Imagine stepping into the mouth of a giant, or diving through a black hole. Or, envision jumping out of a classroom and transforming into a caped superhero.

Just as Pinocchio entered unexpected and sometimes dangerous worlds in his quest to become human, this workshop will invite writers to travel with their characters and tackle the twists and turns of their thrilling adventures.

We'll provide a highly interactive, playful environment to inspire students to brainstorm ideas and create their own unique tales. We'll address opening scenes, rising conflicts, climaxes, and resolutions. All genres are welcome. 

Our course will walk through every step of the creative process:

• brainstorming unique characters and unexpected adventures

• understanding the structure and the power of a compelling story

• generating and organizing ideas

• writing with momentum

• revising for clarity and logic

• editing towards a final draft

Students will be invited to present a reading on the last day of class.

To register, please contact Royd at: [email protected]

What are college admissions officers truly looking for in application essays and personal statements?

What makes an essay stand out in a large pool of applications from other smart, talented high school seniors?

How do you represent who you are and what you care about on paper?

This workshop will provide the answers to these questions as well as a step-by-step process to writing successful college essays.

We will discuss:

• the 5 key elements of every successful college admissions essay

• frequently asked essay questions used by colleges and universities

• multiple brainstorming exercises to bring out skills, strengths, and interests

• specific, concrete feedback for first drafts and revisions of personal statements and essays

Register Today to reserve a seat! 

A maximum of 12 seats is available.

Feedback from Students and Parents:

“Thank you so much! This workshop helped stimulate new ideas and clarify some broad questions I had. You definitely helped point out some important topics and possible essay ideas.”

        ~ Eve Survilo, Freestyle Academy, Mountain View, Accepted Early Decision into NYU

Dear Shu-Hsien,

Thanks to you, my son got accepted into 9 out of 11 colleges, including UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, UC Davis, Vanderbilt, Davidson, Grinnell, Washington and Lee, Miami, and University of Alabama. He has full tuition from Miami and Alabama and scholarships from UC Davis and Grinnell. So many possibilities. It's hard to choose. Any words of wisdom?

              ~ Natalie, parent of high school senior, San Jose

Thanks so much for all the work you did with Sarah on her college essays.  You really helped her explore her options as far as what to write about and how to present it. She thoroughly enjoyed working with you - and is very happy to have been accepted to one of her top choices, UCSB! Thanks again for sharing your expertise with Sarah!

To register, please contact Royd at: [email protected]