Jonathan Auxier Hosts Writing Workshop at Ellis
New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Auxier visited The Ellis School to host a writing workshop for Middle School students as part of a collaboration between the Ellis English department and the Children’s Literature program at the University of Pittsburgh. A self-described “author of strange stories for strange children,” Auxier is best known for his children’s books Peter Nimble and his Fantastic Eyes and The Night Gardener.
Auxier began his day at Ellis with a working lunch where he was interviewed by Upper School students Isabelle Hammer, Class of 2019, and Lucia Snyderman, Class of 2019, for their Ellisian Times podcast, and Middle School students Emma Gardner, Class of 2023, and Livia Light, Class of 2024, for the Tiger Ink newspaper. Responding to questions ranging in topic from the first story he ever wrote to combating writer’s block, Auxier provided thoughtful answers and unique insight into his path of becoming a published children’s author.
Following the interviews, Auxier headed to the Middle School to host two creative writing workshops on unlocking stories through the power of structure. Students from the University of Pittsburgh observed the workshop as part of their Children in Pittsburgh class, which is designed to get students involved in the local community via institutions that foster children’s knowledge.
With great humor and animation, Auxier walked students through the general guidelines of storytelling and explained how writers should always structure their work into three acts, regardless of what the plot entails. He stressed the importance of having a blueprint—a beginning, middle, and end—and encouraged students to use these steps to draft and write their own creative stories.
Upper School English Teacher and Department Chair Dr. Anna Redcay facilitated the sessions for Middle School students after Auxier first came to Ellis for an assembly in the fall. “As English teachers at Ellis, we want always to emphasize the very alive nature of literature and writing: while study of foundational texts in literature remains central to our curriculum, we are also committed to the appreciation of contemporary developments in the field. Exposing students to local published authors such as Jonathan is one way to awaken them to the vibrant community of creative writers in Pittsburgh today. We hope, too, that through Jonathan’s accessibility and openness about the harder aspects of being a writer that students will see their own successes and struggles with writing as par for the course!”
Auxier’s writing workshop for Middle School girls challenged students to take their storytelling skills to the next level and empowered them with the information to do so. At Ellis, we know girls learn best when their learning is experiential and relevant, and Auxier’s enthusiastic, hands-on workshop provided such an outlet. He fused creative writing and story structure with pop-culture references, relatable examples, and interactive discussion so students could learn the information in a fun and memorable way.
Through the collaboration between the Ellis English department and the Children’s Literature program at the University of Pittsburgh, the workshop exposed students to a professional, published author while supporting their studies and interest in creative writing. At Ellis, faculty members actively pursue and leverage local partnerships like this to take advantage of the breadth of learning opportunities and local talent within city limits. As Ellis prepares, empowers, and inspires the next generation of journalists and authors, experiences like this are invaluable to students as they discover and unlock their potential.
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