Where Young Writers Become Worldbuilders
Mythmakers is a revolutionary creative program where young storytellers don’t just write stories—they build entire worlds together. Inspired by the writers’ rooms of television shows and the collaborative worldbuilding of franchises like Marvel and Star Wars, Mythmakers brings kids together to create something bigger than any one person could build alone.
Over the course of the program, participants collaborate to design a shared universe: its geography and climate, its cultures and societies, its history and mythology, its magic system or technology, and the characters who inhabit it. Then, within this collaboratively-built world, each participant crafts their own unique stories, characters, and narrative arcs that intersect and interweave with others.
The result is a rich, complex fictional universe created entirely by the participants, with each young writer contributing their unique creative voice to something larger than themselves. It’s the perfect blend of independent creative work and collaborative worldbuilding—and it’s unlike any writing program you’ve experienced.
The Mythmakers Process
Week 1: Foundation and Worldbuilding Participants begin by establishing the fundamentals of their shared universe. Through structured brainstorming, collaborative discussion, and creative exercises, they’ll determine:
- What kind of world are we creating? (Fantasy, sci-fi, alternate history, etc.)
- What makes this world unique and compelling?
- What are the core conflicts or tensions that drive stories in this world?
- What are the rules of this universe? (Magic systems, technology levels, societal structures)
Week 2-3: Mythology and Culture With the foundation laid, participants dive into creating the cultures, histories, and mythologies of their world. They’ll:
- Develop different societies and civilizations within the world
- Create origin myths and historical events that shaped the world
- Design cultural practices, beliefs, and traditions
- Establish relationships between different groups (alliances, conflicts, trade)
Week 4-5: Character and Story Development Now participants create their individual stories within the shared world:
- Design unique characters with depth, motivation, and compelling arcs
- Plot story arcs that fit within the larger world mythology
- Learn narrative structure and pacing techniques
- Write scenes, dialogue, and descriptive passages
Week 6: Collaboration and Presentation The final phase brings everything together:
- Stories intersect as characters from different narratives interact
- Workshop sessions provide constructive feedback and revision opportunities
- Final presentation where participants share their work and the universe they’ve built
- Creation of a “world bible” documenting the universe for future stories
Why Mythmakers Works
Teaches Real Professional Skills: This is how actual writers’ rooms work in professional television, film, and book series. Mythmakers gives kids authentic experience in collaborative creative processes.
Builds Confidence: Many young writers struggle with the blank page. Mythmakers removes that pressure by providing structure, collaboration, and a shared foundation to build from.
Encourages Diverse Perspectives: The collaborative nature means that different viewpoints, ideas, and creative approaches strengthen the final product. Participants learn that diversity in storytelling makes stories richer.
Develops Critical Thinking: Creating consistent, logical worldbuilding requires problem-solving. If magic exists, how does it affect society? If technology advanced differently, how would that change history? These questions develop analytical thinking.
Provides Portfolio Material: By the end of Mythmakers, participants have substantial creative writing samples and a worldbuilding portfolio perfect for college applications, writing programs, or personal pride.
For Different Experience Levels
Mythmakers welcomes both experienced young writers and those just discovering their creative voice. Our facilitators are skilled at:
- Helping beginners find their footing with guided exercises and supportive feedback
- Challenging advanced writers with complex narrative and worldbuilding concepts
- Ensuring every participant’s voice and ideas are valued in the collaborative process
Perfect For
Mythmakers is ideal for young people who:
- Love creating fantasy worlds, science fiction universes, or alternate realities
- Enjoy writing but want to take it to the next level
- Are interested in collaborative creative processes
- Love shows like Avatar: The Last Airbender, Harry Potter, or Marvel for their worldbuilding
- Want to develop writing skills for college or career
- Are looking for a creative community of like-minded peers
- Enjoy problem-solving and logical thinking applied to creative contexts
Format Options
Week-Long Intensive: Deep dive format running 9am-3pm for one week, resulting in a fully developed world and substantial written work.
6-Week After-School Series: Meets twice per week for 90-minute sessions over six weeks, with homework assignments between meetings. Same curriculum in a more paced format.
Online Option: Virtual version of the program available for participants who can’t attend in person. Same curriculum and collaboration through our dedicated platform.
What Parents Are Saying
“My daughter has always been a creative kid, but Mythmakers took her writing to another level. She went from writing short stories to planning a whole series set in the world she helped create.” - Michelle L., Parent
“As a quieter kid, my son sometimes gets lost in group activities. The Mythmakers facilitators made sure his ideas were heard and valued. He came home energized every day.” - Robert K., Parent
Join the Next Cohort
Mythmakers runs seasonal sessions with limited enrollment to ensure quality attention for each participant. Summer intensive sessions run weekly throughout July and August. After-school series run in fall and spring.
Space is limited to ensure a collaborative, supportive environment where every voice is heard. Early registration is recommended.
