Sydney Davis reports on her experiences at the Iowa Young Writers’ Studio, where she is enrolled in Creative Writing this summer.
“One week into the Iowa Young Writers’ Studio (IYWS), I am thrilled to be here, and I have already learned a lot. The University of Iowa campus is a beautiful and supportive environment. So far, the program has been very rewarding and has given me insight into college life. All my peers at the program genuinely enjoy writing and are very talented. This makes the environment one where I learn from the people around me and meet people who have common interests,” Sydney says.
“Each day at IYWS is full of writing. Every morning we have “stretch,” a set-aside time where all the program’s students do a writer lead writing exercise to warm up for the day. After that, we have seminars and observatories. In the seminars, we discuss different aspects of literature and poetry, and in the observatories, we are taught various ways to use the things around us for inspiration. We have had assignments such as poems and readings to prep for discussions. I read a poem for a seminar titled “The Fish” by Elizabeth Bishop, which I particularly liked because of its simplicity and writing style. The other day, I wrote a poem in the form of a quiz, a form of poetry I have never done before,” Sydney adds.
Afternoons involve workshops, where students critique each other’s work, offering suggestions for improvement. Students also attend a variety of extra-curricular activities.
“In the afternoons, the program has put on several different extra activities. I have listened to successful Iowa Writer’s Workshop alums, and faculty read from their work. One night, the program allowed the campers to attend author readings at the Dey House, the home of the renowned Iowa Writers’ Workshop. In addition, several different talent shows are also planned for later in the program, including students reading their work and other creative performances,” Sydney explains.
During her free time, Sydney has been able to explore downtown Iowa City.
“There is a famous bookstore in Iowa called Prairie Lights that I have had the chance to visit twice in the last week. There is also a literary walk that consists of quotes written on plaques of famous writers connected to Iowa. I walked it last weekend and sent photographs of a couple of my favorites. Along with that, I have been to the pedestrian mall in town, where I have done writing exercises on using action to describe possible emotions of strangers. There is still so much of the area to explore, and I hope to scope out some local coffee shops this next week,” Sydney says.
During her final days at IYWS, Sydney worked on developing a short story, followed by getting together with other students to share and discuss each other’s work.
“The prompt I received was asking an elder for a true story involving them and then converting it into a fictional/creative non-fiction piece. I interviewed my grandfather for the piece and wrote a story titled “300 Cents” about the 1958 Union County Fair in Southern Illinois. I especially enjoyed this project because it encouraged me to work with my grandfather, who also loves writing,” Sydney explains
Sydney also had an opportunity to explore other art forms at the University of Iowa.
“On Saturday, we had “Dunk Tanks”, which are different day-long classes that involved non-writing art forms, including paper making, sewing, and musical production. I took the paper-making class in the factory building next to the dorm where I stayed. In the class, we learned how to make pop-up books and bind books. We also looked around at the printing presses and paper blenders where they blend the fiber with the other ingredients. I have never taken a class like that, and it was an excellent activity to explore,” Sydney says.
“On the final day, we gathered on the roof of a building in town and held a dinner/graduation where each workshop’s instructors introduced the members and gave them certificates for completion of the course. Following that, we had a second open mic and talent show where program students performed songs or excerpts from their work. After the talent show, the program organized a farewell dance,” Sydney adds.
“I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity that Garwin provided and the experience Iowa Young Writers’ Studio has given young writers across the country. I will forever remember my time in Iowa City and hope to return someday,” Sydney says.
We wish you much success in your future writing projects. Great job, Sydney!
>> Read Sydney Davis’ final report (PDF file, 72 KB).
>> Learn about other students’ experiences in the GFF Scholarship Program.