Geneseo’s Creative Writing Club
Geneseo’s Creative Writing Club is a student-led organization focused on workshopping and developing creative writing skills among peers. The club is open to any and all students interested in writing, not just those who are members of the English department. Any aspiring writers or people who take pleasure in writing are encouraged to come to their weekly meetings, where they can receive feedback, tips, and exercise their writing skills with short prompts. The group meets weekly, every Thursday at 7 pm. in Bailey Hall, room 102. Meetings are open to any students who are interested.
Secretary of the club, sophomore English adolescent education major Courtney Duggin, commented: “Even though creative writing is often an English major kind of hobby, we’ve accumulated members from completely different majors and interests across the board.”
Like many student organizations, Creative Writing Club is an environment where people can connect through similar interests, and find a community within their hobbies. Vice President of the club, sophomore English and Psych double major, Alex Gaboury said, “I joined Creative Writing Club my first semester at Geneseo after hearing [so] much about it. My first meeting left me feeling so excited–to write, to be a part of things on campus, and to specifically be a part of Creative Writing Club. [The club] has always provided a safe and welcoming environment where anyone and everyone can share work, feedback, and a love for writing.”
The club’s main purpose is for students to be able to receive feedback and tips on their personal work. Duggin said: “Oftentimes, this is the best place for me to have people look at my work because people are all looking at my pieces and other pieces from completely different perspectives. What some person may find deep and meaningful in one’s writing, someone else may find it confusing. It’s a great way to give the writer multiple perspectives from multiple readers, and for writers to receive all different kinds of feedback to improve upon.”
Workshopping with the feedback of their peers can also boost the confidence of students in their writing, work, and abilities. “I love this club because it’s a great opportunity to share work with my peers. Oftentimes I have pieces that are left to sit in my journals, untouched and unviewed forever. But at Creative Writing Club, I’m encouraged to not only share my pieces with the club, but with other clubs as well, such as the literary magazines across campus, in the community, and more,” Duggin continued.
The club generally spends half of the meeting workshopping and giving feedback on each other’s writing, and the other half of their meetings working on short prompts and exercises. “We try to do events on campus like movie nights, alongside hosting guest speakers like Rose Cat Kahn, the author of a book series called Centernia, meant to give meaningful advice and recommendations to the aspiring writers who come to the club,” club president, sophomore English major Nathaniel D’Amato said.
Gaboury had nothing but good things to say about his fellow club members, and encouraged others to join: “We have absolutely amazing talent [...] our members have incredible imaginations, writings, and in general are just really good people… it’s a safe and open space for anyone to share work, to get feedback, to get hyped up, or any other reasons they may so wish. It makes my Thursdays better, once again leaving me with that same first semester feeling… leaving excited to be a part of something like this.”
Interested students should direct all questions to D’Amato at njd6@geneseo.edu.
Thumbnail Photo courtesy of Lamron Arts and Entertainment Editor Nate D’Amato