Write together. Grow together.
Are you a high school student who is devoted to improving your craft and wants to find others like you? The Young Writers Cohort at Hugo House was established with you in mind! Members gather every other week with their instructor to learn, practice, and grow as writers, while developing as a supportive and educational cohort.
How to Apply
The program is open to writers of all levels of experience. We actively seek out youth who represent diverse and/or unique voices and encourage youth whose voices are underrepresented in mainstream media to apply.
2023-2024 Young Writers Cohort information coming soon!
My entire view of who I am as a writer, what I like writing and think I am good at, has changed. I feel like my writing can now have a bigger impact.
Program Details
What to Expect
Members devote 80+ hours over the course of eight months to workshopping, studying contemporary literature, submitting work to literary presses and journals, and attending readings and events. The Cohorts are responsible for promoting and emceeing Stage Fright, our open mic event for youth, and supporting other youth initiatives at Hugo House and in the Seattle arts community.
Commitments
Be a writer! Spend eight months writing and revising new work, attending readings and events, researching literary journals and presses, and more.
Be present! Attend biweekly Cohort meetings after school. Build community with the other young writers in your Cohort and with young writers/artists in the local community by participating in events.
Be a community leader! Attend and emcee Stage Fright open mic nights, read your work at literary events, attend other youth and/or literary arts events in your area.
Be committed to your Cohort throughout the school year! Show up, participate, and have fun!
Application Details
Cohort members are selected based on a written application and a writing sample. There is no application fee or tuition involved. We are looking for youth who have a strong commitment to writing and who have a desire to work in a collaborative team environment. No prior experience in a similar program is needed. The application is open to writers of all interests, levels of experience, and backgrounds.
In addition, the Young Writer’s Cohort actively seeks out youth who represent diverse and/or unique voices, and we highly encourage youth to apply whose voices are often underrepresented in mainstream media.
The Young Writers Cohort is an unpaid, humanities-focused volunteer opportunity. Participation can be used as a personal or academic project.
Cohort & Meeting Details
Prose Cohort
The Prose Cohort with Ramon Isao isn’t just a place to write fiction/nonfiction, but to conduct wild literary experiments, play in a creative space, and take comfort in a small literary community.
(Mondays, 4:30-6:30 pm PT, in-person):
- October 3, 17, & 24
- November 14 & 28
- December 12
- January 9 & 23
- February 6 & 27
- March 13 & 27
- April 17
- May 1 & 15
Poetry Cohort
The Poetry Cohort with Arianne True is for Seattle-area aspiring poets who want to deepen their poetic skills and build community with each other while learning about both writing itself and all the other things that go into being a working writer.
(Thursdays, 4:30-6:30 pm PT, in-person):
- October 6 & 20
- November 3 & 17
- December 8
- January 5 & 19
- February 2 & 16
- March 2 & 23
- April 6 & 27
- May 11 & 25
Online Cohort
The Online Cohort with Karen Finneyfrock is open to writers who want to explore various forms of creative writing including fiction, poetry, memoir, and hybrid forms.
(Tuesdays, 4:30-6:30 pm PT, online):
- October 4 & 18
- November 1, 15, 29
- December 13
- January 10 & 24
- February 7 & 28
- March 14 & 28
- April 18
- May 2 & 16
Questions?
Get in touch with our team to learn more.
