In an effort to share ideas, talk about writing and encourage young writers, Arkansas State University will soon be welcoming a new edition to its extracurricular activities: the Creative Writing Club.

Ryan Carr, a first-year theater major from Bono, Arkansas, is starting the club with help from Andrew Gadberry, an instructor of English and club sponsor. 

Carr said this club will be a space for students to share any creative ideas they have, to talk about books and possibly go on trips to the movie theater or book store. 

“It will be an open and free space,” Carr said. “There will be no drama.” 

Gadberry said the creative writing club will be completely student run and democratic. 

“It’s a place to come together with other creative writers. Having community as writers and artists in general is extremely important. Now they can support one another, they can critique one another’s work, and just be there because being an artist is very challenging, not just technically but also emotionally,” Gadberry said. 

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Khem Aryal, an associate professor of English, said clubs like this are beneficial to beginning creative writers and an important part of what students should be doing as writers.

“In some cases they organize events and readings. That’s wonderful. And sometimes they’ve organized writing workshops, commending each other’s work that’s always helpful. That also encourages new students to come to the fold, which is, of course, exciting,” Aryal said. 

Adrienne Alls, a first-year English major from Paragould, Arkansas, is a member of the creative writing club. 

“I really hope that we can encourage each other to write and motivate each other. That’s one problem that I’ve always had, motivation. So I’m really hoping that we can feed off of each other’s ideas and motivate each other to keep going,” Alls said. 

Alls said she’s in Aryal’s creative writing course and found out about the club from an email he sent to his students about it. 

“I would just encourage our students, not just those who are taking creative writing classes, all those who are interested in writing and creative work, poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction or plays to get involved,” Aryal said. “It’s a very exciting opportunity for everyone.”
For information on how to get involved with this organization, contact Gadberry at agadberry@astate.edu or Carr at ryan.carr@smail.astate.edu.

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