“A creative writing club? Wait, we have that?” That’s the reaction I most often get when I talk to fellow students about the Writer’s Block.

The Writer’s Block is a creative writing club designed to give aspiring authors, poets, writers, and other creative people an outlet to publish their work and develop their writing skills. It was started by Louden Ferguson, Mrs. Clayton, and myself, Jacob Muff, at the end of the 2016-2017 school year, and we released our first literary magazine in the fall of 2017.

“So, what’s the point? To write? Don’t I already do that enough in school?”

Well, yes. Writing is one of the points. Emma Matthias, a member of the Writer’s Block, described the club: “[It’s] a collection of students who love to write.” When you write in school, it is often with a restrictive prompt, format, or subject. The Writer’s Block sets writers free to write what they want to write and let their imagination guide their work. One consequence of this freedom is improved writing skills. When a writer is motivated, they write more often and sharpen their skills in new ways. One of the other purposes of the club is to guide students through the editing and publishing process. The works featured in the seasonal publication have been peer edited and formatted in an eye-pleasing way, simulating the process of publishing a professional literary magazine. Mrs. Clayton, the club sponsor, described the club: “Ultimately, the goal is to provide a place for these young writers to see their writing in print, and give them a sense of audience.”

Sound interesting?

The Writer’s Block is always accepting new members! We meet on the first and third Wednesdays of every month in Mrs. Clayton’s room. Even if you’re not interested in joining, you can read our seasonal literary magazine at www.phswritersblock.com.

The winter edition has just been released. You can find it here.