By Kaley Muse
One of Cameron University’s newest clubs, The Writer’s Studio, offers students the opportunity to workshop creative writing and present it to faculty and peers.
Hosted by the Department of Communication, English, and Foreign Languages (CEFL), the Writer’s Studio allows students from all majors to have their work looked over by peers and English professors if needed. This could include poems, essays, short stories, research papers and more.
CEFL Assistant Professor Leah Chaffins is the faculty advisor for The Writer’s Studio.
“The Writer’s Studio is where students gather to work on creative writings for open mics and upcoming festivals and competitions and also, just to better their work,” Chaffins said.
Along with peer editing, The Writer’s Studio holds monthly open mic nights.
Open mic nights give students a chance to read their own work out loud to an audience. It could be original poetry, a short story, or other forms of creative writing.
Junior English major Ryn Swinson is a founding member of The Writer’s Studio, the social media manager, and the managing MC for the Writer’s Studio open mics.
“Open mic nights are an open mic for creative writers that allows students, local writers, alums, really anyone who is interested, to come and share their work in a welcoming environment,” Swinson said.
The open mics are held at 6 p.m. on the first Friday of every month in Nance Boyer 2005 lab.
Students who are not comfortable do not have to get up and read.
Students can instead come to support peers, local writers, alums, professors and the Cameron University CEFL department.
Swinson said attendees are welcome to just listen and show support.
“I think it’s great to have support like that because it might make them (attendees) more willing to jump up there sometime,” Swinson said.
The open mic nights also allow students to host.
Hosting requires students to introduce every poet and writer who has signed up to read for the night.
While the September open mic just took place on Sept. 1, the next open mic is at 6 p.m. on Oct. 6 in Nance Boyer 2005 lab.
The Writer’s Studio is always accepting new members. If students are interested, there is a GroupMe that students can join as well as a Facebook page. Fall 2023 meetings take place from 4-6 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays in Nance Boyer 2005 lab.
For more information about The Writer’s Studio or events happening in the English department this semester, email Chaffins at lellis@cameron.edu or Swinson at ryn.swinson@cameron.edu.
In addition to the Writer’s Studio open mic, students can hear work from featured and local writers at the Third Saturday reading hosted by CEFL Professor Dr. John Morris at 6:30 p.m., every month, at the Universalist Church in Lawton located at 618 West Gore Boulevard.
This off-campus event allows students to showcase their work outside of a university setting.
For more information, please contact Morris at johnmor@cameron.edu.