Led by students and staff of The Telling Room, this workshop invites its participants to answer this question: "If you only had one story to tell about what matters most to you, what would it be?" Start by positing your answer as a statement you could shout from the rooftops, and grow it into a story to share.

THE TELLING ROOM is a nonprofit writing center in Portland, Maine, dedicated to the idea that children and young adults are natural storytellers. Focused on young writers ages 6 to 18, we seek to build confidence, strengthen literacy skills, and provide real audiences for our students. We believe that the power of creative expression can change our communities and prepare our youth for future success.

THE TELLING ROOM is a pioneer in youth publishing, and produces carefully edited, beautifully designed, and locally printed books of our students’ stories, poems, and personal narratives. Currently, we publish between 15-20 titles a year, and more than 30,000 Telling Room books are now in circulation. Since the printing of our first book a decade ago, in 2007, we have published more than 3,000 young authors in 125 anthologies, individual titles, and project “chapbooks," including Maine Literary Award-winner The Story I Want to Tell, and our newest release, by students in the national award-winning Young Writers & Leader's program, A Season for Building Houses.

This event is free and open to the public.

Richard Akera, student and workshop leader, photo by David Melkeljohn