Introduction to our writers and the workshop

Introduction to Student Writing

by Lynette Benton, Teen Writing Instructor

For the past several years, I’ve been fortunate to lead the Teen Creative Writing classes at Robbins Library, in Arlington, Massachusetts. As part of those classes, our teens produce extraordinary stories and poems. Now, for the first time, you will be able to read their work for yourself.

In our class meetings, the teen writers read their work aloud and offer appreciation and thoughtful suggestions to one another, so that everyone’s work is improved.

We focus on the challenges that all writers—even famous ones—face. For example:

• Ways to draw readers in at the beginning of a story, chapter, or poem.
• How to use powerful, engaging words, and avoid weak ones.
• Methods for incorporating images and sense impressions, such as sounds and smells, into the writing to help readers actually enter the world of the story or poem.

As you will see from their writings, the Robbins teen writers successfully use these and other techniques to entertain their readers.

Our classes are fun, and I’m thrilled to be a part of them. I always look forward to finding out what the teens have written. You’re about to see why.

The excellent writings that follow were written by seven students in the Spring 2013 class. Just click on the titles or the authors names to be brought to individual works.  Click here to check out all the participants' works.

Sponge by Patrick Henehan
When Arrows Fly by Emma Kraus
Untitled by Ian Bernardin
Two Poems by Olivia Ferreira
Untitled by Isaac Wilde
Maybe He's Mental by Allison Stillerman
The Ravenous Bees by Cole Kraus

The next Robbins Library Teen Writing classes begin on Monday, November 4, 2013 at 6:00 p.m. The classes are free. Just register online and meet the other students, and me, in the main lobby near the elevator.