On November 30th, The Hillsboro High School Creative Writing Club attended the UW-Whitewater Creative Writing Festival. This event, held annually, offers a unique platform for aspiring young writers to connect, learn, and grow.
Erik Larson, author of eight books, six of which are New York Times bestsellers, including The Devil in the White City, was the keynote speaker. Young writers were inspired by Larson's lecture on craft.
Beyond the keynote address, the festival offered a variety of opportunities for the students to expand their horizons. Immersed in a vibrant community of their peers from across the Midwest, they were exposed to a diverse range of writing styles, genres, and perspectives. This exposure, coupled with the chance to hear their work discussed and evaluated by professional writers, facilitated a deeper understanding of the writing process and offered constructive feedback to hone their skills.
The festival environment offered a glimpse into potential futures for these aspiring writers. The workshops, panel discussions, and networking opportunities provided them with a valuable taste of the academic and professional writing world.
For the Hillsboro High School Creative Writing Club, the UW-Whitewater Festival provided a renewed sense of purpose, and new knowledge and confidence to pursue their passion for writing.