Intimate, Emotional, And Academic: A Look Into Columbia's Introductory Creative Writing Workshops

Upper West Side NY

03 November, 2021

12:33 PM

Description

Columbia Daily Spectator BY KAROLINA NIXON AND JESSICA BLATT NOVEMBER 2, 2021 Provocative storytelling, heartfelt commentary, moments of sensitivity, and genuine laughter—the atmosphere of an introductory creative writing workshop feels almost too congenial for a Columbia classroom. Designed for students with little or no experience writing literary texts, introductory creative writing classes like Beginning Fiction Workshop and Beginning Nonfiction Workshop provide students with a safe space to share their work and grow as writers. The supportive structure of these workshops combined with the diversity of experiences that students bring creates an intimate atmosphere that encourages emotional vulnerability and interpersonal connection. Columbia's introductory creative writing classes are specifically structured to foster an intimate, supportive environment, both in terms of course organization and physical layout. According to the course descriptions of Beginning Fiction Workshop and Beginning Nonfiction Workshop, after being introduced to "a range of technical and imaginative concerns through exercises and discussions," students are encouraged to draw from their experiences to write original pieces that are critically analyzed—or "workshopped"—during class time. "With that kind of vulnerability, there has to be a base of safety [and] security," Dylan Messner, GS '24, said after sharing his short story, "Candy," during his first peer review session in his Beginning Fiction Workshop. In addition to exchanging critique during in-class workshops, each author receives individually written feedback from every member of the class, which Kyle Rhoads, GS '24, said contributes to the supportive social environment of his Beginning Fiction Workshop. These classes have an implicit expectation of confidentiality, which is necessary to maintain the classrooms' intimate and safe space—as the nature of students' work can be personal and sensitive. "It's very much 'what happens in the class stays in the class,'" Megan McGregor, CC '24, a creative writing and art history major taking Beginning Nonfiction Workshop, said. McGregor also noted that part of her workshop's intimate atmosphere comes from the small class size—typically no more than 15 people—which makes students feel more comfortable sharing. "In a smaller setting, it's easier to get your emotions out there and feel like you're not being as vulnerable to as many people," McGregor said. Rhoads described how the small setting of his class helps facilitate discussions during the workshop. "It's very closed-in. You're not 12 rows behind, yelling your advice for somebody. … There's a real positive energy there." Far from only attracting creative writing majors, introductory creative writing classes draw students from all departments, many of whom are hoping to explore a personal passion or just try something new. One such student is Violet Hott, CC '22, a psychology major who enrolled in Beginning Nonfiction Workshop to challenge herself and tap into her creativity. The diverse student makeup of introductory creative writing classes, when it comes to major, personal background, and undergraduate college, adds additional layers of depth to class discussions and the quality of feedback. "It's exciting to see so many different demographics," Rhoads said. "You're having a mixture of not just ideas but of life experiences … that I also think can help all these writers be better creators and better wordsmiths." While operating within a traditionally academic setting, introductory creative writing classes also hold space for the innately emotional and personal nature of creative writing. "It's … leaning into the fundamentally complex nature of being a human being," Messner said of the creative writing process. Going into her first creative writing class, Hott anticipated that it could be a potentially awkward or frightening experience to share her writing with her peers. Yet despite her initial reservations, Hott said her professor has facilitated an environment that is both validating of readers' responses to a piece and supportive of the writer's own journey. Among the myriad of English and University Writing courses at Columbia, introductory creative writing courses also distinguish themselves as spaces that allow for unbridled emotional intensity. McGregor described an increase in profanity and passionate language in her creative writing classes compared to other Columbia courses she has taken, something she attributed to the non-judgmental nature of the class. She identified a general leniency toward grading as another factor that creates less competition and judgment in the classroom, which can allow for greater creative exploration. Rhoads described how his creative writing class differs from other college classes by giving him the creative license to write about whatever he wants as well as a space to make mistakes and celebrate accomplishments. The result is a class culture in which peers are mutually invested in each others' success. And while the classroom space remains an intimate one, the impacts of these classes extend beyond the classrooms' four walls. "The world is better with more writers in it," Rhoads said. These writers agree. Staff writer Karolina Nixon can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @karolina_nixon. Staff writer Jessica Blatt can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @blatt_jessica. Founded in 1877, the Columbia Daily Spectator is the independent undergraduate newspaper of Columbia University, serving thousands of readers in Morningside Heights, West Harlem, and beyond. Read more at columbiaspectator.com and donate here.