Young Rural Writers Initiative
What is it?
The YRWI is a day-long traveling writing workshop designed to bring creative writing opportunities to rural school districts in the counties surrounding my home in Grass Lake, Michigan. Thanks to the Brooklyn Exponent and Kirstin Geunthner at Napoleon High School, I’ve already got some good press on the project (!), which you can find below. Since the workshop only involves myself, it’s free of charge.
Why am I doing this?
When I was in high school, creative writing opportunities were scarce, but one of my English teachers (Ms. Oulette, to whom I’ll be forever grateful) signed me up for a one-day writing workshop at the community college. That opportunity proved so powerful for me that I’m now trying to recreate it for others. A single day of sharing one’s writing with peers in a supportive creative community truly can change one’s life, so that’s what I’m attempting to do, one workshop at a time.
How does it work?
Due to their intimate nature, YRWI workshops are limited to eight students, who submit 5-10 pages of prose or poetry ahead of time. Students read each other’s work and come prepared to discuss what they loved about each piece, along with their suggestions for improvement. In addition to critiquing pieces, students also participate in craft exercises targeted toward that group’s particular challenges. At the end of the day, each student leaves with a page of feedback from me on their piece. But more than that, they leave having built their own vibrant community of creative discussion, and they leave knowing that they can now build one themselves. Some have even described it as one of their best experiences in all of high school.
If you’re interested in scheduling a writing workshop for your school, please e-mail me at m [dot] websterhein [@] gmail [dot] com!
Press!
Michelle Webster-Hein 