When you sit down and write, what thoughts run through your mind? Are you lost in the world you’re creating, or do you start to contemplate life itself? Sophomores Josiah Bright and Rebecca Johnson enjoy writing fiction and love to see what others enjoy writing about as well. With a little push from their parents, they created a club for creative minds to share projects and experiences: The Fiction Writing Club.
“I know there [are] writers who tend to be introverted. I want to meet them and see what they’re working on,” Bright said. “But that’s not gonna happen on its own.”
Wanting to interact with more writers, Bright’s main reason for starting the club was to be able to talk to other writers and learn what they’re interested in and what they are writing about.
Much the opposite, Johnson’s main reason for starting the club was her parents. They wanted her to join a club, making it a major factor in her decision. “[Mostly] parents pestering about clubs,” Johnson said.
Another motivator was the lack of writing clubs already present in school.
“And there is no writing club here, and we thought it was stupid.” said Johnson. Out of all of the listed clubs on the WAHS website, the Fiction Writing Club is the only writing club.
Sophomore Avin Hayes, an active club member, found the club to be a way for a previous hobby of his to resurface.
“When I heard some of my friends were going to [start] a writing club, I thought, ‘I should join and force myself back into writing,’ and it has worked,” Hayes said.
“I used to write a lot more, [but] I kind of fell out of it.” Since his time in the club, he has expanded his writing skills, as well as his social skills.
“I got some new ideas for writing [and] I have met a few new people who come here, which is nice.”
“We design it to be something where people can meet a goal and get advice from each other,” Bright said. “[Because] we’re not gonna be able to give full advice to everyone.”
Bright and Johnson deliberately constructed the club schedule to allow time for multiple things. This way, members can be focused for part of the meeting and can socialize for the rest. This includes sharing work and progress, giving advice and constructive criticism, and chatting about whatever they think of.
Meetings for the Fiction Writing Club are held most commonly on Wednesdays, or at times of convenience for all parties involved. They are regularly scheduled from after school for 45-60 minutes in the library.
In the Fiction Writing Club, members work on projects during writing time. “We do 30 minutes of writing time essentially, where everyone can work on their projects. It can be any form of fiction writing: short form, long form, any genre,” Bright said.
Bright and Johnson both focus their writing on the fantasy genre.
“Pretty much everyone has some kind of long term project they are working on at the moment,” said Johnson.
“We usually mess around on the white board first, then at three, we sit down and write for half an hour,” said Hayes. “[We’re] silent, occasionally talking.”
“I hope that when we leave, there will be people who enjoy it enough to keep it going [and] create its own little community,” Bright said. Regarding the future of the club, both Bright and Johnson wish for it to continue after they graduate.
“[It’s just] like a community of writers,” said Johnson.
Advice For Writing Your Novel
“Don’t be afraid to abandon a project that isn’t working. Sometimes you put a lot of work into something that peters out, and that’s okay.”
“Don’t be afraid to change your plans. Even if the idea is the main plot of your novel, it’s okay to change it as you write and your ideas develop.”
“In writing, the process only matters to one person, you. If you want to write with friends, sure. Use AI for feedback, go ahead. It’s a good idea to keep certain rules in mind. But that’s all they are, ‘good ideas,’ and they may or may not apply to your situation.”
