Easthampton, MA
Frequently asked questions
What are weekly workshops like?
Our workshop sessions are divided into lessons, writing time, and sharing time.
For students who already know what they want to write, we provide the support to make that happen, whether that’s feedback, encouragement, or even just a quiet space to write.
For students who aren’t sure what to write, we help brainstorm or give tried-and-tested writing prompts (we’ve got hundreds!)
I heard you don’t care about spelling or grammar?!?
It’s true--in our creative writing workshops, we tell students not to worry about spelling and grammar while they’re writing. Stopping to look up every word or adhering to complicated rules can throw off the creative process. Plus, we live in a world with spell-check.
Language is a socially constructed system that is continuously evolving. We rewrite its rules every day, and young people are often a key part of that process.
We know our students have plenty to say, even if they can’t spell all the words or write them in the kind of grammatical English expected in most schools. By removing barriers to writing, we help students build confidence and skills at the same time.
Why are you called the Somehow School?
Emily Dickinson used to write poems on whatever was lying around——scraps of envelopes, or the backs of recipes. Because the pieces of paper were all different shapes, the poems changed to fit their containers.
The experience of writing something impacts the result. If you write a text message when you’re very tired, it might not be super coherent. If you write a story using AI, it might sound like a robot wrote it. If you write a poem in all caps, it might be a louder poem.
Writing by hand is a totally different experience than typing. Typing with a typewriter is a totally different experience than typing on a computer. A computer from 2009 is very different from a computer from 2025.
Somehow, the writing will get written. At Somehow School, we focus on the how.
In the age of AI, why is it important for kids to practice creative writing?
AI has made un-creative writing much easier. A robot can spit out a five-paragraph essay or even write a mediocre novel.
But good writing, the kind of writing you remember, is built on surprise--on combining words in new, exciting ways. Good writing breaks the rules. Good writing is a little strange, just like most people are a little strange. It’s what makes writing (and people) interesting.
An AI, meanwhile, can only imitate what it’s already seen. It can’t think outside the box, or come up with new ideas.
Somehow School helps young writers build the skills AI will never have--to communicate creatively, to think critically, and to imagine a better world.
Why do you use obsolete technology in your classes?
We provide vintage computers and typewriters for students to write with during workshops. Using outdated machines provides a sense of novelty while also limiting distractions; you can’t browse the internet on them. This practice also helps prevent e-waste and encourages students to think sustainably about technology.
Why are you called the Somehow School?
“Related somehow they may be,
The sedge stands near the sea –”
-Emily Dickinson
Emily Dickinson used to write poems on the backs of recipes while she was baking. Because of the container Dickinson put them in, these poems feel almost recipe-like—short and precise.
The experience of writing something impacts the result. If you write a text message when you’re very tired, it might not be super coherent. If you write a story using AI, it might sound like a robot wrote it. If you write a poem in all caps, it might be a louder poem.
Writing by hand is a totally different experience than typing. Typing with a typewriter is a totally different experience than typing on a computer. A computer from 2009 is very different from a computer from 2025.
Somehow, the writing will get written. At Somehow School, we focus on the how.