Do you like reading? Or do you love writing stories? Well, there’s a club for both of those activities at Wakefield. This October Wakefield unveiled the new Book Club and Creative Writing Club for those of all grades interested in participating.

In both clubs, avid writers and readers have the opportunity to connect with others to talk about their favorite books, current books, or glean tips and ideas from other writers.

“Both the book club and the creative writing club were formed to give students who love reading and writing an opportunity to connect with other like-minded students in a socially distant, yet welcoming environment,” said John Smith, Wakefield’s School Library Media Coordinator and a supervisor of the Creative Writing and Book Club.

Before October, although there was no club, Wakefield had a high number of avid readers of all books genres, including manga, nonfiction, science fiction, realistic fiction, and young adult, and a high number of creative writers who enjoy writing poetry, fiction, and fanfiction on their own time. It was common that these avid readers and writers could be overheard talking about their favorite books, books that they had recently read, or books that had been recently released.

“Even though the community of creative writers in any school environment may be small, there will always be students who will want to write, whether that be short stories, fan fiction, or poetry and even lyrics,” said Joyce Deaton, one of Wakefield’s Media Specialists and the other supervisor of the Creative Writing Club. “I feel as if I have met many future professional writers who shyly walk into the library to be in a Creative Writing Club.”

With the new Book and Creative Writing Club, these students will not only get the chance to make friends with fellow readers and writers, but they get to show their passion for hobbies that are usually seen as “boring” and not something you would do for fun. They will also get the chance to be able to collaborate with others regarding their ideas on what to write, what to read next, recommended books to read, and tips on how to get better at writing. If a student chooses to join both clubs, they’ll get the best of both worlds.

“I joined [the Creative Writing Club] because I love to write and it’s so fun talking with others who also love to write,” said Abigail Draper, a Creative Writing Club member. “I hope to have tried some genres I’m not used to writing to step out of my comfort zone a little.”

While the clubs are relatively new, being only about a month old now, these spaces are still wonderful places for those who want to connect to others with a similar passion, along with the possibility of becoming a better writer and having a more expansive internal library with others giving ideas on what to read.

“I joined [the Creative Writing Club] because I hope to one day become a best-selling author. I hope that not only will my stories be inspiring, but also make a difference,” said Tessa Elmore, another member of the Creative Writing Club.

Although these clubs might not be accepting new members right at this moment, if you love to read and/or write, this club is for you. If you’re interested in being in these groups, visit the library’s website, Biblio Files and get started on your path of becoming a member of these clubs!