Creative Writing

The Creative Writing Department is composed of a diverse group of students who share a common love of words. Students in this department write poetry, fiction and nonfiction. We also perform our work and hone our ability to do so with classes in oral interpretation and performances at school and throughout the city. Each year the seniors in our department dedicate their final year to publishing individual college level chapbooks. In addition to chapbooks, we also produce an award winning literary magazine, Synapse. This anthology has won the prestigious Columbia University writing award consistently. We participated in the National Endowment of the Arts and Poetry Foundation program, Poetry-Out-Loud and placed in the finals (top ten) in the state competition held in Tallahassee, FL. We also hold the honor of having more valedictorians emerge from our department than any other department in the school.

The Creative Writing Department has developed into a beautiful safe community, much like a family, where everyone feels valued and free to express their creativity. We constantly push one another forward in our academic and creative pursuits. Our program is taught using a traditional workshop model. We collaborate, edit and experience career critique in weekly workshops that improve and serve to prefect our writing. We plan and produce three formal readings each year. Our elite performance troupe, "Warrior Poets" also performs in various venues throughout the city.

The Creative Writing Department will also continue to collaborate with other majors offered at Blake to produce interdisciplinary projects. Most recently, we worked with writing the creative speaking scenes for The Nutcracker ballet performed by the Dance Department. This year, we are very excited about the acquisition of our own performance space, "Poetry Place" This dedicated space offers us the opportunity to rehearse, workshop, audition and just enjoy the company and inspiration of other writers. The Creative Writing Department continues to grow every year and our energy is at an all time high. We are looking forward to continuing, cultivating and improving our passion for and expressions of the written word.