Butler University Creative Writing Camp
A Community for Young Writers
Creative Writing Camp combines learning, laughter, and compassion to inspire young writers and readers. The program connects bright, young people with talented mentors and like-minded peers to nurture intellectual and artistic discovery.
This learning-rich community rejects a narrow version of education, in which, too often, assessment structures learning. We reach for a goal that is harder to define: enhancing creativity, developing the imagination, and finding our own voices. We help our students and campers be so engaged with the joys of literary arts that they don’t even notice how much they are learning.
In Person: June 15-19 and June 22-26
Registration will open on December 1!
Camp Hours: 9:00 AM–3:00 PM Monday through Friday. Additional “less programmed” option to stay from 3:00-4:00 PM Monday through Friday. The 3:00-4:00 PM hour will be an additional $50 cost for the week.
Camp is intended for students entering grades 3–12 in fall 2026. Children will be grouped by ages. Camp will meet on the Butler campus, in Jordan Hall.
- College student mentors
- Daily visits from guest writers
- Daily open-mic opportunities to share written work with fellow campers
- Field trip to the Indianapolis Museum of Art
Campers will attend entertaining, lively workshops designed to inspire young writers. Students will write and read stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, personal narratives, song lyrics, and experimental pieces, experiencing the power of the literary imagination while developing language skills. They will meet in small groups of peers, participate in daily workshops in the computer labs, and publicly read their work at the end of each day—if they wish to do so.
Campers will also make a visit to the Indianapolis Museum of Art where they will explore visual art and enjoy a pizza lunch on the museum grounds (children need to bring a sack lunch on other days). On Friday, we’ll end camp with a presentation of certificates and an open-mic reading (with ice cream). Families are welcome.
- Fiction
- Poetry
- Screenwriting
- Playwriting
- Children’s Books
- Journalism
- Liar’s Club/Slam Café
- Imagination Tag
- The Graphic Novel
- The Blogosphere

Camper, age 15
“I was able to make connections with a lot of new people, and make a lot of friends. I also got a lot of AWESOME writing inspiration.”
Camper, age 14
“Everyone here is so nice and supportive, and there is no limit to how you can (reasonably) express yourself. I feel a sense of belonging at this camp that is different from any other belonging I have ever experienced.”

Camper, age 15
“Lindsey deserves a huge shout out. I learned so much about writing and publishing from her and she made learning really fun.”
Parent of camper, age 17
“The confidence these kids read their writings is so inspiring.”

Camper, age 14
“I love this camp more than life itself! You are amazing for running this camp.”
Parent of camper, age 11
“My camper really enjoyed this week. Thank you! She was excited to return every day and made great friends.”

Parent of campers, ages 11 & 13
“My children had a great time stretching their brains. They also made friends, which was a fun bonus.”
Parent of camper, age 8
“It’s a great way for the kids to experience a college campus. I think it’s a fun way to do some summer learning.”

Parent of camper, age 11
“My camper was introduced to genres that aren’t covered at school.”
Camper, age 14
“It’s a good way to connect with other writers.”

Camper, age 17
“The amount of freedom given to the high school group was great, it helped create a little community.”
Camper, age 13
“I’ve been going to this camp for 6 years and it is the highlight of my summer!”
Early Bird Registration Cost: $300 – 9:00 AM–3:00 PM (M-F) – Enroll before February 1, 2026.
Standard One-Session Cost: $325 – 9:00 AM–3:00 PM (M-F) when registering after Jan 31, 2026.
Discounted Two-Session Cost: $600 ($25 discount per session) – 9:00 AM–3:00 PM (M-F) when registering after Jan 31, 2026. (An additional $50 discount will be applied if also taking advantage of our Early Bird Registration before February 1, 2026 for a total price of $550 for both sessions.)
Registration Deadline: Friday, May 22, 2026
Refund Policy
Prior to June 1—Campers withdrawing from camp will be given a refund less a 20% administrative fee
After June 1—No camp refunds will be given
Chris Speckman, Director
cspeckma@butler.edu
Adriana Jones, Creative Writing Camp Coordinator
amjones9@butler.edu
