Mario Kart is a story. Hunger Games is, too. Kids who don’t love writing might be surprised to learn that the fun stuff, like video games and ’splody, action-packed blockbusters, are stories created by people who took the time to write them.

“Writing is fun” is the message behind upcoming children’s workshops at the Writer’s Block bookshop in Downtown Las Vegas. Beginning in February, the shop will host free, project-based courses, ranging from one-off book-making classes on topics such as French poetry and poetry about cheeseburgers, to longer-term playwriting and filmmaking projects.

“Writing is so necessary to anything you do in life,” says Scott Seeley, who owns the bookstore with his partner Drew Cohen. “Whether you decide to become a writer or not, you need to be able to articulate yourself well.”

Seeley founded 826NYC, a nonprofit dedicated to helping K-12 students improve their writing through in-school and after-school programs, workshops and field trips. Though not related to the 826 National network, the workshops will be similar and will serve the same demographic. Admission will be awarded on a lottery basis to keep classes small, and schedules should be available on thewritersblock.org soon.

In the future, the shop will serve as a meeting space for book clubs and critique groups. Depending on demand, the Writer’s Block could host workshops for adults, too. The main goal is to unite the Valley’s scattered literary groups.

“We want to help create a focal point for the community young and old,” Seeley says, adding “ … hopefully we’ll help gel those communities a little bit and just build it.”