creative writing Archives

November 16, 2023 English Corner Faculty Voices

Dr. Erin Slaughter on the Writing Life

Dr. Erin Slaughter always knew writing would play a huge part in her life; however, she never could have imagined the scope of the role it would eventually have. Dr. Slaughter, originally from north Texas, joined CCU this year as Visiting Assistant Professor of Fiction and Creative Writing. She holds an M.F.A. in creative writing from Western Kentucky University and a Ph.D. in creative writing from Florida State, where she was awarded the Edward H. and Marie C. Kingsbury Fellowship, bestowed annually on the graduate student who completes the best original manuscript. She is managing editor of Autofocus and co-founder of The Hunger, both online literary journals.

Creative writing was not Dr. Slaughter’s original plan, however. She first went to school for neuroscience before discovering her passion for writing, which went hand-in-hand with the solace she found in books. Her writing is inspired by gender and feminist ideals, as she finds herself able to relate to these topics and learn how her own experiences are part of a larger story. Dr. Slaughter said, “every good and meaningful thing in my life has come from writing, one way or another.”

Dr. Slaughter has been shaped immensely by the writing community in which she became immersed through her M.F.A., Ph.D., and teaching. All these experiences guide her down an incredibly important path that allows her to share this part of herself with others and guide them as well. In speaking with Michael Wheaton on the podcast “The Lives of Writers” about her journey through writing, Dr. Slaughter explained how she started her career through “trial and error and taking little bits of information and insight along the way.”

When Dr. Slaughter first became a creative writing major, she quickly realized that if she applied the experiences, discoveries, and knowledge that she found along the way of her creative writing journey, she would eventually find something that stuck. This insight has remained with her and her teachings, as she puts an emphasis on just writing on what you think you know or don’t know, and seeing what story comes out of it.

In Dr. Slaughter’s Intro to Creative Writing classes, she also hopes to leave her students with the idea of sharing personal stories and “not being afraid if something is bad or not, and to just be willing to try.”

Dr. Slaughter has released poems that provide incredible insight into her life, The Sorrow Festival being a prominent example, so she has experienced the fulfillment of sharing personal works, and she knows the value of “being vulnerable and open to yourself, spiritually and emotionally and physically.” However, as she grows into her writing, she also wants to treat herself with more dignity and self-love and hopes to emphasize that through her future work.

Dr. Slaughter has used her skills and experiences to publish numerous works, including short story collection A Manual for How to Love Us (2023); poetry collections The Sorrow Festival (2022)and I Will Tell This Story to the Sun Until You Remember That You Are the Sun (2019); and poetry chapbooks GIRLFIRE (2018) and Elegy for the Body (2017). Dr. Slaughter completed a press tour for her short story collection earlier this year and highlights the story “We Were Wolves” as one of her favorites in the book.

Dr. Slaughter is currently working on her first novel and credits the work she does for it as a “humbling experience in a necessary way.” She is extremely excited for the remainder of this semester and semesters to come.

November 16, 2023 English Corner Faculty Voices

Dr. Jess Hylton’s creative work-in-progress

Digital Writing and English Lecturer Dr. Jess Hylton, who joined CCU last year as writer-in-residence in 2022-23, is currently using her impressive skills to work on a very exciting project. Hylton studied professional writing and literature before graduating at 19. She earned her master’s degree from Radford University and her Ph.D. in poetry from University of Louisiana at Lafayette. She wrote her thesis in fiction, and her new project seems to be taking a windy path among different creative writing genres.

Dr. Hylton is using her PhD to create a collection of poetry that is centered around punctuation marks, all while following a romance that eventually dies, titled A Love Story – Punctuated. The uniqueness of this story mixed with Hylton’s creativity and talent make for an exciting proposition of the story to come.

Hylton is currently a Lecturer here at CCU who teaches Composition and Critical Reading and Film, New Media, and Culture, is teaching her students to follow their passion in life, and to not let anyone force them to deny it. Hylton is doing just that with her work-in-progress, and we all look forward to its release.

Congratulations Dr. Hylton!

need title still [JM1]

May 31, 2023 English Corner Student Voices

Jingle Wells wins poetry contest with “Epitaph”

When creative writing professor Dan Albergotti encouraged his poetry class to enter the Paul Rice Broadside Series Poetry Contest, one of his students’ winning was in the back of his mind. That is exactly what happened, however, when marine biology major Jingle Wells ’23 ended up winning the competition with her poem “Epitaph,” which she wrote after coming across an Instagram post from a close relative. We spoke with Wells to discover more information regarding her piece.

A photograph showed up Wells’ Instagram feed one day that showed a simple headstone in a graveyard.

“I had just noticed the fact that there was only one word on it,” said Wells, “like the only other thing on there, besides his name and his face with a heart, was the word ‘son.’

This barren headstone struck a chord in Wells, as she thought of all the things the person could have been.

“I thought about the fact, which is sort of covered in the poem, that most people’s gravestones say something like ‘father of three,’ ‘loving mother,’ ‘loving wife,’ something to assert like the mark they made in the world,” said Wells. “He only had the opportunity to be ‘son,’ and he still made a big impact because there are so many people who are still thinking about him and still caring about him.”

This analysis took Wells to new heights, as she was able to draw from this idea into a creative piece. Wells wasn’t new to the Paul Rice Broadside contest; she had entered before, but never won. Her accomplishment stemmed from an evolving style in her poetry and the use of differentiating formats to become one with the current times.

He only had the opportunity to be ‘son’…
Jingle Wells, from “Epitaph”

“I used to write things that did not have as much enjambment or as many line breaks,” said Wells. “They were more in the old antique style, I would say, of sonnets — not quite to the level of being Shakespearian, but very, very form rigid.”

Wells’ reconsideration of her writing techniques led her to find and hone her unique style, and this led to her drafting a poem she really wanted to share. She hopes it will affect the world in a positive way. As contest winner, Wells won $100 and several copies of the broadside, which is a poster printed with the poem and accompanying art.

Wells feels blessed and grateful to have won this contest for her own personal reflections and that she gets to showcase her progress to her teacher, Albergotti, who taught her poetry for the last two semesters. One of the biggest moments this poem has granted her is with Albergotti himself.

“I think the coolest thing that happened to me was Dr. Albergotti, who I really respect not only as a professor but also as a person and a poet, got me to sign a copy of the Broadside for him,” said Wells. This amazing moment truly touched Wells and encouraged her to want to dip her pen into even more poetry, and even other opportunities to come, such as becoming a published writer one day.

For now, though, this exciting news has edged Wells forward towards further education, as she has recently been accepted into the Master of Fine Arts in Writing program at Florida Atlantic University. The immense pride and thankfulness Wells has earned from participating in and winning this competition will aid her in feeling validated in her future creative works. Although Wells is a very recent graduate, her impact and vigor in the classroom will influence both current and future students for years, as she hopes this poem and its message will get out and be shared to everyone.

“I just hope that everyone enjoys it and takes to heart the message of treating every day like the gift that it is,” said Wells.

When you come back next semester, stop by the English department to grab a copy of the Broadside for yourself.

April 5, 2023 English Corner Student Voices

#BookTok Boosting Sales: Is TikTok Changing the World of Publishing?

#BookTok, a large sub-community on TikTok for book lovers who review, discuss, and promote their favorite, or least favorite, books, has taken the reading community by storm in recent years. On your most recent trip to your favorite bookstore, you may have noticed they even have shelves and displays dedicated to #BookTok recommendations. The English community has had many conversations about how technology is harmful to physical books; however, that discourse may be changing, as it’s estimated that 20 million printed books were sold in 2021 alone, solely due to #BookTok and the circulation of recommendations. In fact, the number of physical books purchased in 2021 was more than it’s ever been since 2004 (Bateman).

Authors and publishing companies have also been using #BookTok to promote their books to reach younger audiences and grow sales. For example, Colleen Hoover is now one of the most talked-about romance authors in the country due to #BookTok and its users recommending her novels. Hoover even created a TikTok account, featuring a video of her buying her mother a car with some of the money she has acquired from her recent fame. However, in recent weeks, another author has “gone viral” and it’s raised many questions, support, and criticism from publishers and authors alike.

Lloyd Devereuk Richard, a full-time lawyer, published a book in 2012 after spending 14 years writing it, only to garner little to no sales or support. When his daughter posted a 16-second TikTok sharing her father’s story with the world, however, it “blew up” with 10.8 million likes and 51 million views. Devereux Richard’s thriller novel, Stone Maidens, quickly hit records like the internet had never seen, reaching over 65,000 sales and hitting the No. 1 Amazon Bestsellers list in an instant (VanDerveer). The author quickly became a well-known persona in the #BookTok community, gathering support from millions of followers, one who commented: “Moments like this are why I stay on this app. The love & generosity from people is astounding. There is definitely more good than evil.” (@TSpin)

While this is a heartwarming and possibly tear-inducing story, it raises the question of how powerful social media promotions can be and how influence works in the reading community. I’m sure we’ve all been influenced to buy a book or two simply based on a friend’s recommendation, but how far can that encouragement go? Viewers of the Stone Maidens story aren’t the only ones to notice this change; publishing houses and companies have also started to advertise through social media to achieve high marketing status, but many have failed due to a lack of authenticity in the social media posts.

Professor Jason Ockert, a creative writer and published author at CCU, doesn’t currently use social media, as he has found it more detrimental to his life than beneficial. Ockert used Twitter in the past but found that it became a distraction to his creative writing process and drew him away from reading in his free time.

“I just know that for myself, it detracts from what I value the most, which is the creation in the process of working, doing the real work of battling the story.”

In his undergrad years, Ockert would submit his work to publishers and mail his creative writing to journals that he thought matched up with his writing style. Ockert emphasizes that his style of writing is what really caught people’s eye: “You become distinctive as a writer at the sentence level; it’s the discourse that allows you to be distinctive. Your sentences are the thing that will make you stand out from anybody else.” In times of ChatGPT and Open AI, the way a writer crafts their sentences is what can really set you apart from writers and robots alike.

Nowadays, many editors and agents want their writers to have a substantial number of followers on social media. Ockert said, “there’s a little bit of influence from the agent or from editors to promote [writing on social media].” This push to promote writing on social media can cause an increase in book sales, as we’ve seen from the statistics above. However, Ockert doesn’t measure his success or the value of his work by followers or likes; he measures it by the experience he is able to give his readers. Ockert suggested that writers who use social media need to find a balance between “trying something new” and “chasing down a trend” when sharing one’s work with the world, stating, “I do think that you should be aware of the pulse of what’s going on.”

In the face of AI writing and TikTok fame, Ockert believes in individual growth and strength, emphasizing the power of always having one or two people who believe in you and your writing ability. When deciding whether or not to continue his use of social media, Ockert asked himself, “Does it bring me joy, or does it extract from joy?”

While some do find joy in #BookTok as a space for conversing with others about their favorite stories, others find it grounded in physical interaction and print books. Whether you choose to enter into a career in publishing or writing, you get to make the decision for yourself whether social media interaction and promotions are right for you.

Works Cited:

Bateman, Kayleigh. “This Is How TikTok Helped Propel Book Sales to a Bestselling Year.” World Economic Forum, 11 Mar. 2022, https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/03/tiktok-booktok-print-books-sales/.

VanDerveer, Melanie. “’Stone Maidens’ Sells 65,000 Copies after Viral TikTok Video.” The Blast, 26 Feb. 2023, https://theblast.com/455907/after-decades-of-no-sales-stone-maidens-sells-65000-in-two-weeks-after-tiktok-video/.

March 22, 2023 English Corner Student Voices, Student Voices

A student-to-scholar transformation

Pictured L-R: Dr. Christian Smith, Dr. Emma Howes, Kelsie Crough, Jennifer Terry, and Peyton Barrett

For many student writers, attending a nationwide conference and presenting original work is one of the first steps to establishing their professional identities. On March 29-April 1, 2023, three students from the English department will, for the first time, attend a Sigma Tau Delta (STD) conference in Denver, Co. to showcase their work.

Sigma Tau Delta is an international English Honors Society that provides spaces for networking and honors graduate and undergraduate research in English studies. The conference invites its chapters and respective advisors from various universities across the globe to share experiences and ideas, be recognized for their achievements, and meet numerous respected authors. Aside from present their own work, students at this conference will celebrate Toni Morrison’s contributions to the English field; attend a lecture with Nicky Beer, writer and poetry professor at the University of Colorado Denver; and explore Brenda Peynado’s short story collection The Rock Eaters. We had a chance to chat with the three students attending, all of whom are also officers in the CCU chapter of Sigma Tau Delta: Jennifer Terry (president), Kelsie Crough (co-vice president), and Peyton Barrett (treasurer). The students discussed both their conference presentations and their expectations.

Terry will present three original poems: “Drifting Too Far,” “Pawn Shop Electric Bills,” and “Adoration of the Ages,” the latter of which has recently been published by LoftBooks. All three poems focus on the different manifestations of love. “Since poetry is part of who I am,” said Terry, “it made sense for me to submit [poems] to the conference.” Terry noted that since Coastal Carolina University’s chapter of STD has not been to the national conference in many years, she has high expectations for the event.

Since poetry is who I am, it made sense for me to submit [poems] to the conference.
Jennifer terry

“I am most looking forward to exploring a new place with Kelsie, Peyton, and the advisers while we interact with other chapters of the Sigma Tau Delta organization and listen to some great readings of all sorts of writing and research,” said Terry.

Crough will present “Fire in the Glass House,” an original short story she wrote in a Fiction II class with Jason Ockert, professor of creative writing. The second-person narrative employs magical realism in its exploration of Crough’s anxieties about losing a loved one. “I chose this piece for a few reasons,” said Crough. “First, I believed that it highlighted my skill as a writer and showed an emotional depth to my writing. Second, it was an unpublished piece that felt…ready for the world to see.” Like Terry, Crough is excited to meet and network with other writers, yet she is also eager to present her work to a large, professional audience for the first time. The conference presentation is “such a unique experience that not a lot of young writers get to do,” said Crough, “and I am looking forward to getting that experience and making memories that I can reflect on as I grow as a writer.”

*Crough presented her poem at a recent Brown Bag Lunch event, sponsored by the English department’s Student Success Committee*

Barrett will present an academic paper on discourse surrounding sexual violence, specifically regarding agency and how we can relocate that agency to benefit victims of sexual violence. Barrett’s interest in the topic stemmed from her composition and rhetoric course with Dr. Howes, a CCU associate professor in Composition and Rhetoric and one of the advisors for Coastal’s STD chapter. Through her research, Barrett found a significant lack of education surrounding sexual violence discourse—a fact she wanted to change. “I felt that this research was…something most people have never heard of or didn’t know much about,” said Barrett, “so it felt right to submit this paper for the Sigma Tau Delta conference.” Barrett is also excited to learn from the other writers presenting at the conference and to see what new conversations and pieces are entering English studies. “I know there will be a lot to learn and experience at this conference, and that’s probably the best part of this trip,” said Barrett.

*Barrett presented her academic work at the Brown Bag Lunch event as a preview to the conference.*

All three students said that support from their professors and friends, specifically Dr. Howes and Dr. Smith, another STD advisor and associate professor in Composition and Rhetoric, motivated them to attend this conference. “[Dr. Smith] was very encouraging to Kelsie, Peyton, and I about what we wanted to submit and was there for guidance if we needed it,” said Terry.

Smith urges current and prospective students in Sigma Tau Delta to submit their work to the next conference. “This is a fantastic opportunity,” said Smith, “and our students attend a school that sees that [and] is willing to help them get there.”

These students delivered a preview of their presentations at the recent departmental Brown Bag Lunch event, sponsored by the Student Success Committee.

March 6, 2023 English Corner Student Voices

Walking the professional walk: MAW students at AWP

For writers, walking into a room full of renowned authors is like a child walking into Disneyland; the awe is palpable. This week, several CCU graduate students will travel across the country to have just that experience.

Five students in the Master of Arts in Writing program at Coastal Carolina University will be attending the 2023 Association of Writers and Writing Programs Conference and Bookfair in Seattle, Washington later this week. The Association of Writers and Writing Programs (A.W.P.) is a community-based organization created to provide networking opportunities for writers. The official A.W.P. website expands on this by discussing how the mission of the association is to provide support, advocacy, and resources to writers, providing a great opportunity for students interested in creative writing to visit Seattle.

The four-day annual conference is a gathering of creative writing professors, students, teachers, writers, editors, and publishers to exchange ideas and discuss within the writing community. The event will feature speakers, panels, and a bookfair. The bookfair is used to promote graduate schools, literary journals, publishing houses, and a multitude of other programs and job opportunities aimed to assist creative writers. Manny graduate students attend to scout for jobs, further education, and even to discover new authors.

Joe Oestreich, the associate dean of the Edwards College at CCU, has been a frequent flyer at the A.W.P. conferences since 2004, when he attended his first conference as a graduate student with Ohio State University. Oestreich says he was initially intimidated by the size of the convention, but when he went back the next year he quickly came to the realization that “the creative writing world is a beach, and this is the whole beach.” He is also excited for students to be able to attend this year to connect with other writers, editors, and publishers working in the same field. Oestreich believes the A.W.P. conference is a great opportunity for graduate students to network and make connections that, in his personal experience, can last a lifetime.

One current CCU M.A.W. student, Lilith Yurkin, plans to attend the conference and is looking forward to seeing the panelists and meeting new people in the field. Yurkin says they are most excited to see panelists Stephen Graham Jones and Silvia Moreno Garcia, two speculative authors speaking at the conference. They also said, based on the conference’s offerings, the event is “much more diverse than [they] had expected” and includes a wide range of events consisting of “people talking about anything from AI technology to writing as a queer person.”

An aforementioned author attending the conference, Stephen Graham Jones, has published nearly 30 books ranging in genres of horror, crime, and experimental fiction. Jones is a Blackfoot Native American author who leans on his experience in cultural identity in his recent novel, The Only Good Indians. Silvia Moreno Garcia is a Mexican Canadian novelist, most notably known for her TikTok famous novel, Mexican Gothic, which was published in 2020. Along with these two reputable authors, there will be thousands of other creative writers in attendance at this year’s convention.

Catie Zimmer, a current M.A.W. student who plans to attend the conference, says she’s looking forward to seeing Keetje Kuipers and Jericho Brown, two award-winning poets who will be attending the conference. Zimmer has admired these poets from afar but is especially excited to see them in person. Kuipers is going to be discussing poetry in terms of motherhood, trauma, and sexuality in a year of political turmoil and change. Brown is scheduled to discuss his personal experience as a black writer and poet. Zimmer will also be working at the bookfair to promote CCU’s Master of Arts in Writing program.

While many famous, world-renowned poets and novelists will be in attendance, some of Coastal Carolina University’s own professors will be presenting their works in front of larger audiences. For example, Dan Albergotti, Amira Hanafi, and Oestreich will be signing their own works of creative fiction during the bookfair portion of the convention.

The M.A.W. program has provided for students to attend the A.W.P. conference for 10 years now and has received positive feedback from excited participants.

February 14, 2022 English Corner Faculty Voices

Walking the Edge: Jason Ockert brings light to the page and to the classroom

The art of fiction rests in the writer’s ability to create real from the imagined. For Jason Ockert, professor of creative writing in CCU’s Department of English, the blank page was an open invitation for such exploration.

“When I was a kid and I first started writing, I discovered that I could create anything that I wanted,” said Ockert. “I had all of the control and authority. That helped me counterbalance the lack of control I had over the adult-centered ‘real’ world. I still find solace in the autonomy that’s afforded me in fiction. It helps beat back the chaos.” At times, fiction can lead us to the greatest truths, not only about ourselves, but those that rest in the world around us as well.

Ockert scrapes the surface of those truths in his latest work. Ockert will hold a reading and discussion of his newest collection, Shadowselves, on March 3 as part of the Words to Say It series, sponsored by the Department of English.

“I still find solace in the autonomy that’s afforded me in fiction. It helps beat back the chaos.”
Jason Ockert

Shadowselves is Ockert’s third collection of short fiction stories. Mostly comprised of previously published work between 2017 and 2020, Shadowselves roots its characters in places where Ockert has lived: the Midwest, the Northeast, the South, and the Twilight Zone.

“The stories are inhabited by characters who are stepping dangerously close to an edge they cannot see,” said Ockert. “Although the stories are dark, they are not jaded. The characters are wounded, but they’re not broken. I make room for hope in these stories.”

Ockert notes the relationship in his stories between the threat of darkness and the desire for something greater. “The thing about a shadow is that it’s born from light,” said Ockert. “I think it’s important to figure out where that light is coming from in our lives. What gives our days purpose? Who brightens our mornings? How are we treating our better selves? I want my readers to engage with these questions as they move through the book.”

While writing had played a large role in Ockert’s entire life, it wasn’t until his MFA program at Syracuse that he found a passion for teaching. “Although it was very intimidating at first,” he said, “I soon found that I loved talking with students about writing. It was then, as it is now, a privilege to witness young writers discover a passion for stories.”

Ockert continues to teach fiction at the undergraduate and graduate levels, finding fulfillment and engagement in both. “I treat all of my students—from intro classes through master’s classes—as individuals,” he says. “Every writer approaches narrative uniquely, and it’s my job to identify strengths and weaknesses and to push the student to discover new ways to improve their writing. ‘Talent’ is not taught, but exposing students to a range of styles and craft techniques can help them refine their own literary aesthetics. I find that I learn a tremendous amount about writing from my students. I am very grateful to be around so many creative and inspired writers.”

Be sure to attend the reading on March 3 to hear Ockert read the first story in his collection, “Golden Vulture.”

September 10, 2021 English Corner Faculty Voices, Faculty Voices

Speaking of place: Joshua Cross on perspective and the short story

Joshua Cross, lecturer in Coastal Carolina University’s Department of English, held a reading and discussion of his newest work, Black Bear Creek, for the Words to Say it Visiting Writers Series in September 2021. We had a moment to talk to Cross about his background, his process and how he applies his expertise in the classroom.

Black Bear Creek is a collection of short stories connected by a fictional town in the Coal River Valley of West Virginia. Cross grew up in Beckley, W.V., and says elements of the stories are loosely inspired by the communities that surrounded him. He also finds influence in other authors of the region including Ann Pancake, Breece Pancake, Pinckney Benedict, and Jayne Anne Phillips. “There’s a lot of Southern writers, such as William Faulkner or contemporaries like Randall Kenan, who focus on fictional towns in a way that I admire,” said Cross.

Black Bear Creek began out of Cross’ work on his doctoral dissertation at Oklahoma State University. His primary focus in writing was poetry, until he found great influence in a writing workshop with Dr. Aaron Gwyn, professor at UNC Charlotte. “That class was sort of what changed things for me. It really got me started with writing fiction,” said Cross. “I never found that I could write about southern West Virginia until I moved to Oklahoma.” After finishing his Ph.D. and accepting a position at CCU, he continued revising and adding stories to the collection. “There was something about getting so far away from [my hometown] that allowed me the space to write about it.”

I never found that I could write about southern West Virginia until I moved to Oklahoma.
Joshua Cross

Cross notes the distinction between the short story and novel genres. “I think a really good short story does a lot of what a novel accomplishes,” said Cross. “The condensed form adds difficulty to the writing experience, since you don’t have as much time and space to invest your reader in characters and setting, but I think it also makes for a more appealing read.”

Cross finds his work in the CCU classroom rewarding. “I like to teach and talk to students about things that interest them,” he says. “In my creative writing classes, I like when students connect their own experience to what they’re reading; in composition, students can write about their identity and the communities that they come from.”

Cross at CCU English Department’s *Words to Say It* series.
Photos courtesy of Kelsie Crough.

April 20, 2021 English Corner Student Voices, Student Voices Post a Comment

A Prize-Winning Poetic Performance

We don’t always think of poetry as a performance art. Though it’s fundamentally designed to be spoken, poetry is frequently considered to be a solitary pursuit, with the creator focused inward. CCU senior Aliza Saper, physical theater major and winner of the Spring 2021 Paul Rice Poetry Broadside Contest with her work “To Eat and Be Eaten,” brings the dynamic nature of poetry back to its rightful place: front and center stage.

Aliza Saper reading her piece, To Eat and Be Eaten

Saper’s winning work is a reflection on the nature of space, the passage of time, and a permeating anxiety that she believes afflicts everyone in a Covid-19 world.

“This is my Covid life,” Saper said of her winning work, which was judged by poet Abraham Smith. “I think we all have a version of this right now. The problems that we’re facing, the struggles that we’re having, are all compounded together.”

Saper edited and submitted the poem from her childhood bedroom, the same place she inhabited the entire pandemic. The focus on space in the poem blends with a chronic worry that Saper fears is an unavoidable symptom of the pandemic.

“It really has been a time of, ‘If it’s not this thing that’s eating at me, then it’s this thing,’” said Saper. “And then it almost feels abnormal to be at peace and not be worrying — we have become so used to that little eating-away-at-you feeling that something’s wrong, something bad is going to happen.”

Saper has certainly gained notoriety for her verse in her final semester at CCU; in addition to her Paul Rice Poetry Broadside Contest honor, Saper also won the inaugural commencement poetry contest, open to all pending graduates of the E. Craig Wall Sr. College of Business Administration and the Thomas W. Edwards and Robin Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts, established for the combined ceremony for students of the two colleges. Saper’s winning work, “Inches,” will be presented at commencement.

Joe Oestreich, chair and professor of the Department of English, said Saper’s approach transcends mere reflection on a given subject.

“What I love about her work, and this commencement poem specifically, is how she gets beyond the sentimentalized, conventional wisdom of her topic to the truth with a capital ‘T,'”said Oestreich.

Theater has always been the center of Saper’s artistic life, with poetry serving as a side hobby. Her discovery of poetry as performance occurred during a gap year she took after attending Illinois Wesleyan University for one year. At home in Denver and feeling a bit pigeonholed, Saper dared herself to attend the weekly poetry slam at the Mercury Café.

People liked my words, and I was shocked.

“I went, and it was one of those magical moments in life when I was in the right place at the right time,” said Saper. “I had written poetry before — that wasn’t new — but performing it was. People liked my words, and I was shocked.”

Saper enrolled in CCU’s physical theater program the following year, and during that time she founded Tongues in Common, a monthly poetry open mic night at Yoga in Common in Myrtle Beach. Established in February 2019, the student-run program continues today as an outlet for artistic performance, growth, and connection.

This year’s Paul Rice Poetry Broadside Contest was Saper’s first experience submitting her work, and she encourages other students to do the same, emphasizing the concept of pulling out work that’s already been produced and polishing it up.

“Giving life to old work is sometimes more accessible and more fulfilling that even producing something new,” said Saper. “That idea is really well taught to the physical theater majors: work never dies. I think we’re so used to having our work die. We get an assignment to make this project, and we organize it, and we show it in class, and we get a grade on it, and it evaporates after that. But that’s always raw material. Once you make something, it’s raw material.”

Saper credits Jessica Richardson, associate professor of creative writing in the Department of English, with guiding her, an artist who typically wrote poetry for the ear, toward learning how to edit for the eye.

“I write poetry for performance, so I never thought about the importance of details such as punctuation and line placement,” said Saper. “It was a fascinating experience.”

March 17, 2021 Alumni Voices Post a Comment

Right place, right time, right skillset

Rob Sperduto ‘18, ‘20 is a recent graduate of CCU’s Master of Arts in Writing (MAW) program. He shares his experiences at CCU, how he overcame the challenges of finding a job that fulfills his passion, and future plans.

Not everyone can say they’re living the dream and mean it. But for Rob Sperduto, a recent Master of Arts in Writing (MAW) graduate, his dream job just so happens to be his actual vocation. As editor-in-training for ProGamesGuide (PGG), Sperduto spends his days writing about his passion: video games.

One of the biggest professional hurdles Sperduto had to overcome was learning to believe his passion was a viable career choice. As a student, he kept his dream of being a games journalist to himself, afraid that his goals were impossible. Eventually, though, Sperduto realized that other people were making careers out of his passion.

“Realize that your passions are out there, and you can potentially turn that into a job,” Sperduto advises students.

Sperduto didn’t get to this realization immediately, however. He moved to New York after graduating, and the pandemic hit shortly thereafter, adding a layer of difficulty to his job search. Sperduto mentioned that he was quickly running out of funds after a few months in the city, as there truly was no one hiring in New York during a global pandemic. By November 2020, he’d applied to more than 120 jobs – data available thanks to a spreadsheet he maintained documenting at least 90 of those applications, before he found it “too sad” to keep track of. Of those 120 applications, he heard back from four.

Finally, then, a break: Sperduto landed a part-time job with PGG, a website that specializes in creating and publishing game guides. Sperduto initially worked as a freelancer, writing guides for the site as needed. It wasn’t a full-time job just yet, but it was a start.

“It was a one-in-a-million chance. I was in the right place at the right time,” Sperduto said.

Two weeks into the position, Sperduto was asked if he could cover a relatively popular game, Roblox. He said “Yes,” despite never having touched the game. His supervisors were so impressed by his work that they asked if he would be willing to work full time.

Now, Sperduto is working to become an editor for the site. He spends his days maintaining Roblox coverage, as well as creating general how-to guides, responding to online comments, and editing others’ work.

Although he is a games journalist, Sperduto’s days aren’t spent playing too many video games.

“It’s not glamorous work,” he says, “but I never have a boring day. I’m constantly learning.”

In addition to using his technical writing skills, Sperduto has also been learning more about Photoshop and Google trends and analytics.

Sperduto mentions that CCU prepared him to take on this role, albeit in ways he didn’t originally recognize.

“There are hidden skills,” Sperduto said. “I found so much comfort tracing these skills back to specific class moments at CCU. Some moments don’t expose themselves until long after leaving university.”

Some of these “hidden skills” included time management, organization, and synthesis of research. Many of these skills came from the simple role of being a graduate student, though being in the MAW program proved especially helpful as well. Beyond being present for classes and putting effort in, Sperduto has one piece of advice for students.

“Get writing samples. If you have samples, you’re already 98% ahead of the cut.”

Whether it’s on a personal website, from freelance work, or submitting to journals, Sperduto recommends students establish a portfolio as soon as possible. He also recommends this tip for students in other majors: if it’s possible to create a portfolio, every student should start putting one together.

Sperduto had numerous mentors during his time at CCU. He mentioned that working with Sara Sobota, publications editor of the Edwards College and senior lecturer in the Department of English, was an eye-opening experience in the world of professional writing.

“Working with Sara Sobota… She is the best editor in the world,” said Sperduto.

Sperduto also credited Joshua Cross, lecturer of creative writing in the Department of English, with helping him learn how to speak to an audience. Cross was also instrumental in helping Sperduto develop teaching skills that have now transferred to his job.

Finally, Sperduto recalled how creative writing workshop sessions with both Joe Oestreich, chair and professor, and Jason Ockert, professor of creative writing, both in the Department of English, provided in-text feedback that continues to inform his editing process to this day.

“As an editor, you’re almost like a teacher,” said Sperduto. “You have to understand the writing process to give good feedback.”

For now, Sperduto is content to revel in the stability that having a full-time job brings — that, and the reassurance that his passion continues, both in his work and on side projects.

“Having a job doesn’t mean creative endeavors are over,” said Sperduto. “That was my biggest fear, but that definitely isn’t what happened.”

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