Classes for young writers start most
weeks of June, July, and August. Almost
100 options led by award-winning and
professional writers who love to help
youth and teens explore, dream, create,
grow, and connect.
YOUNG
WRITERS’
PROGRAM
Ages
6–17
SUMMER CATALOG 2013 | loft.org
Welcome to the Loft’s 2013 Young
Writers’ Program!
S
2
| Program intro
ummer at the Loft means an all-new slate of creative writing classes and
camps ready to launch—or relaunch—your literary love. Yeah, we know
you’ve been hitting the books all year and working incredibly hard. So, how
about taking time this summer to have some fun and explore your passion
for self-expression?
This year the Loft’s Young Writers’ Program is thrilled to hold almost 100
classes, with 50 that are completely new! But don’t worry, we made sure
your favorites are back—including comic- and bookmaking collaborations
with Minnesota Center for Book Arts! We have craft-centered classes for
the young writer serious about studying creative writing, classes on world
building, fanfic, mystery writing, music journalism, how to get published,
and so much more. Our talented pool of teaching artists (see bios on pages
48) eagerly await each summer, when the building comes alive with the
stomps, cheers, laughs, and ideas from youth across the metro.
We invite you into these pages to explore, dream, and deepen your connection to yourself and your creative talents. We invite you into the writing life
this summer—whether you join us for one week-long session, opt to register for multiple classes for an all-day Loft experience, or enroll for weeks on
end, the Loft’s Young Writers’ Program is here to meet you on your writing
journey and cheer you on to the next step! We’ve got a pencil and notebook with your name on it, and they’re waiting to take you anywhere your
imagination can carry you.
— Jennifer Dodgson, Young Writers’ Program Manager
Become a Member and Support the Loft Community
Your membership is the lifeblood of the Loft and contributes directly
to the development of writers and the literary community. Membership
allows us to ensure that our youth classes remain accessible by offering
low-income pricing. As a member, you receive benefits and discounts as
well as the knowledge that your support ensures the future of the Loft
programs you value. For details on membership, visit www.loft.org/support
or call 612-215-2597.
Registration:
Register in person, by phone, fax, mail, or online at www.loft.org. Save on tuition by becoming a
Loft member!
Classes:
Don’t know which level class is right for you? Call the Loft’s education staff (612-379-8999)—we are
here to help!
Pricing:
Reg = Regular price, Mem = Member price,
Low = Low income (single total annual income of $25,000 or less or household of two or more with a
total annual income of $45,000 or less)
Suite 200, Open Book
1011 Washington Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55415
Loft Website | www.loft.org
Loft Offices | 612-215-2575 (T–F)
Loft Fax | 612-215-2576
Loft Education Line | 612-379-8999
table of contents | 3
general program info.......................... 4
Loft/MCBA Combo Classes................ 6
CLASSES FOR TEENS (AGES 15–17).......10
CLASSES FOR TEENS (AGES 13–17)...... 20
Online Classes (Ages 13–17).............. 28
CLASSES FOR YOUTH (AGES 12–14)... 30
CLASSES FOR YOUTH (AGES 9–11)...... 37
CLASSES FOR KIDS (AGES 6–8)............... 43
YOUTH TEACHING ARTISTs.................... 48
table of
contents
General Program Info
4
| general info
Registration
Registration is open until a class becomes full, or up until the second class
meeting. You can register your child or teen online at www.loft.org, by calling
612-379-8999, or by mail (use the enclosed form). A detailed confirmation
letter will be emailed once your registration has processed. Please also call or
drop by our office (T–F, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.). We are here to help.
Age Ranges and Writing Ability
The age ranges listed for each class are suggested guidelines, but before
registering your child for a class outside of her/his age range, please consider
that teaching artists propose classes based on age ranges they are comfortable teaching. Suggested age ranges also consider socialization, as well
as more mature class discussions; you may have an incredibly gifted child
who excels at writing and learning, but please consider whether s/he would
be comfortable in a class with children much older/younger, comfortable
participating in more mature class discussions pertaining to writing for
older audiences, and how it would affect the learning environment of the
others. If you have questions or concerns about this, please contact us at
612-215-2579.
Scholarships
Scholarships are available for students in need on a first-come, first-served
basis and require proof that your child is eligible to receive free or reduced
lunch at school. Please call 612- 215-2579 for specific class scholarship availability. Please: only one scholarship per child per summer.
Technology in Loft Classes
At this time, the Loft is not able to provide students with individual laptops
for classroom use, so classes with technology requirements (specifically this
summer, “Interactive Fiction and Game Design” with the Choosatron) will
have to be provided by the students and their families. Open Book does have
wireless internet, and each classroom comes equipped with ample power
outlets. The Loft suggests each student bring their own extension cord in
order to reach wall outlets.
Parents with Children or Teens with Special Needs
Children and teens with disabilities are always welcome at the Loft! Please
call us at 612-215-2579 if you would like to discuss how the Loft can accommodate the needs of your child or teen (hearing or sight impairments,
children with PCA’s, learning challenges) in order for them to more fully
participate in and enjoy Loft classes! Please see page 51 for more information
about the Loft’s accessibility policy.
Student Readings
Many teaching artists hold student readings on the last day of class; please
check in with your child’s teaching artist for information on whether or not s/
he plans to hold a student reading. Family and friends are always welcome to
hear the work created by our talented young writers!
A Note about Child Care
Loft staff and teaching artists do not provide childcare for students during
the 15 minute breaks between classes or before or after classes. Please do
not drop young children off more than five minutes before the start of a
class, and make sure to pick up children promptly at class end. Keep in mind
that Open Book is a public building in a busy downtown area; generally
teens are fine—and welcome—to hang out on their own in the building if
they sign up for multiple classes. Open Book is home to many different businesses, including a lovely book arts gallery and coffee shop on the first floor.
New this year: If you decide to register your child or teen for morning and
afternoon classes, they can join us in a supervised Loft classroom for the
45-minute lunch break. The Loft is not able to provide lunch for students, so
remember to pack a lunch. We’ll have music, games, and writing/drawing
time available until their next class begins at 1 p.m. This option is intended
for children enrolled in both 10:45 a.m. and 1 p.m. classes.
Cancellation and Refund Policy
In the event the Loft has to cancel a class, you will be notified in advance
and issued a 100 percent refund. If you need to cancel, notify the Loft
education office before the start of the second class meeting to receive our
standard 85% refund. Unless the Loft cancels a class, no 100% refunds can
be given once registration has taken place, as there is a registration fee of
15%. No refunds will be given after the start of the second class meeting.
general info | 5
What to Bring
Please pack snacks, beverages, lunch (if applicable), and anything else
specified in the class description. The Loft will provide a notebook and pencil
on the first day of class, but you should feel free to bring along any preferred
writing utensils or beloved journals.
6
| Loft/MCBA Combo Classes
Classes
Loft/MCBA
Combo Classes
GALLERY EXHIBIT OF STUDENT WORK
Last year’s gallery exhibit of student work was so popular, we’re bringing it
back this year! Loft and Minnesota Center for Book Arts (MCBA) combo class
students will have a gallery showing of their book art and writing in the
second floor Literary Commons of Open Book from August 3–10, 2013. The
exhibit will be free and open to the public, and will culminate in a student
reading and reception on Saturday, August 10 from 1–3 p.m. Students in any
Loft/MCBA combo class, as well as friends, family, and community members,
are invited to attend. The exhibit will be curated by Joann Price from MCBA,
and snacks and beverages will be provided at the closing event.
Note: Low-income pricing is not available for these special combo classes.
Combo Classes for Ages 15–17
Keeping a Creative Writer’s Journal | A Loft/MCBA Combo Class
| Jessica Harman
One-Week Class | July 15–19 | 1–4:15 p.m. | Reg $262.50; Mem (Loft and MCBA) $236.25
In this class, we will learn some basics of writing practice, but most of
all, we will learn how to look and express what we experience, inside and
outside, in writing. Since journals are often spaces where writing practice happens before poems and stories take shape, we, too, will extend
our experiences and how we express them into poems and stories. By the
end of the class, each student will have completed a poem, a short story,
and a piece of nonfiction based on things that they experience every day.
Students will also work in Minnesota Center for Book Arts’ studio space
and papermaking studios with artist’s tools and printing equipment to
create a journal with beautiful handmade paper.
Pricing Reg = Regular; Mem = Loft Member (see page 3 for details)
full-day camp
Making Comics (ages 15–17)
| A Loft/MCBA Combo Class | Tom Spence
One-Week Camp | July 29–Aug 2 | 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
Reg $525.00; Mem (Loft and MCBA) $472.50
full-day camp Making Comics (ages 12–14)
| A Loft/MCBA Combo Class | Tom Spence
One-Week Camp | July 8–12 | 9 a.m.–4 p.m. | Reg $525.00; Mem (Loft and MCBA) $472.50
Learn the building blocks of comics: from idea to bookmaking. Starting with making their own characters, students will
then learn how to put the characters into a story, followed by
lessons on how to use panels and text to support their story.
At the end of the week, students will have a variety of finished projects, including their own printed mini-comic from
the Minnesota Center for Book Arts.
Summer Youth Classes are listed here. adult classes are listed at loft.org.
Loft/MCBA Combo Classes | 7
Combo Classes for Ages 12–14
Combining bookmaking techniques from MCBA, students will learn
the fundamentals of the sequential art of comic books. Beginning at
the conceptual stage, students will develop their own unique characters
and story, followed by breakdowns on panels, text, and pace and timing,
resulting in a finalized mini-comic. Along with lessons in bookmaking,
students will also acquire knowledge in printing, gaining experience
with the Vandercook press, large sign press, and other equipment.
Combo Classes for Ages 9–11
What a Character! | A Loft/MCBA Combo Class | Sally Borgen
8
| Loft/MCBA Combo Classes
One-Week Class | June 17–21 | 1–4:15 p.m. | Reg $262.50; Mem (Loft and MCBA) $236.25
In this class, the beginning writer will create a new character and discover what makes that person tick! Students will create the public side
(accomplishments, biography, appearance) and private side (emotions,
quirks, fears, strengths) of their new characters. They will flesh out
the character through flash-writing, sharing their work, and personal
journal writing. By the end of the week, students will have a charismatic
character searching for a setting and a plot. As part of this class, you’ll
also work with a book arts instructor at Minnesota Center for Book
Arts to create your own handmade journal! You will also explore print
making and papermaking.
Fairy Tales, Myths, and Book Making
| A Loft/MCBA Combo Class | Marie Olofsdotter
One-Week Class | June 24–28 | 9 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Reg $262.50; Mem (Loft and MCBA) $236.25
In this class, we’ll explore the timeless territory of fairy tales and myths.
We will record the hair-raising adventures of a main character, the
hero, who sets out on a magical journey to save a troubled kingdom and
encounters a myriad of animals, villains, and mystical beings in the
process. After inventing our own setting, characters, and plot, students
will then work with MCBA to bring their stories to life in a pop-up book,
with handmade marbled paper, and printed in the printmaking studio!
It’s All About Me! | A Loft/MCBA Combo Class | Brenda Hudson
One-Week Class | July 22–26 | 9 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Reg $262.50; Mem (Loft and MCBA) $236.25
We’ll use fun writing exercises to help you tell your own story of who
you are and what you think, feel, and dream. We’ll show you how to
use your writing and other materials to create a beautiful book, with
you as the main character! This is a hands-on class that provides
quirky writing prompts to get you thinking about yourself in a new
way. At Minnesota Center for Book Arts, you will work with a book arts
instructor to learn different journal binding techniques. You will also
create personalized paper in our paper making studio and design a
pressure print that is uniquely you!
Pricing Reg = Regular; Mem = Loft Member (see page 3 for details)
Combo Classes for Ages 6–8
Silly Stories | A Loft/MCBA Combo Class | Carissa Tobin
One-Week Class | June 17–21 | 9 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Reg $262.50; Mem (Loft and MCBA) $236.25
One-Week Class | July 15–19 | 9 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Reg $262.50; Mem (Loft and MCBA) $236.25
Students in this class will become Poetic Paleontologists—that is, they
will uncover the prehistoric world of dinosaurs using creative writing
as their primary means of excavation. We’ll learn how to observe and
describe fossils and other materials that we discover in the natural
world using descriptive language, and then we’ll learn about dinosaurs
from reading books like Hudson Talbott’s We’re Back!: A Dinosaur’s
Story. Our friends at Minnesota Center for Book Arts will help us
create our own hand-made book—the perfect place for all the dinopoetry—and we’ll express our creative vision with dino-inspired
pressure printing, and enjoy making dinosaur-shaped handmade paper.
Loft/MCBA Combo Classes | 9
Paleopoetry: Writing About Dinosaurs
| A Loft/MCBA Combo Class | Christine Friedlander
Silly stories are fun to read and fun to write. As a class, we’ll read
stories including “No, David!” and “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus”
and discuss what the authors do to make their works funny. Students
will use these silly stories as a model for their own writing. We will focus
on creativity and students will be encouraged to write and draw regardless of ability level. The goal is to foster a love for writing while having
fun with literature. After spending time in class reading and writing,
students will head down to Minnesota Center for Book Arts, where the
newly created silly stories will be turned into real books! Join a book art
instructor to explore pop-up bookmaking, silly printing, and paper pulp
painting to create one-of-a-kind paper!
CLASSES FOR TEENS
10
|CLASSES FOR TEENS | AGES 15–17
AGES 15–17
new!
Poetry Remix:
Recycling Language
| Jennifer Fossenbell
One-Week Class | June 17–21
10:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
Poetry isn’t about something,
it is something. The world is a
constellation of poems waiting
to be captured and named. Many
contemporary poetic forms make use of recycled materials
found “out there” in the larger world: overheard conversation,
technology lingo, graffiti, other poems, music, history, even
math or the sciences. Students will learn about some common forms such as found poetry, collage, cento, palimpsest,
and erasure, and will ultimately venture into more rebellious
territory of their own design. Learn what poetry can be when
you cut it loose. Only an interest in language, the world, and
the weird are required.
new!
Crash into Creativity: In-Class Inspiration to Write!
| Lennon Sundance & John Fenner
Two-Week Class | June 17–28 | 1–2:30 p.m. | Reg $247.50; Mem $222.75; Low $173.25
Great writing is built on inspiration, motivation, and a skeleton of
techniques. This class takes on stumbling blocks (point-of-view, tense,
authentic detail, dialogue, pacing, and plot) head on, through in-class
writing, readings, and honest discussion of one another’s work. Prepare
for in-and-out of class writing exercises and creative prompts. As a
group, and one-on-one, we will explore what it is that makes a piece pop.
Pricing Reg = Regular; Mem = Loft Member; Low = Low-Income (see page 3 for details)
new!
Character Development for Novels and Short Stories
| Nina Bricko
Two-Week Class | June 17–28 | 2:45–4:15 p.m.
Reg $247.50; Mem $222.75; Low $173.25
new!
From Inspiration to Stage | Aamera Siddiqui
One-Week Class | June 24–28 | 9–10:30 a.m. | Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
Inspiration is everywhere. It can be found in a quote, an argument, a
song, or even a scrumptious piece of cake. This class will use all of this
and more to bring to life richly developed characters that deliver moving
monologues in compelling scenes. Using a combination of writing and
theater exercises, students will explore the elements of play- and monologue writing. The last class will be devoted to a performance of each
student’s work, with the students as actors!
new!
Deep Revision: Creative Approaches
to Reinventing Poetry | Jennifer Fossenbell
One-Week Class | June 24–28 | 10:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
Have you written a poem, or several poems, but you’re not sure what to
do next? Join other young writers to explore creative ways to respond
to each other’s work and to see your own poems in a new light. Through
craft talks, short readings, experimental collaboration, and peer
feedback, you’ll explore the vast and sometimes intimidating terrain of
poetry revision. Bring to class 5-7 drafts of poems you’ve already written, and leave with stronger poems and a ton more ideas to keep you
writing and revising.
The Write Stuff: Elements of Fiction | Kathryn Savage
One-Week Class | June 24–28 | 2:45–4:15 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
This class is designed for advanced writers who wish to explore the craft
of fiction and learn techniques for creating compelling prose. This class
will demystify literary techniques, and writers will be able to easily
identify a range of techniques to make their fiction shine. On the first
day, students should bring copies of one 5- to 10-page polished work of
fiction in progress that they would like to get feedback on during class.
Summer Youth Classes are listed here. adult classes are listed at loft.org.
CLASSES FOR TEENS | AGES 15–17 | 11
In this class, we’ll focus on the finer details that go into making memorable and active characters. Whether you are currently working on a novel,
short story, or just have a character floating in your mind, this class will
pull them from the squishy squiggles of your brain and bring them to
life. Students will explore their character’s deepest yearning, which will
aid in making the character authentic, believable, and consistent.
|CLASSES FOR TEENS | AGES 15–17
12
Spying on the City | Lennon Sundance & John Fenner
One-Week Class | July 8–12 | 1–4 p.m.
Reg $247.50; Mem $222.75; Low $173.25
This unconventional creative writing class guides young writers in the
fine arts of spying, eavesdropping, and surveillance. Through in-class
exercises and urban field trips, students will develop eyes and ears for
observation and storytelling. We will traverse the beautiful waterfront
of Minneapolis by visiting places within walking distance of the Loft,
including the Mississippi waterfront, Stone Arch Bridge area, and Mill
Ruins Park. Students will witness the urban spectrum of characters
at the Government Center, City Hall, and the West Bank.
new!
More Than Just the Zombie
Apocalypse: Writing the Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Novel | Lyda Morehouse
One-Week Class | July 15–19 | 10:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
What do Hunger Games and Dr. Who
have in common? They’re both science fiction! Did
you love fantasy novels like Percy Jackson and the
Lightning Thief or How to Train Your Dragon? If
writing stories with zombies, robots, vampires, fairies,
(or even unicorns!) is your thing, then this might be the
class for you. We’ll discuss the difference between science
fiction and fantasy, learn how to build believable worlds,
and make readers rip through the pages of your short story or novel.
We will play story games and have idea prompts with a science fiction/
fantasy edge. If one of your goals is to break in and get professionally
published, we will also discuss strategies that can make that happen!
Pricing Reg = Regular; Mem = Loft Member; Low = Low-Income (see page 3 for details)
new!
Push It: Advanced Writing Workshop
| Lennon Sundance & John Fenner
Two-Week Class | July 15–26 | 9–10:30 a.m.
Reg $247.50; Mem $222.75; Low $173.25
Note: Students must also submit work for peers to review the night before an in-class workshop
(generally 5-10 pages double spaced), and review the submitted work of their peers.
new!
The Hero’s Journey: Finding Structure in the Star Wars
Galaxy | tina Laurel Lee
One-Week Class | July 15–19 | 1–4:15 p.m.
Reg $247.50; Mem $222.75; Low $173.25
Cross the threshold of your story! What do Luke Skywalker, Neo, Harry
Potter, Dorothy, Alice all have in common? They answered the call of the
hero and endured the trials and surrender in order to return home with
the “elixir of life”. In this class, the writing exercises will be our guides,
delivering the ‘inventory’ of our stories. Inventory is the magic details
that comes from writing without expectation of outcome. It doesn’t matter how much of your story you’ve already written, if you have an idea,
this class will help find its form.
new!
Where the Good Songs Come From | luke Hawley
Two-Week Class | July 22–Aug 2 | 1045 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Reg $247.50; Mem $222.75; Low $173.25
Songwriter Leonard Cohen once said, “If I knew where
the good songs came from, I’d go there more often…
You’re married to mystery.” And he was kind of right;
sometimes great songs do just appear out of the ether,
brilliant and mysterious. But most of the time, songs are
forged from the hard work of revision. We’ll talk about
the craft of songwriting, form versus freedom, conquering
writer’s block, the importance (or lack thereof) of a good
hook, framing your songs inside rhythm and melody—
and, amidst all that work, we’ll hope to stumble upon a
good song or two.
Summer Youth Classes are listed here. adult classes are listed at loft.org.
CLASSES FOR TEENS | AGES 15–17 | 13
This is an advanced-level workshop for writers with a (5-to-10 page)
piece that is ready to be critiqued, analyzed, and improved (It can be an
essay, a chapter from a bigger piece, or a short story). If you don’t have
such a piece, you will by the end of the first week. Students will get oneon-one conferences, as well as meaningful feedback from their teaching
artists and peers. Students must possess the maturity and ability to
work in a positive, constructive environment with sophisticated literary
themes. This class is geared toward serious writers who wish to push
their work to a higher level. But fear not, we will also have a lot of fun!
new!
Writing About Music:
Sharing Sound and Performance
with Words | Logan Adams
14
|CLASSES FOR TEENS | AGES 15–17
Two-Week Class | July 22–Aug 2 | 1–2:30 p.m.
Reg $247.50; Mem $222.75; Low $173.25
The relationships we have with our
favorite songs and music artists are
intensely personal. Though it’s often easy
to find ourselves lost for words when trying to
articulate why that Avett Brothers, Ramones, or
Kanye track means so much to us, this class will help
us express those feelings. We will listen and watch music performances and write about them. We will read how others write about
music and try to fold some of their tricks into our own writing. By the
end of the two weeks students will have experience writing an insightful
concert review, as well as a personal essay about an album that means
the world to them.
Rock and Write: Elements of Music Journalism | Kathryn Savage
One-Week Class | July 22–26 | 2:45–4:15 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
In this class, teen writers will learn how to create captivating music
journalism through writing prompts, listening to hip-hop, metal (and
everything in between), and looking at how published journalists in
magazines, websites, and alternative weeklies voice their love for music
on the page. We’ll talk techniques for interviewing musicians—how to
ask the right questions and get the answers you need. We’ll discuss how
to write about your favorite band’s latest album, identifying a full range
of literary techniques that will make stories shine on the page. We’ll
also cover how to pitch stories to publications, and other basic skills for
writing compelling music stories. Students should come to class ready to
rock out and write.
new!
Write What You Love: Turning Your Passion into a Book
| Jake Klisivitch
One-Week Class | July 29–Aug 2 | 2:45–4:15 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
Do you live and die by the Vikings or Twins? Are you on a never-ending
quest for the perfect burger? Is it your dream to be in a band or attend
the Oscars? Write about what you love, then turn it into a book! Join a
veteran book editor to explore the myriad routes from passion to publication, including freelancing, journaling, blogging, and tweeting through
to a final nonfiction manuscript.
Pricing Reg = Regular; Mem = Loft Member; Low = Low-Income (see page 3 for details)
Keeping It Real: Stories That Matter | Patricia Cumbie
One-Week Class | August 5–9 | 1–2:30 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
Gamers to Hipsters:
Writing the Perfect Character | Amy Fladeboe
One-Week Class | August 5–9 | 2:45–4:15 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
Do you have what it takes to write a truly great character?
Maybe you spend a lot of time thinking about what it would
be like to be a NASCAR driver, a pop singer on American
Idol, or a world renowned scientist on the verge of breakthrough discovery. The first step to writing unique and believable fictional characters is to imagine a reality outside of your
own. It was Ray Bradbury who said, “First, find out what
your hero wants. Then, just follow him.” Together, we’ll learn
strategies for writing great fictional characters and apply
them to our own stories. We’ll be reading works by some of
the most cutting-edge, contemporary writers: Miranda July,
Dave Eggers, Zadie Smith and others. If you’ve taken this
class before, join
us again and
we’ll write new,
exciting characters together.
Summer Youth Classes are listed here. adult classes are listed at loft.org.
CLASSES FOR TEENS | AGES 15–17 | 15
Our favorite authors often make us feel like they know exactly what
we’re going through. What they say feels true. That’s why so many of us
often look to writing and books for inspiration and making sense of life.
If you have a desire to express what you care most deeply about—for
yourself and others in the real world—this class is designed for you.
Whether you want to create fiction, opinion pieces, or tell your own story,
we’ll discover what it means to find your voice, develop stories people can
relate to, and find the courage to tell them. Through a series
of activities and writing exercises, we’ll consider book characters and
real teens dealing with different life situations so you can build on your
talent for writing stories as only you can tell them.
new!
Persuasive Writing in Creative Nonfiction | Melody Heide
16
|CLASSES FOR TEENS | AGES 15–17
One-Week Class | August 5–9 | 10:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
In this class, we will explore how we can take the conventions of academic persuasive writing—answering the “So What?” question, thesis
statements, the rhetorical situation, etc.—and apply them to creative
nonfiction. We will look at examples and then work to create our own
pieces of creative nonfiction.
new!
Beyond Bella:
How to Write “Real” Romance | Rose Hansen
One-Week Class | August 5–9 | 1–2:30 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
What really makes a good love story, and how do we write
them without falling prey to laughably bad writing? We
will examine the language, images, characterizations, and
plots employed in a number of romantic texts—including
short fiction by Pam Houston, Michael Ondaajte’s poetry,
Marguerite Duras’ The Lover, and A Sport and a Pastime
by James Salter—to construct the drama of romantic
attachment that resists and overcomes cliché. Students will
complete their own work in conjunction with reading and
responding to these texts. Most of all, the class will ask
students to reflect and
imagine, conjuring
up crossed-out
journal entries
and thrown-out
keepsakes,
writing about
a state in
which allconsuming
love is the
only kind of
love that
matters.
Pricing Reg = Regular; Mem = Loft Member; Low = Low-Income (see page 3 for details)
Let’s Make a Book Happen: From Proposal to Publicity
| Jake Klisivitch
Two-Week Class | August 5–16 | 2:45–4:15 p.m. | Reg $247.50; Mem $222.75; Low $173.25
Whether your dream is to publish your own book or someone else’s, this
class will take you on an in-depth tour of the process, from conception
and proposal through to publication and publicity. Ever wonder what
writers, editors, publicists, salespeople, and booksellers do, how they
work together to make a book a success, and how they have fun doing it?
Let a book editor with 20 years experience at such publishers as Penguin
and Random House show you.
Advanced Short Storytelling | Kathryn Savage
One-Week Class | August 12–16 | 10:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
Class Note: On the first day of class, students should bring copies of one 5 to 10-page
short story (their most polished work in progress).
The writing process demands a willingness to brave unknown territories, write freely, edit valiantly, and trust your instincts. Short
stories present immense challenges: in a matter of mere pages writers
are asked to invent compelling characters, fantastic plots, and exciting
themes. What a lot to do! This class is designed for short story writers
who wish to deepen their understanding of craft. Through in-class
readings of published works, we will identify literary techniques that
will make your stories shine on the page. Each day, writing activities
and prompts will help students generate ideas and try new techniques.
Students will strengthen their prose through writing, reading, and
discussing awesome published and emerging writers (that’s you).
Summer Youth Classes are listed here. adult classes are listed at loft.org.
CLASSES FOR TEENS | AGES 15–17 | 17
new!
So You Want to Write an Essay for the Common Application?
| Kate St. Vincent Vogl
Are you already stressing about what to write for that essay on your
college application? This class shows how to select a topic that puts you
in the best light. We’ll explore what makes a good essay and what makes
a bad one. You’ll draft an essay to use for the Common Application,
and the teaching artist and fellow students will critique your writing
in class. This class provides the opportunity to revise and polish your
writing over the course of the week. As an Ivy League graduate and a
former alumni interviewer, the teaching artist will share all you’ll need
to know in order to craft a strong essay and present yourself as a strong
candidate in the college admission process.
18
|CLASSES FOR TEENS | AGES 15–17
One-Week Class | August 12–16 | 10:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
Pricing Reg = Regular; Mem = Loft Member; Low = Low-Income (see page 3 for details)
new!
Finding Your Tribe in Poetry | Kelly Hansen Maher
One-Week Class | August 12–16 | 9–10:30 a.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
new!
Find Your Digital Mode: Storytelling
and Social Networking | Melody Heide
One-Week Class | August 12–16 | 1–2:30 p.m. | Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
Ever wanted to try using social networking to get your creative writing
out there? In this class, we’ll look at different modes, including Twitter,
Instagram, Facebook, Jux, and Flickr, in which we might tell our stories.
We’ll look at examples of writers who use them and discuss the payoffs
and pitfalls of each. You’ll then choose a mode that best suits your story
(or stories) and create a piece that integrates content and form.
Are you interested in bringing Loft
programming to your school, library,
homeschool program, or anything else?
We can do that! The Loft can customize youth and teen classes in
fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction to fit the needs of your school,
class, or group. Loft teaching artists are a creative, fun, and experienced
group of working writers who have the experience to teach you to
craft a scintillating story, write a killer essay, or just learn about career
opportunities in writing and what it’s like to “live the writer’s life!”
Custom creative writing programs can also be created for in-school residencies
and after school enrichment programs! Call the Loft’s Young Writers’ Program Manager,
Jennifer Dodgson, at 612-215-2579 to get started!
Summer Youth Classes are listed here. adult classes are listed at loft.org.
CLASSES FOR TEENS | AGES 15–17 | 19
Great writers are great readers, and great poets are no exception! Maybe
you are interested in poetry but aren’t sure you “get it,” or don’t know
where to start. On the other hand, maybe you already love composing
poems, and want to dive deeper into the poet’s world. In this class, you
will discover your “tribe”—those poets and poems that inspire, teach,
and agitate you as you develop your own poetic style. Find what voices
get your creative juices flowing. Then get writing! By the end of our
week, you will have drafted at least one new poem a day, and you will
have discovered the poets that move you.
CLASSES FOR TEENS
20
|CLASSES FOR TEENS | AGES 13–17
AGES 13–17
new!
Careers for Writers | Holly Day
One-Week Class | June 17–21 | 9–10:30 a.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
In this class, we’ll cover many of the writing-related occupations that
beginning writers often hold before becoming published, professional
authors. Many of the careers we’ll discuss, such as book indexing and
fine-line editing, are essential things for all authors to be able to do on
their own. Students will be walked through the steps of each career,
focusing on a different career every day.
new!
Introduction to Music Journalism | Holly Day
One-Week Class | June 17–21 | 10:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
Music journalism is probably the easiest field for a budding journalist to
break into, and competent reviewers especially can find a home in this
field. In this class, we’ll go through the process of writing a music review
from step one to completion. Time will be given in class to discuss how
to get copies of materials from record labels and production companies
for review, as well as pitching completed works to web and print-based
publications. Humor, individuality of voice, and serious reflection on
music are all key elements of this class.
The Young Adult Dystopia | Carrie Mesrobian
One-Week Class | June 17–21 | 2:45–4:15 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
Paola Bacigalupi’s Ship Breaker. Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me. Moira
Young’s Blood Red Road. Veronica Roth’s Divergent. Patrick Ness’s The
Knife of Never Letting Go. Ally Condie’s Matched. Why are these apocalyptic, world-gone-terribly-wrong stories so appealing? In this class,
we will discuss these books and many more, talking about what makes
them so successful and engaging and what we can learn from them as
writers. We’ll create our own dystopias in class and look at how to build
a story within this framework. Students are welcome to bring their own
ideas for dystopias to class as well.
Pricing Reg = Regular; Mem = Loft Member; Low = Low-Income (see page 3 for details)
The Alternate Universe:
Creating Fictional Worlds | Carrie Mesrobian
One-Week Class | June 17–21 | 1–2:30 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
The Alternate Universe Intensive
| Carrie Mesrobian
One-Week Class | June 24–28 | 9 a.m.–noon
Reg $247.50; Mem $222.75; Low $173.25
Open only to those who have taken “The Alternate
Universe: Creating Fictional Worlds” (either in this summer term, or in
previous Loft class terms), this class will be dedicated to extending the
discussion of world building into students’ own writing. Students should
be prepared to share and talk about their writing in class with others
and will learn strategies and etiquette for supporting their writing peers
in editing and revising. Students will write every day in class and will
all be asked to participate in discussion. Class is limited to 12 students.
Summer Youth Classes are listed here. adult classes are listed at loft.org.
CLASSES FOR TEENS | AGES 13–17 | 21
In Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games, a dystopic future
forces kids to fight to the death. In Melissa Marr’s Wicked
Lovely series, fairies play nasty tricks on humans. Rick
Riordan’s Percy Jackson series has the myths of the Greek
gods exploding into reality. And it seems like there are new
renditions of the vampire and werewolf mythology popping
up every week (Maggie Stiefvater’s Shiver, Melissa de la
Cruz’s Blue Bloods). All of these popular young adult books
have successfully created vivid, engaging fictional universes
that readers love to enter and re-enter. How do
these authors do it? Class time will involve
literary analysis of several popular
young adult fictional worlds, and
students will spend time creating
their own fictional universe or
shaping one that they’ve already
built. Students should expect to
write every day, inside and outside of class time.
|CLASSES FOR TEENS | AGES 13–17
22
Impulse Studio:
5 Days of Spontaneous Writing
| Amy Fladeboe & anthony rosso
One-Week Class | July 8–12 | 9 a.m.–noon
Reg $247.50; Mem $222.75; Low $173.25
Five days. Five stories. It’s as simple as that. Nothing clears
writer’s block more than a prompt to get you writing and a
ticking deadline clock. This five day class will feature five
different writing activities that will surely leave your quill
inkless. We’ll read some flash fiction to send our minds
spinning, practice some techniques for spontaneous story
writing, and then we’ll let our pencils take over. We’ll even
practice performing the pieces to create our own podcast.
You might pull your hair out, you might callus your fingers
and chew your eraser to bits, but you won’t leave emptyhanded. You’ll be sure to skip your way out of the Loft with
at least five rough drafts. Some of them might not even be
rough. Not for the weak of Art!
new!
Infernal Devices and Mortal Instruments:
The World of Cassandra Clare | Carrie Mesrobian
One-Week Class | June 24–28 | 1–2:30 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
Cassandra Clare’s YA fantasy worlds are a popular mash-up of paranormal, romance, and thriller. In this class, we’ll talk about these stories
in terms of the core fictional building blocks (plot, setting, character,
point-of-view) as well as examining the issues involved in fictional worldbuilding. Students should expect to critique and analyze what works in
these series and what does not, as well as be ready to create their own
fictional fantasy worlds. Students should have read books in The Mortal
Instruments series (through book #5) before registering; the Infernal
Devices series is optional.
Pricing Reg = Regular; Mem = Loft Member; Low = Low-Income (see page 3 for details)
Fabulous Fanfiction | Jeanne Bain
One-Week Class | June 24–28 | 2:45–4:15 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
new!
Short Shorts: Multigenre Creative Writing
in Less Than 1000 Words | Melody Heide
One-Week Class | July 15–19 | 10:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
In this class, we will explore the micro-genre including prose poetry,
flash fiction, and micro-memoir by reading published works, discussing
practice, and, of course, by writing! We will look closely at the essential
elements of each genre and learn how to apply them to our own writing.
new!
Hold the Cheese: Writing Romance | Carrie Mesrobian
One-Week Class | July 15–19 | 1–2:30 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
Young Adult lit is full of romance, which isn’t surprising. But why is
so much of it unrealistic and hard to relate to and just, well, cheesy?
If that’s been a question on your mind, this is the class for you. We’ll
create our own scenes, edit some famous ones from popular YA novels,
and discuss some dilemmas in writing romantic storylines in order to
learn how to make your writing more compelling without losing any
swoony goodness.
Summer Youth Classes are listed here. adult classes are listed at loft.org.
CLASSES FOR TEENS | AGES 13–17 | 23
What happens when Katniss Everdeen, Captain America, and Buffy
the Vampire Slayer enter Dr. Who’s TARDIS? Will they fight a battle in
the Hogwarts Castle? Get lost in Howl’s Moving Castle? In fanfiction,
anything goes! Bring your favorite characters and settings to the group
so we can energize them through improvisation, group writing, and
laughter! Plan to dress up as a favorite character on the final day.
new!
Working with Cliches | Carrie Mesrobian
24
|CLASSES FOR TEENS | AGES 13–17
One-Week Class | July 15–19 | 2:45–4:15 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
If all writing is a war against cliché, as Martin Amis suggests, then why
do these tired old phrasings persist? In this class, we’ll examine some
clichés, looking at their provenance and backstory, and analyze why
certain ones tend to persist in our own writing. We’ll also spend time
playing with and reworking some of these clichés in order to make them
fresh and exciting for readers.
new!
Tongue on Paper: Writing Language | Lisa M. Bolt Simons
One-Week Class | July 22–26 | 1–2:30 p.m. | Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
If you’ve been learning a second language or English isn’t your first language, this is the class for you. We’ll read various excerpts of texts that
incorporate other languages (and therefore cultures) amidst English.
Writing a different language helps the author not only create culture but
celebrate it, and makes that culture come alive to those who only know
English. We’ll practice writing nonfiction, fiction, and poetry. Please
bring a (language)/English dictionary to class every day.
new!
Let It Flow: Beating Brain Freeze | Kyle Jaeger
One-Week Class | July 22–26 | 2:45 p.m.–4:15 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
Writers often fall into the trap of taking themselves too serious. Their
inner critic strikes and effectively freezes up the flow of creative juices.
In this class, we are going to practice strategies to thaw out brain freeze,
set the inner critic aside, and keep those juices flowing. We will do this
with multigenre freewriting, writing prompts and activities, and peer
workshopping.
Writing the Personal Essay for College Applications and Fun
| Rhea Davison Edwards
One-Week Class | July 22–26 | 2:45–4:15 p.m. | Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
If you’re ready to take your essay-writing skills to a new level, or if
you’re looking for a break from the academic essay, this is the class for
you. We’ll examine the personal essay—by reading fun, informative,
dramatic, and hilarious examples of the personal essay. We’ll look at
the techniques each author uses to create a unique voice. We’ll also
discuss what a successful college admissions essay involves (younger
teens—don’t worry, there will be alternative activities if you’re not ready
yet). You’ll be astonished at how much fun writing essays for school and
college admissions can be with a refreshed, creative perspective!
Pricing Reg = Regular; Mem = Loft Member; Low = Low-Income (see page 3 for details)
new!
All the Feels: Fanfiction 101 | Lyda Morehouse
One-Week Class | July 29–Aug 2 | 9–10:30 a.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
Children’s Book Illustration for Teens
| Nancy Carlson
One-Week Class | July 29–Aug 2 | 10:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
In this class, we’ll cover what makes a successful picture
book by first studying some of the best. We’ll use drawing
exercises to learn how illustration works in a good picture
book, work on character development by brainstorming
ideas for fun characters, and study layout, including
thumbnails and storyboards, ending up with a “working
dummy” book. This is a beginner class, but art experience
or a passion for fine arts is required. This is a good class
for students interested in applying to art school.
CLASSES FOR TEENS | AGES 13–17 | 25
So you’ve started that epic fanfic and maybe even posted a few chapters
on AO3, fancfiction.net, or elsewhere. Now the comments are rolling in
and you’re wondering why you’re getting so much flak for being OOC
(out of character) or getting so many questions about an emotional arc
or physical description you thought was so clear! If any of this is true for
you (or you just want some insight), this class is here to help make your
fanfic read the way you want it to. After learning a few basics of storytelling, characterization for those original characters, and some other
tips, you can start collecting kudos instead of confusion.
Writing the Dark | Jeanne Bain
26
|CLASSES FOR TEENS | AGES 13–17
One-Week Class | August 5–9 | 1–4 p.m
Reg $247.50; Mem $222.75; Low $173.25
Laurie Halse Anderson writes about
the darkness of eating disorders. Neil
Gaiman tells a story of a baby whose family
is massacred in the night. John Green shows us the inner
lives of teens living with terminal illness. You? You
love to read it all. Join this class to learn from other writers
who are drawn to complex characters, disturbing situations, and difficult themes—those who love all things dark.
Create or strengthen your own fiction, share ideas, and
explore how contemporary authors push the edge of darkness and give us the courage to explore our own dark work.
new!
Creative Writing for Social Change | Becky Zosia Dernbach
One-Week Class | July 29–Aug 2 | 2:45–4:15 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
In this class, we will explore different forms of creative writing for social
change. We will begin by delving into our own identities, then connect
our identities and voices with the issues we care about. We will then
focus on how we can use the stories we tell and our unique perspectives
to amplify our social beliefs through a variety of genres, examining the
strengths and weaknesses of each form. We will explore how different
authors have used these forms, reading pieces from Maya Angelou,
Sherman Alexie, Zadie Smith, Dave Eggers, Andrea Gibson, and The
Onion, and write our own pieces.
The “Knows” of Publishing:
An Introduction to Book Publishing | Dawn Frederick
One-Week Class | August 5–9 | 9–10:30 a.m. | Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
In this class, you’ll learn the ins and outs of the publishing industry.
We’ll discuss the process of how one develops a book idea and the various
materials that need to be prepared, how to write a query letter, how to
find an agent, the tools of social media, and the various roles that exist
within today’s publishing industry. This will be a fun, interactive, handson class experience, with the opportunity for students who participate to
receive query letter critique one month after completion of the class.
Pricing Reg = Regular; Mem = Loft Member; Low = Low-Income (see page 3 for details)
new!
Advanced Journalism: The Interview | Holly Day
One-Week Class | August 12–16 | 2:45–4:15 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
new!
Soundtracks and Stories | Karlyn Coleman
One-Week Class | August 12–16 | 1–2:30 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
Music has been used in movies to add emotion and rhythm. Beyond the
creepy background music of thrillers that reveals something lurking
around the corner, music has the ability to expose characters’ feelings,
actions, and the tensions of a story. In this week-long class, we will use
the soundtracks from such great movies as Chariots of Fire, Requiem for
a Dream, City of the Living Dead, Titanic, and movies from the Harry
Potter series to help us shape our characters and writing. We will use
music to not only inspire us, but to teach us about pacing, plot, and
characterization. Writers in this class will conduct their own powerful
scenes using music as their muse. Much writing will be done.
Essay Writing for the ACT/SAT and for Fun
| Rhea Davison Edwards
One-Week Class | August 12–16 | 9–10:30 a.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
Are you planning to take the ACT or SAT? Would
you like a little help getting your writing skills
ready? Then, this class was created for you. We’ll
take an in-depth look at the essay as both art
form and standardized test requirement and read
examples ranging from funny to utterly academic.
We’ll also discuss how to write in a timed setting
and how to polish your essay very quickly. You
may be surprised at how much fun writing
essays can be!
Summer Youth Classes are listed here. adult classes are listed at loft.org.
CLASSES FOR TEENS | AGES 13–17 | 27
The biggest challenge a journalist faces is tracking down interview subjects and getting a decent interview out of them. The second challenge to
the “green” journalist is conducting the interview once it’s been set up.
In this class, we will discuss how to set up interviews and the best way
to get a good story out of a question-and-answer session, as well as cover
basic information on how to track down high-profile interview subjects.
We will also cover all the steps of turning an interview transcript into a
traditional article-style interview, beginning with looking at a straight
transcript (warts and all) through to the published piece.
�
Is your teen writer excited to take a Lof
Or maybe he or she is scheduled to the
have online classes for teen writers (ag
Writing Fiction,” with Kate St. Vincent V
teaching artists particularly enjoy work
writing talent and excellent teaching.
Just like our face-to-face classes, our teen online writing c
making new friends with the same love for writing. Stude
week to read lectures, watch teaching artist videos, post t
interactions take place in our online environment, moder
place for teens to share their writing with other teens. Ple
28
|Online Classes | AGES 13–17
Online Classes
new!
*CRASH* Course for Teens Writing Fiction
| Kate St. Vincent Vogl
Three-Week Class | July 29–August 18 | Reg $99.00; Mem $89.10
Love to write? Connect online with other teens who care about writing
great stories. This class will give you techniques for building better
characters and help you get past the part where you keep getting stuck.
As we break down what you need in developing scenes, you’ll get to
create a one-minute video about your favorite book. We’ll also see the
different ways to set up your story so you can write its best ending.
We will workshop your short story (or chapter), so be ready to get and
provide feedback for class. If you’re looking for some tips on how to write
the story friends can’t wait to read, this class is for you!
Kate St. Vincent Vogl teaches students from nine to ninety at The
Loft Literary Center and at the Hudson Valley Writers’ Center. She
is the author of Lost & Found: A Memoir of Mothers and has recently
completed a young adult novel.
Pricing Reg = Regular; Mem = Loft Member; Low = Low-Income (see page 3 for details)
classes are all about having fun, developing skills, and
ents in our online classes can log in any time during the
to discussions, and share their work with peers. Since all
rated by the teaching artist, Loft online classes are a safe
ease email [email protected] with any questions.
new!
Developing Character
| Pat Schmatz
Three-Week Class | July 8–28 | Reg $99.00; Mem $89.10
Think about the fictional characters you love. The writer created real
people ready to get up and walk off the page. How did they do that? In
this class, we’ll work with our own fictional characters, developing them
into fully formed people who will help you write their story. The writing
we do will be background study that will inform, but not necessarily
appear in, a finished novel. Come ready to experiment and play.
Pat Schmatz is the author of four books for teens, including the
award-winning Bluefish. Pat has taught both teen and adult writing
workshops, mostly with a focus on the revision process. She has been a
mentor to adult and teen writers, and is a frequent visitor to middle and
high school classrooms.
ONLINE adult classes are listed at loft.org.
online classes | ages 13–17 | 29
ft class, but can’t make it to our Minneapolis location?
e max, even in the summer? For the first time ever, we’ll
ges 13–17) this summer: “*CRASH* Course for Teens
Vogl and “Developing Character,” with Pat Schmatz. Both
king with young writers and are known for both their
s for Teens
CLASSES FOR YOUTH
30
|CLASSES FOR YOUTH | AGES 12–14
AGES 12–14
new!
The Craft of Imaginative Storytelling | Jenny Simmonds
One-Week Class | June 17–21 | 9–10:30 a.m. | Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
Is your writing inspired by Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, Wimpy Kids,
Pretty Little Liars or perhaps the events in your own life? All interests
welcomed! This class is not defined by what you love to read or write
about, but by your passion for the story you’ve created. Students are
asked to bring a story they have already started (at least 1 typed page)
and the teaching artist and fellow-students will spend the week helping strengthen your story, craft your writing, and freshen your ideas.
Receive and give supportive feedback, learn editing skills, sharpen your
writing skills, and keep motivated to work on your story. You will be
asked to read and edit a classmate’s story each night.
new!
Write Up! Bring Your Stories to the Next Level
| Kate St. Vincent Vogl
One-Week Class | June 17–21 | 10:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
Come meet others who love writing as much as you do! Learn how to
write so readers can’t wait to turn the page. Find out how to develop
even more compelling characters and learn what framework can make
your story stronger. We’ll also talk about how to get past the parts where
you’re getting stuck. Come share what you’re working on and explore
some writing prompts. This class is for the kind of writing you want to
do, not the kind you have to do.
Journalism for the 21st Century | Holly Day
One-Week Class | June 17–21 | 1–2:30 p.m. | Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
In this fast-paced class, we’ll cover all aspects of print and electronic
journalism, from learning to build articles out of interviews to writing product reviews. We’ll start out easy, dissecting various journalism
forms and discussing their applications, and work our way to conducting
interviews and placing articles in magazines. We will also cover all the
steps of turning an interview transcript into a traditional article-style
interview, beginning with looking at a straight transcript (warts and all)
through to the finished published piece. A
Pricing Reg = Regular; Mem = Loft Member; Low = Low-Income (see page 3 for details)
Adventures in Science Writing | Emily Sohn
One-Week Class | June 24–28 | 1–2:30 p.m. | Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
Beginning Travel Writing | Holly Day
One-Week Class | June 17–21 | 2:45–4:15 p.m. | Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
Just about anybody who’s picked up the travel section of the newspaper
has imagined what it would be like to write about exotic locations.
In this class, we’ll carefully dissect travel articles from newspapers,
magazines, and books to expose the elements necessary to write good,
concise, and effective travel pieces. We will be drawing from our own
experiences to write entertainment locale and restaurant reviews, give
vivid descriptions of natural and man-made landscapes, and discuss
how to incorporate all into our travel articles.
Write Your Head Off! | Patricia Cumbie
One-Week Class | June 24–28 | 10:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
Whether your passion for writing is a towering flame or
a modest spark, this class will help you write about the
things that you care about most. We’ll release your store of
words through class interaction and writing exercises that
engage your senses, connect your emotions, and peel back
the inner workings of the world to see its pulp. Writers
rarely know what a story’s meaning will be ahead of time,
and even if they did, the process of writing changes it.
Summer Youth Classes are listed here. adult classes are listed at loft.org.
CLASSES FOR YOUTH | AGES 12–14| 31
Do you like adventure and exploration? Then, you might
enjoy science writing. It’s an exciting job that can include
traveling around the world, climbing mountains, diving
to the bottom of the ocean, or digging into caves for clues
about life’s mysteries. In this class, you’ll learn the nuts
and bolts of writing a really good story about real-life
adventures, explorations, scientific mysteries, and groundbreaking discoveries. Through hands-on exercises and
lessons, you’ll learn how to dream up story ideas, interview
experts about their findings, craft gripping articles, and
maybe even sell them to magazines.
new!
Create Magic
with Your Words | Peter Blau
32
|CLASSES FOR YOUTH | AGES 12–14
One-Week Class | July 15–19 | 9–10:30 a.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
Is there a writer hiding inside your head? This class will
give you the tools you need to shake your creativity loose
and let that writer out to play. Writers are like gardeners.
They plant seeds with their imaginations and grow stories
with their words. You will begin your garden in your journal. Then you will watch your words bloom as you explore
different writing methods, telling stories with poetry,
writing about real-life adventures, and spinning your own
creative tales. If you write, you are a writer. If you want to
be a better writer, you should write more, and that’s exactly
what this class will be about.
new!
Dark Stuff/My Stuff: Poetry from Real Life Experiences
| Kyle Jaeger
One-Week Class | July 15–19 | 10:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
We all have stories to tell that are difficult to capture or convey, or
maybe we don’t know how or why something sticks in our memory.
Author Raymond Carver said, “There are significant moments in
everyone’s day that can make literature.” Writers are only those people
who take the time to capture those moments, whether from childhood
or from our every day. In this class, we are going to practice strategies
to collect our memories and experiences into poems, prose poems, and
prose starts. We will do this by discussing poetry examples, performing
writing prompts and activities, and participating in peer workshops.
new!
Not Starting from Scratch: Fanfiction
| Kristin Fitzsimmons
One-Week Class | July 15–19 | 1–2:30 p.m. | Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
Fanfiction is fiction which takes its characters and/or world from existing books, television, and movies. Writing fanfiction is a good exercise
for future writing—by studying existing characters and plots and adding
their own flair, students learn the elements of basic fiction writing. A
fanfiction story can be the end goal of students or they may want to transition to using their own characters. By the end of the class, students
will have a first/partial draft of a short story or longer piece.
Pricing Reg = Regular; Mem = Loft Member; Low = Low-Income (see page 3 for details)
new!
World Building and Brainstorming
Your Sci-Fi/Fantasy Story | Kristin Fitzsimmons
One-Week Class | July 15–19 | 2:45–4:15 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
Writing Song Lyrics (ages 12–14) | Ben Connelly
One-Week Class | July 22–26 | 10:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
In this class for non-musicians and musicians, we’ll take an interactive
and improvisational approach to writing song lyrics. We’ll write in
groups and individually, study how form and poetic technique affect the
way a song feels, and learn methods for opening up and completing a
creative process. Students should expect to write at least one complete
song lyric during the class.
Teen Writers’ Boot Camp | Tina Laurel Lee
One-Week Class | July 22–26 | 1–4:15 p.m.
Reg $247.50; Mem $222.75; Low $173.25
Enjoy the camaraderie of the group write and the mental exertion of
writing wind sprints in this exercise class. The workouts will have you
generating words across the genres as we write Natalie Goldberg-style,
using prompts from a myriad of sources. Neil Gaiman will cheer from
YouTube. TED Talks will inspire new ways for the words to find you. Let
your favorite character make an appearance as we try our hand at fanfic.
Go wherever your personal writing interests lead and expand the word
count of individual projects be they poetry, fiction, or nonfiction. Bring
your favorite pen and an ordinary notebook.
Summer Youth Classes are listed here. adult classes are listed at loft.org.
CLASSES FOR YOUTH | AGES 12–14| 33
Sci-Fi and Fantasy is all about building worlds for characters to live
in. This class will be all about the planning stage of writing a sci-fi/
fantasy story. You’ll create characters, lands, languages and more—the
possibilities are only limited by your imagination. Exercises will include
elements of illustration such as drawing characters and/or maps for
reference. By the end of class, students will have a collection of helpful
notes and illustrations and potentially the beginning of a short story or
longer piece.
new!
Building a Story from Scratch | Isabel Harding
34
|CLASSES FOR YOUTH | AGES 12–14
One-Week Class | July 29–Aug 2 | 1–2:30 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
Have a great idea for a story, but don’t know where to start? In this
class, we’ll figure out the elements of building a story from the ground
up, focusing each day on another element of writing fiction, such as
dialogue, character, setting, and conflict. We’ll experiment with writing
exercises, prompts, and peer review, crafting a story 500 words at a time.
With feedback from your classmates and teaching artist, you’ll learn
what works in storytelling, what really captures a reader’s attention,
and how to discover and develop your own particular style. By the end of
class, you will have completed 10-15 pages that combine all the essential
elements of a well-crafted short story.
new!
Rock the Genres:
A Sampler of Fiction,
Creative Nonfiction &
Poetry (ages 12–14)
| Gail Milstein
One-Week Class | July 29–Aug 2 | 2:45–4:15 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
Many creative writers write in more than one genre. J.K.
Rowling and Suzanne Collins, for instance, have written
poetry in addition to their blockbusting fiction series. Why
limit yourself to one genre when you can develop a taste
for all three of the main genres: fiction, creative nonfiction
(including memoir and personal essay), and poetry? Fiction
teaches us about plot, setting, and character, including
dialogue and point-of-view. Creative nonfiction encourages
us to develop our voice, work with memory and imagination,
and write from our own truth. Poetry allows us to develop
our relationship with language and form, image and metaphor, and to add a lyric quality to our writing. Learn some of
the basics, then try your hand at each in class. We’ll share
what we create with each other as you are comfortable. You’ll
be amazed when you discover you have a flair for a form of
writing you haven’t even tried yet!
Pricing Reg = Regular; Mem = Loft Member; Low = Low-Income (see page 3 for details)
new!
Learn to Lie…and Not Get Grounded | Lisa M. Bolt Simons
One-Week Class | August 5–9 | 9–10:30 a.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
A Character Building Experience | Joan Linck
One-Week Class | August 5–9 | 10:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
Sure, words sit on a page, but characters who do that, and classes where
you have to do that all day, are boring. If that’s not what you want your
characters or yourself to do, then come along as we learn how to build
a character that grabs a reader and pulls them through the story. Of
course we’ll write, but we’ll also do lots of activities that give us insight
into what makes a character come to life. Whether your main character
is meeting his or her first love or battling space aliens, he or she will
engage your reader from start to finish. During the week you can create
original characters and short stories or develop work you’ve already
begun.
new!
Welcome Your Words: Keeping a Writer’s Notebook
| Susan Marie Swanson
One-Week Class | August 5–9 | 1–2:30 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
Naomi Shihab Nye once wrote, “Get in the habit of welcoming your own
words, however slowly or quickly they come to you.” She encourages
everyone to write regularly in a notebook, for fun and for discovery:
“Your thinking will befriend you. Words will befriend you.” In this class,
we’ll experiment with many different ways to write in a writer’s notebook, with inspiration from the work of the author, poet, and anthologist
Naomi Shihab Nye. We’ll notice. We’ll remember. We’ll make time and
space to write about ourselves and others, about our communities, and
about our imaginations. We will explore how the patterns, subjects,
and voices in books can help us welcome new words of our own.
Summer Youth Classes are listed here. adult classes are listed at loft.org.
CLASSES FOR YOUTH | AGES 12–14| 35
What? Learn to lie?! But, of course, this is exactly what you need to do
in order to convince your readers you’re telling the truth! Whether your
book is about firefighters, werewolves, or talking animals, you must create verisimilitude, or the appearance of being real or true, to keep your
readers engaged. In this class, we’ll practice lying, using both “real” lies
and “out-of-this-world” lies. We’ll also practice using details and elaboration in order to make your fiction stronger. Be prepared to share your
lies with others—without the risk of being grounded—so that you can
better the art of verisimilitude in your current work or in a new project.
new!
Interactive Fiction and Game Design
with the Choosatron | Jerry Belich
36
|CLASSES FOR YOUTH | AGES 12–14
One-Week Class | August 12–16 | 1–3 p.m. | Reg $250 (no discount pricing available)
What if you’re not interested in a story moving one direction
like a train stuck on it’s tracks? You begin providing choices
to your readers, letting them choose their own adventure! In
this class, we will start by exploring the history of interactive fiction through the lenses of creative writing and game
design. Students will learn how to create their own interactive stories. With their classmates as players, they will
receive immediate feedback to improve and expand their
work. To play their stories, students will build a Choosatron
miniature arcade machine invented by the teaching artist,
which they’ll get to take home, along with their interactive
story. Students will be using cross-platform writing software in this class and must bring a mac/windows compatible laptop every day in order to participate.
For information about the Choosatron, check out www.choosatron.com.
Note: Registration for this class must happen before July 1, 2013 in order for the
teaching artist to be able to order parts and pre-assemble the Choosatron kits for
students. The additional cost of this class covers all building materials needed to
construct the Choosatron. Due to the special additional materials needed for the
class, no discounts are available, however, full scholarships are available for those
who qualify. Please contact the Young Writers’ Program Manager, Jennifer Dodgson,
for more information at 612-215-2579.
Pricing Reg = Regular; Mem = Loft Member; Low = Low-Income (see page 3 for details)
CLASSES FOR YOUTH
AGES 9–11
Writers create magic with words and spin stories from their imaginations. In this class, you will be writers. You will write, read, share, and
write some more as you learn how to make writing exciting and fun.
The teaching artist will help by giving you prompts and exercises to
stretch your creativity and unlock your imaginations. In this class, you’ll
discover how to turn your words into stories and poems. Bring your best
ideas, turn them loose on the page, and let your writing surprise you.
new!
The Creative Writing Kid | Katie Kunz
One-Week Class | June 17–21 | 10:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
Are you a kid who enjoys using your imagination? Perhaps you like to
exaggerate? Tell tall tales? Maybe you want to learn the power behind
selecting the best words and details to write true or made-up stories?
In this class, we will learn how using our five senses and super strong,
exact words in writing can create a tone that any reader or listener can’t
help but feel. We will start with writing sketches about our birthdays,
vacations, animals, special places, and a very scary time. Then the sky
is the limit as you choose one piece to revise and share with an audience.
All you need is a notebook and a pencil. Come on, join us!
Get a Clue! Writing Mysteries | Trisha Speed Shaskan
Two-Week Class | July 15–26 | 9–10:30 a.m. | Reg $247.50; Mem $222.75; Low $173.25
Set up a crime scene! Discover clues! Track down a trail of footprints; or
are they hoof prints? You will use props and read stories to inspire your
writing. You’ll learn the vocabulary of mystery writing from clues to red
herrings, but will also explore elements of craft from character to plot.
And you’ll write your very own kind of mystery—scary, funny, fantastical, or completely puzzling.
Summer Youth Classes are listed here. adult classes are listed at loft.org.
CLASSES FOR YOUTH | AGES 9–11 | 37
Do YOU Want to Be a Writer? | Peter Blau
One-Week Class | June 17–21 | 9–10:30 a.m. | Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
full-day camp!
Loft Camp: Story Writing and
Illustrating Your Own Comic
38
|CLASSES FOR YOUTH | AGES 9–11
| Tina Laurel Lee, Trisha Speed Shaskan, and Stephen Shaskan
One-Week Camp | July 8–12 | 9 a.m.–4 p.m. | Reg $480.00; Mem $432.00; Low $336.00
Morning: Story Writing FUNCamp
This exercise class will leave your imagination panting
for more. We’ll generate words across the genres as we
write Natalie Goldberg-style, using our favorite stories
and authors (among other things) as inspiration. We will
try our hand at fanfic and make our own movie/book spoof.
We’ll follow our imagination to discover how writer’s stories
are uniquely theirs. Experience the exhilaration of writing
without expectation of outcome, but expect to have a blast!
supervised Lunch: In the park or inside playing games if inclement
weather. Bring a bag lunch from home and an afternoon snack; the
Loft will provide morning snack.
Afternoon: Art Panels and Speech Bubbles: Writing and
Illustrating Your Own Comic
Have you ever drawn an action scene with stink lines?
Or hearts? Do you know what a splash page is? Take this
class to draw—and to find out! You will learn to develop
characters, draw thumbnail sketches, lay out panels, and
plot a story. You’ll be inspired by graphic novel series such as
the Lunch Lady by Jarrett J. Krosoczka and Babymouse by
Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm for inspiration. You’ll
create a black-and-white graphic novel by week’s end.
Creative Collage: Writing and Visual Art | Kristin Fitzsimmons
One-Week Class | June 24–28 | 1–2:30 p.m. | Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
In this class, we’ll combine visual art and writing in several forms of
collage including visual journaling, erasure poetry, and illustration. The
teaching artist will provide collage material, but students will be encouraged to collect and bring in things to personalize their collages.
Pricing Reg = Regular; Mem = Loft Member; Low = Low-Income (see page 3 for details)
Girls Write What Matters
| Kate St. Vincent Vogl
One-Week Class | June 24–28 | 2:45–4:15 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
new!
Rock the Genres: A Sampler of Fiction,
Creative Nonfiction, & Poetry (ages 9–11) | Gail Milstein
One-Week Class | July 15–19 | 10:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
Many creative writers write in more than one genre. J.K. Rowling and
Suzanne Collins, for instance, have written poetry in addition to their
fiction series. Why limit yourself when you can develop a taste for all
three of the main genres: fiction, creative nonfiction (including memoir
and personal essay), and poetry? Fiction teaches us about plot, setting,
and character, including dialogue and point-of-view. Creative nonfiction
encourages us to develop our voice, work with memory and imagination,
and write from our own truth. Poetry allows us to develop our relationship with language and form, and to add a lyric quality to our writing.
Come sample from all three of the main creative writing genres. You
may have a flair for a form of writing you haven’t even tried yet!
new!
Tasty Soup! Getting a Story Ready to Publish
| Isabel Harding
One-Week Class | July 15–19 | 2:45–4:15 p.m. | Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
Stone Soup magazine has been publishing work by young authors since
1973. Using Stone Soup as a model, we’ll learn all about writing stories
and getting them ready for print. With the right mixture of ingredients
(including strong characters, dialogue, setting, and conflict), you can
really get that soup boiling! We’ll complete a combination of writing
exercises, prompts, and peer review in class. On the first day of class,
come in with an idea for a story (in writing), or the first 2–3 pages if
you’ve already started working on it, and we’ll go from there.
Summer Youth Classes are listed here. adult classes are listed at loft.org.
CLASSES FOR YOUTH | AGES 9–11 | 39
Do you make up stories with your friends?
Or maybe you have an idea for a story that
you’re dying to share but you don’t know if
it’s any good? If you love to write, this class
is made for you. In class, we’ll learn how to
make characters on the page seem as real as
they are in your head. We’ll do in-class writing exercises and we’ll play games to show
what matters most in our writing. With this
class, you’ll learn how to strengthen your story and explore your characters—and you’ll learn how to best show what matters in your writing.
Writing Song Lyrics (ages 9–11) | Ben Connelly
40
|CLASSES FOR YOUTH | AGES 9–11
One-Week Class | July 22–26 | 1–2:30 p.m. | Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
In this class for non-musicians and musicians, we’ll take an interactive
and improvisational approach to the art and craft of song lyric writing. We’ll write in groups and individually, study how form and poetic
technique affect the way a song feels, and learn methods for opening up
and completing a creative process. Students should expect to write at
least one complete song lyric during the class.
Making Fiction Magical | Marion Gomez & Cary Yang
One-Week Class | July 29–Aug 2 | 9–10:30 a.m. | Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
Did you know that poems were invented to tell stories? The story’s
origins are oral; rhythm and rhyme were used in epic tales as memory
aids. Today’s great fiction writers still use poetic elements to make
their writing come to life. We’ll read and practice how writers use poetic
elements such as sensory images, similes, dramatic monologues, sound,
and rhythm to create their fictional worlds and give their characters
voice. Students will have access to one-on-one conferences and a collaborative teaching environment. Students’ work will then be compiled into
an anthology they can show the world, or just their closest friends.
new!
Writing the Fantasy World
| Holly Day
One-Week Class | July 29–Aug 2 | 10:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
In this class, we’ll learn how important
geography is to our stories by building
fantasy worlds. We’ll draw maps of the
places our characters inhabit, with special
attention given to geographical features
such as waterways, mountains, and even
planetary bodies that can be incorporated
into our stories. We’ll talk about the
common-sense rules of writing placebased fiction (ranging from the basic
laws of science to the physical limitations of characters), and how to step
outside those rules to make our stories even more
interesting. We’ll look at classic examples of place-based fiction,
from J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings series to Jules Feiffer’s
The Phantom Tollbooth to the DragonLance, Game of Thrones,
and Raggedy Ann & Andy series.
Pricing Reg = Regular; Mem = Loft Member; Low = Low-Income (see page 3 for details)
new!
Shaggy Dogs, Big Fish, and
Outright Whoppers
| Kurtis Scaletta & Karlyn Coleman
Be ready to tell the tallest tales,
spin the woolliest yarns, and tell
the most ridiculous fibs of all
time, because this class is all
about wild, make-em-up-as-you-go stories that are meant to
be told aloud. We’ll look at various kinds of tall tales as well
as the techniques storytellers use, such as exaggeration,
simile, and metaphor, and incorporate them into our own
tall tales, urban legends, and campfire stories.
new!
Recipes for Exciting Writing | Linda Back McKay
One-Week Class | August 5–9 | 10:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
Welcome to the delicious world of poetry! During this fun and resultsfilled class, we will use a variety of specially concocted “recipes” to whip
up a batch of exciting poems. Some of these recipes include writing to
a painting or another piece of art, list poems, fill-in-the-blanks poems,
superhero poems, fairy tale poems, group poems, and the often surprising “poetry salad.” We’ll learn and discuss the same writing tools that
professional poets use and will work on effective ways to perform and
present our work to an audience.
Beginning Playwriting | Joan Linck
One-Week Class | August 5–9 | 9–10:30 a.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
Does the movie version of what you are writing play out in your head
as you put words on paper? Do you long to see your characters come to
life? They can when you write a play. This class will explore storytelling through playwriting. We’ll read from published plays, discuss how
theatrical elements such as music, lights, and props help tell the story,
explore character development, and try our hand at writing short scenes.
By week’s end you will have a scene ready for your fellow playwrights to
read and act out in class. Places! Cue the music. It’s time to sit back and
enjoy the show.
Summer Youth Classes are listed here. adult classes are listed at loft.org.
CLASSES FOR YOUTH | AGES 9–11 | 41
One-Week Class | July 29–Aug 2 | 1–2:30 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
new!
Fractured Fairy Tale Toy Theater
with HOTB (Ages 9–11) | Linda Back McKay
42
|CLASSES FOR YOUTH | AGES 9–11
One-Week Class | August 5–9 | 1–3 p.m. | Reg $175.00; Mem $157.50; Low $122.50
Note: This class takes place at In the Heart of the Beast Theatere on Lake Street
(1500 East Lake St., Minneapolis, MN 55407); it does NOT take place at the Loft.
The cost of this class covers all art materials needed.
Bring your imagination and all your wild ideas. It’s a brand
new collaboration between the Loft and In the Heart of the
Beast Puppet Theatre. We will learn some of the tools that
professional poets use and then we will rewrite history by
creating our own group poem that “fractures” a well known
fairy tale. We’ll design a small toy theatre stage, make 2D
puppets, and bring the poem to life through our own ingenuity and the techniques that we’ll learn from In the Heart
of the Beast teaching artists. At the end, we’ll celebrate our
accomplishments with a special performance.
Fairy Tales and Myths: Write Your Own Story
| Marie Olofsdotter
One-Week Class | August 12–16 | 9–10:30 a.m. | Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
We will explore the timeless territory of fairy tales and myths. Students
will record the hair-raising adventures of a main character, the hero,
who sets out on a magical journey to save a troubled kingdom and
encounters a myriad of animals, villains, and mystical beings in the
process. Students will invent their own settings, characters, and plots.
new!
Writing with Pippi | Susan Marie Swanson
One-Week Class | August 12–16 | 10:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
With inspiration from the remarkable Pippi Longstocking, we’ll invent
our own remarkable characters and tell stories about them. Like Pippi,
our characters will have intriguing names and pets and adventures—
and they’ll be made out of words! We’ll read from Astrid Lindgren’s
stories about Pippi, and we’ll learn about how the author first told Pippi
stories to her daughter and later wrote them down. Like her strong,
funny, red-haired character, Astrid Lindgren lived on the edge of a tiny
little town. What will you and your amazing character have in common?
Pricing Reg = Regular; Mem = Loft Member; Low = Low-Income (see page 3 for details)
CLASSES FOR KIDS AGES 6–8
One-Week Class | June 24–28 | 9–10:30 a.m. | Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
This is a class for kids who love to draw and write! We’ll create characters, get to know them, put them in original stories, and use artwork
and the written word to bring them to life! Come learn from an author
who has already published over 60 books, and knows her characters
(and imagination!)
new!
Stories About Pets | Holly Day
One-Week Class | June 24–28 | 10:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
In this class for early writers, we’ll read
stories about companion animals as a
group, then work on writing and sharing
stories about our own pets, both real and
imaginary. Basic short story structure will
be discussed, with an emphasis on the joy of
storytelling and how to convey each child’s
love and fascination with animals.
Behold the Senses! | Lisa M. Bolt Simons
One-Week Class | July 22–26 | 10:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
The ability to describe touch, sight, sound, smell, and taste are vital
parts of making any written work come alive. In this hands-on class
for young writers, we’ll discover each sense in detail and write about
them. After we jumpstart our senses and pencils, we’ll use all of the
senses in a piece of writing—a short story, a poem, or an essay—that
the young writers create. (Not recommended for children with allergies.) Please bring a set of primary colored pencils, a pencil or two, and
paper/a notebook.
Summer Youth Classes are listed here. adult classes are listed at loft.org.
CLASSES FOR KIDS | AGES 6–8 | 43
Use Your Imagination (Section 1) | Nancy Carlson
Superheroes! Make and Star in Your Own Comic
| Kristin Fitzsimmons
44
|CLASSES FOR KIDS | AGES 6–8
One-Week Class | July 22–26 | 9–10:30 a.m. | Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
In this class, you’ll get to help write, illustrate, and star
in a comic book! Each student will design a character for
him/herself, help with writing the story, and finally illustrate the book by dressing up and acting out scenes. Each
student will receive a final copy of the book which includes
the story and photograph illustrations.
Use Your Imagination (Section 2)
| Nancy Carlson
One-Week Class | July 29–Aug 2 | 9–10:30 a.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
This is a class for kids who love to draw
and write! We’ll create characters, get to
know them, put them in original stories,
and use artwork and the written word to
bring them to life! Come learn from an
author who has already published more
than 60 books, and knows her characters
(and imagination!)
new!
Word Games | Jane Snell Copes
One-Week Class | August 5–9 | 9–10:30 a.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
Writing a story, a poem, or a scene in a play
is a word game. You gather your thoughts
and arrange some words and read it out loud
and make some changes. In this class, we will use games like
Bananagrams, Pictionary, and Charades to inspire our writing.
We’ll write acrostic poems and six-word stories. We’ll try out
Story Cubes and make a set for each person. We’ll see how
words work in crossword puzzles and word finds. Come to play
and write with us!
Pricing Reg = Regular; Mem = Loft Member; Low = Low-Income (see page 3 for details)
new!
Suess and Silverstein’s Silliness | Jane Snell Copes
One-Week Class | August 5–9 | 10:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
Caldecott Commotion | Susan Marie Swanson
One-Week Class | August 12–16 | 9–10:30 a.m. | Reg $123.75; Mem $111.38; Low $86.63
In this class, you’ll travel to a faraway island, fly over your neighborhood,
make animal friends, and capture good memories. All week we’ll surround ourselves with books that have gold and silver Caldecott stickers
on their covers, including Where the Wild Things Are, Tar Beach, Officer
Buckle and Gloria, and The Hello Goodbye Window—and many more.
We will brainstorm and write and draw and dramatize! There will be
time for both commotion and quiet work with the author of a Caldecott
medal-winner, The House in the Night.
new!
Fractured Fairy Tale Toy Theater with HOTB (ages 6–8)
| Linda Back McKay
One-Week Class | August 12–16 | 10:45 a.m.–12:45 p.m.
Reg $175.00; Mem $157.50; Low $122.50
Note: The cost of this class includes all puppet, toy theater, and
poetry making materials. This section takes place at the Loft.
This collaboration between the Loft and In the Heart of the Beast
Puppet Theatre is a great opportunity for kids to write, play, and imagine!
Together, we will learn about poetry and write our own strange and
wonderful fairy tale poem. Then we will split into groups to design and
build a small toy theater stage and make 2D puppets, using the skills
learned from In the Heart of the Beast Theatre teaching artists. Then,
our own ideas will bring the poem to life on stage! At the end of the class
we’ll celebrate with a special performance for family and friends.
CLASSES FOR KIDS | AGES 6–8 | 45
new!
Rhythm and rhyme and silliness make books by Dr. Seuss and Shel
Silverstein favorites from the first time you hear them. Let’s use their
techniques to write some silliness of our own. We’ll walk and clap the
rhythms. Then we’ll learn about and write limericks and other short
poem forms. We’ll invent and illustrate poems that feature new incredible creatures and seriously silly situations. Who knows? Maybe a
Dactyl or an Iamb will come to visit!
46
|Teen Conference
Coming This Fall
Teen
Writing
Conference
Oct 17, 2013
This conference will be free, but registration is
required. Sign up for the Loft enewsletter to be
notified when registration opens:
http://bit.ly/VORkau
The Loft’s First Pages Brings Free Creative
Writing Classes to a Library Near You!
Youn
Every summer the Loft’s blog for teen writers comes alive. The blog
helps connect summer students to each other and shares the great
work that happens each summer. To see and read more, please visit
loftteenwriting.wordpress.com.
Note: Please keep in mind that we strive to provide a welcoming, supportive, and uncensored environment for young writers to explore their creative writing talent. Some content
generated in Loft classes by older writers may not be appropriate for younger writers and
readers. Please keep this in mind when visiting this blog with your younger children, and
when clicking through to read the work of young writers from our teen classes.
First Pages/youth Blog | 47
t
f
o
L
@
g Writers
The Loft, in collaboration with Hennepin County Libraries, offers
free creative writing programming for children, teens, and adults in
Hennepin County libraries! Creative writing “labs” called First Pages
allow students to try their hand at different writing genres for free!
Classes have included A Kids Guide to Writing Short Stories, Creating
Magical Worlds, I Want to Be an Author, Novel Writing for Teens, and so
much more! Registration is managed through the Hennepin County
Library website: www.hclib.org.
SUMMER YOUTH TEACHING ARTISTS
Logan Adams’ fiction has appeared in Paper Darts,
Inkwell, and Ninth Letter, and has been a finalist for
contests held by Glimmer Train and the Cincinnati
Review. His music writing has appeared on The
Rumpus. He is the senior editor for the music blog
created by THE GARAGE—a youth center and
all-ages venue in Burnsville, MN.
48
| teaching artists
Jeanne Bain has helped young people tell their
stories in alternative schools, the juvenile justice
system, hospice programs, and in rural, suburban,
and urban schools. As a writer, she explores the
dark side through urban fantasy, gothic stories, and
blogging.
Jerry Belich is a professional programmer of over
ten years who has spent the other half of his time
pursuing various creative projects. He’s continued
to be active in videography, live theater, and game
design. His experiments with interactive fiction has
crossed into most genres of his creative work.
Peter Blau teaches adults and children in a variety of
venues, and is a recipient of an award from Mpls/St
Paul Magazine for his work at a women’s correctional
facility. His primary goal is to make writing approachable to all his students.
Sally Borgen loves teaching and the opportunity
to encourage adults and young people to let the
words roll from your head, down your arm, and onto
the paper. She has worked for Minneapolis Public
Schools for many years as a librarian, technologist,
administrator, and writing teacher and is now retired.
Nina Bricko has taught environmental education to
preschoolers through adults for the past ten years.
While working as the education coordinator at the
Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary in Prescott,
AZ, she coordinated many different experiential
education programs for many ages.
Nancy Carlson has been writing and illustrating
for children for over 30 years and has published
61 books. Nancy is a guest author in schools and
libraries all over the country; she has even spoken
at schools in Saudi Arabia! She also teaches at
Minneapolis College of Art and Design.
Karlyn Coleman is a certified English teacher. She
has taught for seven years in both private and public
schools. She is a winner of the 2009–10 Loft Mentor
Series in fiction. Her work has been published in
Revolver, McSweeney’s Internet Tendencies, and Paper
Darts. She is working on her first young adult novel
and often she types to the Vertigo sound track.
Ben Connelly is a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and educator with ten years
of teaching experience and seven CDs of songs.
His songs have been internationally released and
featured on commercial, public, and college radio
nationwide, as well as in films and on television.
Jane Snell Copes is a writer and scientist, a teacher
and inventor. She has written directions and
explanations for Science Museum of Minnesota
exhibits, a project book called Let’s Try It. .. and See
What Happens!, and articles about the science in
the Harry Potter series. She is the owner of Science
Outside the Box, a tiny company that brings science
fun to you.
Patricia Cumbie‘s short stories and essays for
teens and adults have been published in numerous
journals and anthologies. She is the author of the
young adult novel Where People Like Us Live.
Rhea Davison-Edwards is in her third year of
an MFA program at Minnesota State University,
Mankato. Having taught freshman composition at
the college level, she knows what skills admissions
committees are looking to see in application essays.
Holly Day has worked as a freelance writer, indexer,
and editor for more than 20 years, with over 7,000
published articles, poems, and short stories and
10 published books. She has indexed over 200
books for more than 50 publishers internationally,
including Boys Town Press, Sage/Corwin Press, Quay
Publications, and Minnesota Historical Press.
Becky Zosia Dernbach has spent two years
substitute teaching in the Minneapolis Public
Schools, including long stints teaching Spanish,
Latin, chemistry, and third grade. Becky is the author
of the recently published Fannie and Freddie, a rhyming picture book about the housing crisis, as well as a
blog about her misadventures substitute teaching.
John Fenner is an acclaimed songwriter and unacclaimed screenwriter. He is an experienced public
speaker, solo father of three exceptional musicians,
and host of a popular, eclectic live variety show. He
has worked with teens at the Mixed Blood Theatre
and as a mentor at a Menninger Youth group home.
Kristin Fitzsimmons worked as an AmeriCorps volunteer in a family literacy program in Chicago before
coming to Minneapolis. Kristin has taught English to
middle school students in France and worked on a
nature preserve as a guide for school groups.
Amy Fladeboe has worked with youth at 826
Valencia, a San Francisco-based non-profit writing
support center, has taught creative writing at The
University of Vlora in Albania in the Peace Corps, and
is an MFA candidate at Minnesota State UniversityMankato, where she also teaches creative writing.
Jennifer Fossenbell is a teacher of English language
and literature. She has worked with high school
students in Denver and with teens and adults in
Ukraine and Vietnam. Her poems, co-translations,
and articles have appeared in print and online
publications in the U.S. and Vietnam. She is co-editor
in chief of dislocate magazine.
Teaching artist bios are shortened here. Full Bios are listed at loft.org.
Dawn Frederick is the owner & literary agent of Red
Sofa Literary, established in 2008. Dawn’s previous
experience reflects a broad knowledge of the book
business, with over a decade of experience as a
bookseller in the independent, chain, and specialty
stores, an editor for a YA publisher, a published
nonfiction author, and an associate literary agent at
Sebastian Literary Agency.
Kyle Jaeger served as an au pair in Switzerland,
worked with impoverished youth in Mexico, taught
theater workshops to youth in Honduras, and
worked with youth in Tennessee and Minnesota.
Presently he also works with kids at the YWCA of
Minneapolis, tutors second language learners from
Somalia, and writes for a local magazine.
Marion Gomez has served as an AmeriCorps
Vista volunteer for America Reads, tutoring
elementary school children, was a recipient of a MN
State Arts Board Cultural Community Partnership
grant to mentor immigrant and Latino youth in
poetry, and has organized youth poetry and spoken
word events.
Katie Kunz has worked with students of all ages.
She has worked developing a writing project based
grammar class for teens, creating a community education, creative writing class for upper elementary
age kids, and teaching at an alternative high school
in Brooklyn, New York. She just completed her first
novel for middle grade readers.
Rose Hansen is an MFA Candidate at the University
of Minnesota with a concentration in fiction. Her
long-form project is a novel set in Alaska and
explores the deconstruction of narrative in the face
of trauma. Her work has appeared in numerous
publications.
Tina Laurel Lee has an MFA in Creative Writing from
the University of Minnesota and has been teaching
since 1999. She currently leads writing bootcamps
for youth and adults alike from her home studio,
where students practice hard and have fun. She has
completed one young adult novel and has a couple
middle grades on the way.
Isabel Harding has taught creative writing
workshops for elementary- and middle-school
students and worked as a camp counselor at an
arts center for many summers. In the summer of
2012, she was awarded a two-week residency at the
Anderson Center in Red Wing, Minnesota, where she
conducted a writing workshop with teenagers as her
community outreach project.
Joan Linck started her career in the technology
field. She now writes for a number of arts-related
nonprofits but has the most fun writing plays (and
working backstage) for middle schools, writing
fiction and nonfiction for elementary and middle
school students, and helping students find their
inner writer.
Jessica Harman is an author who writes autobiographies, poetry, sudden fiction, and essays. Her poetry
has appeared in a wide variety of journals. Her essays
on literature and writing, as well as her artwork, have
appeared in publications in the U.K, Canada, and the
United States..
Kelly Hansen Maher teaches creative writing as a
student instructor at Hamline, and teaches poetry
with the Minnesota Prison Writers Workshop. Her
poems have been published online and in various
literary journals, and she is at work on her first
full-length collection of poems.
Luke Hawley has spent the last 15 years writing
songs. In addition to songwriting, he spends a
good chunk of his time teaching at the college
level, though he also has a BA in Secondary English
Education as well. His first book, The Northwoods
Hymnal, a collection of short stories with accompanying songs, is due out in March on Grey Sparrow
Press.
Linda Back McKay is a Minneapolis poet, writer,
and teaching artist. Her work has appeared in
many literary publications. She has published three
collections of poetry and her groundbreaking book,
Shadow Mothers: Stories of Adoption and Reunion,
was inspiration for the play Watermelon Hill. A
motorcycle-related memoir is forthcoming in 2013.
Melody L. Heide is a writer based in Minnesota.
Her nonfiction has appeared in the Blue Lake Review
and Switchback Magazine. While at Minnesota State
University, Mankato, Melody volunteered to teach
creative writing at a local high school..
Brenda Hudson started writing as a child, writing
letters in her journal, expressing thoughts and
asking questions that couldn’t come across any other
way. Those notes and letters began to shape her
into adulthood. She now works as a teacher, editor,
and writer.
Carrie Mesrobian has worked as a teacher in both
public and private schools; her work has appeared
in the Star Tribune, Brain, Child magazine, Calyx, and
other web and print publications. Her debut YA novel
will be published in 2013 by Carolrhoda LAB.
Gail Milstein has taught a kids journal-writing workshop at the Loft, creative writing in a homeschool
program, and (on the other end of the age spectrum)
worked for years with groups of senior citizens
helping them write their life stories, through her own
business, Get Lit!
Teaching artist bios are shortened here. Full Bios are listed at loft.org.
teaching artists | 49
Jake Klisivitch is a freelance editor and writer with
20 years of experience at such publishers as Scribner,
Penguin, and Random House. He has taught publishing seminars at the University of Pennsylvania, the
Columbia Publishing Course (of which he is a graduate) and the University of Windsor. He is currently the
Editor-at-Large at UK publisher Shire Books.
Christine Friedlander is a poet and intermedia artist
living in Minneapolis. She has taught creative writing
classes for youth as a part of River Edge Public
School’s summer enrichment program in New Jersey,
and was awarded the New Jersey Governor’s Award
for Arts Education in Playwriting in 2005.
Lyda Morehouse is an award-winning author of
multiple science fiction books. She also writes paranormal romance as Tate Hallaway. She’s currently
working on a new adult series for Tate that began
with Precinct 13. Her short fiction has appeared in
numerous publications.
50
| teaching artists
Marie Olofsdotter is an interdisciplinary artist and
writer. She has written and illustrated several children’s books and is the recipient of a Mid-America
Publishers Award and a Midwest Book Achievement
Award. Other awards include a Minnesota Book
Award, and grants from the Minnesota State Arts
Board and the Jerome Foundation.
Anthony Rosso will receive his MFA in creative writing from Minnesota State University in Mankato this
spring. There he has taught freshman composition
and currently teaches an introduction to creative
writing course.
Kathryn Savage’s writing has appeared in The Star
Tribune, Ploughshares, The Village Voice, City Pages,
and Twin Cities METRO magazine. She has worked
with Intermedia Arts teaching adolescent creative
writing courses as a SASE Wings Writing Mentor and
founding member of Young Writers, a bimonthly
writing program for teens.
Kurtis Scaletta is the author of Mudville, which
was short-listed for the Mark Twain Readers Award;
Mamba Point, which received a starred review from
Kirkus Reviews, and The Tanglewood Terror, a Junior
Library Guild selection, Indie Next pick, and winner
of the Minnesota Book Award’s Reader’s Choice. In
addition to writing and teaching he manages the
online education program for the Loft.
Stephen Shaskan teaches art classes to children
for the Minnesota Museum of American Art, St. Paul
Academy’s Artward Bound program, and at an afterschool program for Minneapolis Public Schools. He
works as a children’s book author and illustrator, and
as an early childhood educator at the Seward Child
Care Center, where his musical talents have brought
him rock star status among the children.
Trisha Speed Shaskan has written over 40 books
for children. Trisha is a literacy coordinator for an
after-school program, tutoring elementary students
in reading. Trisha has taught creative writing to
children in settings, including Saint Paul Academy’s
Artward Bound Summer program and an afterschool program for Minneapolis Public Schools.
Aamera Siddiqui has been a professional actor
in the Twin Cities for 17 years. She is a two-time
recipient of the Playwrights’ Center’s Many Voices
Fellowship. She has written 2 full-length plays: CHUP
and American as Curry Pie. Her newest piece, currently titled Chisel, was first read as part of the U.S.Based Artist Showcase at the Women Playwrights’
International Conference in Mumbai, India.
Jenny Simmonds is the program director at Youth
Grief Services, a nonprofit program that supports
grieving children, youth, and families. She is also
an adjunct faculty member at the University of
Minnesota in the Youth Studies Department.
She has written two books, Children in Change and
Keep the Peace.
Lisa Bolt Simons has been a licensed teacher for
over 17 years, working with students ages 5 to 70.
She has taught adult basic education and high
school English but has worked as an elementary
English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher for the
last eight-plus years. Her publications include four
nonfiction children’s books and various articles in
journals and magazines, including Minnesota Parent
and Minnesota Monthly.
Emily Sohn moved to the Twin Cities in 2001 to
join a globetrotting expedition team called the
Quests. Along with a multimedia production crew,
she filed reports, videos, and images from remote
locations that included the Peruvian Amazon, Turkey,
and Cuba. Hundreds of thousands of students in
classrooms around the world followed the team’s
adventures online and helped direct their trips.
Tom Spence is a youth programs instructor at
Minnesota Center for Book Arts as well as a freelance
illustrator. He graduated from the College of Visual
Arts in 2005 with a BFA in Illustration. He has
produced his own mini-comics since then and is
currently at work on a full-length graphic novel.
Lennon Sundance is a published nonfiction writer,
performer, and obsessive observer. She is wildly
pursuing her MFA in Creative Nonfiction at Hamline
University. Valedictorian of St. Catherine University
in 2006 and decorated writer and scholar, she continues to chase her childhood dream of scribbling in
notebooks late into the night.
Susan Marie Swanson’s books include The First
Thing My Mama Told Me, a New York Times Best
Illustrated Book and Charlotte Zolotow Honor Book;
and The House in the Night, winner of the Minnesota
Book Award and the Caldecott Medal. She has a
teaching license and writes in her notebook every
morning before breakfast.
Carissa Jean Tobin ts a first grade teacher in a
bilingual program in Minneapolis. This is her fifth
summer teaching youth at the Loft. She aims to
create an exploratory environment where students
express their creativity through writing and gain
confidence in their work by sharing it with others.
Kate St. Vincent Vogl is the author of Lost & Found:
A Memoir of Mothers and has recently completed a
young adult novel. Three of her short stories from
her Infidels collection have garnered honors in
international competitions, and she was named a
finalist for the New Letters Prize in essay.
Cary Yang is a veteran classroom teacher of the
Twin Cities area. She has worked in primary and
intermediate grades for the past ten years. Her
interest in writing was sparked in her first years of
teaching with Saint Paul Public Schools and doing
intense training for two years centered on writers’
workshops.
Teaching artist bios are shortened here. Full Bios are listed at loft.org.
Funders
The Loft’s Young Writer’s Program is supported by the generous
contributions of Loft members and by Best Buy Children’s Foundation,
William Randolph Hearst Foundation, Jostens Foundation, National
Endowment for the Arts, and Target Foundation.
Accessibility
The Loft Literary Center strives to be accessible to all, without regard to
race, color, creed, religion, national origin, veteran status, economic status,
sex, gender identity or expression, age, sexual orientation, or disability. As
possible, we will remove barriers to participation in our programs to persons
with disabilities.
Our Open Book location is physically accessible, including designated
disability parking by the back door, touch-operated building entrances,
accessible gender-neutral bathrooms, elevators to all floors, and wheelchairaccessible seating. We ask your help in reducing synthetic fragrances in
classes by refraining from wearing scented products here. You are welcome
to bring an interpreter or personal attendant to class, as well as a service
animal; please give us notice. Upon request, we will provide class catalogs
available in alternate formats such as large print or CD.
To arrange for accessibility accommodation, please contact the Education
Administrator at 612-379-8999 three weeks in advance. Accessibility services
are partly supported by the Rachel Vaughan Memorial Fund.
Summer adult classes
available at www.loft.org
Isn’t It Time You Took One Too?
Summer Adult Writing Classes
Suite 200, Open Book
1011 Washington Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55415
The Loft Literary Center
TWIN CITIES, MN
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