Writers Guild club seeks creative students

Writers Guild members revel in putting pen to paper.

Students in the Quad-Cities Campus club meet weekly to share their writing, read poetry and motivate each other.

“The guild has inspired me to write more,” BHC sophomore and Writers Guild president Emma Bertram said.

A wide variety of interests are covered by BHC clubs and organizations. From anime and art to military and math, there is something for everyone!

Writers Guild meetings

If you are interested in the Writers Guild, mark your calendar for an upcoming Monday. The club meets on Mondays at 2:15 p.m. in the Hawk’s Nest.

Look for a sign on the table, or club advisor Andrew Hoogheem, assistant professor of English, to know you are in the right spot.

Students who want to join the Writers Guild should email him at hoogheema@bhc.edu.

The Writers Guild was re-launched by Bertram last semester after a four-year hiatus when she saw a need for a club for student writers to share their works and support each other.

Hoogheem noted writing is a solitary endeavor for most, with Virginia Woolf famously saying a room of one’s own is necessary for writers.

Although solitude can be the perfect environment for creating, there are definitely perks to pausing and getting together with other writers.

Peers inspiring and encouraging you, listening to your ideas, letting you know you’re on the right track or suggesting new directions, and even helping you through writer’s block are some of the benefits.

“Joining the guild can facilitate all these things, often with snacks,” Hoogheem said.

Publishing a book

Now that they are established, club members are tackling their first big project: publishing a book of student submissions this semester.

The Writers Guild is accepting student submissions of poetry, short stories less than five pages long, essays, and art work.

Students interested in having their work included in the book can submit it to writersguild@bhc.edu.

Writers Guild members will select a cover art for the book from submissions, and other art will be featured inside the book.

“Even if you write but think you can’t, please send it in!” Bertram said. “And, if you’re curious about what others might think about your works, come join us for a meeting.”

You must be a current Black Hawk College student to contribute to the book, but you do not have to be a member of the Writers Guild.

The book will cost about $5 with proceeds saved for future Writers Guild projects. Updates about the book will be posted on the Writers Guild’s Facebook page.