FOR EDUCATORS
At Society of Young Inklings, we provide you with classroom resources, and your writers with tools and guidance to develop their unique writerly voices
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 might you collaborate with us?
We have partnered with educators and schools for over 15 years, creating tools and opportunities for classrooms based on our Writerly Play methodology. Writerly Play utilizes tools from improv theatre, as well as other movement, visualization, and play-based strategies to invite writers to access their natural storytelling abilities and to find joy in the writing process. We have a Writerly Play toolkit filled with activities, printables, videos, and lesson plans for educators that you can access by signing up for our mailing list.
HOW DOES IT WORK for youth writers?
First, we invite youth writers to join the Society of Young Inklings
In our membership community, youth writers meet authors in live Zoom sessions, connect with peers and pro mentors asynchronously on our discussion boards, and work on creative writing projects of their choice. In membership, we offer a journaling theme each month and focus on supporting writers in developing a regular creative writing practice above and beyond any one specific project they may be working on.
Next, we support them as they build their
creative writing skills
Once writers are ready to further develop their creative thinking and writing craft skills, they’re invited to sign up for a 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 self-serve online courses, summer and weekend workshops, and customized one-on-one mentorships.
Third, they are able to share their work
with readers
Each year, we offer a writing contest for 3rd-9th grade writers, in which they can submit a short story or poem. Winners work with a mentor to revise their pieces and then are published in our annual book. 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 our membership live sessions, mentorship showcase reading, publication on our website, or even publication of their novels through our Fresh Ink publishing program.
What do youth writers 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
For example:
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.
