“This workshop has been immensely helpful and enlightening. Before, I didn’t understand the structure of a story or how to use setting to make a story more mature. Lydia Munnell was very encouraging and guided me to improve and think of writing from a different angle. Dave Lucas taught me to stray from the assumption that a poem has to have a ‘deeper meaning.’ I learned how to enjoy a poem for the language and sound of the words together. The interns were all extremely helpful, and offered so much help editing and workshopping my writing. They provided an inspiring environment and showed willingness to help. Phil Metres was an excellent director who also offered inspiration and encouragement. I’d like to acknowledge Ellie Rafoth and Katie Oltmanns for being amazing workshop leaders, teaching both writing and critical thinking. The entire staff taught me so much about writing, and I am very grateful!” –Faye Fahsbender, Freshman
“An amazing, life-changing experience that serves to elevate one’s writing ability to the next level.” –Robert Miron, Freshmen
“The talented writers and professors really helped me take a deeper look at my writing. It was really chill, and I loved that we just wrote…it was just about the work, just the writing. It was a regular adult class. It was serious, yet always open and fun, and I loved it! I’m definitely doing it again!” –Morgan Malone, Senior
“This workshop was an awesome experience! It was a great way to meet other people who are passionate about writing. I feel like my writing improved a lot over the week!” –Molly Zachlin, Senior
A parent wrote:
“I would highly recommend the Young Writers Workshop to anyone aspiring to become a writer and/or journalist. My daughter found the workshop to be motivating, and informative. I found that her enthusiasm for the workshop to be outstanding. It helped to provide writing direction and technique that has shown up in both her course and current writings. The lessons that she learned have contributed to helping her express herself in a positive light and expand her social skills. This is a workshop that could have been expanded to encompass two weeks and still retain the enthusiasm of the attendees.”
An alum wrote:
“My name is Sean Scott, but I do not expect you to remember me. I am a senior at The University of Akron, but back during the summer of 2014, I attended The AV Young Writers Workshop that you taught. My only defining feature was some rather obscure/grotesque shirts about old horror movies…. The reason I am sending this email out of the blue is that I wanted to thank you. Over the course of this past summer, I decided to try writing a novel, and five months later, I finally finished my first draft (a mind-numbing 294,100 words).I have had a couple high school teachers and one college professor who were true inspirations behind my wanting to write. But it had always remained a hobby over the past several years (I am attending school for a degree in Early Childhood Education; nothing at all relating to English or writing). It was after taking the YWW in 2014 that I decided to combine my love for writing and movies into one, so I wrote a movie script. Every summer since, my friends and I have filmed movies that I wrote (some of which have been feature length). And I want to say that I never would have began script-writing, and by extension believe I had even an ounce of what it took to write a novel, if I did not take that class.So thank you. I know I was just another student, but you have influenced a huge part of my life, and I am really excited to see where this interest takes me…I could not imagine doing anything else in my free time.I hope you can keep the Young Writers Workshop going through the years. It makes a difference.Sincerely,Sean Scott”