CREATIVE WRITING SUMMER COURSE FOR 15 TO 18 YEAR OLDS

Updated: 14 September 2024

Are you interested in:

• • being immersed in a culture of writing
  • learning how to improve your writing skills and how to become a better and more critical reader
  • ways of thinking about writing that can be strong and purposeful and develop your creativity
  • being taught by a literary heavyweight and being surrounded by students whom have similar passions  that you are able to absorb from

Then this course is for you! This course is designed for students of all levels that have a passion for writing. By immersing students with similar interests and goals together students can learn to further their writing skills and explore their creativity. This course covers the main techniques of creative writing and is mainly workshop driven in small groups followed by classroom tested teaching techniques.

Why Choose LITE Regal

This course enables aspiring writers to start on the path to professional practice and is equally useful for anyone interested in improving their creative and critical thinking and communication skills.

World class tutors / lecturers majority of whom are Oxbridge or London University educated will teach you an exciting creative writers programme. This academic immersion and an exciting social programme will allow you to mix, make new friends and enjoy your summer with us.

The programme will include guest speakers and unique field visits to places such as the Poets Café in Covent Garden, The Royal Literary Society, The Poetry Library in the South Bank, to inspire literary students.

Each student enrolled on this course will be given a membership to the prestigious Royal Society of Literature for 1 year as part of the course.

A 2-week full-time residential course in Creative Writing for 15-18 year-olds at prestigious colleges like University of London (UOL) or Cambridge University offers a unique and immersive experience. This program is designed to cultivate and enhance the creative writing skills of young minds, providing a stimulating environment for literary exploration and personal development.

Advantages:

1. Immersive Learning Environment: Being fully residential, students are completely immersed in a literary environment, surrounded by like-minded peers and experienced instructors. This fosters a sense of community and shared passion for creative writing.
2. World-Class Instruction: Students benefit from the expertise of seasoned writers and educators affiliated with renowned universities. These instructors bring a wealth of knowledge and practical insights, guiding participants in honing their writing skills.
3. Access to Prestigious Institutions: Conducted at UOL - University of London or Cambridge University, the program provides access to world-class facilities and resources. Students get a glimpse of university life and experience the academic atmosphere, inspiring them to pursue higher education.
4. Diverse Curriculum: The course typically covers various genres of creative writing, including fiction, poetry, and non-fiction. Workshops, lectures, and interactive sessions help participants explore their creativity and experiment with different writing styles.
5. Peer Interaction: Living and learning together for two weeks allows students to form bonds with peers who share a passion for writing. This peer interaction encourages collaboration, idea exchange, and the building of a supportive network of young writers.
6. Full Boarding and Activities: The residential aspect ensures that students can focus solely on their writing without distractions. Full boarding includes accommodation, meals, and access to extracurricular activities that provide a balanced experience, fostering personal growth and social development.
7. Portfolio Development: Participants have the opportunity to create a substantial body of work during the two weeks. This serves as a valuable addition to their portfolio, which could be beneficial for future academic pursuits or creative endeavors.
8. Cultural Enrichment: The program often includes cultural excursions and activities, taking advantage of the location in London or Cambridge. This adds an extra dimension to the experience, exposing students to the rich cultural heritage of these historic cities.
9. Confidence Building: Through constructive feedback and encouragement, students gain confidence in their writing abilities. Public readings and presentations provide a platform for them to showcase their work, helping build essential communication skills.
10. Life-Long Memories: Attending a residential course in creative writing at a prestigious university creates lasting memories. The combination of academic learning, cultural exploration, and new friendships makes this a transformative experience for young writers.

Students will be exposed to various forms of creative writing, such as short fiction, poetry and drama. Students also experiment with writing in these genres. The class is usually comprised of technique and style discussions, reading assignments and writing exercises. Students are introduced to the concept of a writing workshop, wherein they share pieces with peers in order to give and receive positive feedback.

This course encourages the developmental stages of creative work in a whole range of written forms and genres, and allows students to explore how writing is crafted in order to express individual visions.  The course will help you develop and extend your writing skills and creativity in fiction, poetry and screenwriting. It balances the teaching of various aspects of craft with an exploration of how personal preoccupations can be given their own voice and communicated effectively. This process of discovery will inevitably examine and refer to published examples, developing students' critical and analytical skills, in order to apply them to their own work.

This course will include:

• Introduction and exploration of Creative Writing
• Introduction to the various forms of writing such as short fiction, poetry, drama, screenwriting, journalism and web content
• Principles of Creative Writing: You will learn to become expert reader and be aware of the basic techniques of literary expression, including narrative strategies, genres and aesthetics. You will become more self-aware, craft-conscious and self-critical. As important as learning how to write is the ability to evaluate and rewrite. You will recognize that creative writing is never simply descriptive or imaginative. Creative writing also involves ideas, themes, questions and arguments.
• Essentials of plot development, character development
• experiment with various ways of generating ideas for creative writing and also different writing techniques such as characterisation and narrative building
• Classroom tested teaching techniques:
  • imitation or parody;
  • dialogue with a published passage;
  • developing a character;
  • a daisy chain in which succeeding students build on preceding students words;
  • small groups;
  • and, close reading in order to develop a keen sensitivity to a writer's ideas, themes, language and approach.

You will be asked to create a portfolio of your work done in workshops and classes during the two-week course. This portfolio will be a fantastic sample to use to show your abilities to your chosen university or future employer. You will be required to create one 15-20 page short story or a series of short stories as well as participate in weekly writing exercises.

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• use a variety of strategies to generate ideas for creative writing
• understand and use certain writing techniques in your own writing
• be more confident experimenting across a range of different types of creative writing
• be influenced by a wider range of published stories, writers and books
• critique others' writing with more focus
• have a more developed sense of your own writing voice
• have read and discussed a selection of work by at least 5 different published writers and responded to this selection in workshop discussion and in writing in a reader-diary of 1000 words minimum, in which there is evidence of developing critical methodology and integrating
• have created a portfolio of at least 1600 words of your own creative writing

For the first week of the course there will be a little bit of homework, designed to encourage, inspire and stimulate critical thinking. This could be watching a film, reading a scene from a play or a short story to discuss the following week. You should also expect to do writing exercises in your free time, as practice is the only way to improve.

Overview: This immersive 2-week residential course is designed to ignite and refine the creative writing skills of aspiring young writers aged 15-18. Hosted at the esteemed University of London (UOL) or Cambridge University, the program combines world-class instruction with a stimulating environment, providing participants with a comprehensive and enriching creative writing experience.

Week 1: Foundations of Creative Writing

Day 1-2: Welcome and Orientation

• Introduction to the course structure and expectations
• Ice-breaking activities and team-building exercises
• Overview of creative writing genres and exploration of personal writing goals

Day 3-4: Elements of Fiction Writing

• Understanding plot development, characterization, and setting
• Writing exercises and workshops focusing on short stories
• Peer review sessions and constructive feedback

Day 5-6: Poetry and Creative Expression

• Exploration of poetic forms, rhythm, and imagery
• Writing poetry inspired by various prompts
• Group discussions on individual poetic voices

Day 7-8: Non-Fiction and Narrative Writing

• Introduction to non-fiction writing techniques
• Crafting personal narratives and essays
• Workshops on research and fact-checking in creative non-fiction

Day 9-10: Portfolio Development

• Integration of skills learned in previous days
• Building a portfolio of diverse creative writing pieces
• Final presentations and feedback session

Week 2: Advanced Techniques and Specializations

Day 1-2: Genre Exploration

• Introduction to genres such as science fiction, fantasy, and historical fiction
• Writing exercises to experiment with different genres
• Discussions on the importance of genre in storytelling

Day 3-4: Advanced Fiction Techniques

• Deepening understanding of narrative structure
• Exploring advanced characterization and dialogue
• Peer-led writing workshops with a focus on longer fiction pieces

Day 5-6: Screenwriting Workshop

• Basics of scriptwriting and visual storytelling
• Group projects and collaborative screenplay development
• Analysis of film excerpts and discussion on effective storytelling in visual media

Day 7-8: Publishing and Professional Development

• Insight into the publishing industry and different paths to publication
• Writing query letters and author bios
• Guest lecture from a published author or industry professional

Day 9-10: Culmination and Celebration

• Final portfolio showcase
• Public reading and presentation of selected works
• Closing ceremony and certificate distribution

Residential and Recreational Activities:

• Evening writing circles and open mic sessions
• Cultural excursions to literary landmarks in London or Cambridge
• Team-building activities and outdoor exercises
• Creative arts and crafts sessions to enhance inspiration

Note: The schedule is subject to minor adjustments based on the specific needs and preferences of the participants.

As well as the above Lite Regal has teamed up with literary societies to provide our young students with a visit to places of inspiration for writers. Visits will include trips to the Poet Library and the Poetry Café where our students will be able to engage in discussions as well as hear other students / public stories.

For the Creative Writing Course (2025) Lite Regal has confirmed a visit to the Royal Society of Literature. Students will be inspired by guest speakers and generate ideas during these field visits.

LITE Regal Summer School will be an experience to remember. You’ll develop personally and academically as you are inspired, challenged and supported. From the programme you can expect to:

• gain invaluable insight through workshops that could prove advantageous in your future University application and career choice
• find out about various forms and principles of creative writing, which are not necessarily taught at school but could be perfect for you to study at University
• develop critical solving skills
• make new friends from all over the world
• learn from world-class academics and researchers at a University ranked second best in the world
• consolidate and develop your current knowledge of creative writing
• improve your study skills whilst working in a range of stimulating environments
• develop your practical skills as well as your theoretical knowledge
• work in teams to develop your interpersonal and organisational abilities
• enjoy LITE Regal experience

The LITE Regal Summer School isn’t all about work! Our dedicated Events Team has created an exciting action packed social programme to complement your studies to ensure you have as much fun as possible, make friends and get the most out of your stay with us.

Please visit our activities page for more details: Cambridge  London

Cultural Excursions

Excursions take a full advantage of an excellent transport network both from London and Cambridge, giving you a real taste of life in England.
Destinations can include: Harry Potter World, Windsor Castle & Eton College, Oxford, Brighton, Chessington World of Adventure.

After School Activities

There is so much going on in London and Cambridge and we don’t think you’ll be bored. After classes you’ll have a range of activities to enjoy too.
Here are a few examples of the kind of activities you might have the opportunity to enjoy this summer:
visiting London Eye, Madame Tussauds or the famous Houses of Parliament, film nights, punting down the river, visiting a West End Theatre, themed parties, sports including tennis, swimming, dancing and many more.

Free Time

We understand that students will want some free time to relax, attend to personal administration and contact their families. Some free time will be provided for rest and relaxation, however, we believe the most valuable experience to the student is a fully immersive, packed programme of activities and so students should expect to be engaged in team activities for the majority of time.

You will be accommodated in one of the College campuses. You will be allocated a room, usually sharing a twin room with another student of the same gender. Typically students will be accommodated on single-sex corridors or floors, with staff members and mentors always available on site. Living all together is a great way to make friends and sample the university lifestyle, as the welcoming environment allows you to develop a sense of community.

Breakfast and lunch is served and eaten in the College dining hall, which provides a bright and comfortable space for communal meals. Students will enjoy a varied and healthy diet: all meals are freshly prepared and special diets can be catered for with advance notice. A three-course dinner is provided daily either in the College dining hall, or in various restaurants as part of the social programme.

Safety and Security on Campus

Students will be overseen by our course leaders and residential staff to classes and activities, who ensure that students are looked after pastorally and socially during their summer school programme and are available to assist students at any time of the day or night.

All students will be issued with emergency contact details for staff members and will be given a full safety briefing on arrival.

LITE Regal Summer School offers a safe and secure environment that is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by our friendly and professional team. We have a dedicated team of Managers, Teachers and College Mentors. The welfare of our students is our main priority at all times and our staff specialise in the pastoral care of older teenagers.

Management Team

Our Management team is headed by the College Principal, who takes responsibility for the daily running of the summer school, and supervises the Academic Programme. The Social & Welfare Manager takes charge of the summer school Social Programme and is supported by a team of College Mentors, who ensure everyone is happy, safe and having fun.

Working together, our Managers ensure that every aspect of the summer school runs smoothly, safely and offers every student the chance to participate fully.

College Mentors

Our Mentors are key members of staff who support and assist our students within the college accommodation and throughout the summer school social programme. Our team of College Mentors work with our Social & Welfare Manager in organising the summer school’s social events and excursions, as well as accompanying students into campuses and during day trips. They are approachable and caring, ensuring that all students get involved in the life of the summer school.

Students on the Creative Writing summer course:

• must be aged 15 - 18 before 1st September 2025 (if you are unsure of the age criteria entry please contact our registration team)
• must show passion for writing, reading, show creativity
• must be fluent or near-fluent English language speakers – if you are unsure whether your English level is suitable for this summer course, please contact our registration team
• must show motivation for attending the summer school programme and participate in terms of attendance at lessons, meals and events

All successful applicants will also be required to provide a signed letter of consent from their parent or guardian. If offered a place on one of our summer school courses, students and parents / guardians will also be required to sign a Code of Conduct for the summer school.