EmersonWRITES: A Complete Guide

Did you miss the applications for summer writing programs? Or do you have prior commitments for the summer already? If you’re still looking for a writing program to join, consider EmersonWRITES.

EmersonWRITES is a writing program that takes place during the semester rather than in summer. If this is an opportunity you’re interested in checking out, keep reading. We’ll discuss what you can expect from EmersonWRITES and how to apply.

• What Is EmersonWRITES?
• EmersonWRITES Acceptance Rate
• EmersonWRITES Application Deadline
• EmersonWRITES Requirements
• How to Get into EmersonWRITES
• Why Join EmersonWRITES?
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Takeaways

What Is EmersonWRITES?

EmersonWRITES is a free, college-style creative writers workshop offered by Emerson College for students in grades 8 to 12 from the Boston area. The program emphasizes developing your writing and critical thinking skills and helping you find your unique voice as a writer.

All workshops are taught by graduate students in Emerson’s MFA/MA writing program, who are also trained to teach college-level writing.

The program runs annually from October through December, with in-person classes held on Emerson’s Boston campus (and a virtual option for those who prefer online sessions). The program ends in January with a showcase and the launch of SPINE, an anthology of student writing produced during the course.

SPINE (short for Student-Produced Interconnected Narratives at Emerson) is an open mic showcase where you and your peers will read out excerpts of your creative work and receive printed copies of the anthology. You can invite family and friends to attend the showcase.

The 2025 schedule hasn’t been released yet. For 2024, though, in-person classes ran every Saturday from 10 am to 1 pm, from October 5 to December 14, 2024. Online class days, on the other hand, were held from the first week of October to the week of December 9, 2024.

You can choose three different writing courses when applying to EmersonWRITES. We’ll give a quick overview of each of them below:

Poetry

Poetry is an in-person workshop focused on exploring and expressing yourself through verse. You’ll be exploring your background, using different personal aspects such as culture, memories, and passions as sources of inspiration.

The class introduces a variety of poetic forms (including spoken word poetry) to help you experiment with style and build confidence.

Fiction

Fiction is an in-person course for those who love storytelling in prose. Throughout this course, you and your classmates will learn and apply the basics of creative writing—including developing memorable characters and thinking up interesting plots.

You’ll read the works of different contemporary authors and engage with prompts, writing exercises, and even games in an attempt to imitate how they write.

A big part of this course is workshopping each other’s writing. After all, giving and receiving constructive feedback helps you learn to evaluate and improve your own work. This also helps improve your writing abilities and build confidence in putting your work out there for others to read.

Online Fiction

Online fiction is a virtual course that mainly focuses on genres like fantasy or science fiction. However, it’s also a good option if you need the flexibility of an online class.

In this course, you’ll be guided to dream up new worlds and fill them with complex characters while also learning about important elements like plot that make any story interesting. You’ll read from a few fantasy and sci-fi authors to study their techniques and see how you can apply them to your own writing.

EmersonWRITES Acceptance Rate

If you want to participate in EmersonWRITES and are a highly motivated writer, just apply and you’ll get in. Yes, the acceptance rate is essentially 100% since the program will admit you as many times as you want to participate during your high school years. Of course, you’ll still need to meet the eligibility requirements (which we’ll discuss below).

Thanks to this inclusive admissions policy, Emerson College removes the usual barriers of admission that often limit opportunities for young writers​.

EmersonWRITES Application Deadline

For the last cycle, the application deadline for EmersonWRITES was September 20, 2024. Here’s a quick look at other important dates:

Keep an eye on their official website for updates on the dates for the next cycle.

EmersonWRITES Requirements

To apply to EmersonWRITES, make sure you meet the following requirements and prepare the necessary materials.

Eligibility

The only eligibility criteria are that you must:

• Be a student in grades 8 to 12
• Live in Boston or a nearby town
• Be a committed writer

Required documents

To apply to EmersonWRITES, the only document you’ll need is the online application form, which has only two parts:

• Personal information. Here, you’ll give them your basic information such as name, address, current grade, and guardian information.
• Workshop information. This is where you’ll decide whether you want to take online or in-person classes. You can actually choose to attend both since the schedules won’t clash.

Program cost

The EmersonWRITES program is free, which also removes another barrier that may limit aspiring writers in other writing programs. As long as you hit the eligibility and submit the application form, you’re in.

How to Get into EmersonWRITES

Getting into EmersonWRITES is as easy 1-2-3! Here are the three simple steps to apply to this writing program:

Step 1: Decide on your course.

EmersonWRITES offers three tracks. If you love writing poems or are interested in getting into spoken word, then sign up for the Poetry class. If you’re leaning more towards short stories, novels, or storytelling in general, Fiction is the best choice. But if you have a busy schedule on Saturdays or prefer focusing on fantasy/sci-fi, the Online Fiction course could be perfect.

You can actually choose to participate in both the online and in-person classes since they have different schedules. However, you should also think of other factors: the in-person classes meet Saturday mornings on Emerson’s Boston campus and even include lunch and extra activities. Meanwhile, the online class meets after school on a weeknight.

Remember that EmersonWRITES takes place during the school year rather than during summer. That means you’ll also be dealing with academics and other extracurricular activities on top of the writing program. So, choose wisely!

Step 2: Submit the application form.

The application form takes just a few minutes to answer since EmersonWRITES just asks for basic information.

Note: Use your personal email account to sign up since EmersonWRITES can’t email public school accounts.

If you also have circumstances (such as family responsibilities or employment obligations) that can affect your attendance at the lunch programming, you should also request an exemption via email to [email protected].

Step 3: Wait for the next steps.

Once you’ve submitted your application form, just sit back and relax while waiting for the next steps. You should receive a confirmation of the course you’re in and the details about orientation and the class schedule.

Why Join EmersonWRITES?

EmersonWRITES is a free opportunity for any aspiring writer in the greater Boston area. Here are the specific advantages to joining this program:

1. Learn from college-level instructors

EmersonWRITES teachers are graduate students in Emerson’s MFA/MA program in Writing and Publishing, who have also been trained to teach college-level writing in the school’s Writing Studies program. This means you can expect your workshops to simulate a real college classroom.

You’ll also get personalized feedback and mentorship from writers who know what it takes to succeed in college and beyond. In this program, you’ll be able to advance your skills under expert guidance.

2. Strengthen your writing and get published

EmersonWRITES helps you become a better, more confident writer through weekly practice and assignments. You’ll also learn the revision process through workshops and self-editing. This polishing of pieces can help you be more aware of your writing. You’ll slowly get better at being able to express your ideas clearly and creatively.

By the end of the program, you’ll have finished pieces of writing that are ready to be published in SPINE or even elsewhere.

Seeing your writing in print and presenting it at the final showcase in front of an audience also boosts your confidence in your writing skills.

Outside of writing literary pieces, the skills you learn in EmersonWRITES can also help you craft great college application essays.

3. Join a community of fellow writers

In EmersonWRITES, you’ll meet fellow young writers from the greater Boston area. They share the same love for writing, creating an instant bond and a supportive atmosphere.

The workshop format will let you and your classmates collaborate more closely. After all, you’ll be discussing ideas, exchanging feedback, and offering compliments when called for.

This format also means that you learn from both one another and the instructors since everyone’s voice is valued. You’ll be able to form a network of mentors and peers even after you finish the program.

Outside of the classes, you and your classmates will also be spending the break together through the lunch program with fun activities and development workshops. During this time, you may be able to learn more points of connection outside of writing, strengthening your bond.

4. Get scholarship opportunities for Emerson College

If you participate in EmersonWRITES and get accepted into Emerson College for your bachelor’s degree, you’ll automatically get a merit award of $30,000 per academic year through the Pathway Program Scholarship. This is a big help since, as a private school, tuition at this institution is around $56,032 a year.

However, you’ll need to maintain a GPA of at least 3.0 at Emerson to continue receiving the scholarship.

Alternatively, you can also get the Emerson Pipeline Scholarship if you attend EmeronsWRITES for at least two years. This is a full merit scholarship that will be awarded to only one student per year. To continue receiving it, you’ll need to be enrolled at Emerson College full time and maintain a GPA of at least 3.0 throughout your undergraduate years.

Even if you don’t end up at Emerson College, having EmersonWRITES on your college applications shows your commitment to writing and extracurricular learning, which can strengthen your profile.

5. It’s free

One of the biggest advantages of participating in EmersonWRITES is that you get college-level instruction at no cost!

As long as you meet the eligibility criteria and submit the application form, you’ll be able to experience workshops and get personalized feedback that will improve your writing skills.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is special about Emerson College?

Emerson College is a private institution in Boston that’s known for its programs in communication, the arts, and the liberal arts. The college also has branches in Los Angeles and the Netherlands.

2. Is Emerson a good college for writing?

Yes, Emerson is a good college for writing. In fact, the Department of Writing, Literature and Publishing is the largest department at Emerson College. The Creative Writing curriculum teaches you foundational skills in different forms and genres, but lets you choose the genre you want to specialize in.

3. Is EmersonWRITES worth it?

Yes, EmersonWRITES is worth it. After all, it’s a free writing program that exposes you to college-level workshops. You’ll improve your writing skills and also publish your work in the program’s anthology at the end of the session.

Takeaways

• EmersonWRITES is a free creative writing program for 8th to 12th graders from the greater Boston area. You can choose from three tracks: in-person poetry, in-person fiction, and online fiction.
• EmersonWRITES is free and has a 100% acceptance rate. As long as you hit the eligibility criteria and submit the application form, you’re as good as admitted.
• Some reasons to participate in EmersonWRITES are that you learn from college-level instructors, strengthen your writing and get published, become part of a community of fellow writers, get scholarship opportunities in the institution, and it’s free.
• Don’t want to miss more opportunities to sharpen your writing skills? Get a detailed and customized academic and extracurricular roadmap to know what classes, activities, or competitions you can take advantage of.