Summer Story Camp: Creative Writing Workshops for Young Writers

Join us in the studio for creative writing workshops to help your inner storyteller shine!

This summer, we're taking inspiration from familiar (and some perhaps less familiar) stories. We want to introduce you to some new characters, help you explore the worlds you've read about more deeply, and show you how you can take ingredients from existing tales and spin them into your own creations! This is one of the most powerful ways to find your own voice as a writer, and learn from the best!

It is not a requirement to have read any of these books before attending, but it will be helpful to get the most out of each workshop. (Perhaps some recommended summer holiday reading? :))

Story Camps are suitable for ages 8 - 13. All workshops are held at our Balwyn North studio.

If you'd like to know more about any of these workshops before booking, please feel free to contact us.

We look forward to writing with you soon!

Program Schedule:

✨ TUESDAY 21 JANUARY

10am - 12 pm: The Lost Thing by Shaun Tan

The Lost Thing is a humorous story by the ever-original Australian author-illustrator, Shaun Tan. It's about a boy who discovers a bizarre-looking creature while out collecting bottle-tops at the beach. Having guessed that it is lost, he tries to find out who owns it or where it belongs.
In this workshop, we'll invent our own 'lost thing', inspired by the strange and wonderful style of Shaun Tan. Where will you find yours? How will you try to find where it belongs? What will be the surprise at the end of your story? By the end of the workshop, you'll have a brand new story about a lost thing who is - hopefully - no longer lost!

1 - 3 pm: Bindi by Kirli Saunders

Bindi is an 11-year-old whose year is just not going to plan. In this award-winning verse novel by Gunai woman and author Kirli Saunders, young readers are swept away on a journey that explores climate, bushfires, and healing. 
In this workshop, we'll explore telling character-driven, nature-inspired stories in verse form. Perfect for those who love writing poetry; those who are passionate about nature, animals, and the environment; and/or those who are interested in playing with a different way of telling stories. 

✨ WEDNESDAY 22 JANUARY

10 - 12 pm: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K Rowling

In Book 2 of the infamous Harry Potter series, Harry is warned, while on his summer holidays, not to return to Hogwarts. Of course, he doesn't listen, and the adventure that follows includes the discovery of a secret passage, a maze of hidden tunnels, and ultimately, the Chamber of Secrets.
In this workshop, we'll imagine our own 'Chamber of Secrets'. Where is it? What will we find in there? Why has it been kept a secret for so long? We'll use this as the starting point for an enticing new story for you to take home and keep.

1 - 3 pm: Wings of Fire: The Hidden Kingdom by Tui T. Sutherland

This is Book 3 of the very popular Wings of Fire series, in which dragons roam and prophecies abound. Here, we have Glory - an apparently useless RainWing. But it is she who discovers that something deadly is stalking the peaceful tribe...and she and her friends might be the only ones who can stop it.
In this workshop, we'll explore two important story elements: character and world-building. Who will be the unexpected hero/ine of your story? What 'hidden kingdom' will they uncover? We'll even write a story and draw a map to lead us there!

✨ THURSDAY 23 JANUARY

10 - 12 pm: Inside Out by Disney Pixar

In this workshop, we'll experiment with writing emotions as characters. Beyond the colourful world of Inside Out, and in your own style - if Happiness were a character, what would they look like? How would they speak? Where would they live? What about Sadness, Anger, Confusion, and Excitement? This is an exercise we've used many times in our term workshops because it's such an effective starting point for developing interesting and memorable characters, whose stories we want to read. By the end of the session, you'll have created 1-3 original characters who never existed before!

1 - 3 pm: From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg

It's an oldie but a goodie... this is a classic story about two siblings who decide to run away. But not just any old-fashioned kind of running away. These two end up hiding out in the grand Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art - and right in the middle of a mystery that makes headlines.
In this workshop, we'll create our own stories about adventures-gone-sideways. Who will your characters be? What's their plan? How does it all not go to plan - and end up being an even greater adventure than they could have imagined?

Important Information

✏️ $45 per workshop / $80 per day / or $210 for the full Story Camp (3 days)!

✏️ Young writers who are staying for 2 workshops in one day are welcome to stay with us during the break (no extra charge). 

✏️ Please bring a snack and/or packed lunch and a water bottle.

✏️ Please let us know any medical conditions, special requirements, or fun facts we should be aware of when making your booking. We'll do everything we can to make our space as comfortable, safe, and fun as possible for all young writers!

✏️ Before booking, please be sure to read our Terms & Conditions.