Shared Worlds (Wofford College, Spartanburg, SC)

This unique summer camp for teens (13 to 18 years of age) from all over the world provides a creative and fun approach to learning how to build Science Fiction/Fantasy worlds for the purpose of writing fiction, game development, or creating art—all in a safe and structured environment with award-winning faculty. Participants in this “teen think tank” will meet like-minded students from around the world and learn how to work together and be proactive on their own. During the first week, the camp will break up into groups of 8 to 12 students to create their own separate SF or Fantasy worlds. During the second week, they will choose either a creative writing, game development, or visual arts track and produce fiction, gaming modules, or art/illustration based on their particular world. The products that come out of the camp include complete world wikipedia entries, and a book of student art, fiction, and game modules. Faculty for 2009 will include Holly Black, co-creator of the Spiderwick Chronicles, World Fantasy Award winner Jeff VanderMeer, Hugo Nominee Tobias Buckell, White Wolf game developer Will Hindmarch, Weird Tales fiction editor Ann VanderMeer, and many more.BooklifeFinch