We empower young people to write their own stories. 

An exciting, challenging, and supportive community where young authors thrive

Based in Washington Heights, Uptown Stories offers after-school, weekend, and summer creative writing workshops for children ages 8-18, led by rockstar teachers, who are also professional authors and artists.

Students learn the art and craft of writing, how to revise their work, and how to give and receive constructive feedback. Each workshop ends with a celebratory reading at the Word Up Bookshop in Washington Heights, and the publication of a paperback anthology, so every student leaves our program as a published author.

To ensure our program is accessible to our ethnically and economically diverse community, our tuition is “Pay-What-You-Can.” Uptown Stories creates an exciting, challenging, and supportive community where young authors thrive.

Why Creative Writing?

We believe that writing is an essential tool for:

Developing
Communication Skills

Creative writing helps young people develop their communication skills.
By learning to express their thoughts and ideas in writing, they become better able to articulate their ideas verbally, which is beneficial in all areas of life.

Stimulating Imagination

Creative writing encourages young people to use their imaginations and think creatively. This helps them become more innovative and adaptable in their thinking, which is useful in many different contexts, from problem-solving  to artistic expression.

Enhancing
Self-Expression

Creative writing provides young people with a medium for self-expression. This can be especially important for those who struggle with expressing themselves verbally or who may feel misunderstood or marginalized in other areas of their lives.

Building Confidence

As young people develop their creative writing skills and see their work improve, they gain confidence in their abilities. This translates to other areas of their lives, such as academics or social situations, where confidence and self-assuredness can be valuable assets.

Promoting
Critical Thinking

Writing creatively requires young people to think critically and analyze their own work. This helps them develop their critical thinking skills, which is needed in a wide range of academic and professional pursuits.

I've met a fantastic group of people and become a much better writer. Kate and the rest of the staff are hardworking and fun to work with.

Joseph

Student

Uptown Stories redefined "after school enrichment" for me. The kids were learning the fundamentals of good writing, but in a way that felt like a fun romp, rather than a two-hour slog through rules and thesis statements.

HK

Parent

The quality of teaching is superb. The teachers have the chance to get to know each child, and due to the small class size, the feedback is very specific. Also, witnessing the other children critique the writing is remarkable - the children are kind and respectful, but very honest.

Lori

Parent

Writing used to be something that was just work; something we have to do at school. However, now it's a way for me to express different things, and it's much more enjoyable now that there is a place where everyone has the same passion for writing that I do.

Anna

Student

I love the teachers, love the community, have made SO many new friends. I feel like I can express myself through writing, and I couldn’t do that before. Everyone should be a part of Uptown Stories!

Isabella

Student

My daughter’s writing has improved tremendously. She loves writing now. She can sit for hours and let her imagination fly.

Annie

Parent

Being able to expand my mind in a loving and supportive environment has shaped my mind in so many wonderful ways, and I'm eternally grateful for it. I've come a long way, and it's all thanks to the community at Uptown Stories.

Susannah

Student

My daughter takes her writing seriously because Uptown Stories takes her seriously.

Kimberly

Parent

Ready to Join a Workshop?

One Page Wonder

Craft the world of a novel on a single page — yes, you can do it! In the The One-Page Wonder workshop, we’ll look at the shortest stories from around the world, and explore the limitless possibilities of flash fiction. Starting small, we’ll build from the sentence, to the paragraph, and then finally to the page. These stories are all about building mood and mystery, painting clear images, and dropping the reader into a world that is already alive, and ready for exploration. Surprise yourself with writing that packs a punch in your own piece of microfiction.

More Info
Animal Tales

Have you ever wondered what it feels like to have paws? To leap like a frog or soar like a falcon? Through poetry and short fiction, come dive into the world of animals.

In this workshop, you’ll be encouraged to write from the perspective of your favorite animal and imagine answers to captivating questions: What does my cat dream about? What do two dogs chat about? How does Moo Deng feel about becoming famous? We’ll also learn about some quirky, interesting, and even inspiring real-life animal stories, from a friendly cat who became a town’s mayor, to the squirrel leaving behind thank you treats for humans.

Join us this Winter, to craft verses and stories fueled by your boundless imagination, and let’s bring the animal kingdom to life with your words!

More Info
Poetry at The Met Cloisters

Want to spend time with unicorns, jewels, tombs, and all things medieval? Ever look at a painting and find yourself spinning an epic story behind it? If that’s you, join us in our Poetry at The Met Cloisters workshop! In this special workshop in collaboration with the Met Cloisters, we’ll be creating our own ekphrastic poetry. This big word is simpler than it looks. Ekphrastic means “description” in Greek, and so our ekphrastic poetry will be vivid descriptions of paintings, statues, tapestries, and other works of art at this iconic site. Every week we’ll make our way through the park to The Met Cloisters, taking in our surroundings, sketching, looking closely at art, and expressing all it sparks in our imaginations through writing. The class will end with a super exciting reading at The Met Cloisters!

More Info
View All Workshops