Putnam City North provides a wide range of clubs and afterschool programs in which to partake. One of these activities is the Creative Writing club, led by English teacher Daniel Young. Creative Writing Club is a chill and entertaining collective that allows you to hone your writing prowess as well as building camaraderie and forming friendships. It provides a safe space to write, and an opportunity to share your passion of writing with like-minded individuals.
It’s not all that strict, either——the Creative Writing Club provides a silly, carefree environment, and you are free to enjoy speaking with the other club members, as long as nobody is presenting their work at that moment. While it is intended for writing, it’s not all professional or sophisticated, allowing you and the other members to ease up and enjoy the experience. When I say you don’t have to be so professional, I mean it; some of the members even spend the first few minutes drawing the feline mascot of the club!
The lack of professionalism might not appeal to you, but rest assured, no one is pressured to stop their writing. ”I do wish some people would write more, because there are some people who don’t write as much in there. It kind of defeats the purpose of a writing club,” sophomore club member Abby Parker said.
The process of how the Creative Writing Club functions is simple. Once you come in after the seventh period on Thursdays, you will sit down in one of the desk chairs and wait as the director and co-director reveal the writing prompt and challenge for the day. The prompt is usually a short phrase that the writer can interpret however they wish, and the challenge is just a fun way to branch out in your writing style. You don’t have to write according to them; it is merely a simple, optional guideline to give you ideas and challenge yourself if you wish. And you don’t need to stick to a certain genre; everyone writes differently! ”I really like writing horror and darker, more gothic stories. I feel like it’s so beautiful,” Parker said. “You can’t use the same words as other genres, and it’s just so beautiful to explore the darker sides of humanity in writing.”
After several minutes of writing time, the floor is opened for anyone who wishes to share their story. Sharing is optional, and not everyone does it, so don’t feel pressured to speak if you don’t want to. When someone else is presenting, you can either listen or quietly complete your own story. After all who have wanted to have shared, the club relaxes and chats for the few remaining minutes until the meeting is dismissed at 4:30. ”I mainly like hanging out with my friends and hearing everyone’s stories. Everyone is so good at writing, and it’s so cool to get a peek into people’s minds and how they work,” says Abby Parker.
The people in the club are very friendly and welcoming to anyone who joins. Most of the club members are close friends, so there’s almost always some chatter going on. Don’t be afraid of judgment for your writing, either; all the club members are super nice and encouraging. We all support each other, so no need to worry about the others not liking your stories!
”I think my favorite thing about the club is how supportive everyone is,” teacher and club director Daniel Young said. “Sharing your stories can be a scary experience, so I’m glad everyone is so kind to each other.”
I hope you’re now considering joining the Creative Writing Club, or if you already were that you’ve decided to join. The club is a super fun experience that promotes creativity and encourages writing for the sake of fun. The process is simple and the people are wonderful to be around, so why not give it a try? ”If I could change anything, I wish we had more time for creative writing in English class. I wish it could be more on the curriculum, instead of just an after-school activity,” Young said.
