Organization aims to create ‘carefree environment’ for students to write
The University of Rhode Island’s Creative Writing Club held its first-ever meeting last Wednesday, Oct. 19, and saw a larger turnout than expected.
According to Nick Farley, a fourth-year English major on the creative writing track and the founder of the club, 12 people attended the meeting, which was enough to fill all of the chairs in the room.
While looking for a way to give back to the school, Farley attempted to be a T.A. for Carolyn Betensky, English professor and department chair. After learning that he was unable to do that due to the small size of the English department, he came up with the idea to start the Creative Writing Club.
The meeting itself, being the first, was a little slow to start as some people arrived later than others and everyone seemed a little shy, but after everyone had arrived, Farley had each member address the rest of the room and give their name, their year and their favorite book genre.
The meeting mostly contained first-year and second-year students, with one fourth-year student also present, according to Farley. By the end of the meeting, the dozen individuals who had wandered into a small cramped conference room were chatting with complete strangers about Harry Potter, Rick Riordan and Colleen Hoover.
The group spent the first half an hour writing off of the prompt: Write about an alternate history where World War Two never ended.
However, attendees were told they were welcome to write about anything they wanted to if they did not find the prompt particularly engaging. They were invited to write any length and style of writing they chose.
Once the half-hour of writing was over, Farley asked if anyone would be willing to share what they wrote. Although no one was willing to share their writing, Farley didn’t let that slow the group’s progress. He asked the group what they might like to do with the club in the future to make it more comfortable or fun.
One first-year student, Emily Lambrecht, suggested for the next meeting that someone writes one sentence and passes the computer or paper to the person next to them, who would then write their own sentence, pass it on and create a story that way.
Another first-year, Peter Card, suggested that as a quasi-homework assignment, each member of the group could write down a prompt and come in with it to the next week’s meeting. And with that assignment being supported by all, the first creative writing workshop came to a close.
Farley said that the club is still a work in progress, and he is open to any suggestions that might make people more interested in writing.
Farley asked the attendees what they were interested in doing with the club and what they hoped to get out of this experience. Some of the goals that the group members said they hoped to achieve included becoming better writers and creating a supportive and judgment-free environment for writers. Besides these though, Farley said he has bigger plans for the new club.
“It’s a networking opportunity for a lot of young writers, you know?” Farley said. “They don’t really get that until late in the game.”
He also hopes to get local authors or editors to come in and talk as well as any guest speakers willing to participate, as this club is the “first straightforward creative writing organization at URI,” Farley said.
“According to all of the professors, this is a pretty new, revolutionary thing,” Farley said. “And I was like, ‘Well, now we definitely have to make it because I can’t be the only person here who feels the exact same way.’ Writing is what I want to do, and it’s really one of those few passions that has never really waned for me.”
This is an organization that has had input and enthusiasm from multiple professors of the English department, including Betensky, Derek Nikitas, associate professor of English, and Peter Covino, another associate professor of English.
“I hope it garners the attention it deserves because I feel like it can be a big success,” Betenskey said. “It’ll be a good place for writers to come together, share their ideas and become better at their craft.”
The Creative Writing Workshop meets in Swan 111 every Wednesday from 4:00 to 5:30. Anyone is welcome to join, regardless of major, year or experience with writing.