Creative High School Writing Club Meetings Beyond Critique

Looking to energize your high school creative writing club and explore new ways to engage your members? Here are some engaging and creative ideas for meetings that go beyond the traditional critiques, helping to foster a sense of community and creativity among your participants.

Writing Prompts Challenge

Start your next meeting with a writing prompts challenge. Provide a series of unique prompts such as a specific line of dialogue, a setting, or a character trait. Give your members a limited time, such as an hour, to write short pieces based on these prompts. After the time is up, have the members share their work and discuss the different approaches taken in their pieces. This not only encourages creativity but also enhances critical thinking and discussion skills.

Themed Writing Sessions

Character Development Workshop

Focus on a specific character development workshop. Members can work on creating detailed character profiles, including backstory, motivations, and unique quirks. They can then share their characters and brainstorm how they might interact in a story. This exercise can help members develop their ability to understand and portray complex characters in their writing.

Flash Fiction Contest

Organize a flash fiction contest where members are challenged to write a complete flash fiction story within a set time limit, such as 10-15 minutes. This activity not only tests their creativity and storytelling skills but also helps them to work under pressure. After the stories are shared, take some time to celebrate the creativity and insights displayed in the writing.

Collaborative Storytelling

Engage in collaborative storytelling. Start a story with one sentence, and pass it around the room, with each member adding a sentence or paragraph. This process can reveal how a narrative evolves with different voices and perspectives, making the story more dynamic and rich. This exercise can be particularly fun and can help members understand the impact of different writing styles and voices in storytelling.

Writing Exercises from Famous Authors

Explore writing exercises used by well-known authors. For example, you can study a passage from a favorite book and have members write in the same style or voice. This can provide participants with a new perspective on writing and encourage them to experiment with different writing techniques. It can also help members develop a deeper appreciation for the craft by seeing how different authors approach writing.

Guest Speaker or Author Visit

Invite a local author or teacher to speak about their writing process and share their writing experiences. Hosting a guest speaker or author visit can provide inspiration and practical tips. This can be a valuable opportunity for members to learn from experienced professionals and gain insights into the writing world.

Writing and Art

Combine visual art with writing to create a unique writing and art session. Have members create artwork that inspires a piece of writing or vice versa. Discuss how different art forms influence storytelling and how visual elements can enhance written narratives. This interdisciplinary approach can provide a fresh perspective on writing and inspire members to think creatively about their stories.

Exploring Different Genres

Dedicate meetings to exploring different genres such as poetry, science fiction, or memoir. Members can write in the genre of the day and share their work. This can help members broaden their writing repertoire and develop a deeper understanding of various genres, making them better equipped to explore varied themes and styles in their writing.

Writing Games

Incorporate fun writing games like “Exquisite Corpse,” where each person writes a part of a story without knowing what others have written, or “Story Cubes,” where members use dice with images to inspire their writing. These games can be a great way to break the ice, encourage creativity, and add fun to the meeting.

Writing Retreat

Organize a mini writing retreat that feels like a planning session. Have members write in a relaxed environment, such as outdoors or in a cozy space, focusing on personal projects or new ideas. This can help members relax and think freely, leading to more creative and inventive writing sessions.

Book/Poem Discussions

Select a book or poem to read and discuss its themes, style, and impact. This activity can inspire members' own writing and help them analyze literature more deeply. Discussions can also provide insights into different writing styles and techniques, helping members improve their own writing skills.

Conclusion

These ideas can help foster creativity, collaboration, and a sense of community within the writing club, while allowing members to explore their writing skills in various ways. By integrating a mix of these activities, you can keep your high school creative writing club dynamic, engaging, and inspiring for all members.