Literary Arts at ARGS

As one of the Focus Areas at ARGS, Literary Arts strives to educate, inform, and delight readers and audiences in local, regional, and national forums. We teach creative writing as both a craft and as an art. Each year we host a Writers’ Festival that brings in published authors from around the nation. 

We are four time winners of the Virginia High School League Creative Writing Championship, and we publish an award-winning literary magazine (ASGARD) as well. In addition, our student work has earned local, regional, and national awards in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards competition.

Mission Statement:

Writing as an art form develops best in community. The Literary Arts courses move sequentially from Creative Writing (where a beginning student learns the writing process, writing craft, and habits of a successful writer) through genre workshops (where students can hone skills in specific areas such as poetry, creative nonfiction, playwriting, or fiction) and through the Senior Project Seminar (where seniors will work on producing a substantial writing portfolio.) Students present their work in local, regional, and national venues.

Our Department Goals:

1. To create a distinct, individual program of Literary Arts that utilizes elements of, but does not merely mimic, English Department core courses.

2. To provide, in conjunction with the English Department, a firm grounding in the literary canon with an attention to the social implications of form and content.

3. To foster an understanding of how culture influences craft; this study includes an exposure to a greater representation of formerly marginalized populations.

4. To promote an understanding and practical application of craft techniques, both traditional and contemporary, so that students are prepared to engage in the contemporary professional literary culture.

5. To provide ample opportunity for public presentation of creative work, including readings, publication, and other activities that increase the visibility of our students and our program.

6. To publish an award-winning, professional quality literary magazine made of student work, in its content, design, and production.

7. To provide students with a supportive, cohesive literary community.

8. To instill an understanding that the most skilled writers are also the most critical and intuitive readers, and to provide ample opportunities for the students to develop and demonstrate these skills.

9. To support all levels of giftedness for students who require or desire advanced work in a literary genre.

10. To complete a portfolio containing revised work from Freshman to Senior year.