"I came to Writopia without ever having been in a writing class outside of my school. I was scared that I would not be as good as the other members, but as soon as I stepped in I felt right at home. For the first time I was excited and passionate about my writing. Every week I was eager to learn from my friends and writing instructor how to improve my work. In the end I felt that it all paid off. Writopia gave me a chance to think about hard and personal subjects in a different way, and also gave me the chance to express myself in a free manner."
Writopia Lab is a national community of young writers, ages 6 to 18. Founded in New York City in 2007, Writopia Lab has now spread to Greater New York, Greater Washington, D.C., Chicago and Los Angeles.
Parents: At Writopia, your kids and teens enjoy individual attention, fun writing games, couches, laptops, stellar feedback from published authors trained in our method, and, best of all, the satisfaction of completing a wonderful original story.
Writers: Do you love the idea of developing a short story, sceenplay, or memoir? Are you thrilled by the idea of polishing exceptional new pieces? Or have you had less positive experiences, and would like to join a community that can change your entire feeling about writing? Our students enter at different levels...and leave with at least one piece of polished, original prose.
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We would love to run workshops in your area (if we aren't already)! Please fill out the form below to let us know where you'd like us to open a workshop!
Rebecca Wallace-Segall, Founder and Executive Director of Writopia Lab, speaking at a TEDx Event on education policy and the importance of empathetic, high-level creative writing instruction.
"The kids are loving the Writopia in-school workshops. There is quite the clamor to get it into the after school program. Reluctant writers are asking if they can go to after school writing!"
--Terri Ruyter, Principal of PS 276
"Working with the teachers at Writopia was among the most rewarding intellectual adventures my children have ever had... They cultivated a love of language and ideas, and made them feel safe to write with real honesty about their passions and their inner life... They spent hours with the teachers in small seminars of their peers, and left hungry for more."
--Barton Gellman, Pulitzer Prize Winner, 2008 and 2002, Washington Post Reporter, and Ferris Professor of Journalism at Princeton University
"My three kids, ages 8, 11, and 14, have taken part in this amazing program. They play fun writing games like "hot lap-top" and spend their time writing stories that they read and edit within their groups... This is the kind of place that your kids love and beg to go back to. My kids kept asking me to sign them up for another week."
"When Writopia teachers make a suggestion, they are not offended if you don’t agree. They listen and consider your perspective as the writer... They are awesome (for lack of a more specific word of praise) editors and writers, and equally amazing people. The gift of working with them is a double bonus – their amazing skill as writers and editors, and their warm, smiling, funny personalities."
--Noa Bendit-Shtull, 15, Bard College High School, Scholastic Silver Keys Winner for Short Story and Poetry, 2008 and Scholastic National Gold Key Winner for Short Story, 2006. Check out Noa's story HERE
"My daughter loved learning to write with Writopia teachers...They inspired her to write award-winning fiction. Long after working with them, my daughter continues to write with great enthusiasm."
-- Ora Shtull Mother of Scholastic Writing Competition 2006 National Gold Key winner