“This place has an amazing community like no other. Most people are at least a little
nerdy, so I never feel strange for being so. The classes are an incredibly safe environment
to share works in progress, and I’ve never felt bad about taking a risk. Everyone
around is incredibly supportive.”
– Elle C. (2024)
“YWW was such a great experience, everyone was so talented. I got the chance to explore
all types and genres of writing and, even though it was out of my comfort zone, I
wasn’t stressed at all! It’s was such a positive and kind environment — perfect for
writers.”
— Naz B. (2024)
“The Young Writer’s Workshop is a community of like-minded writers, excitedly creating
together in the Berkshire’s. It was incredible to be in a space without criticism
in the traditional sense, being pushed with the philosophy of creation without judgement.
I was able to get out of my head for 3 weeks and do what I love, write, with amazing
teachers and peers supporting me. Thank you so much YWW!”
— Camille B (2024)
“The Young Writers Workshop was hands down, the best experience my teen could have
hoped for. Not only did he grow as a writer over the 3 week workshop, but he also
grew in his independence and self-confidence. The other teens were welcoming and inclusive
and my son felt right at home, immediately. As parents, we felt the staff to be open
and easy to communicate with, and incredibly encouraging of our teen. What a wonderful
experience!”
— Sabrina H. (2024)
“Why isn’t school more like YWW? The opportunity to get encouragement and feedback
without the pressure to get a good grade, all amid the hotbed of inspiring visual/performance
arts that is the Berkshires, makes it so easy to grow and be creative.”
—Sage C. (2024)
“Young Writers Workshop is an incredible experience that I believe anybody would be
lucky to participate in! In my time at the workshop, I was able to explore new realms
of writing that I never had before, and discovered that even the types of writing
you hate can be enjoyable when your creative mind is fostered. Not only did my workshop
leader offer me valuable feedback on my writing, but she also helped me explore who
I was as a writer, how that reflected who I was as a person, and what it means about
the future of my writing. The Young Writers Workshop is a community of people who
celebrate all types of writing and encourage you to live up to your fullest potential
as both a person and a writer, and it is a place that has grown my love for the craft
and everything that comes with it even more than I thought possible.”
— Grace S. (2024)
“At YWW you’ll wind up with great teachers who are dedicated to helping your work
— but beyond that, you get to spend three weeks with new people as they turn into
new friends. They like writing, too. Community is always worth it.”
— Quinn W. (2024)
“The community I found at YWW helped me unlock new sides of my voice as a writer and
pushed me to explore the limits of language in ways I couldn’t have imagined. Whether
I was participating in a popcorn-reading of a Gertrude Stein poem, freewriting until
my fingers cramped, confronting the silence that comes with writer’s block, or taking
a walk in the woods, I always felt as if I was learning and growing. This program
gave me the tools and the space to experiment with unfamiliar styles, genres, and
mediums in my writing, shedding light on different modes of self-expression and collaboration.
I’ll always remember the strange, fabulous experiences I got to have during the three
weeks I spent at Simon’s Rock, and I’m so glad to have shared them with such a wonderful,
dynamic group of people.”
— Marti W. (2024)
“Having a space as open and encouraging as the one at YWW helped me feel more confident
in my writing and in what I need to do to push myself forward. The teachers actively
made an effort to communicate with everyone and made sure that everybody in the environment
felt safe to share their work and experiment. Outside of the classroom, the students
were vibrant, friendly, and encouraging; some of my best memories of YWW were the
ones that we spent late at night in Kendrick House, just watching movies together
with a laugh and a smile. YWW changed my perspective and made me more excited than
ever for myfuture — to think that I’ll one day be in a place that makes me feel the
same way YWW made me feel is something worth waiting for. Thank you for everything,
YWW!”
— Gaby L. (2024)
“YWW is a time in my life I will always look back on with fond memories. Whether it
be the insane Americans I met or the incredible workshops this is an opportunity I
would not have traded for the world. Learning to write in such creative ways and with
so many talented and different perspectives made my writing so much better. I could
not have asked for a better summer.”
—Sable P. (2024)
“YWW changed the way I write irrevocably, for multiple reasons. The group of people
is something remarkable which definitely cannot be found elsewhere. Students came
from different states, cultures and communities, yet we all bonded together over a
shared love of writing and reading as we embarked on incredible field trips and experiences
that we all agreed we'd remember forever. Besides being set in a beautiful area, perhaps
the best part of YWW was that the 3 weeks we had together allowed us to bond so much
more closely, and create lasting friendships which will last the rest of our lives.
I will always be grateful for my experience at YWW and would highly recommend it to
anyone.”
— Cora B. (2024)
“Before the workshop, my son had only a few friends, whom he saw infrequently. Now
he travels on his own to spend time with many friends. As a parent, I can only tell
you this sense of adventure and openness is priceless.”
— Karen A. (2024)