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CLICK HERE TO REGISTER: http://youngwritersworkshop.eventbrite.com

2012 COURSE CATALOG

Welcome to the 2012 Young Writers’ Workshop programming guide. To register: •Please choose 5 workshops that interest you, then go to the event website beginning on January 27th at http://youngwritersworkshop.eventbrite.com. Select their numbers and titles in your order of preference. •Although you will be assigned to two workshops, you still must list five so that we can process your registration. We will try to honor your requests, but cannot always do so. •Registration will run from January 27 th through February 17 th. Registration after February 17 th will be charged a $10 late fee and is subject to workshop availability. (Note: Late registrations will not be accepted after March 2 nd.) All fees are nonrefundable. We look forward to seeing you at the Middle School on March 24th!

MASTER WORKSHOPS WITH LAUREN TARSHIS 1. Writing Secrets from Your Favorite Books From boy wizards to teen vampires to wimpy kids who get even, there are millions of great ideas for stories. But how do writers turn their middle-‐of-‐the-‐night ideas into great books? In this workshop, we will talk about kids’ favorite books and the “ingredients” that make them so exciting and interesting. Lauren will then work with the kids to create compelling stories by mixing different plots and characters with students’ own ideas. The result: the next Newbery-‐winning novel (or just lots of fun stories).

2. How To Write Amazing True Stories Students will read an article Lauren recently wrote on the Japanese earthquake. Then, using this story as a model, they will embark on a group writing adventure to map out the process of writing an article about the tornadoes that struck Joplin, Missouri last year. The journey will take them through all phases of creating an exciting nonfiction article, from honing a topic and finding a “hook,” to tracking down great research sources, and conducting interviews. Students will leave the workshop with a clear map for writing this story on their own.

Lauren Tarshis is the author of the award-‐winning novel Emma-‐Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree and its sequel, Emma-‐Jean Lazarus Fell in Love (Dial). She is in the midst of writing the 10-‐book historical fiction series, I Survived (Scholastic), which has sold more than 2 million copies to date. In addition to writing books, Lauren works full-‐time at Scholastic creating language arts magazines and digital products used in elementary and middle school classrooms.


MYSTERY & ADVENTURE 3. Adventures in History—Be A Sleuth An old photograph. An interview. A document. These can all become the defining moments of a historical story. How do you know what to look for? What to ask? How do you dig for those moments? Students will put on their spectacles

and become history detectives to uncover important information in telling great stories. Examine classified materials and use your detective skills to interview and write your tale.

Jonathan Lewis is the author of two books on the history of the CIA for Yale University Press. 4. Turn Your Travels Into Tales Good trips make for good stories. But bad trips (you know, that drive to Florida when the only thing that would keep your little sister quiet was a 25-‐episode Dora marathon) make for good stories, too. You'll explore various ways to write both kinds, whether you want to share your travel experiences with just your friends and family, or an entire national audience. Abbie Kozolchyk divides her time between New York and wherever her assignments take her—most recently, the Philippines, Paraguay, and Peru. She has written for National Geographic Traveler, Travel + Leisure, and the San Francisco Chronicle.

STORIES & POEMS 5. Writopia Lab presents: Write a Short Short Story (On Your Own) Develop and write a short, short story in under an hour! You will learn the crucial elements– characters, plots, resolutions, and unexpected

twists. Then complete a compelling short story on the spot. Léna Roy is the Program Manager and teacher for Writopia Lab in Westchester, an award-‐winning nonprofit organization whose mission it is to bring community, inspiration, and instruction to young writers in New York City and beyond. She is also the author of the YA novel, Edges, published by FSG. 6. Writopia Lab presents: Write a Short Short Story (Together) Learn the elements of a very short story and write an exciting tale with a beginning, middle, and end. Students will brainstorm characters, plots, resolutions and twists to create a surprisingly short piece with a fascinating twist! Each writer will contribute a short chapter – all culminating in a complete story. Jordana Frankel is a creative writing instructor for Writopia Lab in both Manhattan and Westchester. Her debut YA novel, The Ward, is forthcoming from HarperCollins in 2013. 7. Playing with Words Anyone can Create acrostic Riddles by writing the letters Of a word vertically, then Starting each line of The poem In this way, like a Crossword Puzzle Have fun with words by creating acrostic poems, magic squares, and Haikus. Steven Schnur, prize-‐winning author 8. It’s in The Details Teachers tell you all the time to “add more details,” but what do they really mean? We will look at brief moments in time and the details authors use to describe them. You will learn what those details are so your writing is precise and memorable, and so you can help your reader make that “movie in her head.” David Besancon, Fox Meadow teacher


NEWSPAPERS 9. Breaking News News is breaking, and it’s your beat! Learn how to make observations at the scene, interview eyewitnesses and police, get comments from the mayor or the school principal, and dig up all the facts you need to write a local news story that all your neighbors will want to read. Linda Leavitt, Editor, The Scarsdale Inquirer 10. A Passion for Fashion Calling all fashionistas! Take a front row seat by the runway. As a fashion reporter, you’ll learn to identify and describe the latest styles and trends to write a fun fashion story that

will keep your readers on the “best dressed” list. A mini fashion show will be your inspiration; and the end result will be an original piece that’s as

fabulous as you are! Traci Dutton Ludwig is a staff writer for The Scarsdale Inquirer and a freelance contributor to Westchester periodicals. She enjoys covering women's fashion and wears red shoes at least once a week. 11. You Report the News! Sometimes local news is of interest only to people in the area—but sometimes the stories, though local, have universal themes that give them widespread appeal. In this workshop, we will talk about what makes a local news story fascinating, how to find them, and how to craft them. Susan Dominus is a staff writer at the Sunday New York Times Magazine. Prior to that, she wrote the twice-‐weekly “Big City” column for the New York Times. 12. Extra! Extra! Read All About It! Discover how to be the best student journalist around from the editors at Maroon, Scarsdale High School’s student-‐run monthly newspaper! You will learn the basics of news reporting and designing a newspaper page. You’ll write a news article and lay out the front page of a newspaper, just like these editors

do each month. Rebecca Faust and Michele Ko are the Editors-‐in-‐Chief of SHS’s Maroon and its website shsmaroon.org.

MAGAZINES 13. Let’s Hear It for the Toys Toys are more than just fun and games – they’re hot topics in parenting magazines. In this workshop, you’ll pretend you are a magazine writer in charge of reporting on some brand new

toys. You’ll get to see and (yes!) play with some new toys, and compose write-‐ups about them to help readers decide which are best for kids. Deborah Skolnik is a Senior Editor at Parenting Magazine.

14. Picture This! Magazines use striking photos, cool graphics, and bold typestyles to help make people want to stop and read a story. You’ll learn how editors and designers use pictures and other images to enhance an article, and you’ll create your own magazine pages based on how you want to tell the story. Stephanie Mehta is executive editor of Fortune, a leading business magazine. She has written and edited stories about companies such as Apple, Activision, and Facebook. 15. Pretty Cool! Be a Beauty Editor for the Day How would you describe your favorite apple-‐scented lip balm or that Krackle nail polish you can't live without? Beauty editors choose from hundreds of new products to find the ones that are worth putting on the pages of their magazines. Then they have to come up with original ways to describe them. In this workshop, you'll get to test some amazing new beauty products, pick your favorites, and then write about them on your very own magazine beauty page. Jennifer Laing has been a beauty editor at Allure, Seventeen, and Real Simple magazines. Her articles have appeared in Glamour, The New York Times Style Section, and Women's Wear Daily. She also worked on Francois Nars' book, Make Up Your Mind Express Yourself (Rizzoli).


ART & WORDS 16. Blurb it Do you want to write stories but just don’t know where to get started? In this workshop, we’ll work on one of the world’s shortest story form – the blurb. We’ll talk about the difference between a summary and a blurb, and come up with exciting blurbs of our own. Using illustrations from children’s novels as our source of inspiration, this is a great way to come up with story ideas, get the creative juices flowing, and have some fun! Sheela Chari is the author of Vanished, a children’s mystery novel from Disney Hyperion. She has a MFA in creative writing from New York University and lives in Scarsdale with her family. 17. Famous Pop Artist Leads Collage Workshop Words & letters are everywhere! On packages, signs and…everywhere you turn! Turn those letters and words into a picture story about yourself. With your imagination and creativity, recycled materials (such as cereal boxes, the artist's trademark materials) will be used to create a modern picture word portrait. Pictures do tell stories – especially when words and

letters are involved. Michael Albert, a local modern pop artist, author, and founder of the Sir Real Fruit Juice Company, will lead this workshop.

Posters of his colorful collage artworks can be found all over the USA and at Cosi Restaurants in the counties of Westchester and Fairfield. 18. A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words! Many images have stories to tell – if you can just unlock the code! Learn how to read a painting and find the secret messages that might be there – and then write your own story of a painting. See if you can find the message in the medium! Diane Greenwald, a graphic designer and art historian, also ran the marketing department for a major architecture firm. She is currently pursuing a Masters degree in museum education at Bank Street College of Education.

19. Create Your Own Comic Strip You have your own version of Captain Underpants or Big Nate running through you head. In this workshop, you’ll choose a great first

line (we’ll pick out of a hat if we need to!) and a main character. In a comic strip format, you will learn to write out dialogue and create comic illustrations. Not only will you come

away with your own comic strip, but you'll have the beginnings of a great book. Christina Chiu is the author of Troublemaker and Other Saints.

TV & RADIO 20. How to Write a TV Show How do you write a TV show about any subject that interests you? Comedy? Drama? A rock ‘n roll reality show? We’ll explore what’s special about writing for television—and the difference between writing dramatic scripts and factual scripts. Finally, you’ll get a chance to write a sample “treatment” for a TV show that you create. Bruce David Klein is the President and Executive Producer of Atlas Media Corp., a leading producers of non-‐fiction TV programming for networks like A&E, The History Channel, WE, Discovery Networks, Food Network, etc. 21. The Perfect Interview! Have you ever wondered how television interviewers get celebrities to talk…and talk…and talk some more? Learn the art of the interview from an award-‐winning TV reporter. Find out how she gets people to sit down for an interview and what she has learned to ask that makes them want to spill their secrets. Then practice these skills with the kids in your class. You’ll be amazed what you can find out about someone if you just ask great questions. Award-‐winning TV journalist Bonnie Druker is currently an Editorial Producer on the nightly Nancy Grace Show at CNN and HLN.


22. Writing for Radio Radio pros talk to thousands, or even millions, of people at a time. But even though they are speaking to so many people at once, their job is to make a connection with each and every one of

them. This workshop will teach you how to be a radio DJ: the important things to mention, what order to put them in, and how to make it all clear and exciting for your listeners. Then you’ll learn how to read it out loud so that everyone stays interested and

wants to know more. Jimmy Fink has been the host of the afternoon drive show from 3-‐7 PM eastern time on WXPK-‐FM, 107.1 The Peak since its inception in 2004. Currently he can be heard worldwide via The Peak's website at www.1071thepeak.com. 23. Talk much? Have you ever thought about what you hear on a commercial? How the words are spoken is as important as the script to get the message across. This workshop will focus on creating amazing advertising copy for television and radio commercials. Students can then try their hand at performing their work! Kirsten Krohn, President, KiKi Productions, SAG/Aftra member 24. Who/What/Where/When—The Basics of News Do you want to know what it takes to be a reporter? How a TV newsroom works? What reporters do all day? Here is your chance to get a basic understanding of how to go about covering a news story and writing it up. You’ll learn the questions to ask, and how to structure the story so EVERYONE will want to “read all about it” or tune in. Sharon Dizenhuz has been a journalist for over 20 years and was an anchor and senior reporter at NY1 News for 10 years.

STAGE & SCREEN 25. The Picture House presents: Everybody's A Critic We read plenty of film reviews by critics, but we want to hear what you think. Watch movie clips and short films, share your opinions, and turn your thoughts into a strong, convincing movie

review. Learn how to watch films with a critic’s eye and see what no one else sees. Nadine Barnett Cosby is a writer, director and producer for film, TV and new media projects. In addition to her work as an artist, Nadine is on the faculty at The Picture House and is an adjunct faculty member in the department of Mass Communications at Iona College. 26. From Scarsdale To Broadway in 50 Minutes The ‘I Want’ song can be the most important song in any musical—the one where the characters express their hopes and dreams and get the audience rooting for them. In this

workshop, you’ll get the chance to write an ‘I Want’ song for a character of your choice. Not only will you write the lyrics, but you’ll decide on the kind of music that best

suits your character (dark and creepy, silly waltz, rap song). Sophie Jaff is a New York Times-‐reviewed playwright and published children’s author. Her children’s musical A Shelter in Our Car was seen by over 12,000 students and is due to be produced again at the Off Broadway John Jay Theatre in New York. www.sophiejaff.com 27. You Write the Songs! Create your own songs with renowned songwriter, producer, and musician Larry Edoff. He will show you how to bring creativity and originality to the songs you have playing in your head. Larry Edoff is an active producer and composer for TV and Film. He has worked with greats such as Tony Bennett and wrote and produced Rent star Adam Pascal's most recent album, Blinding Light. Edoff has also been a teaching force in Westchester since 1996. 28. Creating Great Characters James Bond. Harry Potter. Ramona the Pest. Carly Shay. Each of these characters is memorable because the writers who


invented them gave them lots and lots of details that made them unique and interesting. In this workshop, you’ll have the chance to create memorable characters, and write a monologue for them (a monologue is a dramatic speech uttered by a single character) to share and perform for each other. Erika Radin is a drama teacher, writer, actor, and co-‐creator of the show Mom's The Word.

HUMOR 29. The Picture House presents: Funny People Have you ever seen a funny film and thought, I want to write something like that? Well…now

you can! Learn how to write hilarious dialogue and create amazing characters in minutes through the art of improvisation. Get ready to move, act, and write! You will learn about action, plot, conflict, and the art of comedic timing! Take home with you: character biographies that

you have created, a circumstance for a short film or play, and a full scene of dialogue! Beth Manspeizer is the Director of Education

Programs at The Picture House. She is a theatre arts and film educator, as well as an actor and director. Beth has been working in film, television, and theatre for over 15 years.

30. Let's Make A Tween Sitcom Find out how to develop a TV comedy show for kids just like you. Learn what goes into the development of a tween sitcom (such as iCarly or The Suite Life on Deck). Come up with story ideas based on an existing concept, create madcap situations, and write jokes and a scene with your friends. You’ll leave with a completed scene—and learn the tools for creating your own show ideas. Benjamin Lehmann and Wendy Marston create and develop television shows for kids and tweens. Benjamin is a producer at Sesame Street, and Wendy is a humor writer. They are married.

31. Life's Little Moments Are Funny! Don’t forget your notebook the next time you attend a family gathering! Something is bound to happen that is worth retelling. How do you retell it so it is funny and entertaining? In this workshop, you will get to use moments in your own life and learn how to expand upon them and entertain others. Julie Gerstenblatt, humor columnist for the Scarsdale Inquirer and Scarsdale10583.com is a former English teacher at Scarsdale Middle School and writes a bimonthly column in The Scarsdale Inquirer titled “On the Verge”.

WEB & TECH 32. Step Into The Future Do you ever wonder what the future will look like? Use your imagination to predict the future of computers, games—even school! Learn how writers, filmmakers and software designers use that creativity to invent the world of tomorrow, and come up with a plan for the future. Jerry Crisci, Director of Technology, Scarsdale Schools, is a former contributing editor to Electronic Learning Magazine, columnist for Kids and Computers Magazine, and author. 33. Can Twitter Help Me Ace My Homework? …or convince my parents to get a dog? Is it possible to change the world in 140 characters or less? In some cases Twitter has done just that. Movie stars, professional athletes, presidential wannabes and even everyday folks have discovered that less is more when it comes to

getting your message across. This class will look at effective and not-‐so-‐effective Tweets, and give students a chance to practice their own skills at crafting concise commentary.

Elyse Mall Klayman is the assistant dean for communications at NYU School of Law, where lots of students rely on Twitter as a news source.


34. Share Your Vacation Memories Back from the beach? Home from the slopes? Your vacation was filled with magical sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and feelings. What's the

best way to tell the world about it? Learn how various types of media can help you share your travel memories in different ways. Decide which form of writing suits

your style and produce a sample podcast script or blog entry about your travel experience. Erin Foster is a regular contributor for websites, podcasts, and publications covering travel to Walt Disney World, including WDW Today, WDW Radio Show, DisneyWorldMoms.com, DisneyFoodBlog.com, AllEars.net, The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World, and several others. 35. Blog It If you're an aspiring writer, photographer, or videographer who is interested in learning how you can share your passion online, then here’s the perfect class for you. Class participants will work together to start a blog— choosing a name

and home page design. Then we will share how you write posts, add photos, artwork, videos, and more. By the end of the workshop, classmates will be able to contribute and communicate via their own

community blog. Beth Feldman is the founder of RoleMommy.com, an online community dedicated to inspiring parents to pursue their passion. She recently launched an e-‐zine, ProjectYouMagazine.com, featuring the writing of the nation's most talented parenting, finance, health, and lifestyle bloggers.

FOOD & FUN 36. Nibble Scribble Are you a not–so-‐secret foodie? Do you love watching Food Network? Have a few signature dishes up your sleeve? Writing about food is just as deliciously fun as eating it. In this workshop,

you’ll learn various methods to describe your favorite eats, including “recipes” you can use as outlines for a final short essay that centers on a

favorite or memorable dish or ingredient. Food writer Ramin Ganeshram is an award-‐winning writer and chef whose most recent book, Stir It Up! (Scholastic), is about a food-‐loving teen who gets a shot at a competition cooking show on Food Network. 37. Food, Glorious Food! Who doesn't love food? A food critic lives to eat—and tell all about it, hiding out in restaurants, taking notes, sharing tasty thoughts with attitude. In this workshop, you will use your

five senses to describe food, and step into the mouth-‐watering world of a

food writer. Bonnie Emanuel, local writer, published poet, and a self-‐proclaimed "foodie," teaches “Eat. Write. Love," a food-‐writing after-‐school club in Scarsdale.

SPORTS 38. Write About The Most Exciting Sports Event in History Maybe you weren’t there when the Yankees won the 2009 World Series—but you can write about it just like you were on the field! Through video clips of baseball, football, basketball, and more, watch some of the most exciting and surprising events in sports history. Then recount what you saw—just as a sports journalist would—telling about some of the amazing plays, as if you were right there witnessing history. Jordan Goodman, Scarsdale resident and professional journalist, is an author and broadcaster, and owner of JG Financial Communications.


39. The Homerun Project Find out how to select, develop, research and edit baseball stories from one of the authors of The Macmillan Book of Baseball Stories. Then develop your own sports story into a gripping

tale (fiction or non-‐fiction) and share it with the group. Are you up to the challenge? Stan will show you how to hit those words out of the

park! Stan Friedmann is currently the director of the Mount Tom Day Camp in New Rochelle. He has written two baseball books for children with his friends Mike Levine and Terry Egan. Stan presents the “Home Run Project” in schools, libraries, community centers and in museums like the Baseball Hall Of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. 40. Your Sports, Your Poems When it comes to creative writing, it’s always best to write about what you know. And when you’re a sports fan, you always seem to know everything there is to know and more. It’s time to take your love of sports and put some words down on paper in the form of the most creative

type of writing there is — POETRY! Step up to the plate, mid-‐court for the tip-‐off or the goal-‐line and make your own lasting impression on the game. Todd Sliss is the

sports editor for The Scarsdale Inquirer and a poetry enthusiast. He published Starting with a Perfect Game, a collection of 32 poems on the National Pastime in 2006.

SPEAKING UP 41. Lend Me Your Ears! Prepare and Deliver a Great Speech Every day, thousands of people around the world stand up to speak before a group— to classmates, teammates, customers, business leaders, and TV audiences. Unfortunately, too many of these speeches are boring. In this

workshop, a former Presidential Speechwriter will teach you an approach to making the most of every public speaking opportunity, and to prepare for any speech with confidence. John Pollack, a communications consultant for ROI Communication, has worked as a foreign correspondent on Capitol Hill, and as a Special Assistant to the President and Presidential Speechwriter in the Clinton White House. He is the author of Cork Boat: A True Story of the Unlikeliest Boat Ever Built and The Pun Also Rises: How the Humble Pun Revolutionized Language, Changed History, and Made Wordplay More Than Some Antics. 42. Pitch It! Got an idea for a book? Learn why some ideas get picked out of piles of submissions to become books—and others don’t. Literary agents help make writers’ book ideas come to life. Become a literary agent for the morning as you learn how to pitch your book project to an editor of a publishing house. Fun, interactive exercises will give you real-‐life experience of the day-‐to-‐day business of literary agents and editors. Scott Waxman, Waxman Literary Agency

COMICS 43. Everything's Archie: Writing and Drawing Comics! In this fun and informative workshop, students will be introduced to the process behind making their favorite comic books and strips. Archie artist Fernando Ruiz will show how it’s done and teach you how to bring your own characters to life in your very own comic strip! Fernando Ruiz has been writing and drawing Archie Comics since 1994. A graduate of the Kubert School, Fernando has been teaching there for seventeen years. His work can regularly be seen in the very popular Life With Archie magazine!

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