In a room full of windows, the members of the Creative Writer’s Club (CWC) meet to nurture their passion for writing as they see the campus peering back. However, just looking at the sky, they can see the limit of their ideas.

The CWC is about six years old, and through the leadership of senior English writing major Grace Mott, the club president, it is a place where members can creatively write and present their work. The club meets once a week in Harden Hall on campus in room 311 for one hour. 

That might seem like a minimal time to work with, but with such a small group, ideas are presented rapidly. Some examples of the writings presented include short stories, poems and even novels. Character development is also a big factor from the group, and the positive outlook is what gives everyone the true desire to present. 

“I think it’s a good way to express yourself without necessarily saying, ‘I’m doing this, this is me going through it,’” Mott said. “You can say, ‘this character is going through this’, and if that character needs help getting to somewhere, then we help that character get to somewhere and give ideas and stuff like that.”

Each member serves as motivation for the others to get over their nerves and share work that ends up being good. Mott had her struggles at first too, because she thought her work couldn’t match up to the others’. Although prompts are passed around, it isn’t required to have anything to share. Overall, it adds up to how this group has become so close and how this club’s writing has been so successful, Mott said.

“Sometimes I come and read my writing, sometimes I don’t,” sophomore general studies major Samantha Wright said. “I’m just living life.”

Another part of Mott’s role in being president is making sure everyone else is writing well, and the other members are comfortable around each other. Wright said that being in CWC has installed confidence in her writing.

“I feel like [the club] pushes me to write more, because I have great ideas, and when I share them, I can bounce it off of them,” Wright said.

Senior forensic biochemistry major Darian Sabisch is second-in-command as club treasurer, and when he talks about the club, fun is the one word that he can’t help but bring up.

“It’s just fun and we give each other a lot of good, creative criticism,” Sabisch said. “Even for someone that doesn’t actually like writing but just likes listening to short stories, it’s not being a critic but an editor.”

The openness of the club creates a comfortable atmosphere that gives each member the best chance to succeed. Conversations go beyond writing during the late evening meetings­­—nothing is off limits.

“We are very close, we’ve had times where it’s just a talking session,” Mott said. “Where we vent if we need to, where we talk about how classes are going, how our social lives are going or anything of the sort.”

The club sees as many as eight members each week at meetings depending on the day, and in their own unique ways, they’ve discovered the CWC. 

Through all of the laughter and different themes of conversation, the atmosphere of these meetings are lively and resemble a family. Through thick and thin, these members stay connected through the power of their pencils, and the power of true friendship. 

“I really like the environment and everyone here is super nice and friendly,” Wright said. “I feel like I can really be myself, which I really enjoy.”

The group holds meetings every Thursday from 7 to 8 p.m. For more information, search for the CWC on the NMU student organization website, or e-mail them at [email protected].