Workshops
Our free workshops foster creativity, strengthen writing skills, and provide students ages 6-18 with a forum to execute projects they otherwise might not have the support to undertake. 826DC Workshops are led by talented volunteers (including published authors, educators, playwrights, and other artists) during evenings, on weekends, and throughout the summer. Workshops cover a wide range of literary topics including music writing (“Music to My Ears”) ode writing (“Ode to My Underpants”), writing personal essays (“My Boring Life”), and tons more.
How to Sign Up for Workshops
We require registration for each of our workshops. To register for a workshop, click its “Sign Up” link below each workshop write-up. All workshops will be held at 826DC unless specified otherwise.
If You’re a Volunteer, and You’d Like to Lead a Workshop
Have at it. We’re always on the lookout for fresh, exciting workshop ideas from our volunteers, and fresh, exciting volunteers to lead those workshops. So if you’re interested, email Jimmy at James@826DC.org for more information.
Starting in mid-July, 826DC will host Saturday afternoon workshops for kids who like pens, pencils, and air-conditioned spaces. To sign up, please click the link below the workshop description of your choice or stop by 826DC in person!
Brain Spelunking
Saturday, July 13th, 1pm-3pm
Ages 6-12
Over a hundred years ago, a guy named Sigmund Freud pointed out that our brains have a ton of weird stuff swirling below the surface. One way to find amazing material for writing is to trick that stuff into coming out when we’re awake. Come explore the caverns of your mind!
Click HERE to sign up.
How To Do (Almost) Anything
Saturday, July 20th, 1pm-3pm
Ages 6-12
Fly an invisible plane! Bathe an elephant! You can do anything with a good set of directions. If you’re not sure where to start, surely someone at this workshop will have the instructions you’ve been looking for. Learn how to write a how-to guide and share the secrets to your own hidden talents with the world.
Click HERE to sign up.
Exquisite Forms
Saturday, July 27th, 1pm-3pm
Ages 12-18
Did you know that the human brain is full of poems? There’s nothing like a little collaboration to convince the poems come out and play. In this workshop, students will play, Exquisite Corpse, a parlor game popular among the Surrealists of the early 20th Century. Players begin with part of a drawing or poem, then pass their creation to their neighbor, who adds the next part of the image or composition without seeing much or any of what has already been done.
Click HERE to sign up.
Writing for Pets
Saturday, August 3rd, 1pm-3pm
Ages 6-12
What kind of a story would your cat like to hear? All pets have their preferences, but what about when it comes to literature? In this workshop, students gain confidence in their language skills by writing a short story for an animal. 826DC’s reptile-in-residence, Alvarez the Iguana, will provide an audience for students as they read their stories.
Click HERE to sign up.
Songs Without Words
Saturday, August 10th, 1pm-3pm
Ages 12-18
Just because a song doesn’t have lyrics doesn’t mean it can’t take a word or two. In this workshop, students will jam out to songs without words, then work together to write the stories behind the music.
Click HERE to sign up.
Sticky Words
Saturday, August 17th, 1pm-3pm
Ages 6-12
Why should the ears have all the fun when it comes to poetry? The eyes want in! In this workshop, students will make poems that look as good as they sound by writing a cinquain, a five-line poetic form inspired by the Japanese Haiku.
Click HERE to sign up.
Saturday, July 13th, 1pm-3pm
Ages 6-12
Over a hundred years ago, a guy named Sigmund Freud pointed out that our brains have a ton of weird stuff swirling below the surface. One way to find amazing material for writing is to trick that stuff into coming out when we’re awake. Come explore the caverns of your mind!
Click HERE to sign up.
Saturday, July 20th, 1pm-3pm
Ages 6-12
Fly an invisible plane! Bathe an elephant! You can do anything with a good set of directions. If you’re not sure where to start, surely someone at this workshop will have the instructions you’ve been looking for. Learn how to write a how-to guide and share the secrets to your own hidden talents with the world.
Click HERE to sign up.
Saturday, July 27th, 1pm-3pm
Ages 12-18
Did you know that the human brain is full of poems? There’s nothing like a little collaboration to convince the poems come out and play. In this workshop, students will play, Exquisite Corpse, a parlor game popular among the Surrealists of the early 20th Century. Players begin with part of a drawing or poem, then pass their creation to their neighbor, who adds the next part of the image or composition without seeing much or any of what has already been done.
Click HERE to sign up.
Saturday, August 3rd, 1pm-3pm
Ages 6-12
What kind of a story would your cat like to hear? All pets have their preferences, but what about when it comes to literature? In this workshop, students gain confidence in their language skills by writing a short story for an animal. 826DC’s reptile-in-residence, Alvarez the Iguana, will provide an audience for students as they read their stories.
Click HERE to sign up.
Saturday, August 10th, 1pm-3pm
Ages 12-18
Just because a song doesn’t have lyrics doesn’t mean it can’t take a word or two. In this workshop, students will jam out to songs without words, then work together to write the stories behind the music.
Click HERE to sign up.
Saturday, August 17th, 1pm-3pm
Ages 6-12
Why should the ears have all the fun when it comes to poetry? The eyes want in! In this workshop, students will make poems that look as good as they sound by writing a cinquain, a five-line poetic form inspired by the Japanese Haiku.
Click HERE to sign up.
826DC is excited to ring in the new year with a full schedule of creative writing workshops! Twice a month our center will be home to a unique writing experience. Sign-ups are linked below each workshop.
Saturday, January 26th, 1pm-3pm
Ages 6-12
Over a hundred years ago, a guy named Sigmund Freud pointed out that our brains have a ton of weird stuff swirling below the surface. One way to find amazing material for writing is to trick that stuff into coming out when we’re awake. That’s what this workshop is about.
Click HERE to sign up.
Saturday, February 16th, 1pm-3pm
Ages 6 – 12
In magic realism, the world looks a whole lot like our daily world, but some elements in it are magical. People might fly, a baker might make people instead of bread, or friends might communicate telepathically. In this workshop, students dive into a wild topic and see what happens.
Click HERE to sign up.
Saturday, March 2nd, 1pm-3pm
Ages 6-12
Elementary students are stand-up comedians in the making! This session will put these comedic skills to work. Students will puzzle over and write their own riddles in order to learn about language and to strengthen their writing skills and reading comprehension.
Click HERE to sign up.
Saturday, March 16th, 1pm-3pm
Ages 12 – 18
Sometimes a clear, convincing argument isn’t enough. You need to stir things up just a bit so that people pay attention and you can get your message across, whatever that is. In this workshop, students craft propaganda- speeches, pamphlets, and posters – all of it hard-hitting.
Click HERE to sign up.
Saturday, March 30th, 1pm-3pm
Ages 6 – 12
We all know kids can make a lot of noise, but how are they at spelling out those sounds? We think this is something that young writers—natural noisemakers that they are—should strive to master. After all, it’s tough to write a thrilling adventure story without transposing to words the sound of dragons’ talons across a parquet floor!
Click HERE to sign up.
Saturday, April 13th, 1pm-3pm
Ages 6 – 12
One of the lures of fantasy is possibility: a reader can stumble upon a magic ring or receive an unasked-for letter of acceptance to an unheard-of wizarding school. While exploring these possibilities as a young writer, it can be difficult to see and process that these worlds still have rules. This session will be an opportunity for students to consider the rules that make fantasy both accessible and satisfying.
Click HERE to sign up.
[or how to write a Jon Scieszka picture book]
Saturday, April 27th, 1pm-3pm
Ages 6-12
Imitation is said to be the most sincere form of flattery. It’s also a great way to start writing. In this workshop, designed by award-winning children’s author Jon Scieszka, we will read one of Scieszka’s books and use his suggested prompts to rework his stories.
Click HERE to sign up.
Saturday, May 11th, 1pm-3pm
Ages 6 – 12
What kind of story would your family dog like to hear? Certainly a family pet has preferences, but what about when it comes to literature? In this workshop, students gain confidence in their language skills by writing a short story for a pet. We will be joined by an animal ambassador to the pet kingdom who will provide an audience for students as they read their stories.
Click HERE to sign up.
Saturday, May 25th, 1pm-3pm
Ages 12 – 18
Exquisite Corpse is a parlor game popular among the Surrealists of the early 20th Century. Players begin with part of a drawing or poem, then pass their creation to their neighbor, who adds the next part of the image or composition without seeing much or any of what has already been done. This yields fun and surprising results. This lesson adapts the Exquisite Corpse poetry technique for short fiction.
Click HERE to sign up.
Saturday, June 8th, 1pm-3pm
Ages 6 – 12
Most people have no idea how much writing spies actually do. While micro-film and boat chases are important, the fact is spies have to write all the time. This intensive spy-training program encourages descriptive writing, code wordplay, and imaginative reporting.
Click HERE to sign up.
Spy School
Saturday, June 8th, 1pm-3pm
Ages 6 – 12
Most people have no idea how much writing spies actually do. While micro-film and boat chases are important, the fact is spies have to write all the time. This intensive spy-training program encourages descriptive writing, code wordplay, and imaginative reporting.
Click HERE to sign up.
Exquisite Story Lines
Saturday, May 25th, 1pm-3pm
Ages 12 – 18
Exquisite Corpse is a parlor game popular among the Surrealists of the early 20th Century. Players begin with part of a drawing or poem, then pass their creation to their neighbor, who adds the next part of the image or composition without seeing much or any of what has already been done. This yields fun and surprising results. This lesson adapts the Exquisite Corpse poetry technique for short fiction.
Click HERE to sign up.
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