Since it was Mental Health Week, this seems like the perfect time to spotlight campus clubs. They can be a great support, giving a sense of structure, community and a chance to engage with your passions (something that can easily fall to the wayside during times of stress, i.e. university).
One club that I would like to think offers this sense of support and community is the Laurier Creative Writing Society. The club’s weekly meetings give its members the chance to share their writing with the group and receive feedback, and write to themed prompts individually and as a group. Every other week there are workshops that teach about a specific aspect of creative writing (fantasy, screenwriting, plot twists, etc.).
Photo from Laurier Creative Writing Society on Facebook
With all that said, I’m not really the right person to write this article, as the co-founder and co-president of LCWS. I think it would be better for you to hear about the club from some of its general members, so I asked them what they like about LCWS. Here’s what they said (responses are edited for length and clarity):
“I really love the atmosphere of the club! Every week I get to go in and hang out with people who like the same things I do and can talk about the ups and downs of writing and go through each prompt together. Everyone involved is so fun and talented!”
“The thing I enjoy most about the LCWS is the community that has been born in the club. I am able to share my work with a ton of creative, passionate people who all have their own ideas and opinions about the creative process. The key to improving in one’s craft is being able to receive good criticism from a wide range of people, and I believe this club is excellent in delivering that kind of critique for one’s creative writing. I also find the exercises we employ to be very helpful. The activities we do promise that the quality of our first draft doesn’t matter, which has really helped me escape the perfectionist mindset. With the restraints removed, I’m free to write whatever I need to, without having to worry about it being perfect.”
“The community is so overwhelmingly welcoming and constructive, I feel like I am supported no matter how bad my work is, and I always come away knowing where to improve and having the motivation to do so.”
“The environment is always friendly and relaxed. The group members are always encouraging of our work and find ways to provide constructive criticism in an encouraging and helpful way. The club is really fun and has an overall upbeat and happy ambiance. It’s a great place to go to experience community and positivity. Everyone has a great attitude.”
So, there you have it. LCWS is not only a place where you can grow as a writer, it’s a place to find a community of people with similar interests. Plus, we’re lots of fun!