Young Writers Program
Overview
SBWC offers a special program and discounted rate for Young Writers ages 14-18. Students are invited to participate fully in all our regular conference activities, including the daily workshops and all speakers, panels and presentations. In addition, we organize special activities throughout the week for Young Writers, including a pizza lunch with a literary agent from New York.
Our Young Writers Program coordinator is USC student Dallas Woodburn. Dallas is an SBWC alumna who has written two collections of stories and essays (There’s A Huge Pimple on My Nose! and 3 a.m.) and has been widely published in national magazines, including Writer’s Digest, Justine, Listen, Writing, Encounter, and The Hudson Valley Literary Magazine. Her Web site and Write On! Foundation to increase literacy awareness have garnered national attention and honors. She has taught her own summer writing camp class the past two summers, and has spoken at the Jack London Writer’s Camp.
Dallas will be available throughout the conference to encourage and meet with Young Writers, answer any questions that come up and serve as a “resident advisor” for those students who stay at the DoubleTree Resort.
Who should attend?
Young writers of all genres -- graduating eighth-graders through graduating high school seniors.
Why?
To improve craft through workshops that include lecture, writing assignments, and read and critique. Like all writers, young writers benefit from connection to a community of voices that speak our language. In today’s world of budget cuts, most secondary schools cannot offer programs that encourage a writer’s growth. SBWC’s Young Writers Program students will also learn the nuts and bolts of the business end of writing from workshop leaders who have successfully navigated the maze we call "the road to publication."
Where?
All YWP activities are held at Fess Parker’s DoubleTree Resort in Santa Barbara in conjunction with other conference activities. The discounted student rate of $525 admits young writers (14-18 years old) to the YWP activities as well as all other workshops and special events of the conference, including the opening reception, closing dinner, and the final awards brunch.
For more information, call (805) 964-0367 or email