer workshops at Lighthouse including afterschool and weekend workshops, the Young Authors Collective, and summer camps, as well as youth outreach in schools, at juvenile residential treatment centers, and in collaboration with other arts organizations.

For the latest on workshops and events,  sign up for our Young Writers Program e-newsletter . 

Lighthouse connects kids and teens to words, new friends, and a writing community. We offer workshops in poetry, fiction, nonfiction, playwriting, screenwriting, and many other genres and topics. Our classes are taught by published authors and are designed to foster creativity, self-expression, and excitement about writing.

Summer Writing Camps

Lighthouse's Young Writers Camps are led by published and award-winning writers, and each workshop is designed to foster creativity, self-expression, and excitement about writing in young writers aged 8 to 18. Registration for half-day camp and applications for full-day camp will open on January 1, 2019.

School Outreach

The Young Writers Program offers creative writing workshops in public and private schools as well as juvenile residential treatment centers throughout the Denver metro area. Led by working, published writers with a passion for sharing their craft, our outreach workshops provide access to our innovative creative writing programming for young people who cannot come to Lighthouse.

The Young Authors Collective, or YAC, is a group of talented, word-obsessed high school writers dedicated to experimenting with new creative forms, collaborating with other arts organizations, and writing a ton. We meet once a week at Lighthouse to generate new pieces, give friendly feedback, and work towards publication.

Support Young Writers

Our Future Scribes Depend on Your Support. Nearly all of the workshops and projects that will engage 2,300 students this year are free to attend, and for the sessions that do have tuition, such as summer writing camp, financial aid is available for any student who needs it. We want all young people who want to write to be able to do so and for them to be nurtured by the best instructors and mentors available. This only happens with the support of generous donors like you.

ENROLL DONATE

• Who We Serve
• Program Logic Model
• Culture Statement
• Board of Directors
• Advisory Council
• Junior Board of Directors
• Join the Team!
• Get Involved
• What's Hot?
• WRITOPIA SPEAKS
• Creative Writing
• Essay Writing
• College Essay
• Role-Playing Games
• Debate Team
• Private Sessions & Workshops
• Specialty Genres, Events, and More
• Sleepaway Camps
• School Year
• Writopia Publishing Lab
• Worldwide Plays Festival
• Scholastic Writing Awards
• Youth Essay Conference
• Family Memoir
• Writopia Lab Salon
• Teen Intensives
• Professional Development
• Upcoming Events
• Westchester
• Program Schedules
• For Students
• For Parents
• For Educators

Creative Writing Workshops & Camps

Writopia Lab is a national community of teen and young writers and thinkers.

Why We Do This

Because we love authentic writing, thoughtful conversations, stunning prose, and silly madness.

Our Mission

In addition to running workshops at our labs, we work with community-based organizations, the NY Public Library, Homes for the Homeless, and public and private schools across the country.

Testimonials

“My son’s instructor perfectly understands his strengths and weaknesses. Indeed, they work amazingly together: she is helping Markian blend in with the other classmates, build his confidence in expressing his thoughts from a structural standpoint and encouraging him to productively put ideas on paper line after line. Everyone is enjoying this class and the time just flies by… Thank you!” Lilya

"The most powerful therapeutic process I know is to contribute to rich story development." Michael White, Founder of Narrative Therapy

"My son has never liked writing before but after taking Writopia’s private workshops, I find him writing on his own! From poetry to fantasy to non-fiction, he looks forward to every session!" Megan Hahn, Writopia Parent

Thank you so much for the kind feedback about Jeeya. This was her first experience with debate and she had no clue how an actual debate is conducted until the first debate on electoral college and she definitely has a better understanding of it. This class is the highlight of her week and she has taken immense interest in the actual elections because of the debate Classes. We will definitely be signing up for the winter sessions. Vidhi B., Parent

The hallmark of a productive debate is not persuasion, but insight. In a good argument, you're as motivated to learn as to convince. You can declare victory when everyone involved has deepened their understanding, broadened their knowledge, or evolved their thinking. Adam Grant, Author

We can not express enough gratitude for having the opportunity to engage with such a diverse and fun group of debaters across the globe. You gave us a magical night, and our kids now already exhibit a transformational attitude towards debate. We just want to say a big thank you for everything you have done! Many thanks. Tiffany Lee, Founder of Wit and Wisdom Academy, Taiwan

My daughter worked with Writopia for her Common App essay and it was an absolutely wonderful experience. She benefitted immensely from the individual work with her Writopia instructor who made her feel valued and confident. As a result, my daughter was able to write an essay that clearly communicated who she is both as a student and a person. Our only mistake was not starting to work with Writopia earlier. Karen - Writopia Parent

The staff from Writopia created a personalized, genuine writing experience for our students. They patiently guided students through the anxieties surrounding college admission essays, validated students' experiences, and motivated them to turn those experiences into eloquent, personal statements. The students walked away feeling confident about the essay writing process, and so did I. I highly recommend their services! Chano LaBoy - Director, College Bound - Chess in the Schools

Our teen is thoroughly enjoying Writopia, and we are seeing it translate into better work at his school. His teachers are commenting on how good his writing is this year, and he seems to be much more confident in his abilities... so thank you! Mother of 13-year-old

The best thing about Language Play was watching the kids become active in storytelling, and involved in the creative process. No other comparable program offers practice using language, phonics, and creative language play. Rebecca R.

Percy Jackson Themed Workshop

Join us for Modern Mythology: Percy Jackson and Writing Your Own Contemporary Myths! This pop culture workshop will focus on the TV series Percy Jackson and the Olympians, based on the books by Rick Riordan.

3 Weeks, Online Begins November 7th, 2024

Summer Sleepaway Camp

Secure your spot next summer at our annual sleepaway camp, WriCampia! Writing workshops, electives, and fun camp activities for rising 5th to 12th graders!

Monday, August 11th through Friday, August 22nd 2025

School Year Enrollment is Open

Winter Retreat

Three-day retreat for young and teen writers at Camp Mariah in Fishkill, NY.

 Saturday, February 15th to Tuesday, February 18th, 2025

Halloween Story Contest 2024

Write a story inspired by a Halloween-themed prompt for a chance to win prizes!

Submissions Deadline: November 4th, 2024.

Teen Open Mics in NYC

Teen writers are welcome to share their poetry, songs, or short prose on stage within a supportive environment of Writopia educators and peers.

Saturday, October 26th, 2024

Taylor Swift Themed Workshops

Calling all Swifties! Come connect with fellow fans, discover what we can learn from Taylor Swift’s use of literary devices and narrative techniques, and write our own songs, poems, and stories based on our favorite songs.

3 Weeks, Online Begins December 5th, 2024

The Writers Circle

creative writing workshops & community

Fall Registration is OPEN

Creative Writing for kids, teens & adults - Classes start on September 21 - Grab your spot today!

October 27 Special Event: The Thrill of Suspense

Four Authors on the Art of Crafting Spine-Tingling Fiction

Celebrating the Written Word

Our fall session is on.

Check out this late-start option: 

• Starting October 29: NaNoWriMo with April Darcy – Six intensive weeks to help you hit your 50K word goal for National Novel Writing Month

It’s not too late to grab your spot. See our full schedule and

Special events: up next.

Great guest speakers and events to educate and inspire. Here’s what we have coming up:

Oct. 27: The Thrill of Suspense : Four Authors on the Art of Crafting Spine-Tingling Fiction

Jan. 12: Winter Mini-Retreat  at The Co-Co, Summit, NJ

May 18: Spring Mini-Retreat  at Lord Stirling Park, Basking Ridge, NJ

The Writers Circle Journal – Issue 16: Blink, Blink, Blink

Read the amazing work of this summer’s teen writers in our brand new issue . Poetry, prose, and insights into this very complex world.

Congratulations to all the young writers who were published this year, and to all the writers in our Summer Creative Writing Intensives . We hope all of them keep writing throughout the busy school year. And we cannot wait to see you back next summer!

From The Writers Circle Blog

Instructor Wisdom from Novelist Libby Cudmore

Libby Cudmore is a favorite among our Summer Creative Writing Intensives teens. For the last several summers, she’s taught everything from mystery and detective novels to sci-fi/fantasy and micro fiction.  Her brand new novel, Negative Girl, is getting rave reviews. Libby’s also the 2018 recipient…

Writing When Life Gets In the Way

by Co-Director Michelle Cameron “Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans.” – John Lennon Once upon a time, back when I worked for a digital agency, we were asked to explore a list of life events for a corporate client. No…

The Summer of Eras!

by Rebecca Kilroy, former Summer Intensive Program Coordinator, moving on to brand new things It’s the summer of Eras! I’ve lost count of the number of Eras tour t-shirts our students wore to the Intensive. Not a single Wednesday special event passed without at least…

TWC New Jersey Locations & online classes, too!

Find out more:.

The Writers Circle reserves the right to shift any in-person or hybrid program to virtual instruction based on the health and safety recommendations of the CDC, WHO, the State of New Jersey, or other authorities or involved parties.

Connect With TWC

TWC on Instagram

• Built using Kale Pro by LyraThemes .