Open to grades 7 - 12

Write Your Story Workshops with Samantha Chapman and Sara Marks

Why write fanfiction?

Think fanfiction is just about bad writing and weird romances? Think again! Fanfiction can be any creative work that builds on a previous story, a tradition that dates back longer than most of us know. From classics like Dante's Inferno to recent movies like Cruella, fanfiction is everywhere!

Let's talk about how fanfiction can help you develop as a writer, with writing exercises unique to playing in an existing world. Let's celebrate the communities we've cultivated and the critique and advice we've given one another. Come prepared to share stories, and join us for a brief history of fanfic and an exploration and celebration of all the ways writing fanfic can help you grow!

Samantha Chapman is a proofreader and editor who works on everything from academic materials to roleplaying games to crime fiction. She lives in Lowell MA with her cat, Matilda.

Sara Marks is a librarian at the University of Massachusetts Lowell libraries.