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.

recent posts

about

  • Assurance by Gabriel Kang

    Assurance by Gabriel Kang

    One of the most helpful parts of being in the Creative Writing department is the buddy collaboration program. At the beginning of the year, everyone gets paired with someone else, often a senior with a younger student. It’s designed mostly for freshmen, since coming into a new department can feel overwhelming, and having someone older to guide you makes the transition easier. But even as a sophomore, I found the program really valuable. Having a senior partner gave me someone I could rely on, someone who had already been through what I was experiencing. It’s not just about getting advice—it’s about feeling less alone as you figure out your place in the department.

    My senior buddy this year was Filip. I was friends with him from last year, so he was approachable and easy to work with, which made our collaboration less intimidating. We decided to work together on a short film project, something that pushed both of us creatively. We spent hours brainstorming, filming, and editing, and by the end, we had created something we were proud of. At least, we thought so—until the moment came to actually share it with the class.

    That’s when fear hit. Both of us started second-guessing everything. Our biggest worry was the plot. Did our short film even have enough of one? We had put a lot of effort into visuals, atmosphere, and mood, but was there a clear story? Would people sit there confused when it ended? These questions spun around in my head right before our presentation. Walking intoclass, I felt like my stomach had dropped. Suddenly, all the hours of work seemed small compared to the simple fact that we had to put it in front of everyone.

    When it was finally time, we pressed play. The lights dimmed, and the video began. I was bracing for the worst, but something shifted almost immediately. I stopped focusing on my doubts and started noticing the room. My classmates were actually leaning in. They were paying attention. They were giving our film the space to be seen. For a few minutes, I forgot about the nerves and just watched with them.

    When it ended, I expected silence or confusion, but instead we got support. People asked thoughtful questions and gave feedback that was constructive rather than critical. They treated our work like it mattered, even if it wasn’t perfect. That was the moment my fear turned into assurance—not because I suddenly believed our film was flawless, but because I realized the community around me cared more about effort and creativity than perfection.

    Having Filip beside me made a difference too. He was just as nervous, but knowing I wasn’t presenting alone made it easier to breathe. We could laugh about our nerves afterward, which made the whole experience feel lighter, and the classes’ reactions reassured us that our hard work wasn’t a waste. 

    Looking back, I think assurance doesn’t come from knowing your project is perfect—it comes from knowing you’re surrounded by people who want to see you grow. That’s what the buddy program gave me, and that’s what the Creative Writing department as a whole continues to provide: a community where sharing feels safe.

  • Where is Your Fulfillment? by Marley Manalo

    Where is Your Fulfillment? by Marley Manalo

    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 you’re doing. Sophomore year: Cultural heritage project. Senior year: Senior thesis. Notice how Juniors aren’t up there. This year we implemented an immersive and eye-opening project: Junior year Speaker Series.
    Emily, our new CW director mentioned that us as juniors didn’t have a grade-wide project to share with the rest of the department. Personally, I wanted it to stay that way. Eleventh grade is by far the most stressful and busy out of your whole high school career. APs, extracurriculars, jobs, SAT, and on top of that preparing for college applications in the fall. Not to mention your family, friends, and your own mental health. I thought there was no way I would be able to handle one more thing. I would break, collapse, run out of breath and time. And although that happened, I also gained more experience and knowledge from it.
    The Speaker Series is when Emily invites artists, specifically bay area artists this time, to come to SOTA and give a small presentation about their art and why they started. Then as groups we Juniors take notes, research this artists, and have a bit of Q+A with them. As an interviewee and audience my biggest takeaway was fulfillment. Where does it come from? What does it bring for you? And how does it affect the world around you? Me, Zeke 26’ and Kendall 26’ interviewed a bay area and Iranian Artist: Minoosh Zomorodinia. We saw her work at the David Ireland house and got to understand her work in a deeper and more personal way. She talked about her work in many different mediums and how the biggest motif in her art is community. She captures people coming together and how that in itself is art. That is her fulfillment. Although I was hesitant to do this project it made me realize my own, and that’s being able to help people tell their stories. Where is your fulfillment?

  • A Love Letter to Costco by Raquel Silberman

    A Love Letter to Costco by Raquel Silberman

    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 soccer, basketball, or dare I say, running a marathon. Our minds need fuel, especially at 2:30 PM sharp. Without even a single saltine cracker, the crankiness and hangriness would become unbearable.

    Should we lock the snack door to prevent theft? Should we ration our saltines? Hopeless ideas swirled around the room until a student—a hero without a cape—raised his hand and suggested: what if we took a field trip to Costco?

    Our teacher, Emily Wolahan-Reavill, lit up with an expression none of us expected at such an outrageous idea. And just like that, the next day we were handed permission slips for “A trip to Costco to do writing activities + exercises.”

    It was one of those early spring days in San Francisco when the city was bursting into bloom and testing out its summer wardrobe. Emily, determined to get us outside one way or another, found the perfect excuse.

    We pooled our funds to shop for classroom snacks, but the real goal was to sharpen our observational skills. Our writing prompts included: describe an action using a simile, jot down a snippet of overheard conversation, and observe a couple shopping together and infer their relationship.

    At first, it felt a little creepy being so hyper-attentive in a place where I’m usually distracted. And yes, we did get some judgmental stares at the absurd amount of junk food crammed into our cart. But by the end, my notes page was full of silly observations and vivid memories with my senior cohort.

    For my simile, I captured a moment with Gabriel (Class of ‘25): He lifted the pack of Bounty paper towels like a farmer lifting a hay bale. Simple as it is, I adore this sentence. In that moment of observing, I felt like I saw Gabriel in his true form.

    We’ve all grown up together over the past four years, but how often do we really stop to notice each other?

    As I devoured a gigantic, greasy slice of Costco pizza, I looked around and spotted wild creative writers pushing carts overflowing with snacks in every font of junk food imaginable. And I realized how rare and wonderful it was to be surrounded by these people, in this magical, chaotic place.

    Thank you, Costco.

  • A Cheers to the Creative Writing Peers by Gabriel Kang

    A Cheers to the Creative Writing Peers by Gabriel Kang

    A great example of how the Creative Writing community positively impacts your writing is that each individual truly wants to listen to and support each other’s work. At first, the thought of having everyone gaze upon your pieces might seem intimidating, but as a freshman, I can reassure you that all of your peers—whether upperclassmen or fellow freshmen—are deeply respectful of each other’s writing styles. The more you put into your work, the greater the reactions you’ll receive, and this kind of encouragement becomes incredibly motivating. You’ll find that the more you put into your writing, the more you’re inspired to keep pushing your boundaries. In this way, you’ll feel compelled to bring your best work to the table because of the amazing energy from those around you.

    There’s a saying that if you run with faster people, you’ll become faster, and the same holds true in the writing community. Being surrounded by upperclassmen and talented peers helps you grow. You can see your writing improve by simply observing how others approach their work, and by absorbing their advice and feedback.

    One specific moment that stands out was when each person read out their narrative stories, stories they had poured so much effort into. Listening to their work, you could feel the passion and dedication they’d invested, and it was inspiring. When it was my turn to read, I was nervous at first, but seeing everyone so deeply engaged in a story I had worked hard on meant the world to me. It showed me that they cared, and that I had been motivated by my surroundings to write a piece that could captivate the imagination of other talented writers.

    In the creative writing community, we not only improve our craft but also inspire each other to create better and better work. 

  • I Think I Will Swallow This Penny by Zosia Mosur

    I Think I Will Swallow This Penny by Zosia Mosur

    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 forget it, ever. Drink a little orange juice outside and let some of the juice rest in your mouth with the penny. Oranges are the fruit of Aphrodite, and she is the goddess of Love, but not fidelity. Go somewhere outside, go, get going with your penny and juice. Where do you want to sit? Find it, and sit there. What is the best Love you’ve ever had in this world? Be quiet while thinking about that Love. If someone comes along and starts talking, quietly shoo them away, you’re busy, you’re a poet with a penny in your mouth, idle chit chat is not your friend. Be quiet so quiet, let the very sounds of that Love be heard in your bones. After a little while take the penny out of your mouth and place it on the top of your head. Balance it there and sit still a little while, for you are now moving your own forces quietly about in your stillness. Now get your pen and paper and write about POVERTY, write line after line about starvation and deprivation from the voice of one who has been Loved in this world.”

    Penny and orange juice in mouth, I ventured from the creative writing room to find the spot to settle in. I pranced down numerous stairways, walked intentionally clacking-ly past my dreaded physics class, and found myself plopping down beneath the hardly-used soccer goal of the SOTA field. From my grass cushion, I saw Sutro Tower’s head rise beyond a wall of trees as our school campus cascaded like stairs down the hill in front of me. And, just as the prompt suggested, I thought of my best love, and back she stared at me. The greatest love I know, that of an 1800 foot radio tower, that of my own. Tongue beginning to tingle, ears tickled by soft piano, the scene I tilted my head at became an image of my life. I, Sutro, rising over the city, over the school, over the bees. Planes knocked me in my head, birds had me all tied up. I showered voices over the bay area.
    Once my chest had slightly given way from shock to amusement, I revisited the prompt. I relocated the penny to the top of my head and was still. And I wrote about POVERTY with Sutro looking on.
    (now you go try it)

  • The CW Class of 2025 by Celeste Alisse

    The CW Class of 2025 by Celeste Alisse

    When I first entered into Creative Writing, I was told that my grade level peers were who I would lean on, and learn to love over the course of the next four years. Thirteen-year-old me thought that was pretentious, too bold to assume. Thirteen year old me was proven wrong however, within the next year, and continually since. Starting as a class of nine, we dropped down to six, drawing us closer in the absence of a loved classmates, and in the presence of one another.

    In a sense, I grew up with these five people, Starlie, Oona, Raquel, Sophie and Gabriel. We grew into ourselves together, and that is monumental in my eyes. Over these past few years, I have found some of my best friends in these people, found my people in these people.

    In my writing here, I wanted to show the gratitude that is sometimes hard to speak out loud. While thinking of what to write for this, I remembered in my freshman year, a senior, wrote about all their individual peers, a short note on why they loved them so much. To say the least, I was inspired, and have chosen to do the same but for my grade level, the Creative Writing class of 2025. 

    Starlie: Starlie, I admire your ability to love so deeply, but more importantly I admire you. Your wit, your humor, your endless rants, you Starlie, are one of my favorite people. There’s a certain chaotic tranquility I find in your presence, in our talks. I love it, it makes me feel seen. But even more, you make me feel seen. You make everyone feel seen. And you are loved for that and so much more. You are truly a one of a kind, kind of person Starlie, and I love you so much for it.

    Raquel: Raquel you are the foundation of our class. Though you may not know it, you are the center of everything. You are collected, mature, you are the voice of reason. Your wit and charm, how it carries through in your writing and self is enchanting to see. Your want to help, your ability to put people at ease, these are the things that make you so wonderful. You are a selfless person Raquel, never mean or condescending. You’re charming and lovely, someone I know I can come to without judgement. You are a speical kind of person Raquel, and that is something you should always remember.

    Oona: Oona, you have, since freshman year, been a leader. You are undoubtedly one of the strongest people I know. A voice that commands and understands, empathizes all in one. You, Oona, are a rock in a storm of never ending change. There is something about you that is just so different from everyone else. You are powerful, your presence is powerful, your mind and words are powerful. I admire you deeply Oona, and you know how much I love you.

    Sophie: Sophie, you are one of the gentlest people I know, with the most tender and loving heart. Your voice, sweet and delicate mimics the beautiful soul under your skin that I know exists because you never stop showing it. There is not one person I know who does not love you, your smile—pretty as the sky—brightens every room, and you are always willing to comfort, to love anyone who needs it. You are a beautiful person in every sense, Sophie, so you better never forget it.

    Gabriel: Gabriel, though I admit we weren’t close in the beginning, I feel as though I regard you my family now. You are trustworthy, honest, and brilliant. I appreciate our side conversations and debates, and all the times you talked with me about what was going on in our lives. You have a brilliant mind, and I know you will go so far in life, because you have endless potential. You are brilliant Gabriel, and I don’t think anyone tells you enough.

  • SOTA So Far by Olivia Brody

    SOTA So Far by Olivia Brody

    I’ve never felt so understood before in my life. Creative Writing is an amazing environment to grow in because everyone is so intelligent, and perceives the world so differently. My short time in CW has already brought a new perspective to the way I see the world and how I interact with it and my art. Never before would I have thought that I’d get to spend my afternoon crying in the MoMA with some of my best friends and call it school. CW so far has been so incredibly supportive and fun, and I’ve improved already so much in my writing, and in my other artistic interests too. While SOTA absolutely emphasizes one art, being in a school full of creativity has allowed me to pursue my other artistic passions as well. I can feel the open environment and compassion shaping me into a person with so much joy, and being around positive energy every day is a dream come true. It’s also really cool that everyone has at least one thing in common: they’re an artist. This makes the school really tight-knit, because there’s an automatic sense of community in everyone you meet.

    Going into SOTA, something that drew my concern was the academics. I’d heard some worrying rumors about the quality of the academic education available at SOTA, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned so far it’s that this school is very much what you make of it. If your focus is solely on your art and you plan to make that your future, there is a place for you here. However, if you strive to succeed academically, there are tools at your disposal: you just have to look for them. Regardless of your stance on academics vs art, if you have an artistic passion, RASOTA is the place for you.

  • Inspiration by Zadie McGrath

    Inspiration by Zadie McGrath

    This is the Creative Writing department’s first year with our wonderful new department head, Emily Wolahan—and for me, writing is less stressful than it has been since middle school. 

    For the past two years, I have found myself plagued with writers’ block whenever I receive a Creative Writing assignment. Our teacher starts the timer for a short writing prompt, and all I can do is look around the room and wonder if I’ll have to share out afterwards. Sometimes a sentence might come to me, but I’ll have no idea how to expand. Alternatively, I’ll have an entire world in my head, but be at a loss for how to express it. When I finally decide what to write, I cross out every other word until I’m left with a mangled mess of a page. My aim has always been to write something “good”—something I would be proud to share—even if that would mean putting on a tone I didn’t like, exaggerating my experiences, or using an ocean metaphor for the millionth time.

    For the poetry unit this year, though, Emily has designed a few assignments that have broken me out of my usual writing style. Earlier this week, we read Franny Choi’s “Glossary of Terms,” a poem in which Choi chooses four words and then writes her poem in the form of a chart with columns for meaning, origin, antonym, and so on. Our assignment was to create our own glossary of terms using words that were significant to us. We also did a mini-unit on erasure poetry, a form where you pick words from an existing piece of writing and create a new poem. These form-based prompts create a structure for my poems, a starting point that doesn’t require a flash of sudden inspiration. But more importantly, they take the emphasis off of writing a “good” poem. Few creative writers had experimented with either of these forms before, so we were more focused on muddling through than writing anything profound.

    Our work with form has made me realize that there is no trick to “being inspired.” It doesn’t mean tapping into some hidden well of ideas. It doesn’t mean staring into space until inspiration strikes. Inspiration is not something that simply happens to you—it means taking a word and running with it, writing without any thought of what your piece might become. And even if it means filling my notebook with lines I might never use, I’m loving the opportunity to write down my untailored thoughts.

  • The Smell of Hot Bark by Gabriel Flores Benard

    The Smell of Hot Bark by Gabriel Flores Benard

    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 your gifts. Anyway, Emily knew that the entire class would be sluggish and unable to think properly while cooking in the heat; she decided to ease us into the poetry unit with a relaxed activity. At the beginning of class, Emily greeted the class and placed a crate of books in the center of the room. Emily told us we were to sift through all the books and find a few we were interested in. Once we did, we could roam about the school and find some shade to read underneath. Although I was hesitant to do any work in that abysmal weather, I was glad we had a laid-back activity instead of an intense analysis of a poem, huddled next to every other tortured, writhing, warm bodies in the room. 

    The books were sprawled across the floor, as were we. Everyone was picking up books, scanning the covers and blurbs, and flipping through the pages to see the poetic structure and any words that leaped out at us. After searching through a few books, I found a poetry collection by Carmen Giménez called Be Recorder. I skimmed through and saw multi-segmented poems, different types of formatting, and allusions to the Bible and Greek mythology. I love experimenting with visual representations of writing, and I adore allusions. I’m quite aware I sound like a huge nerd when I say I love allusions, but I love to see references to familiar works. I took the book and departed for a quiet, empty area to read. I nestled among the wood chips and embraced the smell of hot bark. It’s a familiar scent reminding me of camping, where the temperature soars into the high nineties. I open the pages and tear through the words as if I’ve been starving for days, a camel ravaging a cactus for water. There’s no one to bother me as I tune out the world and ingest poems about revolution, motherhood, growing up, and identity. I stare at the cloudless, electric-blue sky, and can see a child reenacting her parent’s dynamic with dolls, or women with the features of beasts: “Wild girls,” the author repeated. I envision mothers boring their eyes into computer screens, and the seething resentment behind every “sorry.” While left alone in nature, I often read entire poetry collections to pass the time, bathing in the swirl of shade and sunlight. I always look forward to the scent of nature and the barren space devoid of people. Time passes so slowly yet I don’t mind at all. I’m back where I feel most secure, among the arching trees and whistling winds. I’m at peace and I revel in the heat.

  • Eternal Assignments by Claudia Porter

    Eternal Assignments by Claudia Porter

    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 our films. For our second film poem assignment, we were to make a short video as a gift to our partner, a randomly selected person in creative writing. I was a little nervous going into this assignment as I didn’t have any prior knowledge on creating videos and short films. The thought of having to put together a video for someone else intimidated me. But as my partner and I began interviewing each other, asking any questions we felt would be helpful in creating our videos, I quickly became very excited not only to make a video, but also to learn more about my partner. 

    My partner and I talked for over an hour, going into detail about our childhoods, our biggest pet peeves, our families and so much more. Before this assignment I had never really talked with my partner, so this experience was enlightening and exciting. Seeing everyone in creative writing bonding with their partners and learning about each other was so much fun. After the interviews, we were given the weekend to create the videos. 

    Over the weekend, I thought about how I would make the video for my partner. I looked over our interview and dabbled in a few different video making websites. Although my video did not look professional by any means, I had a wonderful time creating it and an even better time becoming closer with my partner.  Once the videos were due, they were all put into a folder. The real treat of this project was getting to watch the video that my partner made for me. When I opened the video, I never would have expected what would play before me. My partner had gifted me with a 1 minute animation including my pet rabbit I told her about, with the song in the background being my favorite song from my childhood. Watching this video made me tear up. It brought me back to a simple time in my life and the overall craft of the video was incredibly impressive. This assignment has gifted me with a keepsake that I will cherish eternally, and once again reminded me of the magic of creative writing.