Shared Worlds Teen SF/Fantasy Writing Camp--Register Soon!

Just a note that Shared Worlds is filling up rapidly this year--we're almost at half of capacity in terms of applicants. So if you're thinking of sending your teen, or you are a teen who wants to go, you might want to register soon.SHARED WORLDS: A Unique SF/Fantasy Writing Camp for TeensNow open to applicants: Shared Worlds 2011 will be held at Wofford College (Spartanburg, SC) the last two weeks of July, marking the camp’s fourth year of operation. Guest instructors will include Carl Brandon Parallax Award winner and YA novelist Nnedi Okorafor, World Fantasy Award winner Jeff VanderMeer, Hugo Award winning editor Ann VanderMeer, Philip K. Dick Award finalist Minister Faust, World Fantasy Award winner Ekaterina Sedia, and trend-setting game designer Will Hindmarch.Shared Worlds is a unique summer for teens (rising eighth through twelfth graders) from across the country that uses an innovative approach to writing fiction and realizing full creative potential, all in a safe and structured environment. During the first week, the students build SF or Fantasy worlds in groups. In the second week, the students fine-tune their worlds and write stories set within those worlds, receiving professional feedback from award-winning authors. Many major publishers have contributed free books to participants, including Wizards of the Coast, Tor Books, White Wolf, Del Rey, Firebird, and First Second. Amazon.com also recently awarded Shared Worlds a major grant.Past visiting writers have included NYT bestseller Holly Black and NYT bestseller Tobias Buckell, with writers such as Ursula K. Le Guin, China Mieville, and Michael Moorcock contributing to various subsidiary efforts for the camp. Extensive media coverage for Shared Worlds has appeared in the Guardian, the Washington Post book blog, and many others. Scholarships based on need will be available. (Article on a past camp.)