Area teens in grades 6 through 12 are invited to Lake Erie Ink’s 2025 Teen Writers Symposium this Saturday, Nov. 8, at Cleveland State University’s Mather Mansion.
Hosted in collaboration with CSU’s English department, the symposium will feature four writers for a panel discussion, a Q&A, and several workshops designed just for teens to hone their writing skills.
The cost to attend is $10; scholarships are available. Lunch will be provided.
Amy Rosenbluth, executive director of Lake Erie Ink, said the panel discussion was designed based on what students said they wanted to hear about.
“[The writers will] talk very briefly about the genre they’re working in,” she said. “And a little bit about themselves. And then, it really is the team participants who are driving the conversation.”
Author Justin A. Reynolds will host a workshop called “An Ear for Dialog: Elevating the Art of Conversation” that will teach young writers how to get their characters in and out of a conversation and how to create a unique voice.
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Author Marie Vibbert said her workshop is about plot – specifically, how to get your characters out of trouble.
“It’s a good exercise for teens,” Vibbert said. “We’re all naturally good at getting our characters into trouble. I’ll talk about using your character’s strengths and resources, and going back to plant strengths and resources if need be.”
“I’ll have two short writing periods,” Vibbert added. “One [is] at the beginning where they write their characters into trouble. And one [is] at the end where they write them out again.”
‘A very powerful message for teens’
Rosenbluth said the symposium has been a success for more than 10 years because the writers who participate “are not above” the students.
“They’re all in the same room, at the same table,” she said. “I think that’s a very powerful message for teens to be recognized in that way.”
She also credited the symposium with helping teens who walk in knowing nobody find a community of other writers.
For more information on the 2025 Teen Writers Symposium and other upcoming programs for young writers, visit Lake Erie Ink’s website.