Advanced Writing Seminar: Pre-College Program in NYC

Join Writopia Lab for an immersive two weeks of writing in New York City! In its fifth year, this boutique pre-college program is designed not only to deepen and expand teen writers’ craft, but also to nurture their development into curious, passionate observers of the world around them. To that end, we run our program not only out of the physical classroom at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, but also make a classroom out of New York City itself.

Writers spend the morning pursuing their craft in one of three tracks:

Writing the City, Writing the World

Our largest track, every other day, young writers will take excursions to different neighborhoods and destinations in New York City—led by program co-directors, author Léna Roy and playwright Matthew Jellison—some spots New York essentials, others off the beaten path. With an eye towards observation and exploration, they will notate and take in the world around them. On the mornings when they’re not travelling around the city, they will write short, original pieces of writing—fiction, plays, memoirs, and more—in direct conversation with the places they observed in their excursion. They will leave the two weeks with a chapbook of collected works inspired by the city and the world around them.

Novel Writing

A small group of budding writers will work one-on-one with a published novelist all morning to develop pieces of long-form fiction and meet with a professional editor or agent to review their loglines/pitches, not only deepening their craft but gaining exposure to and wisdom from experts in the publishing capital of the world.

Playwriting

Young dramatists will spend their morning with a produced playwright to develop individual short plays, which they will then hear read out loud by professional actors in a presentation at the end of the two weeks.

(Applicants will be asked to specify the track they are most interested in, and write a short paragraph as to why they’re interested, as part of their application.)

After lunch and some free time, writers will either join one of Writopia Lab’s lauded multi-genre Creative Writing workshops, where they will work on writing projects of their choosing under the guidance of a professional writer trained in our teaching methods. (Rising seniors will have the option to work on their college essays during this time as well, using Writopia’s creative and joyful approach.)

On the weekends and evenings, writers will participate in activities ranging from bookstore runs, film critique, and book club, to optional excursions like the Brooklyn Bridge, Fort Greene Park, taking in the skyline on the Staten Island Ferry, poetry writing at the Brooklyn Promenade, and people-watching on the Coney Island boardwalk.

Writers stay on campus at the Pratt Art Institute in the historic Clinton Hill neighborhood of Brooklyn, where they forge a caring community of young writers and artists.

We accept dedicated writers who are rising high school juniors and seniors, as well as rising college freshmen.  

Tuition: $4,200. Limited financial aid is available. To apply for aid, please email financialaid@writopialab.org with a copy of your tax returns and a brief statement of need.

Application Includes:

• Writer’s Statement
• Writing Sample (5-10 pages)
• A 250-word statement of Track interest
• Letter of Recommendation from a teacher

Applications will open in 2026!

Details

Location

Our university-based program will be located at Pratt Art Institute’s 135 Emerson Place, Brooklyn, New York 11205.

Tuition

$4,200. Limited financial aid is available. To apply for aid, please email financialaid@writopialab.org with a copy of your tax returns and a brief statement of need.

Ages

Open to rising high school juniors, seniors, and rising college freshmen.

A Typical Day

• 7:45 AM — Wake Up
• 8:30 AM — Breakfast
• 9:00 AM — Morning Meeting
• 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM — Track
• 12:30 PM - 3:00 PM — Lunch and Chill
• 3:00 PM - 5 PM — Creative writing Workshop
• 5:45 PM - 10:00 PM — Dinner, Evening Activities, or Excursions
• 10:45 PM — Curfew
• 11:15 PM — Lights Out

Advanced Writing Seminar NYC Session FAQs

I’m having trouble with the application process. Can you help me?

Please email TeenPrograms@writopialab.org for assistance with the application process.

How do I apply for financial aid?

This all happens in CampMinder, where you will apply for enrollment. To apply, fill out your application, indicate that you are applying for financial aid, and submit your complete financials via CampMinder. If you are applying for financial aid, you will not be required to pay a deposit. However, we will only be able to hold your spot for two weeks if you have not submitted your financials. Please do not email financial data directly to TeenPrograms@writopialab.org.

A $500 deposit is due upon enrollment. This deposit will increase incrementally as we get closer to the session. Following enrollment, parents will have the option to pay in full or set up a payment plan in CampMinder. This payment plan will set up equal monthly installments, with the last installment paid the first week of May.

How many writers are attending?

At this time, we are limiting the capacity to 32 writers.

What will meals be like?

Most meals will be on campus at Pratt’s dining hall (the true pre-college experience :)). There will occasionally be catering and meals out.

What is the atmosphere of the workshops?

Our mission is to foster joy, literacy, and critical thinking through creative writing. All workshops--whether morning track or afternoon creative writing workshops--have a small instructor-to-writer ratio. The instructors are professional writers with a lot of experience in the literary world as well as with kid and teen writers. They lead the teen writers through the creation and completion of original, strong writing. Along the way, they pepper in original writing games and exercises meant to inspire and connect young writers to their writing, expand their knowledge of types of writing, and teach craft concepts intrinsically. The instructors provide detailed strengths-based feedback, lead conversations on craft, and work to foster a small community around the written word. The workshop atmosphere is at once relaxed and rigorous, nurturing and challenging.

Does my teen have to bring their own bedding?

Yes. Each participant must bring a twin set of sheets and/or a sleeping bag, as well as a towel.

What about medications?

In compliance with NY State Medical Rules and Regulations with minors, all medications, including OTC’s and vitamins, must be turned into a staff member upon arrival. We will have a staff member trained to give out medications for self-administration and log when you take them.

Have any further questions?

Email us at TeenPrograms@writopialab.org to learn more.