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Student Paper Writing

High School 
NON-FICTION 

For girls + gender-expansive youth, grades 9th-12th

Levitating Books

Poetic Playlist
 

The Poetry and Insights of Female Songwriters for 8th-12th grade girls*

*Girls includes all gender-expansive youth.
 

  • Enrollment occurs quarterly and tuition is pro-rated depending on the day you register. You can read about tuition here.
     

  • If your child doesn't absolutely love their first class, just let us know before the second class and we will provide a full refund. We want your child to choose writing, purely for the joy of it!
     

  • To learn more about some of our amazing teachers, check out this episode of our Intuitive Writing Podcast.

In this program, girls will explore the lyrics of celebrated female songwriters who have used their voices and their words as a means to challenge, inspire and comfort us. We will touch on story and song structure through a diverse catalog of artists. As writers, we will be seeking the music of our lives, channeling our inner poetess and lyricist. Each writer will curate their own compilation of work influenced by music from the course collection and their own life’s playlist.

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At The Intuitive Writing Project, we use the Amherst Writing Method, a methodology rooted in the belief that everyone is a writer with their own unique voice. We support the discovery and development of one’s voice by ensuring that all feedback remains positive, focused on the strength of the writing. The more students write and share, the more they learn to believe in themselves, both as writers and as people.

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To ensure that each student gets personalized attention and mentoring, we limit class size to 6.

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Instructor:  Gretchen Cion

Demonstration

Intro to
The Power
of Community

Creative writing for LGBTQIA+ Youth in 8th-12th grade
 

  • Enrollment occurs quarterly and tuition is pro-rated depending on the day you register. You can read about tuition here.
     

  • If your child doesn't absolutely love their first class, just let us know before the second class and we will provide a full refund. We want your child to choose writing, purely for the joy of it!
     

Pride Flag

“Identity is like a weight that [teenagers] have to carry. It’s a job they have to do daily. It’s a performance that they have to put on, and get right.” —singer-songwriter ani difranco


This 4-week introductory workshop provides a brave space for LGBTQIA+ teens — including anyone questioning their identity — to explore alternative forms of writing without the pressure to get it right. Each week we’ll practice writing from a variety of prompts designed to spark imagination and experimentation on the page. Whether they identify as queer, asexual, transgender or nonbinary, young writers in this class are supported to take creative risks. They'll find refuge in an affirming community that values the diversity of self-expression.

 

At The Intuitive Writing Project, we use the Amherst Writing Method, a methodology rooted in the belief that everyone is a writer with their own unique voice. We support the discovery and development of one’s voice by ensuring that all feedback remains positive, focused on the strength of the writing. The more students write and share, the more they learn to believe in themselves, both as writers and as people.

​

To ensure that each student gets personalized attention and mentoring, we limit class size to 6.
You can read more about our visiting instructor, Nicole R. Zimmerman, on the registration page.

Demonstration
Image by Markus Spiske

Our World,
My Voice

Global issues, expressive writing program for high school girls*

*Girls includes all gender-expansive youth.
 

  • Enrollment occurs quarterly and tuition is pro-rated depending on the day you register. You can read about tuition here.
     

  • If your child doesn't absolutely love their first class, just let us know before the second class and we will provide a full refund. We want your child to choose writing, purely for the joy of it!
     

  • To learn more about some of our amazing teachers, check out this episode of our Intuitive Writing Podcast.

​

In an increasingly complex world, this program offers girls a safe space for both introspection and connection, reflecting upon current events while clarifying their hopes, aspirations and personal values. Each week, we discuss a collection of carefully curated, feminist-focused news stories, poems and narrative excerpts and girls are empowered to process their thoughts through self-reflective writing. As girls write, they come to understand their unique strengths, and how they want to use their voice as leaders, world-builders and change-makers. (It's also great training for the college essay process, learning to tell your story in an authentic, inspiring way.)
 

At The Intuitive Writing Project, we use the Amherst Writing Method, a methodology rooted in the belief that everyone is a writer with their own unique voice. We support the discovery and development of one’s voice by ensuring that all feedback remains positive, focused on the strength of the writing. The more students write and share, the more they learn to believe in themselves, both as writers and as people.

To ensure that each student gets personalized mentoring and support, we limit class size to 6.

Instructor:  Elizabeth Perlman

Newspapers

Intro to Literary Journalism

For girls* in 7th to 12th grade

*Girls includes all gender-expansive youth.
 

  • Enrollment occurs quarterly and tuition is pro-rated depending on the day you register. You can read about tuition here
     

  • If your child doesn't absolutely love their first class, just let us know before the second class and we will provide a full refund. We want your child to choose writing, purely for the joy of it!

​

In this 4-week, introductory program, writers will explore the tenets of good journalism for advocacy, self expression and art. TIWP creates a supportive environment to use intuitive writing to discover what each writer cares most about. Writers will then experiment with ethical reporting, commitment to fact and shining light into dark corners. They’ll learn best practices with interviewing and researching and how to write with the most impact and appeal. Writers will also be exposed to the “power edit,” an essential component of speaking truth to power. Each session involves an inspirational example of literary journalism, a prompt and time to share and receive feedback. Writers will be encouraged to build their own piece of literary journalism, which TIWP will publish on our literary blog, The Intuitive Voice.
 

At The Intuitive Writing Project, we use the Amherst Writing Method, a methodology rooted in the belief that everyone is a writer with their own unique voice. We support the discovery and development of one’s voice by ensuring that all feedback remains positive, focused on the strength of the writing. The more students write and share, the more they learn to believe in themselves, both as writers and as people.

 

To ensure that each student gets personalized attention and mentoring, we limit class size to 6. You can read more about our visiting instructor, Victoria Clayton, on the registration page.

Demonstration

Intuitive
Leadership

Personal development and leadership training for high school girls*

*Girls includes all gender-expansive youth.
 

  • Enrollment occurs quarterly and tuition is pro-rated depending on the day you register. You can read about tuition here.
     

  • If your child doesn't absolutely love their first class, just let us know before the second class and we will provide a full refund. We want your child to choose writing, purely for the joy of it!
     

  • To learn more about some of our amazing teachers, check out this episode of our Intuitive Writing Podcast.

​

Image by Ian Schneider

This is our flagship curriculum program, designed to lead teens through a creative process of deepening self-awareness, confidence-building and personal leadership—empowerment from the inside out. Each week builds on the last, with a combination of instruction, group discussion, writing and speaking. We explore topics like media literacy, effective communication, conflict mediation, healthy boundaries, healthy relationships, radical self-acceptance, intuitive self-trust and feminine paradigms of leadership. As the creator, Elizabeth Perlman, often says, "it's everything I learned in my 20's and 30's that I wished someone had taught me in high school." Upon completion, writers receive a Certificate for Intuitive Leadership.

At The Intuitive Writing Project, we use the Amherst Writing Method, a methodology rooted in the belief that everyone is a writer with their own unique voice. We support the discovery and development of one’s voice by ensuring that all feedback remains positive, focused on the strength of the writing. The more students write and share, the more they learn to believe in themselves, both as writers and as people.

 

To ensure that each student gets personalized mentoring and support, class size is 4-6.


Instructor:  Elizabeth Perlman

Demonstration

Publish
Your Own Anthology

Compiling a portfolio of your best writing from TIWP for high school seniors and recent grads

Colorful Book Spines

In this class, TIWP graduates will select, edit, and lay out their strongest pieces in order to self-publish their own anthology of writing. Whereas most of our classes are focused on generating that all-important first draft (and our TIWP anthologies only feature 2-3 pieces per author), this class is focused on a vigorous process of editing, polishing, and culling the best writing of each writer, anywhere from ten to fifty pieces.

 

Writers will also learn more about editing and book design using the platforms Reedsy and Canva. Those who enjoy art or photography will learn to integrate visuals into their writing and everyone will be empowered to design their own cover. We will also discuss website building, including the process of purchasing your own domain and establishing your online platform as a published author. In the end, each writer will emerge with an exceptional portfolio of writing in the form of a professional quality book (with both soft and hard cover options) printed through Blurb.
 

To ensure that each student gets personalized mentoring and support, we limit class size to 6.

 

Instructor:  Elizabeth Perlman

Demonstration
Image by Mika Baumeister

Writing
Without Rules

An online, global gathering for high school girls and gender-expansive youth

 

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Photo by Mika Baumeister for Unsplash

This is a self-empowerment and personal activism program for girls, gender-expansive youth and everyone who cares about feminism, personal growth, and coming together to change the world... for just one hour per week. It is a safe place to speak your truth and have it heard, affirmed and supported. It's also a creative workshop for the radical exchange of ideas and projects designed to heal the planet, fostering a more just, equitable, and balanced world for all. The focus is on writing, of course, but writing for self-expression, for freedom, for innovation, for power, for FUN!
 

At The Intuitive Writing Project, we use the Amherst Writing Method, a methodology rooted in the belief that everyone is a writer with their own unique voice. We support the discovery and development of one’s voice by ensuring that all feedback remains positive, focused on the strength of the writing. The more students write and share, the more they learn to believe in themselves, both as writers and as people.

​

Unlike our other classes, this class is just one hour for $30/class. Class size is limited to 4.

For scheduling info, contact Elizabeth

To learn more, check out our list of 7 Frequently Asked Questions, our Note for Parents, What Teens & Parents Say, our Our Commitment to Young Writers and of course our Intuitive Writing Podcast and online blog, The Intuitive Voice, where all our writers get the chance to become published authors. To schedule a more in-depth conversation about how we can best support your child's unique interests (and what class we'd recommend, if you're just getting started), contact elizabeth@intuitivewritingproject.org.
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