Creative Writers' Workshop
Academic Life
Overview
The Duke Creative Writers' Workshop is an intensive writing experience. In many ways it resembles a college-level creative writing course. Each writer designs and pursues a writing project under the mentorship of a primary instructor, and with the support of a peer group, for the duration of the Workshop – for example, a collection of poems, a short story or screenplay, or a one-act play. CWW instructors are practicing writers with advanced degrees in the craft, and CWW participants bring to the program an already deep and defined commitment to writing. This is a close supportive environment. Constructive feedback and criticism are the bedrock of the CWW experience.
The Writing Life
A typical day at CWW starts with a meeting with your Primary Group, led by your primary instructor, whom you have chosen based on your writing genre and on your preference among the instructors’ bios. You might discuss some writing (by a peer or a published author), or do a writing exercise. You will have some time allotted to write on your own. After the daily lunch hour, there might be a “mini-lesson” -- a seminar focused on a particular aspect of writing, such as “Dialogue,” “Formal Poetry,” or “Finding Your Voice.” You might meet individually with an instructor, share work with other CWW writers, or do readings. There are also special events that vary from year to year: guest speakers, museum outings, and performances.
The heart of the day is writing. Writers who get the most out of CWW come ready to write, and each instructional day includes time to do just that, free from the distractions of “real life.” If you have been craving time and space to put words to page, CWW provides it in abundance.
Afternoons and evenings are filled with supervised free time in designated areas and social and recreational programming – and more time to write, of course.
CWW and Young Writers’ Camp
How is Creative Writers’ Workshop different from Young Writers’ Camp? The Creative Writers' Workshop is a program specifically designed for older writers (you must be rising to 11th or 12th grade) who want to work on developing and refining their writing in a particular genre. CWW writers are expected to have significant experience writing creatively for their own personal satisfaction and to bring to the program works-in-progress or ideas for new work.
Although CWW is about the life and language of the mind, it is not an academic program. We don’t do grammar or academic essays, and we have few formal classes. CWW is about tapping the muse and sharpening the tools to shape what she inspires.
The Young Writers' Camp offers classes in different genres for beginning and intermediate writers who are in middle school or high school. It provides an opportunity for students to sample various kinds of writing or advance their skills in more than one area.
Criteria
CWW writers should be mature, committed to working hard, eager to share and revise their work, and seeking constructive feedback. You must be comfortable working on your own to accomplish the writing goals that you set for yourself. CWW writers bring to the program self-direction, a natural joy in the act of writing, and enthusiasm for belonging to a community of writers.
Applicants to the program will be asked to submit a writing sample when their application to the program has been confirmed. The sample can be of any genre and should reflect the student's current interests and writing style. Please make sure that the submission comes from the realm of creative writing; for example, short fiction, poetry, or playwriting. Research writing and academic assignments are not appropriate samples. Writing samples will not be returned; legible photocopies are acceptable. All samples must be typewritten.