An Elite Creative Writing Course For High School Students
From the creators of The Author Conservatory & The Young Writer's Workshop
FROM THE CREATORS OF RESOURCES LIKE:
Feeling Stuck With Your Writing?
As a serious high school writer, there are a few problems staring you in the face. And they won't go away by ignoring them.
1. You're not sure what comes next.
You've been writing for awhile and you're pretty good. You've outgrown most high school creative writing classes, but you don't feel ready to jump straight into publishing novels.
2. You don't get regular feedback.
Your friends and family think your writing is great, but you've never had regular feedback and you know there are higher levels you could reach with the right support.
3. You wonder if you're good enough.
You'd like some outside confirmation that you're actually good at this writing thing, but the idea of entering contests or even figuring out which contests are legitimate is intimidating.
What you need is...
- High-level craft training
- In-depth personal feedback
- Guidance for what contests & award programs to enter
Introducing The Honors Academy...
Craft powerful short stories you can enter into reputable writing contests & award programs.
Writing short stories has long been one of the best ways to develop as a young writer and break into the world of publishing.
Short stories...
- Force you to make every word count, elevating your craft
- Are great for practicing story structure and complete storytelling
- Are ideal for receiving professional feedback (without breaking the bank)
- Allow for faster experimentation and discovery of who you are as a writer
- Provide more immediate publication opportunities than novel-writing
By the end of the program, you'll no longer need to guess at how good your fiction writing is. You'll know exactly what’s holding your craft back and how to improve.
“A short story is the perfect place to begin your writing career. The biggest mistake you could make as a new writer would be to start your career with a novel. You'll progress much faster if you start with short stories.”
— JERRY JENKINS
What You'll Do In This Program
Craft Short Fiction
Hone your craft with what Truman Capote called "the most difficult and disciplining form of prose writing."
Get In-Depth Feedback
Receive live training and in-depth feedback every week to help you become a stronger writer.
Prepare Contest Materials
Polish work you can submit to reputable contests, giving you chances to earn recognition and even scholarships.
In-Depth Training & Feedback
Each Honors Academy student will study under a Head Instructor who teaches weekly lessons, oversees the class, and grades their assignments. They will also be assigned a Junior Instructor, who provides weekly writing feedback and personal support throughout the program.
Kara Swanson Matsumoto
Program Director
Christy Award-winning author of Dust, Shadow, and Ignite — and co-founder of The Author Conservatory.
Jennifer Lindsay
Head Instructor
Head Fiction Editor for The Author Conservatory and former Managing Editor for Lamplight Publishing.
Graduate In One Year With...
- 4-5 polished short stories
- Support for submitting these stories to contests & award programs
- A stronger grasp on the craft of storytelling
- A $500 scholarship to the Author Conservatory*
- 1 creative writing high school credit
* Students must complete the Honors Academy to earn the $500 scholarship. Completing the Honors Academy does not guarantee acceptance into the Author Conservatory, but will strengthen your application. Limited to the first 60 students.
Program Curriculum
The Young Writer Honors Academy revolves around studying, drafting, and polishing short stories over the course of the school year.
Phase 1 | Sep 17, 2026 - Dec 12, 2026
Phase 1 will introduce students to writing flash fiction (stories that are 1,500 words or less). Focus will include reading and assessing example stories and creating (3-4) personal stories from initial concept to final draft. Students will learn how to create a positive growth arc for their protagonists, in which their main character achieves their goal by facing and overcoming a character-specific problem.
Phase 2 | Jan 4, 2027 - Mar 27, 2027
Phase 2 will introduce students to writing short stories (3,000 words or longer). Focus will include reading and assessing example stories, creating multiple initial concepts, and choosing one to develop into a fully drafted 3,000 to 4,000-word short story. Students will build on the core skills taught in the fall term, focusing on character growth, raising story stakes, and emotional payoff.
Phase 3 | April 6, 2027 - Jun 5, 2027
Phase 3 will walk students through editing and revising the short story they developed in Winter Term. Focus will be developing and receiving critique from fellow students and instructors, as well as learning how to implement basic self-editing techniques. Students will also learn industry standard practices for researching and preparing their work to submit manuscripts for contests, scholarships, and other publishing opportunities.
“When seriously explored, the short story seems to me the most difficult and disciplining form of prose writing. Whatever control and technique I may have I owe entirely to my training in this medium.”
— TRUMAN CAPOTE, author of Breakfast At Tiffany's
How Does This Work?
Fill Out An Application
Answer a few questions as part of our initial screening process.
Get Accepted
Our admissions team will let you know if this seems like a good fit.
Claim Your Spot
If you are accepted, reserve your spot with a $250 deposit (full tuition: $1,980).
What Students Say
"I used to have a vague understanding of how stories worked since I read a lot, but I was never able to put it into words. Now I can. It has been so much easier to craft a story using the tools I've learned."
- Emma C.
"Now that I finished the Academy, I know a lot more about how stories work and how to outline a story that won't crumble on top of itself as I write it."
- Colson
"Before joining Honors, I couldn't write a short story worth reading. Honors opened up the gateway for me to win a Regional Gold Key in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. I truly believe that joining YWHA was the turning point in my writing journey!"
- Adeline H.
FAQ
What makes this different than the Young Writer's Workshop or Author Conservatory?
The Young Writer Honors Academy is designed for high school students who need more writing support to pursue their career aspirations, but aren’t quite ready for the Author Conservatory.
Unlike the Workshop, it offers weekly live writing classes, instructor feedback on your writing, and graded assignments—and it is limited to only 60 students. It also offers a high school creative writing credit for homeschool students.
Unlike the Conservatory, it focuses on short stories instead of novels, doesn’t include business and marketing training, and is a high school class, not a full college-alternative.
How much time does it take?
Students should be prepared to commit at least six hours per week. This includes roughly three hours of live interaction with instructors and three hours for completing assignments each week.
The Honors Academy is more rigorous than a traditional high school writing course, and families should plan accordingly to make sure students have enough time for their coursework.
What grades is the Young Writer Honors Academy designed for?
The Young Writer Honors Academy is designed for serious high school writers who are ready for substantive craft feedback. Sophomore and Junior students will likely benefit the most from the course. (Seniors will also benefit from the course, but will be more limited in the high school writing contest opportunities available to them.)
How much does the Honors Academy cost?
The Young Writer Honors Academy is $1,980 for the year.
A $250 deposit is required to reserve your spot in the program. We also offer an eight-month payment plan starting in September 2026 for $250/month.
As a special offer for the first year of the program, every student who completes the Honors Academy will also receive a $500 scholarship to the Author Conservatory, our three-year college-alternative program for career-minded writers.
Acceptance to the Author Conservatory is not guaranteed by completing the Honors Academy. Students must still apply, interview, and be accepted through the normal process.
Why are there only 60 slots available?
The Honors Academy is an elite creative writing course where students receive 3+ hours of live interaction with instructors each week. To give each student the best possible experience, we are limiting the number of students we accept into this program.
As a special open enrollment bonus, the first twenty students to commit to the program for next year will also get a free Young Writer Honors Academy T-shirt! Apply today to claim one of these limited shirts. (UPDATE: All T-shirts are now claimed.)
What can I expect to accomplish?
Students who complete assigned coursework will graduate with:
- 4-5 polished short stories
- Support for submitting these stories to contests & award programs
- A stronger grasp on the craft of storytelling
- A $500 scholarship to the Author Conservatory*
- 1 creative writing high school credit
* Students must complete the Honors Academy to earn the $500 scholarship. Completing the Honors Academy does not guarantee acceptance into the Author Conservatory, but will strengthen your application. Limited to the first 60 students.