About

Shared Worlds is a two-week residential creative writing program for rising 8th–12th graders focused on speculative fiction — science fiction, fantasy, steampunk, and related genres. Held each July on the campus of Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, the program is built around a distinctive structure: small groups of about ten students collaborate to design and build an original fictional world, then write stories set within it.

Each group works with a "world-building coordinator" and draws on overview classes in history, religion, science, and other disciplines — many taught by Wofford College faculty and professionals in writing and design — to construct the internal logic and texture of their world. The emphasis throughout is on collaborative problem-solving, experiential learning, and creative risk-taking. Students write fiction set in their group's world and receive letters of evaluation from instructors at the program's close. No grades are assigned and no credit is offered; the program is explicit that it is designed for students interested in the experience rather than academic credentials.

Shared Worlds admits approximately 60 students each year on a registration basis. There is no application, no GPA requirement, and no writing sample — spots are filled on a first-come, first-served basis once registration opens. Rising 8th through rising 12th graders are eligible. The program brings in a rotating roster of acclaimed guest authors from the science fiction and fantasy world — past guests have included New York Times bestselling authors Roseanne A. Brown, Amanda Foody, and Micaiah Johnson, among others — who lead workshops and work directly with students during the second week. Tuition for 2026 is $2,600, covering housing, meals, instruction, and all program activities. Financial aid is available.

For a student passionate about speculative fiction who wants to write seriously within that tradition, Shared Worlds is one of the only programs of its kind — and the world-building framework gives it a structure that generic creative writing camps don't offer.