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.
Category: Uncategorized
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Every day in the Creative Writing classroom, underneath the gentle patter of rain or swish of wind outside, the low hum of saxophones from the Conservatory Music department across the field, and one of our own daring voices reading out poetry loud and clear, a far more subtle sound can be heard. The air becomes…
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I think Creative Writing has ruined the color yellow for me. Not because I suddenly don’t like the color now that I’ve joined the department. But now I can’t look at it without thinking about Creative Writing. It could be a taxi on the street, the light at an intersection, even the pencil I use…
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During the first half of freshman year I was in a constant state of confusion and anxiety, and I pretty much constantly looked to the more experienced creative writers as examples. But when sophomore year started, not only was I more experienced, but the new freshmen were now looking up to me and my peers…
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Year after year, Creative Writing’s Community Weeks culminate in a camping trip to Kirby Cove. Freshman year, the upperclassmen spoke so fondly of the trip that I was more than eager to experience it for myself. And of course, Kirby didn’t disappoint. The sense of community, the stories around the campfire, and the view of…
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If you had told me a week before Spirit Day that I would be cheering on a hamster ball fight between our director, Emily, and one of our seniors, clad head to toe in my least favorite color and essentially drowning in body glitter, I would have never believed you. Yet, that is exactly what…
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We started a new tradition in Creative Writing this year, and to be quite honest I wasn’t so sure of it at first. When you reach a certain grade in CW we have to complete a certain project that challenges us and teaches something new to the class. Freshman year: Figure out what the hell…
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On March 24, 2025, our Creative Writing class took a field trip to Costco. It all started with a problem: what happened to all our snacks? As it turns out, we ate them. Every last one. This wasn’t the first time we had run out of snacks. Creative writing is serious work—almost equivalent to playing…
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Time is well spent if time is spent wacky. One poetry prompt we had wore the wacky hat especially well. Created by CA Conrad, it goes as follows: “Wash a penny, rinse it, slip it under your tongue and walk out the door. Copper is the metal of Aphrodite, never ever forget this, never, don’t…
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Under the tutelage of our new Creative Writing director, Emily Wolahan, Creative Writing began a new, and my last, poetry unit. Unfortunately, the poetry unit had to start while San Francisco experienced one of the worst heat waves I can remember. Ninety-four degrees in San Francisco? Thank you, global warming, it’s always fun to receive…
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Creative writing has given me many new friends and relationships. Since the beginning of the year, we have been doing community building activities almost every single day. We are currently in our film poem unit, making short videos and experimenting with props, camera angles and cinematography while incorporating what we already know about writing into…
