15 Writing Programs for Middle School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 2 hours ago
- 8 min read
If you are in middle school and want to practice writing in a more focused way than what you usually get in class, joining a writing program can help you build those skills early.
What are writing programs for high school students? What will I do as a participant?
Writing programs give you structured time to work on storytelling, essays, creative projects, and simple research tasks. You learn how to organize ideas, revise your work, and understand how writing is used in different settings. Many of these opportunities are offered online or at little cost, which makes them easier to join during the school year.
These experiences can also support your college applications and high school coursework. Strong writing helps in every subject, and programs like these give you work you can include in applications for high school courses, competitions, or summer opportunities.
With that in mind, here are 15 writing programs for middle school students!
15 Writing Programs for Middle School Students
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type; full financial aid offered
Dates: 8 weeks, with multiple cohorts yearly
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines for each cohort
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 – 8
The Lumiere Junior Explorer Program pairs you with a PhD mentor from places like Harvard, Oxford, MIT, or Princeton and takes you through an eight-week dive into a topic you choose. You learn how to read academic papers, shape a research question, and turn your findings into a real, written project, usually a research paper or case study. Over the course of the program, you get eight one-on-one mentor sessions plus two sessions with a writing coach, so your work is guided and sharpened at every step. You can explore anything from gene editing to behavioral economics, depending on where your interests fall. The selection process is tight, and the personalized structure makes it a serious academic experience for middle school students.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Dates: Summer Program: July 7 – 25 | Fall Semester: August 27 – December 10 (weekly meetings)
Application Deadline: March 20
Eligibility: Low-income students in grades 6 – 7 studying in the U.S., typically for families earning below $90,000/year (average around $55,000/year)
The Stanford Middle School Scholars Program is designed for low-income middle schoolers who want to challenge themselves academically. You spend part of your summer taking a humanities or social science course, in history, literature, philosophy, or something similar, working closely with instructors on writing, analysis, and critical thinking. You discuss ideas in small groups and learn how to shape arguments on paper. Throughout the school year, you continue to get support in academic writing, essay prep, and coursework.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by program; financial aid available
Dates: 10 weeks, with multiple cohorts yearly
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 – 8
The AI Trailblazers program by Veritas AI is a virtual program that teaches middle school students the fundamentals of artificial intelligence and machine learning. Over 25 hours, you will learn the basics of Python as well as topics like data analysis, regression, image classification, neural networks, and AI ethics. You will learn through lectures and group sessions with a 5:1 student-to-mentor ratio. Previous student projects have included building a machine-learning model to classify music genres and creating a machine-learning algorithm to provide a custom list of educational resources based on selected specifications.
Location: Interlochen, Michigan
Cost: $7,265
Dates: Session 1: June 28 – July 18 and Session 2: July 19 – August 9
Application Deadline: January 15
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 – 8
The Interlochen Arts Camp Creative Writing Program is a three-week residential experience in Interlochen, Michigan, where young writers explore the art of storytelling in a supportive, creative community. You’ll take daily classes in fiction, poetry, and writing for the stage, participate in peer workshops and roundtable critiques, and attend master classes on topics like character creation, literary techniques, and publishing. The program also features readings by visiting authors, opportunities to share your work at student showcases, and the chance to publish in a camp anthology. Through this experience, you’ll strengthen your writing voice, gain confidence, and become part of a vibrant community of emerging writers.
Location: Virtual
Cost: $700
Dates: March 31 – May 28 (Tuesdays and Thursdays)
Application Deadline: March 2 (Refund Deadline)
Eligibility: Students currently in grades 6-8 who are passionate about creative writing and have strong English proficiency.
The Youth & Teen Programs Writers Workshop is an online space built for middle schoolers who want to dig into fiction, poetry, and personal storytelling. You spend the sessions trying out new techniques, shaping characters, tightening scenes, and learning how writers actually revise their work. The class moves through conversations, short exercises, and direct feedback, so you’re constantly shaping and reshaping what you write. By the end, you leave with a small body of polished pieces and a clearer sense of your own voice on the page.
Location: Houston, Texas, and Virtual
Cost: $525
Dates: Various dates
Application Deadline: 24 January
Eligibility: Open to middle schoolers
Creative Writing Camp at Rice University brings you into a workshop setting where you try out fiction, poetry, essays, and short plays while figuring out how to shape an idea into something readable. You work with instructors who guide you through drafts, talk through craft choices, and push you to sharpen your voice and structure. You read your work aloud, listen to your peers, and learn how revision actually works beyond crossing out a few lines. By the end, you leave with a small set of pieces you’ve built from the ground up and a clearer sense of how to write with intent rather than instinct.
Location: Campus of the University of California, San Diego
Cost: varies as per session
Dates: Various dates
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Open to middle schoolers
San Diego Area Writing Project’s Young Writers’ Camp puts you in small workshop groups where you try out stories, poems, essays, and personal pieces without worrying about getting everything perfect on the first pass. Teachers walk you through what’s working, what isn’t, and how to push a draft a little farther. Most of the time, you’re experimenting, playing with ideas, testing different voices, and talking through choices with your group. By the end, you’ve got a handful of pieces that feel like yours and a clearer sense of how to write with more confidence and control.
Location: Corpus Christi, Texas
Cost: Not specified
Dates: Session 1 June 16–20; Session 2 June 23–27
Application Deadline: Applications open around March 3
Eligibility: Designed for elementary and middle school students; specifically, grades 6‑8 qualify for the Middle School Camp.
The Coastal Bend Writing Project’s Young Authors’ Writing Camp at Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi gives you a loose, curious space to figure out what kind of writer you want to be. You’ll move between short exercises, longer drafts, talks with visiting poets and artists, and even nature walks that push you to look a little closer at the world before putting anything down on the page. Professors, teachers, and other young writers help you shape your pieces, try new approaches, and tune your voice. By the time the camp wraps, you’ve built a small anthology of your own work and a steadier sense of how to express yourself.
Location: Thurber Center, Columbus
Cost: $200 (plus $25 registration fee) for the Grades 2–3 week; $355 (plus registration fee) for Grades 4–6 and Grades 7–9 weeks
Dates: June 2–6; June 9–13; June 16–20; June 23–27
Application Deadline: May 2
Eligibility: Open to students entering grades 2‑9
The Thurber House Summer Writing Camp is a week‑long day program designed for students entering grades 2‑9 who want to develop their creative writing skills in a supportive environment. During the camp, you’ll explore writing in many forms, such as stories, poems, comics, and scripts, while receiving guidance from experienced teachers and authors. The program also includes hands-on activities like world‑building, illustration, and collaborative storytelling. By the end of the week, you’ll leave with a portfolio of your own writing and greater confidence in expressing your ideas.
Location: Virtual
Cost: $50
Dates: June 22–26
Application Deadline: May 2
Eligibility: Students in grades 3‑5 (Elementary Cabin) and grades 6‑8 (Middle School Cabin)
The Third Coast Camp for Young Writers at Western Michigan University is a virtual program designed for students in grades 3–8 who want to develop their writing skills. In this five‑day camp, you will explore the elements of storytelling, including characters, settings, and plots, while working on both individual and group writing projects. You will participate in small-group writing sessions, peer discussions, and share your work, receiving guidance and feedback from experienced instructors. The camp allows you to experiment with different styles and genres, helping you discover your voice as a writer.
Location: Ravenscroft School, Raleigh
Cost: $260
Dates: July 21-25
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Open to rising students in grades 4‑8
The Young Writers‑Creative Writing Camp at Ravenscroft School is a week‑long program designed for students entering grades 4–8 who want to strengthen their creative writing skills. During the week, you will take part in creative writing exercises and games and attend daily workshops covering topics such as characterization, setting, imagery, and dialogue, with exercises to support discussions. You will also have time outdoors for socializing, recreation, and individual writing, along with one-on-one conferences with a writing coach to receive personalized feedback. The program culminates with a reading of your work for parents and friends, allowing you to showcase your creativity and growth as a writer.
Location: Granite City High School, Illinois
Cost: Not Specified
Dates: April 26
Application Deadline: Not Specified
Eligibility: Students in grades K‑8 (kindergarten through 8th grade) in Madison County schools
The Madison County Young Authors Conference is a one-day event designed for students in grades K–8, including middle schoolers, who want to showcase and develop their writing skills. In this program, selected students present their stories or poems and participate in writing activities and discussions with peers from across the county. The conference provides an opportunity to receive feedback, celebrate creativity, and engage with other young writers in a supportive environment. By the end of the day, students gain confidence in their writing, learn new techniques, and leave with a sense of accomplishment for sharing their work with others.
Location: Online (EdX)
Cost/Stipend: Free | $169 for graded assessments and completion certificate
Dates: November 11-March 16
Application Deadline: N/A
Eligibility: Open to the public; no prior experience required
UC Berkeley’s Writing for Social Justice program is a free online course designed for students interested in politics, sociology, law, or social issues. In this program, you will learn how to develop your perspectives on personal, national, and global issues and express them effectively through writing. You will practice persuasive writing, critical analysis, and engagement with alternative viewpoints. The course covers multiple formats, including personal journaling, letters to public officials, opinion articles, blogs, and podcasts, helping you apply your skills in practical ways while exploring social justice topics.
Location: Online (Coursera)
Cost/Stipend: Free | Certificate and additional features available for a fee (financial aid available)
Dates: Self-paced (6 hours total)
Application Deadline: N/A
Eligibility: Open to the public; no prior experience required
Wesleyan’s Writing a Personal Essay course is a free online program designed for middle school students interested in memoir-style creative writing. In this course, you will learn how to plan and organize your essay, choose meaningful anecdotes, and turn them into a compelling narrative. You will gain confidence in writing about yourself while developing your own voice and style. The program includes asynchronous lectures, reading memoirs by established authors, and practice writing assignments to help you improve your skills and express your ideas clearly.
Location: Online
Cost/Stipend: Free
Dates: Self-paced (26 sessions, every 1.5 hours)
Application Deadline: N/A
Eligibility: Open to the public
MIT’s OpenCourseWare (OCW) and Open Learning programs offer free online courses for learners of all ages, including middle school students interested in creative writing. In these asynchronous courses, you can explore topics such as Writing Science Fiction, Writing and Reading Short Stories, Writing and Reading Poems, and Playwriting I. You will have access to lecture videos, readings, and assignments from MIT professors, which you can complete at your own pace. While some material may be challenging, the flexibility allows you to choose lessons, revisit topics, or skip content that feels too advanced, giving you the chance to build writing skills independently and explore multiple genres.
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a Ph.D. student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.
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