'Everyone should have a creative outlet': Q&A about UNC's creative writing association

UNC senior Emily Krupa is the president of the Carolina Creative Writing Association, a creative writing club open to any student.

Carolina Creative Writing Association, also called CCWA, meets bi-monthly and is devoted to helping student writers enhance all forms of writing. Past meetings have included workshops dedicated to crafting different story elements or sharing pieces of original creative writing to get feedback from other CCWA members. CCWA will be holding its first general interest meeting of the semester on Sept. 4 at 3:30 p.m. in Greenlaw Hall's Donovan Lounge. 

Arts & Culture assistant editor Aaron Sugarman spoke with Krupa about creative writing and her experiences with CCWA.

The Daily Tar Heel: Are most of the people in CCWA English majors or creative writing minors?

Emily Krupa: We have a solid mix, last year especially most of the people who were members were not English associated or creative writing associated at all. The leadership is, and some of the members are, but not a lot of the members.

DTH: What do you hope to accomplish as president of CCWA?

EK: I hope to increase membership, I’m hoping to spread the word about the club in general because a lot of people don’t know we exist, but my main goal is to put the note out there that creative writing is a great outlet and everyone should at least try it even if you’re not a member of the club — that’s my motivation.

DTH: Why do you think people should try creative writing?

EK: It’s a really good outlet for creativity or if you’re working through something. I don’t want to say creative writing is a dying skill because it’s not, but I know a lot of people who need some sort of creative writing outlet, but they don’t think they should write, so they turn to pictures or the internet. I just think it’s been really helpful for me and my life, so why shouldn’t other people know about this? 

DTH: Do you have any advice for people who may be interested in creative writing, but have never tried it?

EK: Something that got me started writing — I’ve been writing since I was like 11 or 12 — is I would read stories or watch them on TV, and I would think ‘I don’t like the way that ended’ or ‘Oh my gosh, I wish they had done this thing,' so I tried my hand at seeing how that would go. It seems silly, but we are surrounded by stories all the time and I’m sure everyone everywhere has seen or read something and thought ‘I like this, but they could have done this instead.' People could just have an idea like ‘What if this happened?’ and you can easily turn that into a story. So that’s what I would suggest, whatever you like, you can come up with a story about it.

DTH: Do you have a favorite memory from the club?

EK: My junior year in the first meeting there was a member who was talking about how she didn’t even know creative writing was a minor on campus and she asked me, ‘Are there classes like this, and are people this friendly and open about it?’ and I said ‘Yeah, you should try it.’ Now she’s pursuing a career in writing because of the club, and that’s a big thing for me. If you can just affect one person, what else can you ask for?

DTH: Do you have a favorite author or book?

EK: That’s like trying to pick a favorite child. My current favorite is the "Throne of Glass" series by Sarah J. Maas. I finished it this summer, the last book was like a thousand pages and it destroyed me — it was great.

DTH: What do you love about creative writing?

EK: It’s been such a big part of my life for a decade at this point. I don’t know how to describe it other than when you find yourself in the rhythm of writing nothing else really matters. It’s a form of self-expression, it’s always just something that’s been there. What I love about it is that you think you’re in control of the narrative, but then your characters turn around and say ‘No, I’m not going to do that.’ When you create something that takes on a life of its own, there is no real way to describe that.

DTH: Do you have anything else you want to add about CCWA or creative writing?

EK: Whatever your interests, whatever you want to do with your life and your career, everyone should have a creative outlet. Especially now, in a world where everything feels so turbulent and you can feel so helpless, or you can feel that you have something to say, but don’t have people to say it to, I advocate creative outlets in whatever form you want to take them because it sounds dramatic, but it can improve or even save lives.

DTH: How could people find out more about CCWA?

EK: If you want to be added to the CCWA listserv, just email the club at carolinacreativewriting@gmail.com, and we would be more than happy to add you. 

@AaronJSugarman

arts@dailytarheel.com