Story Studio Writing Society

What Story Studio Writing Society does

Story Studio Writing Society is a registered Canadian charity (Charitable #807121504RR0001) founded in 2011 and headquartered in Victoria, British Columbia, that delivers creative writing programs to youth ages 0-18. Since founding, the organization has worked with over 12,000 young writers through in-person workshops delivered primarily in southern Vancouver Island schools (School Districts 61, 62, and 63) and through online programs accessible nationally. Each year, approximately 1,500 youth-authored books and anthologies are produced through the workshops. The organization is led by Executive Director Sean Rodman, with founder Paisley Aiken serving on the board, and operates with a small staff of an Executive Director, Communications Coordinator/Instructor, and multiple Program Facilitators.

The product portfolio is organized by age and delivery format. Early-years offerings include StoryBox (tactile storytelling kits for preschoolers) and Story Sprouts (drop-in workshops for ages 0-3 with caregivers). Elementary and teen programs include the in-person Story Maker workshops (K-8), Story Sparks single classroom sessions, and School-Wide Writing Residencies, plus summer offerings such as Emerging Young Writers Camp ($390), Summer Comic Camp ($350), and the online Summer Writing Studio ($190-$195) and Laugh Lab ($275). Teen-focused online offerings include the free Guild of Young Writers community and Write Outside the Lines ($200). All programs use the proprietary StorySheets methodology—a structured worksheet system that guides young writers from idea gathering to polished prose—and most culminate in published anthologies or individual books. Digital resources (Story Kit, Educators' Bundle, StorySheets Full Set, and a free Sampler) are sold via an e-commerce storefront, and one-on-one tutoring is offered at $120 for four sessions. Operations rely on Google Classroom for the Guild community and Zoom for online program delivery; no AI/ML capability, public API, or proprietary platform is disclosed.

Revenue is generated through a mixed charity model. The largest stream is donations and charitable contributions from individual donors, corporate sponsors (e.g., Island Savings), foundations (Victoria Foundation, Michael O'Brian Family Foundation, MakeWay Hummingbird Fund, JTMH Family Foundation, Oak Bay Rotary), and provincial government grants from the Province of British Columbia. Program fees, digital product sales, tutoring revenue, and ticketed fundraising events (e.g., Music Bingo at $32/ticket) provide supplemental income. Many programs are offered free or at subsidized rates through donor-supported bursaries. Go-to-market is community- and event-led, leveraging direct school partnerships (20-30 teachers/classes annually), free monthly writing contests, author events with literary figures (Esi Edugyan, Michael Christie, Kenneth Oppel), and partnerships with festivals such as the Victoria Festival of Authors. The organization has earned the 2020 Council of the Federation Literacy Award from the Province of British Columbia and the 2021 B.C. Principals' & Vice-Principals' Association (BCPVPA) Partnership Award.

Name

Story Studio Writing Society

Legal name

Story Studio Writing Society

Website

https://storystudio.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Story Studio Writing Society is a Victoria-based registered Canadian charity founded in 2011 that delivers creative writing programs for youth ages 0-18 through in-person school workshops across southern Vancouver Island, free and paid online programs nationally, and a proprietary StorySheets methodology sold as digital resources. Funding comes from donations, foundation grants, program fees, and tutoring revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Creative Writing Education

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161), Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (7115), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Children’s & YA Writing Workshops (EDAMAMAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Writing Skills & Composition Enrichment (EDAMAJAC), Writing Craft & Technique Workshops (Voice, Structure, Character, Style) (EDAMAMAH), Literary Arts & Writing Organizations (BPAGAHAK), Writing, Journalism & Publishing Camps (EDAMALAM), Writing Critique Groups & Peer Workshops (EDAMAMAJ)

Keywords

• Youth creative writing
• Writing workshops
• Literacy education
• Youth education services
• Creative writing programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Victoria

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Primary revenue stream through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and foundation grants. Donations fund program bursaries, workshop supplies, and book-publishing materials for under-resourced children.
2. Educational Resource Sales: Sale of digital products including Story Kit ($20), Educators' Bundle ($20), and StorySheets Full Set ($5). All proceeds directly support youth programming.
3. Program Fees: Fees for various programs including Summer Writing Studio ($190-195), Write Outside the Lines ($200), Summer Comic Camp ($350), and Laugh Lab ($275). Financial support/bursaries available for those who cannot pay.
4. Tutoring Services: One-on-one Story Coaching sessions at $120 for 4 one-hour sessions for children and youth ages 5-17.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Story Studio Writing Society is a registered Canadian charity that delivers in-person and online creative writing programs for youth ages 0-18, including school workshops, summer camps, online teen communities, writing contests, and tutoring. The organization uses its proprietary StorySheets methodology to guide young writers through structured creative writing, with programs culminating in published anthologies and books. All programs are offered free or at subsidized rates through donor support, with additional revenue from digital educational resources sold through the website shop.

Product overview

Story Studio Writing Society offers a comprehensive suite of creative writing programs for youth, organized by delivery format and age group. The core programming includes in-person workshop offerings (Story Maker school workshops, Story Sparks single sessions, School-Wide Writing Residencies, Summer Camps, and StoryBox/Story Sprouts early childhood programs) and online programs (Guild of Young Writers, Write Outside the Lines, Summer Writing Studio, and Laugh Lab). A monthly writing contest and annual Words Without Walls national contest provide competitive opportunities. All programs culminate in published anthologies or books, giving young authors tangible proof of their work. The product portfolio also includes supplementary digital resources sold through the Shop: the Educators' Bundle, Story Kit, and StorySheets worksheets for use at home or in classrooms. The company operates as a charity model with most programs offered free or at subsidized rates, supported by donations and partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Guild of Young Writers: A growing online community for teen writers aged 12-17, featuring monthly workshops, writer's room access, and publication opportunities.
• Summer Writing Studio
• Story Maker
• StoryBox
• Story Sprouts
• Verse and Voice

Products and services

• Story Maker (Grades K-8) In-person workshop program where professional instructors work with K-8 students to develop narrative skills and create their own stories, published as picture books (younger grades) or anthologies (older grades). Each student receives bound copies of their published work.
• Guild of Young Writers Online community for teen writers aged 12-17 featuring monthly writing workshops, access to a Google Classroom Writer's Room, blue pencil sessions with author mentors, and publication opportunities in annual zines and online showcases. Free program for youth across Canada.
• Summer Writing Studio Four-week online writing program for youth ages 12-17 featuring live virtual workshops, guest author sessions, peer feedback, and publication in a collaborative anthology. Includes weekly Writer's Cafe sessions and individual mentorship.
• Emerging Young Writers Camp In-person week-long summer camp for ages 8-12 at St. Margaret's School in Victoria, BC. Combines storytelling workshops with games, outdoor activities, and arts and crafts, culminating in a professional class anthology publication.
• Summer Comic Camp Two-week in-person program teaching comic storytelling including thumbnails, layouts, inking, and watercolor techniques for ages 12-17. Students complete their own comics published as final copies.
• Laugh Lab Four-week online comedy writing class teaching humor techniques including comedic character, humorous situations, hyperbole, and rule of three. Students create and publish a humor anthology.
• Write Outside the Lines Online after-school creative writing program for teen writers ages 12-15. Four-week sessions via Zoom with creative exercises, writing time, and personalized feedback, culminating in an online showcase.
• Verse and Voice Multi-week in-person poetry and performance workshop for high-school-aged writers in Greater Victoria. Partnership with Victoria Poetry Project, culminating in performance at Victorious Voices poetry slam and publication in a chapbook.
• Monthly Writing Contests Free monthly creative writing contests for youth ages 5-18 across Canada with themed prompts, prizes, and anthology publication for winners.
• Words Without Walls National writing contest for youth ages 12-18 on the theme of intellectual freedom and the freedom to read, run in partnership with Canadian Authors and Illustrators Against Book Bans (CAIABB).
• One-on-One Story Coaching (Tutoring) Four-session personalized tutoring program for children ages 5-17 focused on literacy development through storytelling activities, customized to individual needs from story structure to descriptive language.
• StoryBox Free lending program of tactile storytelling kits for preschool/kindergarten children in Victoria, BC. Each kit contains 12-15 curated objects, an Early Learning Guide, and activity pages, with an orientation session included.
• Story Sprouts Free drop-in workshops for toddlers ages 0-3 and caregivers featuring interactive storytime, sensory play, and music activities to encourage early reading and writing skills.
• Story Sparks Single-session dynamic classroom workshop for K-6 students (up to 30 participants) designed to ignite imagination and build storytelling confidence with curriculum-aligned creative exercises.
• School-Wide Writing Residencies Multi-day immersive in-school programs (Together Tales collaborative track or Independent Ink individual track) that transform entire classrooms into publishing houses, producing professionally printed books for all students.
• Story Studio Educators' Bundle (Digital) 60-page downloadable PDF educator's guide containing lesson plans aligned to British Columbia curriculum, 12 reproducible StorySheets worksheets, and a sample student story.
• Story Kit (Digital) Downloadable creative writing guide for young writers grades 2-6 and their grown-ups, including printable StorySheets and a step-by-step Grown-Up Guide to help create imaginative stories from scratch.
• StorySheets Full Set (Digital Download) Downloadable PDF containing 13 pages of core worksheets designed to help emerging writers with advice from gathering ideas to polishing prose.
• StorySheets Sampler (Free Digital Download) Free downloadable introduction to StorySheet worksheets with 2 worksheets and an introduction to the StorySheets system for emerging writers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Significant increases in writing confidence and reductions in school-work anxiety among participants (University of Victoria study, 2024-2026)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Island SavingscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor for 'Community of Stories' fundraising event featuring Esi Edugyan and Michael Christie.
• FriesenssupportingOthersIn-kind printing support for youth-authored publications and anthologies.
• Victoria Child Care Resource & ReferralcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosting partner providing shared office space at 2001A Douglas Street. Partnership for Story Sprouts early childhood programming and StoryBox kit support.
• Victoria Literacy ConnectioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partnership supporting Noisy Kids afterschool reading program.
• Victoria Poetry ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram partnership for Verse and Voice poetry workshop series. Participants gain access to Guild of Young Writers online community and Victorious Voices poetry slam.
• Artemis PlacesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner for whom Story Studio creates anthologies of writing.
• Pacific School of Innovation and InquirysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue for in-person monthly workshops as part of the Verse and Voice program.
• NeighbourspacesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity venue for Verse and Voice workshop sessions at 708 Douglas Street.
• KWENCH Coworking & Culture ClubsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvent venue for 'Community of Stories' author event and Young Writers Day activities.
• St. Margaret's SchoolsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for Emerging Young Writers summer camp (ages 8-12) at St. Margaret's School, Victoria.
• Christ Church Cathedral SchoolsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for Summer Comic Camp for ages 12-17.
• Canadian Authors and Illustrators Against Book Bans (CAIABB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for 'Words Without Walls' national writing contest on intellectual freedom, responding to 2024-2025 book challenge surge.
• Orca Book PublisherssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerContest sponsor providing prizes for monthly writing contests for youth ages 5-13.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• National Writing Project: US network of university-based writing programs focused on teacher professional development and youth writing instruction; broadly serves the same educator/curriculum space but at much larger scale.

Direct peers

• The Telling Room: Portland, Maine nonprofit that runs youth creative writing programs and publishes youth-authored books and anthologies. Closely mirrors Story Studio's workshop-plus-publishing model for ages ~7-18.
• Writopia Lab: US-based organization offering creative writing workshops, online programs and publishing opportunities for youth and teens, with a published-works outcome model that mirrors Story Studio's anthology publication approach.
• Society of Young Inklings: Bay Area nonprofit providing year-round creative writing mentorship and publishing opportunities for youth, with focus on published-author outcomes comparable to Story Maker's picture-book and anthology model.
• 826 National: Network of youth writing and tutoring nonprofits in the US (826NYC, 826 Valencia, etc.) offering in-school workshops, publishing opportunities, and creative writing programs for K-12 students. Closest direct comparable in mission, delivery model and youth-publishing focus.
• Badgerdog Literary Publishing: Austin-based nonprofit that runs creative writing workshops for K-12 students and publishes youth-authored anthologies, similar in workshop-plus-publication model and youth-literacy focus.
• 826DC / Capitol Letters: Washington DC youth writing nonprofit combining in-school workshops, tutoring and student publishing. Provides another city-level peer with a comparable operating model to Story Studio's SD61/62/63 in-school delivery.

Emerging players

• Highlights Foundation: Nonprofit running writing workshops and retreats for adults and emerging writers including youth-adjacent programming; intersects Story Studio's workshop and craft-instruction space.

Peers

• Frontier College (Canada):

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/storystudiowritingsociety
• Instagraminstagram.com/storystudiowritingsociety
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/story-studio-writing-society

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Story Studio Writing Society