We caught up with Caitlyn Ng Man Chuen & Hannah Polinski, Co-Founders of Indie Ryeters to discuss the group’s formation, their inspiration, and information about their first launch.
- Name: Caitlyn Ng Man Chuen
- Program: English
- Year: Fourth
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- Name: Hannah Polinski
- Program: English
- Year: Four
What is Indie Ryeters?
HP: The Indie Ryeters is a creative writing circle. Our goal is to create a community of writers where we are comfortable with sharing our work and giving each other constructive feedback, which we do at meetings held once a week.
CNMC: Indie Ryeters is a writing circle that we started this year. It consists of other English students primarily who take up creative writing in their spare time. We wanted to create a space where we could share our work and get constructive feedback from each other, as well as encouragement.
What type of work does the group accept?
HP: We accept any type of creative writing! Just not essays for school because we’ve had enough of that.
CNMC: We accept anything really. Our only rule is that you don’t bring in your essays for class. Personally, I always bring in excerpts of fiction, whereas others will bring in poetry, and one member even brings in excerpts of fanfiction.
How can people get involved?
HP: We meet once a week to share our writing and give each other feedback, which anyone is welcome to join! If you are interested in joining, you can look up “The Indie Ryeters” on Facebook. We’re hoping to continue throughout the summer, as well as start up a new writing meeting too where we can write together, undistracted, for an hour or two a week.
CNMC: We currently have a Facebook group that we use to communicate with everyone, so people can find the group and come to our activities! We’re planning on continuing to do things during the spring and summer, so I really hope that more people come out.
Indie Ryeters is releasing its first Spring issue, what did the selection process look like? (ie. selecting pieces for the publication)
HP: For our publication, winter., we went through all the submissions and chose pieces that stuck with us. I’m personally interested in writing that challenges traditional form and narrative structure, so when going through submissions I was looking for pieces that pushed boundaries.
CNMC: We worked with the White Wall Review two summers ago so we both have had experience on an editorial team. We used those experiences to shape our selection process. We went through each piece individually then came together to discuss the ones that we wanted in the issue. A lot of our must-haves were the same so it wasn’t a difficult process at all.
We heard Indie Ryeters is hosting a launch party, any details?
CNMC: We are hosting our launch at Page One, which is just off campus, on Tuesday, April 11th from 7pm to 9pm.
What can we expect at the event?
HP: You can expect to be hanging out with some cool artists at a hip cafe!! We’ll be selling copies of our print publication for the low price of only $3. There will also be free food and a cash bar available so be sure to mark this down in your agenda!
CNMC: We’re going to be having free food there so come by and eat! It’s very informal. A lot of the contributors to our publication are going to be there, so you can grab a copy of it, browse through it and talk to some of the writers and artists.
Image: Hannah Polinski
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What piece of advice would you give to incoming/current Ryerson students?
HP: Everyone always says it, but seriously get involved! My time at Ryerson would not have been as fulfilling as it was if not for the communities I got involved with. If you get to Ryerson and you don’t find a group or community you fit in, don’t be afraid to start your own!
CNMC: The first thing would be to start building relationships with your professors. It’s really important and it really will make your school life much better. Once you form those relationships, they’ll really try to help you when you need help and they’re just great to talk to about things like grad school, jobs, and internships. It’s a little intimidating when you’re coming out of high school, but I would really encourage it!
Do you have any plans after graduation?
HP: I surprisingly do have a plan, which is to teach English in South Korea for at least a year (emphasis on the at least).
CNMC: The immediate plan is to spend at least a year teaching English abroad and then to travel for a while after. Eventually, I want to pursue postgraduate studies but I’m in no rush for that.
Image: Caitlyn Ng Man Chuen
What has been the best part of your undergraduate career so far?
HP: In my third year I went on exchange to Paris, where I had the time of my life eating croissants and embarrassing myself in French. If you get the chance to study abroad, I’d highly recommend it!
CNMC: I was recently one of the speakers at ARTeries, which is Ryerson’s undergraduate arts conference. It was a great opportunity for me and it was just really great having people so eager and willing to hear what I had to say. I really encourage everyone to go to a few presentations or apply themselves!
What’s your favourite comfort food?
HP: Tacos. Followed up by churros preferably.
CNMC: It would probably have to be lumpia, which is a Filipino spring roll usually filled with meat. I remember watching my grandmother take out the deep fryer and make hundreds of these for family parties so it just reminds me of family.
Tell us your cheesiest joke:
HP: How did the hipster burn his tongue? He drank his coffee before it was cool.
CNMC: What time do you go to the dentist? Tooth hurty