Here at the Writing Institute, we think Writers Week is pretty great, but luckily, you don't have to take it from us… We asked a group of Writers Week alumni to share a bit about their experiences during the program, and these reviews do not disappoint!
Kidd O’Hara ‘29 says, “Attending Writers Week was probably one of the best experiences of my life. It was incredible having a space to learn and grow that was free of judgment… I learned that imagination is a muscle, and like any other muscle, you have to work it to keep it strong and make it improve.”
Since 1999, Writers Week at Sarah Lawrence College has offered creative young people an immersive week-long experience with creative writing and the performance arts. Each day of the program, writers ages 14-18 come together in both writing and theatre workshops, learning about craft, generating new work, and building a lasting community. Former virtual student Emily Proudfit says, “Participating in Writers Week really helped me connect with fellow writers and made me feel more comfortable about sharing my work.”
In writing workshops, students learn to harness their voices, play in different genres, and write towards discovery. After attending in 2025, student Will Fisher says, “My entire outlook on writing as a part of who I am shifted. That's not to mention the friends I made during the writing and theatre workshops, many of whom I'm still in contact with today. The memories and experiences I formed during Writers Week are irreplaceable, and have transformed my work as a writer.”
Writers Week made me fall in love with Sarah Lawrence. I attended Writers Week twice—my junior and senior years of high school. After the first time, when I received a letter from SLC asking me to consider submitting an application, I listened. I started researching the school, and I ended up applying…Now, I’m almost done with my first year, and I think it’s safe to say that Writers Week was the reason I’m at Sarah Lawrence today.
In the afternoons, students gather in their theatre workshops. Alumnus Ernali Cruz notes the theatre workshops facilitate “a more creative headspace–especially when writer’s block hits.” Similarly, Kidd O’Hara ‘29 says, “The theatre classes, in particular, pushed me out of my comfort zone in a way I will never forget.” Emily Proudfit, who participated in our virtual program last summer, writes this about her participation in an Improv and Sketch Comedy class: “I was nervous going into it, but I gained a lot of confidence. This has led me to volunteer more during improv games in my theatre classes at school, and I'm even hoping to join an improv group in college.”
Sometimes, one Writers Week just isn't enough! Many of our students find themselves coming back year after year. Ernali Cruz has attended Writers Week for the past three years: “It was an experience I would absolutely recommend to anyone interested in building community as well as improving writing skills.” Kidd O’Hara ‘29 has also attended Writers Week online and later on campus, and even ended up enrolling at Sarah Lawrence College as an undergraduate. He has this to say about the program: “Writers Week made me fall in love with Sarah Lawrence. I attended Writers Week twice—my junior and senior years of high school. After the first time, when I received a letter from SLC asking me to consider submitting an application, I listened. I started researching the school, and I ended up applying. By the time I went to Writers Week the second time, I had already been accepted into (and was committed to) Sarah Lawrence. Going back to Writers Week for a second time only solidified my decision. I loved writing, I loved the teachers, and I loved the organizers. I decided that SLC was perfect for me. Now, I’m almost done with my first year, and I think it’s safe to say that Writers Week was the reason I’m at Sarah Lawrence today.”
