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The Young Writers Workshop will take place on June 22 through June 27, 2025.

This is a summer writing program with commuter and residential options. Registration is open to students entering 9th - 12th grade in Fall 2025.

Through this enriching, summer writing camp environment our students improved their skills as writers and make great friends with people that share their same passion.

Visit our  for updates as we go through the year.  If you do have any questions, please email us at  .

"I had a wonderful experience and got to meet many great people. I was also able to learn a lot about different types of writing and literature I had never considered before".

"The Young Writer's Workshop was so great! I enjoyed growing as a writer and improving my skills, but I also loved learning about the college experience by staying in the dorms, eating in the dining hall, and walking around campus. The RAs were excellent and I really appreciated their conversations, caring attitudes, and positivity. While this camp made me step out of my comfort zone, I always knew I was in good hands. I really enjoyed the talent show, hearing from an author, and writing poetry on the nature trail. My experience this year was fantastic and I am excited to see where my writing journey will take me in the coming years"!

"I'll admit, I was terrified to come to this camp. Once I got here, though, I met my amazing roommate, a great group of like-minded friends, a knowledgeable and experienced instructor, caring RA's and surprisingly good food. This camp helped me grow so much as a writer, and I was raving to my friend all week about it. If you are considering coming to this camp, please do it. It is a thoroughly enjoyable taste of the college experience and helped me to get out of my comfort zone as a writer and as a person. It was an all-around great experience, and I am definitely considering coming back next year for more learning and fun"!

"I loved the workshop. I met people who are interested in the same things as I am. It is a good experience for writers".

"The Young Writers Workshop really encouraged me in my writing and pushed me to continue the projects I've been working on! It was such a good experience meeting new people and living on campus especially as a student considering attending Messiah University for college".

"I had an excellent time experiencing a taste of college life in a non-stressful, fun, environment. I discovered and dabbled in various types of writing that widened my field of experience. My favorite event was an author visit where I learned about what it was like to be an author and publish one's work. Further, the people I met were kind and lively. I came somewhat fearful of being away from home for so long, but thoroughly enjoyed the whole week".   

"I felt a great sense of community with my peers. It was fun to work with them throughout the week"!

"My experience at Messiah’s writer’s workshop was truly amazing. That program helped me step out of my comfort zone and not be afraid to talk of my work in front of peers. I especially thank my teacher for encouraging me on my journey towards being an author"

"I really enjoyed being able to communicate with talented writers my own age. The camp had an extremely positive and educational environment. I’m honored to have been part of such a remarkable community of writers"

"Helped me learn about poetry and descriptive writing, and I have experiences to meet other writers my age and published authors"

"My experience through out the workshop was amazing! I got to learn how to better my own writing for the future. I got the opportunity to talk to a published author and I learned a lot about the publishing process from her. The author gave amazing writing advice as well. The workshop also allowed a community of writers to be built. I would definitely do this workshop again next year"!

"Young Writers Workshop has helped me grow as a writer and turn my crazy ideas into actual words, to tell the story in the best way possible. Getting to talk to other writers my age who have gone through similar experiences with writing—to brainstorm together, help each other edit, and just talk about our writing processes—was an invaluable experience, as was everything I learned about what it's like to get published. Young Writers Workshop has given me so much knowledge and confidence within six short days, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to any other teens with a passion for writing".

"I truly enjoyed participating in this year's workshop. I learned a lot about the process of writing and how to deal with writer's block. The Q & A with the author was very informative and I got a lot of knowledge from it. It was nice to have a community of writers that I could turn to for support and constructive criticism regarding my work. The coordinators were able to create a sense of community and belonging during each meeting. They were very approachable and easy to talk to. They did the best they could for the young writers even under this circumstance. My overall experience with the Messiah College Young Writers Workshop was fabulous and I will definitely consider coming back next year. I feel like a better writer compare to what I was a couple of weeks ago".

"Young Writer’s Workshop has taught me a lot about the writing process and everything that comes with it. I’m glad that even though we couldn’t attend the camp on campus there was structure and a sense of community. My favorite part of the camp was reading other people’s stories and having them comment on my piece- without the comments from my peers and the instructors the camp wouldn’t be all that it is. Throughout the week we were guided through writing our stories. From brainstorming to publishing, no detail was missed. Towards the beginning of the week we read short stories by other authors and that helped as well. I’m so grateful that I could attend this year and have another one of my works published!! I hope we can meet in person next year"!!

"It was a really fun opportunity, and everyone was so nice. It was a great opportunity to get introduced into the writing/publishing world".

"There was a very positive environment, it was extremely well run, I would highly recommend this to people who are passionate about writing".

"At Young Writers Workshop, I not only learned how to be a better storyteller, but I also made amazing friends and was encouraged by the incredible faculty and RAs. The community, support, teachings, and encouragement I discovered at Young Writers Workshop have influenced me and my stories for the better. I hope that many other young writers will be able to participate in this program and leave as encouraged, inspired, and equipped to continue to write as I am"

"This workshop really exposed me to new genres of writing. It increased my strength and challenged me to go out of my comfort zone in writing, since I usually stick to two types of writing. This workshop gives the college-life experience, allows you to make long-term friends and this is a program I would want to come to next year!"

"My camp experience helped me write without over exerting or putting to much thought into a simple thing.
I learned a lot and the books provided will also be useful to me in high school when I write"

"I enjoyed the community of writers that came together and I made a few good friends out of the experience. I also got a taste of college life. Your campus is very beautiful and made me feel safe""

"My experience was a 10 out of 10!  Excellent curriculum and the activities were fun and always interesting.  I met wonderful people and began new friendships, and the Resident Advisers were helpful and kind.  Messiah College has lovely outdoor spaces to relax; my favorite quiet spot was by the creek"

"The Young Writers Workshop was the highlight of my summer. I met an amazing group of friends whom I will continue to stay in contact with. I grew in my writing in only a week. It was so much fun and I was so sad to leave this amazing place. I felt like I could be myself and people loved me for it. I hope to return next year"

"Even though I'd been writing before I went to the Young Writers Workshop, I only knew two other writers, and both were adults. This was the first time I got to meet other writers my age, and it's been amazing to share and critique each others' work, to build a community I know will last a long time. Between the friends I made, and the classes that really did help me to tell my stories in a better way and enchant the readers, Messiah's Young Writers' Workshop has been a blessing of an opportunity, and I highly recommend it to any other teen writers"

"I really enjoyed the Young Writer's Workshop because it encouraged me to keep writing.  I made friends there in just five days, and they were friends who not only loved my work but also knew how to improve it"

"It was an amazing experience for me. By the second day, we had become a family. We had so much fun together, we learned together, and it was such a positive atmosphere. I made friends who I now text on a daily basis and I can't wait to attend again next year! Our professor was also fun and helpful, and she really helped me to grow as a writer"

"This camp was incredible. I learned under a caring and professional writer, and engaged daily with supportive peers who love writing as much as I do. This camp exposed me to different kinds of learning and writing, and absolutely convinced me that this is what I want to pursue"

"The program you offered was amazing. Went over and beyond  my expectations. I would 100% come again"

"Messiah College Writing Workshop was a great experience. I was able to meet new friends, who I quickly ended up having every meal with and spending my free time in their dorms as we all talked and laughed. While it was a great place to make friends, it was also a place to extend my knowledge of writing, and learning to write in ways I never had before. We were all definitely challenged and definitely didn’t have any trouble using up notebook space, but it made us all better. The teachers were great, the counselors were so much fun, and we even got to take a field trip and have a talent show. It may only be a short, but you learn and accomplish so much in those 4-5 days. If you are a hardworking writer who would also like to make some new friends, I recommend Messiah’s Writing Workshop!!"

"I very much enjoyed my time at Messiah’s Young Writers Workshop everyone was very kind and accepting. This is a great experience for anyone who wants to further their writing knowledge no matter how good you are at it."

"Coming in, I was very nervous. I didn’t think of myself as a writer, let alone a good writer, and I had no idea what to expect. By the end of the first day I had already washed all of those feelings away. By the end of the week my self-esteem was higher than it’s been in a long time. In any case, I had such a blast at this camp, and I learned so much more than I could have at my school. I would definitely recommend it to anybody who even considers writing a small hobby."

"This is so much more than a workshop. For the last four years, the workshop has consistently inspired me and led me to grow as a writer and as a person. The relationships I formed with peers and mentors alike are irreplaceable. No matter where my writing takes me in the future, I am so grateful to this workshop for reminding me why I started writing in the first place."

"This workshop was an amazing way to share your writing with others in a safe environment, where you could receive feedback and improve your pieces".

"The Young Writers Workshop allowed me to learn more about writing and myself. I gained a taste of the college experience which was very important for me. I also made friendships that will last a life time"

"This workshop broadened my knowledge of how I view literature. The experience from this workshop helped me to further my exploration in writing. I became passionate about my work, and I have a whole new perspective of how I write and read. I was surrounded by people who had the same ambitions as me, and made great friends. This experience was life-changing"

"After my third year of attending Messiah's Young Writers' Workshop, I have yet again gained excellent fellowship with peers, RAs, and professors, and left a better writer after only four days, though I wish it were longer! The open small college humanities classroom experience is exactly the type of atmosphere I was looking for"

"The Messiah Young Writers' Workshop introduced me to some of my closest friends, who encourage me to work hard and become a better writer. With their help, along with the lessons I learned at the camp itself, I have grown to be a more productive writer and critical thinker!"

"The Messiah College Young Writer's Workshop has helped me grow as a writer three years in a row, from the summer before my freshman year to this past year. Each year I make amazing friends and further develop a community of people I can go to with my works, and I develop my own writing skills more in the week I spend at the workshop than the months I spend in school."

"I've never grown closer to a group of people in four days than I have with the writers at camp. There's something special about the community. You instantly feel like you're family. The feedback you will receive from peers and teachers about your writing is priceless. There's no better place to grow as a writer than at this workshop"

"I really love Messiah's workshop!  I will be attending my third year of it this summer.  It definitely helps me to grow as a writer and is a ton of fun!  I developed lasting friendships as well.  Thank you to everyone who makes it possible!" 

"It was a wonderful experience, I grew as a writer and I made a lot of friends.  I recommend this for anyone who wants to grow as a person and a writer". 

"I love my instructor!  He made the experience quite incredible!" 

"The Young Writers Workshop helped me become confident in my writing and sharing it with other people.  I'm grateful that I was able to attend, and I highly recommend the workshop to anyone who loves to learn and write!" 

"I love it there!  It makes me feel like I've found my place in this world, like I found myself.  The teachers there help me with my writing and my self importance.  Also the friends that I have made there are definitely live-long friends!"

"The workshop was a great experience that opened me up to more types of creative writing other than prose.  It also helped me develop better skills in writing, along with sharing my work with others."

"Messiah's Young Writer's Workshop is a great place to meet other teen with the same hobby as you and develop your creative writing skills"

"This workshop allowed me to stretch the boundaries of my comfort zone.  I was used to writing poetry one way, but the creative writing workshop helped me to learn different styles and techniques."

"There wasn't a single time throughout the camp that I wasn't smiling. I not only improved in my writing by the end of the week, but I also made so many new friends who are serious about it,too. I can't wait to go back next year."

"I think that Young Writer's Workshop would be a wonderful opportunity for kids who want to grow and develop as writers! The camp gives the students ways to improve on their writing from brilliant instructors and it helps create a great community of writer's. It was an experience that I will never forget!"

"I grew a lot in this workshop, both in my writing, and understanding of literature. I don't think I've ever experienced a community as welcoming as this one."

"This camp was a great experience for me. I met lots of people with the same interests as me, and I learned and grew from the classroom experiences. I brought two unfinished stories with me; one that I hadn't worked on in months, the other in years. I wrote two more pages in the first story and finished the second. The environment was very conducive to writing, but there was still enough time for severe fun and bonding. I look forward to returning."

"I've been an avid poet for about three or four years now. Maybe even five, but that's beside the point. I'm a generally happy person, but my writing always seems to contrast this through its darkness and depth. I could never write a casual or upbeat poem until I attended Messiah's Young Writers Workshop. I also learned how to tell my fellow poets what I thought about their pieces without feeling like I was mean, and trust me, I've struggled with that for a long time. This program is perfect for teens who want to write in a place where everyone loves to write."