Placing professional writers in the schools gives area students an opportunity to engage with working artists to learn about writing and the creative process. WITS also gives professional writers an opportunity to share their expertise, inspire students in their reading and writing, and model writing across the disciplines.
What We Offer
In-School Residencies– 10 weeks/1 hour per week or 5 weeks/2 hours per week
Writers will work with classroom teachers to create a term-long project. These flexible residencies can be designed to complement and support other themes and topics in class, or the focus can be solely on writing. Residencies can explore different writing modes each week or one single writing mode over multiple weeks (poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, journalism, etc.).
One-time Workshops – 1 hour; half day; full day
Explore a particular kind of writing or compose a story in a day.
Local Author Visits – 1 hour; half day; full day
Authors love to talk about their work and lead discussions and workshops on writing.
Regional/National Author Visits – (workshop length and availability will vary)
As part of our conference, Wordcrafters brings award-winning and bestselling authors and writing teachers to Eugene. We also bring in a visiting poet to work with students in Lane County schools.
Annual Young Writers Short Story Competition
Our annual story competition is open to all young writers in Lane County. Submission open 1 November!
Wordcrafters WITS Anthology
Each year, Wordcrafters produces an anthology of work by the young writers who participate in our WITS program and other young writers opportunities.
Contact our WITS Coordinator, Jorah LaFleur, to schedule an author residency or workshop, and for more information – WITS@wordcraftersineugene.org.
Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation Funds Expansion of Wordcrafters Writers in Schools Program
