CREATIVE WRITING

at the Ruth Asawa School of the Arts in San Francisco

Welcome! CW develops the art and craft of creative writing through instruction, collaboration, and respect. This blog showcases STUDENT WRITING and how to APPLY to Creative Writing.

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about

Once upon a time, cats were lonely, so they wanted someone whose only purpose in existence was to love and cherish cats. Thus, the Creative Writers were born. Out of the glowing bundle of soft and squishy warmness and fluff was a stack of Post-It notes that absolutely adored cats. Cats named that stack Midori, and that was that.

Author: Midori

  • Pretentious Poets Anonymous: Open to all!

    by Molly (’13) Put on your turtlenecks ladies and gentlemen, and head over to Peet’s Coffee to discuss the wonder of poetry. Read your favorite poems aloud over a steamy mug of espresso while your fedora-wearing friends nod wisely. The poetry here will be everything from T. S. Eliot’s The Wasteland to the sonnet you wrote last…

  • Chicano Poetry: the “Insurrection of Subjugated Knowledges”

    by Mykel (’14) Today the whole department went to see Lorna Dee Cervantes, San Francisco Poet Laureate Alejandro Murguía, and California State Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera read poetry and discuss the current state of Chicano literature. I expected to hear some bilingual poetry and a short discussion afterwards, but the panel q&a turned out…

  • I Don’t Have to Write About the Field

    by Giorgia (’14) One of the main things Creative Writing has taught me, through a constant struggle of tears and rage and wailing (“But I’m not good enough!”) is that I have opinions and think things. And, even more shocking, is that I am allowed to do that: that is why I write–– and it…

  • Apocalypse Now at Cine/Club

    by Noa (’16) It’s safe to say that seeing Apocolypse Now as my first Cine/Club experience left me completely blown away and guaranteed my further (voluntary) interest in Cineclub’s films. Coming in, I had expected my first film viewing to be tedious and boring, having never seen or heard much about Apocolypse Now and having…

  • Through Myth and Maps

    by Bailey (’15) Great things come in small packages. Avi, a sophomore in CW is a brilliant teacher and had no trouble at all holding the attention of the class. His lesson was relevant and helpful. I, for one, find creating realistic settings in my fiction difficult and looking a the whole social, geographical, anthropological,…

  • Narrative Magazine: 30 Below Contest

    Narrative is inviting all writers, poets, visual artists, photographers, performers, and filmmakers, between eighteen and thirty years old, to send us their best work. We’re interested in reading your words and seeing your images. We’re looking for the traditional and the innovative, the true and the imaginary. We’re looking to encourage and promote the best authors…

  • Food Bank

    by Shanna (’12) Volunteering can be awesome, I swear. The San Francisco Food Bank offers tons and tons of really fun and active volunteering programs – and the best part? You give three hours of your time and end up helping 18,000 people get food on their table for two weeks. It’s an amazing experience,…

  • Everything You’ve Heard About Failing Schools Is Wrong

    On MotherJones by Kristina Rizga I’d expected noisy classrooms, hallway fights, and disgruntled staff. Instead I found a welcoming place, satisfied students and parents, and an 88 percent college acceptance rate. Attendance: up. Dropout rates: plummeting. College acceptance: through the roof. My mind-blowing year inside a “low-performing” school.

  • Robert Reese’s Poetry Readings

    For all of the newcomers, Robert Reese is one of CW’s favorite Artists in Resident. He’s recently started a YouTube Channel and has created recordings of terrific poems– check out his Pablo Neruda readings!

  • Prop 30

    From Heather: For any of you not familiar with the CRUCIAL upcoming vote on Prop 30, PLEASE read: Fund Education and pass it on!