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    Creative Writing: Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, and Poetry
    Online Program

    Creative Writing: Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, and Poetry

    by Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies

    An online creative writing course exploring creative nonfiction, fiction, and poetry through close reading, workshops, and a personal writing portfolio.

    Last verified: 6 Oct 2026Reviewed by:BSBen Stacy

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      We review public online program details such as eligibility, age range, cost, duration, learning format, scheduling, mentor model, outputs and application timing.

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      If the current cycle is not available, Succeed may show the latest verified cycle dates so you can understand typical timing.

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    Creative Writing at a glance: cost, dates and eligibility

    Current status

    Upcoming

    Eligibility

    Grades 8-11 at application

    Age range / Year group

    Ages 13-17

    Location / Region

    Online

    Cost

    $3,200

    Duration

    2 weeks

    Format

    Online

    Next deadline

    Not announced · Next cycle not announced

    Get next-cycle reminder
    Creative WritingHumanities
    Sessions / cadence: Mon-Fri: 2h live + 1-2h homework/day
    Main deliverable / output: Personal creative writing portfolio
    Time-zone / scheduling model: Pacific Daylight Time
    Latest verified cycle: 2026
    Student support: Online office hours
    Learning activities: Discussions, exercises, and workshops

    Creative Writing summary

    Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes combines reading and writing across creative nonfiction, fiction, and poetry. Students study how accomplished authors shape their work, then experiment with their own writing.

    Discussions, exercises, and workshops lead toward a personal creative portfolio. The course suits writers who want a structured practice and a supportive writing community.

    What is Creative Writing: Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, and Poetry?

    Creative Writing: Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, and Poetry is an intensive course within Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes. It explores the craft of writing through poems, essays, and short stories by well-known authors. Students consider how each work establishes its own terms and use that reading to inform their own creative choices.

    The practical experience combines live online classes with discussions, exercises, and workshops. Students develop a personalized writing process and complete a portfolio of creative work. Online office hours complement the classes, while independent assignments give students time to practice.

    Why Succeed highlights Creative Writing

    • Studying creative nonfiction, fiction, and poetry gives students several ways to explore their voice before specializing.

    • The explicit connection between reading and writing makes literary analysis part of the creative process.

    • A personal portfolio gives students a concrete result to revisit after the course.

    • Live classes, workshops, and online office hours provide structure around independent writing.

    Who is Creative Writing for?

    Best for

    Writers who enjoy reading closely, discussing creative choices, and developing original work across several genres.

    Not ideal if

    You want entirely self-paced study or cannot commit to weekday live classes and daily independent assignments.

    Is Creative Writing worth it?

    The strongest reason to choose this course is sustained writing practice supported by close reading and workshops. A portfolio can make that development tangible, especially if you continue revising and writing afterward.

    The daily commitment makes this a substantial academic activity rather than a casual writing club. Weigh the workload and full fee against other ways to develop your writing. Choose it for the learning experience; participation does not guarantee Stanford admission.

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    Founder, Succeed

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    A practical overview of cost, time commitment, provider details, student outcomes and online support to review before deciding.

    Cost and what is included

    $3,200; includes Live online classes., Class discussions, exercises, and workshops., Online office hours..

    Dates and time commitment

    2 weeks; Mon-Fri: 2h live + 1-2h homework/day.

    Provider details

    Review the Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies provider page and official sources before making a final decision.

    What the student gains

    Potential output: Students complete the course with their own portfolio of creative work.. Check whether feedback, certificate, recommendation or application evidence is included.

    Online support and safeguarding

    Check how online sessions are supervised, how mentor communication works, and what support route exists if the student needs help.

    What to check before committing

    Confirm current dates, session schedule, payment terms, cancellation rules, support expectations and what output or certificate is included with the provider.

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    How much preparation does Creative Writing need?

    Effort level

    High during the course.

    Best started

    Four to six weeks before your chosen session to gather school records and select a work sample.

    Main challenge

    Maintaining daily writing practice alongside reading and live participation.

    Typical preparation

    • Collect recent grade reports and transcripts before completing the application.

    • Choose a work sample that meets the course-specific instructions and reflects your abilities.

    • Write application responses yourself, then ask a parent or guardian to review and sign.

    • Reserve daily study time and convert the published Pacific Time windows to your local time.

    Useful if

    You want to develop a writing process and a portfolio.

    What do students do on Creative Writing?

    You connect the study of published writing with your own creative practice. Discussions, exercises, and workshops help you develop a writing process and build a personal portfolio.

    Step-by-step process

    1. 1

      Read poems, essays, and short stories by well-known authors.

    2. 2

      Discuss how each work establishes and follows its own creative terms.

    3. 3

      Practice reading like a writer and writing like a reader.

    4. 4

      Develop original work through exercises, workshops, and independent assignments.

    5. 5

      Bring your creative work together in a personal portfolio.

    Creative Writing dates and deadlines

    Next cycle not announced yet. These dates are from the latest verified cycle and should be used as a reference only.

    Session One

    15-26 June 2026

    Monday-Friday; meeting windows are 8:00-11:00 a.m. or 4:00-7:00 p.m. PDT.

    Reference date

    Session Two

    6-17 July 2026

    Monday-Friday; the meeting window is 8:00-11:00 a.m. PDT.

    Reference date

    Eligibility and requirements

    • Be in Grades 8-11 at the time of application.

    • Domestic and international applicants may apply.

    • Complete all application responses independently.

    • Admitted students may attend only one course.

    • Standardized test scores are optional.

    How much does Creative Writing cost?

    Application fee

    Payment is required to complete the application.

    Funding or discounts

    • Financial aid: Available — Domestic and international participants may receive aid.

    What's included

    Live online classes., Class discussions, exercises, and workshops., Online office hours.

    How to apply to Creative Writing

    1. 1

      Create an account in the official application portal using the student's legal name and birthdate, or sign in to an existing account.

    2. 2

      Select Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes and indicate the courses you genuinely want to attend.

    3. 3

      Complete all written responses independently.

    4. 4

      Upload recent grade reports, transcripts, and a work sample meeting the selected course's requirements.

    5. 5

      Ask a parent or legal guardian to review and sign the completed application.

    6. 6

      Pay the application fee and submit only after checking that every required part is complete.

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    Learning format

    Live online classes meet for two hours each Monday-Friday, with approximately one to two hours of homework per day. Classes sit within three-hour meeting windows, with the third hour used for online office hours; students attend one section and time.

    Exact class times and the office-hour schedule are set closer to the start of the program.

    Mentorship and feedback

    • Live classes include discussions, exercises, and workshops.

    • Online office hours use the third hour of the meeting window.

    • Different sections have different instructors but cover the same content.

    • The course emphasizes a supportive and welcoming writing community.

    Time-zone considerations

    • All published meeting windows use Pacific Daylight Time.
    • Both sessions offer an 8:00-11:00 a.m. PDT window.
    • Session One also offers a 4:00-7:00 p.m. PDT window.
    • Live classes meet Monday-Friday for two hours within the window.
    • Plan for one to two hours of homework per day.

    Assessment style

    The course centers on practical writing exercises, workshops, and a personal creative portfolio.

    • Practice creative writing through class exercises.
    • Develop work through writing workshops.
    • Complete assignments and projects outside live class.
    • Bring your creative work together in a portfolio.

    Portfolio and outputs

    Main deliverable / output

    Students complete the course with their own portfolio of creative work.

    Creative Writing FAQs

    The course covers creative nonfiction, fiction, and poetry. Students read poems, essays, and short stories and develop their own creative work.

    Students have two hours of live online class Monday-Friday and approximately one to two hours of homework per day. A third hour within the published meeting window is used for online office hours.

    Students complete the course with their own portfolio of creative work, developed through class discussions, exercises, and workshops.

    Students attend one course section and time. Students admitted to Summer Institutes may attend only one course.

    Standardized test scores are optional. Recent grade reports and transcripts are required, and applicants can upload an unofficial transcript directly into the online application.

    Applicants must write all application responses themselves. Parents or legal guardians review the completed application and sign it.

    No. Stanford University's undergraduate admissions process is separate and independent, and participation does not guarantee admission.

    Yes. Financial aid can be awarded to both domestic and international participants.

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    Ben Stacy

    Content reviewed by

    Ben Stacy

    Co-founder, Succeed | Former secondary teacher and educational leader

    Ben works at the intersection of education, technology and school adoption, with expertise in how secondary schools evaluate data-driven tools and how education technology is used in practice.

    View author page

    Sources and verification

    Source types reviewed

    • Welcome
    • Questions: Application - SI | Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes
    • Creative Writing: Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, and Poetry | Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes

    Succeed uses official provider information where available, but keeps this public page focused on comparison and planning inside Succeed.

    What we verified (on 6 Oct 2026)

    • Official course page reviewed

    • Session dates checked

    • Grade eligibility reviewed

    • Daily workload checked

    • Application requirements reviewed

    • Financial aid eligibility checked

    How Succeed uses this information

    We use source material to verify core facts, then show older cycle dates as reference when a current cycle is not available. Always check current application instructions before applying.