FOR PARENTS
At Society of Young Inklings, we take youth on a journey to discover and cultivate their writing voice. In partnership with author-mentors and a passionate community of peers, Inklings develop the essential thinking skills writers need to get their creative ideas on the page.
HOW DOES IT WORK for youth writers?
Join Society of Young Inklings
In our membership community, youth writers share their writing, receive feedback, and offer feedback to others on the Inkwell. Members also receive monthly prompts, resources, and games. They’re invited to join our community for live online author interviews and writing workshops. They’ll be inspired at book launch celebrations featuring youth authors, just like them. All of that momentum will urge them onward as they pursue the creative writing project of their choice.Â
Build Your Creative Writing Skills
Once writers are ready to further develop their creative thinking and writing craft skills, they can enroll in a mentor-facilitated experience, such as a writing workshop or a one-on-one mentorship. They might create a poetry collection, design a plan for a novel, experiment with a new genre, or even draft a full novel. We offer quarterly Writers Circles, summer camps, and customized one-on-one mentorships.
Share Your Work with Readers
Each year, we offer a writing contest for 3rd-12th grade writers, in which they can submit a short story or poem. Winners work with a mentor to revise their piece. All applicants receive a personalized, encouraging editorial letter from one of our Inklings team. Other sharing and publication opportunities at Society of Young Inklings include publishing your work on our Inkwell, mentorship showcase reading, or even publication of your novels through our Fresh Ink publishing program.
What will my youth writer gain as part of Society of Young Inklings?
- Creative confidence Creative and critical thinking skills
- Reading expertise, including the ability to reverse-engineer texts
- Writing craft and storytelling skills
- Self-awareness and reflection practices
- Empathy
- Flexibility
- Resilience
- Visioning, goal-setting and project organization skills
- Collaboration techniques and tools
- Understanding of the design thinking process
And what kinds of projects might they work on?
Like William Miller, they might write a poem to enter into our Inklings Book contest, win, work with a mentor to revise their work, and then be published in our Inklings Book.
Like Avery Yue, they might build character development skills in a series of short story experiments, and then dive into a major project, like drafting, revising, and publishing a trilogy.
Like Madeline Sornson, they might write a play, enter the Scholastic Art and Writing awards, win a Gold Key, and then even see their play produced at a local theatre company.
But being an Inkling isn’t only about publishing books and winning contests. The real fun of being an Inkling is that writers are part of a community of artists who are excited about exploring their creative potential. Often that starts with the little things, like the practice of jotting ideas in a journal, or of paying attention to the fascinating details in the world around them. Our major focus is on helping youth to think like artists, developing a set of thinking skills and creative confidence that will serve them well in every endeavor, including school, career, and hobbies. Whether they write every day, every week, or even once a month, writers grow as artists as part of the Society of Young Inklings.
Join the community of Young Inklings today!
