About

Got it. Drafting a short, candid Green entry — factual, no promotional framing, essentials surfaced clearly.

The BYU Young Authors Academy is a six-day residential writing program for students ages 14–18, held each July on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. The program centers on small-group writing courses, peer feedback, and sessions with visiting published authors in the young adult fiction space; students also attend author signings and have the opportunity to get books signed. For 2026, the program runs July 6–11 and features authors including Lauren Castillo, Candace Fleming, Ann Dee Ellis, and Yamile Saied Mendez.

Registration is open to all students — no application or writing sample is required. Tuition is $509, with an optional food and housing package (five nights of campus lodging plus breakfast and dinner daily) available for an additional $289; all participants receive daily lunch. The program is not selective.

Families should be aware that BYU is a church-affiliated institution, and the program operates within that context in meaningful ways. Counselors are required to be members in good standing of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and to hold a current temple recommend. The program also references BYU's dress and appearance standards, which apply to participants. Families who are not members of the LDS faith should review these expectations before enrolling.

For a student interested in YA fiction and looking for a low-barrier introduction to the writing community, the BYU Young Authors Academy offers author access and peer connection in a structured campus setting.