Fiction and Poetry
- Grades 7-11
- CTY-Level
-
Residential
- Language Arts
Saul Bellow said, "A writer is a reader moved to emulation.” This course draws inspiration from the published works, journals, and drafts of writers such as Alice Munro, John Updike, Rita Dove, and Li-Young Lee. As a class, we’ll learn to read like writers by examining a range of content, styles, structures, and techniques. You’ll debate the distinction between the realistic and the fantastic in works such as Gabriel García Márquez’s I Sell My Dreams and the value of imagery in Elizabeth Bishop’s The Fish. While writing short fiction and poetry in various forms, we’ll workshop drafts with your classmates under the guidance of your instructor, building a community that fosters your development as writers. You’ll not only learn to tactfully give and receive criticism, but also to refine your work, building a common understanding of how voice, style, and structure constitute strong poetry and prose.
Note: This course focuses on realistic literary fiction and poetry. The genres of science fiction, fantasy, romance, and mystery are not part of this course.
Typical class size: 16-18
Summer Dates & Locations
Session One
Session Two
Testing and Prerequisites
| Math | Verbal | |
|---|---|---|
| Required Level | Not required | CTY-Level |
Students must achieve qualifying scores on an advanced assessment to be eligible for CTY programs. If you don’t have qualifying scores, you have several different testing options. We’ll help you find the right option for your situation.
Sign up for Testing Learn MoreCost and Financial Aid
Tuition
- Varies
Application fee
- Nonrefundable Application Fee - $50 (Waived for financial aid applicants)
- Nonrefundable International Fee - $250 (outside US only)
Financial Aid is available
We are committed to serving all talented youth regardless of financial circumstances. Financial assistance is available based on need.
About Language Arts at CTY
Explore storytelling
Want to have fun reading popular stories and writing your own tales of adventure? Pen your hero’s journey and explore a diverse range of books in Behind the Mask: Superheroes Revealed, or have fun shaping your prose and experimenting with different formats and styles in Fiction and Poetry.
Find your voice
Take your writing to the next level! In Writing and Imagination, you can build your vocabulary and gain the tools to write your own creative fiction. You’ll learn to craft compelling narratives about your own experiences at the college level in Crafting the Essay, and have fun learning new literary devices and figurative language in Writing Your World.
Meet our instructors and staff
CTY is one of the highlights of my year. Even though it’s the summer, the immersive learning in a subject where these students truly excel and shine is invigorating for me as a teacher.
Lauren LaPorta
Writing Instructor
When I was a student at CTY, I was excited to be in a place where all of the instructors and program assistants loved learning as much as I did. It wasn't until I came back as a PA that I realized CTY instructors feel just as excited to work with such dedicated and curious students.
Nick Smith
Program Assistant and CTY Alum
Being in a fast-paced environment where I can be my dorky self and teach and learn from the students I work with, are a couple of reasons why I am drawn to CTY and keep coming back.
Angel Huerta
Resident Assistant