To write is to dream upon the page, and
Youth (W)rites is a place where we explore and play in the realms of the imagination, bringing back those stories, poems, monologues, essays, and rants that live in the land of the Invisible. Stories help us discover who we are, and writing is a place where we can be ourselves with pure freedom and no judgement; we write to celebrate what we love and heal what hurts.
Youth (W)rites offers creative writing and the study of literature for ages 9-18 in a one-on-one mentorship setting in person or Zoom. We will explore our creativity and the world around us, while putting our thoughts into words in a myriad of different ways that are truthful, exploratory, encouraging, and fun. Through unique prompts and exercises we will dive into different forms of writing that include poetry, fiction, memoir, playwriting, monologues, screenplays, lists, rants, letters, and more.
We will write to find our voices, express ourselves, and share our stories.
Young people are natural storytellers and poets, and my job is to help them find their voice.
I custom craft each lesson according to the student’s interest, skill level, and personality.
I truly adore young people, their creativity and wisdom never cease to amaze me, and I am blown away by what they bring to the table every time I teach. I'm also available to tutor youth in creative writing and literature if they are struggling in school or just want even more creativity in their lives.
FEES: Ages 9-12 $60.00 per hour
Ages 13-18 $80.00 per hour
Limited sliding scale available as needed; contact Toni with any questions or concerns, or to sign up for lessons by emailing:
See "POLICIES" Page for (W)rites of Passage regarding cancellations, etc.
Youth (W)rites!
with Toni Oswald
One-on-One Creative Writing Sessions for Young People Ages 9-18
If you are a dreamer come in
If you are a dreamer a wisher a liar
A hoper a pray-er a magic-bean-buyer
If you're a pretender come sit by my fire
For we have some flax golden tales to spin
Come in!
Come in!
—Shel Silverstein
"I have fallen in love with the imagination. And if you fall in love with the imagination, you understand that it is a free spirit. It will go anywhere and it can do anything"—Alice Walker
(W)
Testimonials
"Toni Oswald's expertise as a writer and teacher has supported my 15 year old daughter to forge her own path as an artist, writer and critical thinker. This has been invaluable at a time when we all are dealing with the many restrictions resulting from the pandemic. Toni continues to provide my daughter vital links to an expansive world of literature and nurtures her confidence to be able to contribute her own unique voice to that world. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Toni"
—Todd Herman
"Toni Oswald has been an inspiration for my 15 year old daughter at a critical time in her life where she is developing her voice on and off the page. In working with Toni, my daughter has developed a love of literature and writing where Toni's encouragement keeps her curious to her own thoughts, imagination and stories. This has led to spontaneous storytelling and readings around the dinner table. Toni is a brilliant teacher, writer and person who I wholeheartedly recommend!!!"
—Amanda Coslor
"Children see magic because they look for it"
—Christopher Moore
"Imagination is like a muscle. I found out that the more I wrote, the bigger it got"
—Philip Jose Farmer
Toni Oswald is a writer, performer, musician, and visual artist. Her work has been shown in Los Angeles, Amsterdam, and New York. She has acted in both television and film, working with The Polish Brothers, Spike Jones, and David Milch. She has also performed across the United States and Europe with the punk rock, performance-art theater group Theater Carnivale, as well as with Anne Waldman, John Frusciante, Max Davies, Thurston Moore, Lydia Lunch, Cecilia Vicuna, Sarah Elizabeth Schantz, Junior Burke, and many others. Toni is also a core member of the art group THE WILDS. Her underground rock journalism has been published in magazines here and abroad, along with recent literary work in The Oyez Review, Heroes are Gang Leaders GIANTOLOGY, and Tattered Press. She is currently working on a novel about a fourteen-year-old girl clown set in the 1950's entitled, The Gorgeous Funeral. Her hybrid poetry book Sirens was published in the fall of 2020 from Gesture Press. She likes gold teeth, cats, and trees. She currently lives with her husband Max and their cats Kiki Pamplemousse Fontaine and Charlie Chaplin in Boulder, Colorado.
EXPERIENCE
(Current) MADELIFE - BOULDER, CO
One-on-one mentorships in creative writing, fiction craft, poetry, memoir, & acting
(Current) PRIVATE TEACHING AND MENTORSHP FOR KIDS AGES 9-18 (ONLINE & IN-PERSON)
(Current) NYC MIDNIGHT - NEW YORK CITY (ONLINE) 2020
Judge for their short story, micro-fiction, & screenplay competitions, which includes rating stories, along with giving feedback on each submission.
EAST WINDOW GALLERY - BOULDER 2021
Facilitated a Cut-Up Workshop for their show DISGUST
LITERARY ASSISTANT
Anne Waldman 2015
Eleni Sikelianos 2016-2018
Laird Hunt 2016-2018
ZATHOM: A LITERARY APP BOULDER, CO 2016-2017
Assistant Editor to Sarah Elizabeth Schantz
ZANI UK, LONDON 2011/12
Album Reviews for Music Magazine
SCREENPLAYS & THEATER
It’s Only Rock n’ Roll (with Dick Rude & Mariah O’Brien) 2003
Come Together (TV Pilot with Sarah Elizabeth Schantz) 2019
EDUCATION
UCLA FOR CREATIVE WRITING, NAROPA SUMMER WRITING PROGRAM, (W)RITES OF PASSAGE 2014-2022,
LIGHTHOUSE WRITERS WORKSHOP ADVANCED FICTION
SKILLS
Fiction, Poetry, Hybrid, Screenwriting, Playwriting, Monologues, Songwriting, Memoir, Essay, Auto-mythography, Editing, Feedback, Reviews for Music & Film
