826CHI’s pedagogy—our philosophy of teaching, learning, and working with students—is summarized in the ten tenets of The Code. These principles underlie all of the work we do. We believe that our space and the programs we run here should be:
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You have been briefed and received the highest security clearance—you are now ready to begin your field work. As a secret agent, here’s what you need to know to carry out our mission to inspire Chicago’s youth to write and publish.
It’s really no secret: at 826CHI we love writing and we love the writing process—it’s everything a writer does from the moment you start thinking about a project until the moment you share your final piece with an audience. We infuse the entire process with joy, enthusiasm, and energy, igniting that creative spark to get you past any latent dread or pressure.
Nothing is more intimidating than a blank page. Every great writer has stared blankly out a cloudy window and struggled with writer’s block, but it doesn’t have to be that way! Gather your best ideas by talking it out, making a list, using a graphic organizer, researching a fascinating topic, or free-writing.
Your idea doesn't have to be perfect. This stage in the process is about GETTING IT DOWN on the page even if it's messy or imperfect. Trust the process—there will be time to revise later!
It can feel big and scary to ask yourself how you can make your writing even better. Take a deep breath. Revision is a process of strengthening your ideas; adding to or changing the structure of your first draft. Almost all writers complete multiple drafts during the revision process. As you receive feedback, your confidence builds and your vision sharpens into focus.
Editing gets a bad rap, doesn’t it? It can feel nitpicky to focus on grammatical errors or structural conundrums. We think it’s important to make the words appear exactly as you mean it. Think of editing as an exercise in audience perception. In addition to clarifying the voice and tone of your writing, editing heightens the impact of your story.
Congrats, you’ve finished your piece! Now it’s time to share and celebrate it. Believe that the world will be better with your writing in it. Publishing your work is the ultimate way to complete the writing cycle. Once we’ve celebrated your chapbook, blog, or performance, it’s back to pre-writing for your next masterpiece.
