Teen Writing Program

A prospective program written for my LIS7912 class, Fantastic Fiction.

Library Type: Any size public library with a meeting room for up to ten people comfortably that has a base of teen users, or is in an area where many teens need extracurricular activities. 

Program Type/Purpose: A science fiction, horror, and fantasy creative writing and reading club for teens to strengthen their reading analysis and creative writing skills. 
 
Planning Chronology: 
15 months
●     Research current teen/tween writing programs at other libraries
●     Read writing handbooks for teens
●     Network with monitors of other programs for ideas and guidance
●     Contact YA creative writing journals for ideas/guidance/permission to use pieces
●     Begin preparing written Plan with needed resources, budget, and agenda plus research on why it’s important/valuable.
13 months 
●     Once written Plan is finished, prepare elevator pitch and lengthier Prezi/Powerpoint presentation
1 year
●     Give direct supervisor the elevator pitch and submit written Plan
●     Gain approval of written Plan from administration through supervisor or directly from administration (if necessary), give elevator pitch and/or presentation to supervisor and/or administration (if necessary)
8 months
●     Once written Plan is approved and everything is a go, begin soliciting free notebooks/pens for participants
●     Work with graphic designer (if available) within library system to design poster, parent flyers, teen/tween flyers, and tear off flyers for schools
6 months
●     Refine and flesh out agenda for each meeting
3 months
●     Set out poster, flyers, and tear off flyers for schools with willing schools/libraries
1 month
●     Write and submit news release to local papers, including school newspapers (if available)
●     Research Teen journals accepting submissions and any contests available and make a handout
1 week
●     Print all materials needed for first meeting
1 day
●     Purchase cookies, napkins, pitcher, and cups
Morning of
●     Mix punch and refrigerate
 
Agenda: One meeting per month for 1.5 hours 4:00pm-5:30pm on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday afternoon. First half of meeting is spent reading and discussing a passage from young-adult-appropriate, fantastic genre book. Second half of meeting is spent writing from a prompt associated with the style of the passage read. Sharing writing is required of monitor but not of the teens. Skip August so kids can get reacquainted with school. September is the “start” and July the “big finish.”
 
Promo Materials: 
●     Press release - to officially announce the start of the program and advertise; to be given to both local professional newspapers and high school newspapers, 
●     Flyer to parents - full of practical information about date/time as well as how the program can benefit the teen’s education
●     Flyer to teens - practical information about dates/time as well as a focus on creativity and self-expression (see below)
●     Large signage for hosting branch - poster sized sign to appeal to teens so that an interest is sparked
●     1 page tear off flyers for schools - advertisement to be posted on school bulletin boards marketed toward teens with tear off email/phonenumber/URL for more information
 
Resources Needed: Enthusiastic staff member with strong writing and text analyzing skills, email, printing/copying at library, library books, refreshments (powder drink mix, pitcher, cups, cookies, napkins), 1 notebook and pen per teen
 
Cost: $373 per year for 11 meetings and 30 teens. Printing costs ($2/meeting), refreshments ($10/meeting), poster (one time cost of $100), 1 notebook and pen per teen ($4/teen x 30 teens) 
 
Funding Sources: Internal, possible donation from local/national office supply store
 
Research Sources:
http://creativelibrariesutah.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Start-Your-Own-Teen-Writing-Club.pdf
Spilling Ink: A Young Writer’s Handbookby Anne Mazer and Ellen Potter
Real World Teen Servicesby Jennifer Velasquez
http://www.libraryasincubatorproject.org/?p=18083
 
Teen Journals:
http://yareview.net/
http://canvasliteraryjournal.com/
http://www.tellingroom.org/
http://stonesoup.com/
http://www.theclaremontreview.ca/




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