Novel Lab Partners With Funhouse and OI Lit Fest

— from Sam Gailey, Novel Lab co-founder —
photos courtesy of Novel Lab & CoventryAutomatik.com

Novel Lab Kids on a geocache writing prompt

Novel Lab Kids is transforming the literary landscape of Orcas Island. A non-profit version of Novel Lab’s adult writing workshops, they have partnered with the Funhouse to go after grants that will extend its current pilot workshop to more island kids, including at-risk youth, 6th thru 12th grade. Novel Lab Kids is a free progressive weekly two-hour writing workshop designed to increase Orcas Island kids’ understanding of, and passion for literature, and improve their writing and communication skills through the vehicles of storytelling and writing a novel, graphic novel or comic book.

“We’re excited about this creative partnership and look forward to how it can help our island kids thrive thru creative expression,” said Maureen Moran, Funhouse Executive Director.

Novel Lab kid writers will also be an instrumental part of the upcoming Orcas Island Lit Festival (www.oilf.org) in April by headlining an open mic event for kids and producing literary artwork for display at the library.

The Novel Lab Kids pilot program has been successfully running for 10 months with 11 middle school kids, representing our public middle school, Salmonberry School, The Orcas Christian School and Spring Street School. The island offers great dance, performing arts and sports programs, but there was no writing program for kids. Novel Lab was designed to meet that need and help raise the English Language Arts achievement of kids. The program is free for kids and parents are not required to do so, however, in Orcas Island fashion, they show their gratitude with gifts such as homemade bread, fresh eggs from their own coops, and gift certificates to island cafes. The Orcas Island School District offers their library as free workshop space to the group on Fridays.

“Novel Lab for me is that one small place in my world where I am completely free and anything and everything is possible,” says Kathryn Aspinall.

Novel Lab Kids is led by Ayn and Sam Gailey, co-creators of Novel Lab and critically-acclaimed writers and writing coaches. In addition to the two hours per week, they offer a minimum of three hours of weekly one-on-one time with any kids who want it, quarterly Movie Analysis nights, and writing prompt excursions throughout the island.

“We now have a growing wait list. The Funhouse grant would allow us to keep our original pilot group together, add one more workshop for more kids, summer programming, plus offer pop-up workshops for those who can’t commit to a weekly,” says Sam Gailey. “Our dream is to change the literary landscape on Orcas Island by giving kids and adults opportunities to express themselves and help them shine,” adds Ayn Gailey. “We’re doing that with our Adult Novel Lab workshops and our upcoming partnership with the Orcas Island Lit Festival (www.oilf.org) and we want to continue doing it with our island kids.”

“Everyone is so kind, understanding, and helpful that I feel like I can share a lot more than I used to before I started Novel Lab,” says Isabella Douglas.

The founders confess that not all kids who participate may end up publishing their novel one day, but they are willing to bet that their appreciation for literature, their vocabulary, their confidence, reading comprehension and their college essays are going to outshine many a student because of the years they’ll spend in Novel Lab. In addition to teaching storytelling structure & character development, the Gaileys mentor the kids in improving oral communication skills, using Automatic Negative Thoughts Therapy to increase self-esteem, and teach them how to interact and critique work in a scholarly group setting.

If you have information on grant opportunities or would like to put your child on a waiting list for Novel Lab Kids, please reach out to Maureen Moran at Maureen@thefunhouse.org