On Tuesday, Nov. 12, Grand Valley State University’s Department of Writing hosted a meeting of the monthly Student Reading Series (SRS). The meeting, which was hosted by GVSU students Hannah Applebee and Angelina Firmalan, aims to provide a welcoming space for student writers to share their work in an informal setting.
The theme of this month’s meeting was “cozy,” and was emphasized by tea, snacks and a sweater contest that followed the readings. When students first arrived, they were encouraged to mingle with their peers before settling into armchairs around a fireplace to read their original, written works.
One of the student writers in attendance was Kassidi Mott, a junior at GVSU. This was her first time attending SRS, and she shared a short fiction piece that the audience said they loved.
“I felt really comfortable and safe after hearing everybody else’s reading, and getting to experience the atmosphere of the room,” Mott said. “I felt more comfortable opening up, and then I felt like I was really heard and that my piece was really well received.”
Mott added that she found it important for writers to surround themselves with others who share the same passion.
“I think that it’s a really important experience to meet more writers and more creatives that are passionate about similar topics,” Mott said. “I’m usually kind of worried about sharing my writing, (but) I felt really happy to do it here.”
The Department of Writing hopes that SRS will continue to build a safe community for writers. Firmalan is actively involved in the University’s writing community, and has emphasized the importance of the creative outlet that SRS provides.
“I think it’s all about community and safety,” Firmalan said. “Even if you don’t want to pursue a career in writing, it’s important to foster relationships and, ultimately, feel like you can have a voice. We’re here to listen and be somewhat familiar faces.”
Along with Mott, there were many first-time attendees, and this month’s SRS reading night had a much larger attendance than expected. While SRS is still almost entirely contained to writing students due to being sponsored by the Writing Department, Firmalan feels there is potential for it to grow.
“With the big numbers right now, it’s exciting,” Firmalan said. “It makes me really happy to see that people are interested. It’s turned into something that people look forward to. I would love to see it grow into (a wider) landscape. I think a way that we can keep the community aspect is by sharing the writing.”
To Firmalan and many in attendance, the increased number of voices sharing their work highlights how writing is an art form, not just a career path. Firmalan emphasized that she loves to hear readings from all students, not just those majoring in writing.
“Writing, to me, (is) not just a major (and) it’s not just a career,” Firmalan said. “It’s an art. It’s a form of expression. I think by having the diversification (of majors) here, it helps to voice that.
In December, SRS will host a senior showcase alongside its monthly series with the hopes of continuing to highlight and encourage the creative talent of GVSU students.
