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Writing Coaches
Shu-Hsien & Royd
Summer 2026 Camps
The following classes are currently available for enrollment.
We'll be posting more confirmed summer camps soon.
Please note that we also teach small private classes that are not listed here.
If the offerings below do not fit your schedule, feel free to email us, and perhaps we can find a class for your young writer.
To register, please send an email to [email protected].
Please provide:
- The title of the course
- Your child's name
- Your child's age as of June 1st
- A daytime phone number for us to reach you.
- Allergies we should be aware of
Either Writing Coach Shu-Hsien Ho or Royd Hatta will respond as soon as possible.
Ages 8-11
Into the Belly of a Whale
An In-Person Adventure Workshop For Ages 8-11
June 22 - 26, 2026
Monday - Friday 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Taught by Writing Coaches Shu-Hsien Ho & Royd Hatta
Hosted by Parent Angelina B. in Palo Alto
(near Alma St & Ferne Ave, Greenmeadow area)
Minimum 6 students
Maximum 10 students
Regular Tuition: $520 per student
Early Bird Tuition: $420 per student - Send a $200 deposit by April 30th
(Includes lesson prep, detailed feedback on assignments & travel fee.)
What might happen if we could step into the mouth of a giant blue whale, or suddenly dive through a black hole?
Or what if we could jump out of a classroom and transform 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 will provide a highly interactive, playful environment to inspire students to brainstorm ideas and create their own unique tales. All genres are welcome.
Our course will walk through every step of the creative process:
- brainstorming unique characters and unexpected plot twists
- 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.
Recent Feedback from Parents:
"My daughter had the pleasure of taking a creative writing class from Shu-Hsien and Royd. Though my daughter is an advanced reader, I have had previous challenges creating an environment where she would get into writing. Shu-Hsien and Royd were able to get the group of kids to enthusiastically write. Students shared their works at the end of the course with oral readings. The teachers were excellent about using various strategies to tap into what works for the individual student and use interactive group work to start the thinking process moving for the young writers....My daughter came home from the workshop so happy and content, the way she can be after a long stretch of time engrossed in an activity."
~ Julie W., Parent of 8-year-old writer
To register, please email [email protected].
Space Penguins & Baby Dragons:
An In-Person Story & Illustration Workshop For Ages 8-11
July 13 - 17, 2026
Monday - Friday 9:30am - 11:30am
Taught by Writing Coaches Shu-Hsien Ho & Royd Hatta
Hosted by Parent Susan T. in her Los Altos backyard
Minimum 6 students
Maximum 12 students
Early Bird Tuition: $420 per student - Send a $200 deposit by April 30th.
Regular Tuition: $520 per student
(Includes lesson prep, detailed feedback on assignments & travel fee.)
What would happen if a talking penguin waddled up to a baby dragon and asked for a ride back to their home planet?
Maybe the baby dragon agrees only if the penguin will help her find some long-lost treasure in a secret cavern!
We believe that Characters = Story.
The more we show about our characters, the more readers CARE for our heroes and sidekicks!
We want to hear about their adventures, and we cheer them on as they face their harrowing trials.
We'll practice ways to make our characters feel alive by adding small details, imagining their clothes and gear, and thinking about how their backstories pull them backward and push them forward.
We'll play story games, draw our characters in colorful action scenes, and even think about the little things that make our heroes shake in their shoes - like having to eat Dad's tuna fish spaghetti casseroles with jello on top.
As always, we'll walk through all the steps in the creative process:
• understanding the structure of a great story
• learning techniques for illustrating characters in detailed settings
• generating and organizing ideas
• writing with momentum
• revising for clarity and logic
• editing toward a final draft.
Each student will be invited to present a reading on the last day of class.
Recent Feedback from Parents:
"The story readings today were superb. It's so wonderful to see the students' imaginations corralled into unique stories. So great! Good job keeping their minds out of and beyond the box."
— Heather, homeschooling mom of 4 children, teacher & reading enthusiast; 11yr son attended 2022 Story Writing Workshop
To register, please email [email protected].
A Torrent of Twisty Tales
An In-Person Story Workshop For Ages 9-12
Photo by Francesco on Unsplash
August 3 - 7, 2026
Monday - Friday 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Taught by Writing Coaches Shu-Hsien Ho & Royd Hatta
Hosted by Parent Jackie W. in her Sunnyvale home
Minimum 5 students
Maximum 7 students
Early Bird Tuition before April 30th: $420 per student
Regular Tuition: $520 per student
(Includes lesson prep, detailed feedback on assignments & travel fee.)
Imagine a story where we are running from three lions! We stop at the edge of a cliff, nearly falling over. Below is a raging river. Suddenly, the cliff crumbles, and we stumble, grabbing tree roots growing from the edge!
The power of a story is its ability to grab our attention, sustain this pull, and build enough of a relationship with the characters where we care.
And when we care, we hope for the best, and want our heroes to survive and thrive. But when their world crumbles around them, and their lives are at stake, we worry and imagine the worst. This is exactly where readers will turn page after page, late into the night, to discover what will happen next.
Our story workshop invites students to create surprising plot twists that push their heroes to learn something new, all while making the world whole again.
Join us as we explore techniques to build suspense and twists in your own stories.
All genres are welcome: fantasy, mystery, historical fiction, science fiction, or anything in between.
As always, we'll walk through all the steps in the creative process:
- understanding the structure of a great story
- learning techniques for building suspense, mystery, and action
- generating and organizing ideas
- writing with momentum
- revising for clarity and logic
- editing toward a final draft
Each student will be invited to present a reading on the last day of class.
To register, please email
"Royd Hatta has literally transformed my kids’ attitudes and abilities with respect to writing. They used to dread writing, and with Royd, they voluntarily spend extra hours every week adding to their creative stories and independent research projects. Royd’s enthusiasm for writing and genuine interest in each of his students truly shines through; my kids' writing skills and confidence have really thrived with him. Worth every penny, and we can’t wait for another year with Royd! Could not recommend him more for an addition to your homeschool or enrichment program!!"
— Deb M., parent of children ages 10 & 12
To register, please email [email protected].