Colors of Heart: Short Fiction and Poetry

I have always loved reading and coming into Capstone. I knew I wanted to utilize it as a tool to develop storytelling skills of my own. I used to write stories when I was younger and even did competitive writing for a while, but without a structured writing environment, I found it extremely difficult to bring my ideas to fruition. Capstone was the perfect place to start! 

As I was in the early stages of my project, my goal was to have a completed draft of a novel with a concept I’d thought of years prior. I had no idea where to start, so my work periods were a mix of watching YouTube videos about plot structure or character development or staring at a blank document unable to get words on the page. I even started to re-read The Hunger Games trying to mimic some writing techniques of Susanne Collins in my work, but this perfectionist approach to writing ended up hindering me from achieving my goal. This combined with feelings of Imposter’s Syndrome and a general fear of sharing my writing and creativity served to be a huge challenge. 

Eventually, I began to lose inspiration regarding the novel I was drafting and decided not to limit myself to just one piece of writing. Instead, I wrote poetry when I felt inspired to (Free verse, Pantoum, and Sestina) and short stories that went through multiple stages of editing with my author mentor, Irene Gibson. I ultimately produced poems and short stories, one of which is the first chapter of a novel I strongly hope to complete in the future. 

Through Capstone, I learned so much about grammar, syntax, and the art of worldbuilding. My Capstone experience not only drastically improved my writing, but was also a catalyst for lots of self-reflection. I learned that my writer’s block was essentially stemming from fear and not a lack of creativity or “good” ideas. 

Capstone was such an eye-opening experience and has made me a better reader. I'm more analytical and can notice things with a “writer’s eye” that I hadn’t been able to before. Because of Capstone, I now have decided to minor in Creative Writing when I attend college, as I’ve found that a structured and supportive environment is the key ingredient for successful writing. I’m excited to see where my writing takes me in the future.