Leconte center | May 7 – 9, 2026
Pigeon Forge, Tn
Teen Creative Writing Workshop Information
Learn how to write great stories from award-winning novelists!
Do you have a teen who enjoys writing fiction? Or maybe one that doesn’t like writing at all? We’re here to help them ignite their love of storytelling.
Many teens fall in love with writing when they can choose their own story ideas and write about concepts that matter to them. In this workshop, students will not only learn how to craft a standout novel from Kara Swanson and Sarina Louise, but also receive personal feedback on their story concept.
In addition to receiving individualized feedback, students will emerge from the workshop with a solid novel concept that carries deeper truths they’re genuinely excited to write.
THERE WILL BE TWO IDENTICAL SECTIONS OF THIS CLASS: ONE ON THURSDAY AND ONE ON FRIDAY.
Meet Your Teachers
Kara Swanson
Kara Swanson is the Christy-award winning author of Dust, Shadow, and The Girl Who Could See. She is a faculty member of the Young Writer’s Workshop as well as the co-founder of the Author Conservatory. She loves helping young writers unlock their potential and realize how rich their stories can be.
Sarina Louise
As a teen, Sarina Louise was diagnosed with Chronic Lyme Disease, an illness that made her give up on her dream of being an author. Now, after walking a miraculous healing journey, she writes young adult stories that don’t shy away from brokenness, but always promise that healing is coming. Sarina currently works as an instructor for the Young Writer Honors Academy.
Teen Creative Writing Workshop FAQs
This workshop is designed for students 13-18 years old.
Previous experience writing fiction is a plus, but not required for this program. We love working with beginner writers along with intermediate writers.
Students should bring a laptop or notebook & pencil for this workshop
This class is 2 hours long and only offered once during the convention
Students will gain a deeper knowledge of what makes a story stand out to readers. They’ll also have the opportunity to put this in practice and polish a new story concept with feedback from their instructors. As a result, we expect students to emerge with renewed motivation for their writing, along with the tools they need to craft stronger stories.