Inviting Teens into the Writing Community through Writing Conferences

Inviting Teens into the Writing Community through Writing Conferences by Katherine Higgs-Coulthard

Meet our Guest Presenter

Dr. Katherine Higgs-Coulthard is an Assistant Professor in the Education Department at Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Past-president of ICTE,  and a teacher consultant for the Hoosier Writing Project, an affiliate of the National Writing Project. Dr. Higgs-Coulthard’s passion for story informs her research on the teaching of writing, her work as a teacher educator and YA author, and her advocacy for teen writers. In 2013, she founded the Get Inked Teen Writing Conference, which offers opportunities for teens to write alongside published YA authors. Her YA novel, Junkyard Dogs (Peachtree Teen, 2023), highlights issues of teen poverty and homelessness.

There is a scene in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone that resonates with me on a visceral level. When I was about the same age as Harry, I also received an invitation to join a magical society. Mine wasn’t from Hogwarts and to be fair, it was addressed Dear Occupant, but I was sure that it was meant for me, since I had been the one to pull it from our mailbox. The letter suggested that all I had to do was submit a writing sample and they would provide a definitive answer to the burning question carried in the heart of all writers: Do I have what it takes to be a published author?

Unlike Harry, I had already been practicing magic for years, creating entire worlds in my notebooks. But an author? Authors were mystical creatures adorned with patched-elbow jackets, and the one item that all smart people must have—glasses. The only patches I had were on the knees of my jeans and I was cursed with perfect vision. Plus, I was from a little town in the Midwest. Certainly, authors walked amongst the clouds. Or—according to the return address on the invitation from The Institute of Children’s Literature—the distant realm of Delaware.
 
Long story short, I wasn’t able to attend The Institute. But their invitation was pivotal in my journey to becoming a published author. It made me aware that there were other people like me in the world and that there were places designed to nurture us. Unfortunately, all of those places seemed reserved for adult writers. Back when I was a kid, the only camps and classes for creative teens focused on visual or performing arts, neither of which included writing. So, for me, writing remained a solitary endeavor.

The National Council of Teachers of English (2018) identifies the need for young writers to develop “a clearer sense of who they are as writers” through “a context/culture/community of feedback.” Many teachers are dedicated to making their classrooms exactly the type of environment that fosters students’ identity as writers (see teacher Debbie Myer’s posts on Instagram for just one example). School districts, universities, and libraries help support that growth, extending the writing culture beyond the classroom through young author festivals for elementary students. The problem is, right when students are starting to take themselves seriously as writers, those festivals drop off, leaving many preteen and teen writers still yearning for their own version of Hogwarts.
 
That’s where teen writing conferences come in. Offering instruction and community, writing conferences are the perfect place for teens to explore who they are as writers within a supportive community that values growth and feedback. The most effective conferences are modeled after the conferences that adult writers attend and incorporate mentoring, choice, and community. Despite their similarities, conferences come in all shapes and sizes. If you’re interested in sharing information about teen writing conferences with the young writers in your life, see descriptions of a few below.

The Teen Author Boot Camp Conference is huge, attracting nearly a thousand attendees. Held each spring at the Utah Valley Conference Center, it features keynotes from well-known YA authors and breakout sessions that focus on developing writing craft. This year’s conference will be Saturday, March 23rd. The organizers also offer a separate Tween Author Boot Camp for grades 4-7 each summer at Utah Valley University, which promises two weeks of hands-on activities to develop writing skills. Can’t make it to Utah for the in-person events? Teen Author Boot Camp has a robust online presence, providing online opportunities for teens to learn from YA authors during their Webinar Wednesday series. For more information on The Teen or Tween Author Boot Camps, see the TABC website: https://www.teenauthorbootcamp.com/conference. Due to a partnership with Owl Hollow Press, TABC also publishes poetry and short story anthologies of teen writing, with copies on sale at the TABC Conference and via Amazon. Submission information is available here: https://owlhollowpress.com/gathering-the-magic-teen-anthology/​

Get Inked Teen Writing Conference started in 2013 as a local, in-person event that allowed attendees to work on the aspects of writer’s craft that interested them. The conference shifted online during the pandemic and attracted a national audience. Due to capped enrollment, attendees benefit from small breakout sessions in which they write alongside published YA authors, receive personal attention, and leave with signed copies of authors’ books. Previous attendees have cited networking with like-minded teens and critique groups as a highlight of the event. The in-person conference is held on the campus of Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Indiana, exposing participants to the college culture and climate. The 2024 conference will be offered on two platforms: February 24th in-person and March 2nd via Zoom. Teens may register for one or both events. More information is available on the Saint Mary’s Event Page: https://www.saintmarys.edu/get-inked-teen-writing-conference- or by contacting the Education Department at [email protected]

TeenSpeak Novel Workshop differs from most teen conferences in that it runs concurrently with a workshop for adult writers. Teens may submit their writing in advance and can include questions regarding the specific type feedback they would like to receive. Attendees receive a written faculty critique at the event in addition to peer feedback. The intergenerational format is beneficial for teens in that it recognizes their position as the intended audience for aspiring YA authors and allows them to provide feedback on adult writers’ full and partial manuscripts. Teens can capture behind-the-scenes glimpses of editors, agents, and writers who collaborate to publish young adult novels and gain insights on writing by eavesdropping on the feedback adult writers receive from editors and agents during the open critique sessions. The November 2024 workshop (weekend TBA) will be on Zoom and registration will open in September. For updates and inquiries, see their website: www.childrenswritersworkshop.com or contact organizer.

References
The National Council of Teachers of English. (2018). Understanding and teaching writing: Guiding principles. https://ncte.org/statement/teachingcomposition/