Creative Writing Camp Brings Campers Together to Talk About Storytelling and Self Expression Tuesday, August 4, 2026
"The creative process can be a bit nerve-wracking for many, but the level of support I’ve encountered here has played a major role in reducing my fears. I can’t remember encountering a more encouraging environment anywhere else."
As campers brainstormed ideas for their ideal monsters and sketched what their ominous villains might look like, it was hard not to crack a smile as they shared their vivid ideas.
With a shared passion for creation, campers at this year's Creative Writing Camp at Point Park University found fast friends and energetic conversations through their week-long exploration of writing. This year, campers focused on elements common to the horror genre, developing ideas that explored character development, world-building and honing their skills as creatives.
"I truly enjoyed this camp! Not only because of the fun activities and exercises we’ve done, but because of who we did these exercises with," said Ada Dumanoglu, one of this year's campers. "In my five days here, I feel like I’ve grown close with everyone and that everyone grew close with one another — including our teachers! Other than the social aspect, the writing and art I felt I could express felt like a fresh breath of air. This will forever stay as my favorite camp!"
"Excitement in the creative exchange of writing"
Taking place over five days, campers were immersed in topics ranging from the creation of creepy horror icons to the formation of a dramatic villain's monologue. Mixing several mediums to give campers a wide range of experience, the program allowed each of the directors to give an intriguing look into their process and inspire a new wave of stories.
"These campers have been exposed to the arts and culture in Pittsburgh, taking various field trips and adventures downtown," said Ella Baker, a co-director of the camp and recent graduate of Susquehanna University. "They are eager to write, share work and connect with each other. We aim to make this a space where they can find excitement in the creative exchange of writing."
Campers also learned a lot through traveling in Pittsburgh, using Point Park's downtown location as a launching point to explore local art history and see some of the impressive work of local creatives.
"We really emphasized multiple aspects in this year’s camp, such as integrating more attention to the writing life in Pittsburgh via field trips to the City of Asylum exiled writers’ organization and the Alphabet City bookstore," said Chris Girman, Ph.D., co-director of the camp and associate professor of English. "The executive director of Pittsburgh Arts and Letters led a poetry exercise with the students, and a representative from Scholastic Writing Awards let them know how to submit their creative work to local and national contests. This helps our young creative campers to seek out local writing venues and know the scene."
For part-time Instructor Jen Schaupp, working with the group opened the door to many collaborative lessons with the other instructors, breaking down the silos of their individual knowledge. Another exciting benefit was teaching a group of people younger than the average college student, watching them rapidly grow and find their voice over the course of the week.
"I think the most important thing is building a supportive and creative community for the camp participants," Schaupp said. "In one of our days this year, students agreed to partner with someone they didn’t know, and one pair said they enjoyed getting to know each other through collaborative scene writing. I never attended camp when I was younger, so I’m envisioning the experience through their eyes."
"Never, in a million years, would I regret doing this camp"
While the camp was an academic success, the true heart of the experience also came from the students. As they learned and expressed themselves together, many of this year's campers reported making fast friends.
"My favorite thing about camp was being able to talk to people who share the same interests as me and being able to write around other people who love writing as much as I do," said Esme Matela. "I would recommend that anyone who likes or enjoys writing in their free time do this camp because this camp is amazing, and it has incredible instructors who really want kids to enjoy writing and learn more about it as well."
The creative process provided many campers with a launching point for making new friends, as creating with others quickly allowed each individual to shine. As a deeply personal hobby, writing allowed many of these campers to open their hearts in a way they could only do with others passionate about their creations.
"By the end of that very first day, I already felt connected to the rest of the group," said Charlotte Hesseling. "Over the duration of my time here, we’ve done a lot of sharing of our original work. The creative process can be a bit nerve-wracking for many, but the level of support I’ve encountered here has played a major role in reducing my fears. I can’t remember encountering a more encouraging environment anywhere else."
As a learning experience and a chance to connect with other creatives, this year's Creative Writing Camp was a rousing success, and many of the students left feeling excited about how their skills will grow after just a week at Point Park.
"When I first entered the room, I wasn’t sure if I’d make so many friends," said Leela Srinivasan. "Little did I know we all ended up being so close, and we all match each other’s personality. Probably because we were all there for the same purpose: to improve our writing. Never in a million years would I regret doing this camp. I wrote about things that matched my interests, and I improved so much as a writer just in the last five days."