Austin Bat Cave is a hub for young writers who want to express their creativity and tell their stories.
We teach the craft of writing and explore literary genres from lyric poetry to dystopian fiction and other forms of expression including op-ed writing, personal narrative, and more. Our workshops are taught by local authors, poets, journalists, and educators who are thrilled to share their expertise with Austin Bat Cave students. Check out our current offerings below.
Current Writing Workshops
3rd–5th & 6th–12th
Austin Bat Cave Fall D&D Club
Oct. 5th–Dec. 14th, Wednesdays from 6:30-8:30pm
Interface: Zoom
ABC is thrilled to offer a bi-monthly, after-school Dungeons & Dragons Club! Students who are members of this club will play Dungeons & Dragons with a group of peers and an ABC teacher, build character-development and story-telling skills, and keep a writing journal documenting the adventures that take place during their D&D campaigns.
Past Workshops
7th–12th
Sports Writing
Mondays from 5:30pm–7:30pm, 10/11, 10/18, & 10/25; Match on 10/16 from 7:30pm–10pm
Interface: Zoom
Calling all writers & sports fans! Austin Bat Cave is excited to launch our first- ever sports writing program! This workshop will introduce you to many different types of sports writing, from journalism to creative pieces, to team chants, and more. Over the last two weeks, participants will attend the Austin FC vs. Minnesota match on October 16th and work on a piece about the game. These pieces will be published online and shared with Austin FC. Featuring lead instructor and writer Miguel Fernandez, The Striker’s Phil West, and other creative experts and soccer fanatics from Austin FC TBA!
7th–12th
Celebrating Fandom through Fanfiction
Thursdays from 6:30pm-8:30pm, 11/4, 11/11, 11/18, 12/2, and 12/9
Interface: Zoom
Do you have a fandom that you love but wish the story had ended differently? Want to explore your own story and play around in that universe? Then this workshop is for you! This workshop will explore how we can celebrate fandoms we love from books, movies, TV and video games by honing our writing and storytelling skills. Writers will learn how to adapt characters from your favorite fandom to a new and original fictional scene and reimagine what the story could look like. You will also learn about fanfiction communities and about DIY publishing through fanfiction.
3rd–5th Grade
Fairy Tales Workshop
Saturday, December 4th, 11am–1pm
Interface: Zoom
Have you ever wondered why we come back to our favorite folktales and fairy tales over and over again? How have these stories changed and been adapted over time? In this workshop, you will learn about a variety of different fairy tales and folk tales from around the world, how these kinds of stories are created, and how they become part of the cultural stories that people tell over time. Then, you will learn to write your own fairy tales as adaptations or your own original story which you will get feedback on and have the opportunity to share. Who knows, maybe your story will become a fairy tale that is told over and over again!
9th–12th Grade
For the Record: An Op-Ed Writing Workshop
March 15th–17th, 12pm–3pm each day
Interface: Zoom
Join us for a 3-day op-ed workshop taught by local journalists! Students will learn how to write and pitch timely and incisive op-eds, with a special focus on writing about social and political issues. The workshop will include a one-hour panel on pursuing a career in journalism featuring David Leffler (Senior Editor, Austin Monthly) and Emily Caldwell (Editor in Chief, The Daily Texan).
6th – 12th Grade
Fantasy Writing Workshop
Feb 15th-19th, 5-6:30pm
Interface: Zoom
This workshop is for writers who want to write fantastical fiction (Think The Hobbit, The Percy Jackson Series, or Children of Blood and Bone), including novels, short stories and more! Students will design and create their fantastical worlds, develop characters, and write stories that transport the reader. Over the course of the workshop, students will complete at least one short story or scene and showcase their work.
8th – 12th Grade
Courageous Cadence with Performing Justice Project
October 14th–December 9th, Wednesdays from 6:30–8:30pm
Interface: Zoom
Presented by the Performing Justice Project in partnership with ABC, Courageous Cadence will center the utilization of spoken word poetry as a tool for social justice. Through creative writing, performance-based skills, and personal storytelling, participants will examine and name connections between their individual experiences and systemic (in)justice. With a focus on race and gender theory, participants will imagine and perform more just possibilities for themselves and their communities. Courageous Cadence consists of eight two-hour video sessions in addition to a final performance for an audience. Join us to discover the rhyme in resistance and make a stand!
5th – 9th Grade
All About Me: Using Personal Narrative Writing to Tell Your Story
Saturday, November 14th, 11am–2pm
Interface: Zoom
We all have a story to tell, and writing can be one of the best ways to capture it. In this workshop, you will learn how to share your memories, experiences, and personality through the art of personal narrative writing. Students will learn the different styles that personal narratives can take, and, using inspiration from published authors, will write a short narrative about a meaningful event or experience from their life.
6th – 12th Grade
Live Write-In & Author Visit with Natalia Sylvester
Wednesday, October 14th, 6pm–7:30pm
Interface: Zoom
ABC is excited to host a special Live Write-in and author visit with Natalia Sylvester, author of Running! In this workshop, Natalia Sylvester will read from her novel, talk about the inspiration for her book, and answer audience questions. Then, during the write-in, you’ll write independently to prompts about some of the themes explored in the book to help you consider speaking your truth and using your voice for change even if you are afraid to. Writers will have the opportunity to share their work open-mic style and get feedback from instructors and other teens. If you don’t want to share, you can just listen and hear how others responded to the prompt!
5th – 9th Grade
Celebrating Fandom Through Fanfiction
November 9th–13th, 5:00–6:30pm each day
Interface: Zoom
Do you have a fandom that you love but wish the story had ended differently? Want to explore your own story and play around in that universe? Then this workshop is for you! This workshop will explore how we can celebrate fandoms we love from books, movies, TV and video games by honing our writing and storytelling skills. Writers will learn how to adapt characters from your favorite fandom to a new and original fictional scene and reimagine what the story could look like. You will also learn about fanfiction communities and about DIY publishing through fanfiction.
6th – 10th Grade
Post-Apocalyptic Fiction
November 16th–20th, 5pm–6:30pm each day
Interface: Zoom
This workshop is for writers who want to write apocalyptic, dystopian, or futuristic fiction (Think Hunger Games. Think Divergent. Think Uglies). Students will re-imagine their city and neighborhoods in post-apocalyptic terms and bring these worlds to life on the page. Over the course of the workshop, students will complete one short story and do a public reading.
5th – 12th Grade
#Quaranzine Workshop
Saturday, December 5th, 11am–1pm
Interface: Zoom
Looking for creative outlets while staying at home? This workshop will provide opportunities to connect creatively and document what quarantine has been like for you in 2020. Join author and creator Austin Kleon for this special #Quaranzine workshop and learn about how he has been creating mini-zines using various materials at home. You will learn how to make your own zine (self-published book/magazine) and will have time to respond to prompts to get you thinking about what your zine will be about and how it can express your life during the quarantine.
At Austin Bat Cave, we are only as strong as the community we serve, and are proud to partner annually with local nonprofits such as Breakthrough Central Texas, CASA of Travis County, Communities in Schools, GirlForward, and Out Youth to provide customized writing workshops. If your nonprofit would like to partner with Austin Bat Cave to bring a writing workshop to your students, please contact our team.
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