The new TMMS Writing Club has just had its first meeting, but what exactly is this club all about? Is it destined to inspire new authors, or will it fade like a forgotten draft?
When asked about the purpose of the club, Mr. Wes, the founding advisor, replied. “My goal or purpose is to allow students to become more excited about writing or to—hold on, students are being mischievous.”
In more detailed terms, he said, “I want students to be more excited about writing and to feel more comfortable writing. I think the easiest way to do that is for students to see themselves in their writing… It’s almost impossible when there are people making squeal-y sounds. I don’t know why Alvin and the Chipmunks are in the room. My purpose or objective is for students to do more comfortable writing, to develop better writing habits, and gain a lifelong love of writing.”
Despite the chaos, Mr. Wes’s purpose for the writing club was clear. The Writing Club, he said, is meant to give students who love writing — or who just want to get better at it — a place to grow and be inspired. “The TMMS Writing Club is an extension club for students that are inclined to write more for whatever reason,” he explained. “Maybe they don’t feel challenged enough in ELA class, maybe they want to explore a topic further, or gain more direct assistance in learning a certain skill set. We [will] provide all of that.”
Mr. Wes has big dreams for his club members’ work. “If you finish writing your novel,” he said, “my hope is that we’ll find a way to bind it for you so you have a physical copy of your novel. And also to send it… [to publishers].” He plans to help students with the world of publishing. “We’ve talked about potentially getting a local publisher to come in and talk to students about what that process is like. There’s something called a query, and we’ll walk you through that process — how to select a section to send to a publisher. Most often, you don’t hear back, and often it’s a rejection. Occasionally it’s a rejection with feedback that might be helpful. There’s a slim, slim, slim, slim chance it’s published,” he said. “You can also self-publish, and that’s a simple enough process.”
Jane, the co-founding advisor of the club, shares a similar vision. “The Thurgood Marshall Middle School Writing Club is a space for students to gather together after school in a safe space,” she said. “Each month has a different theme. November is our first month, and it’s novel-writing themed.”
She continued, “The goal for each month in writing club is to be able to put together or create some sort of writing material. For November, it’s going to be a novel. The goal overall is just to ensure that students are having fun after school, but are also doing something productive — in this case, writing.”
Jane also told the importance of community and creativity. “The purpose of the club is to have a space for students to be able to write together and get input on their writing, as well as encourage them to write more after school and create something out of it,” she said. “There are a lot of students at Thurgood Marshall with a passion for writing, but they don’t necessarily have the outlet for it, especially during the school day. Having it after school is their chance to do it with friends, get feedback, and hopefully create something out of it. And if they don’t, it’s just a safe space for them, too.”
So far, the TMMS Writing Club seems to be succeeding in their purposes to have a fun and creative space where students can learn, laugh, and explore their stories together. Whether it leads to published novels or just new confidence in writing, one thing’s for sure: there’s nothing boring about this club.
