Manahil Bandukwala

The creative writing courses have been a space where I first encountered authors and poets such as Zadie Smith, Mary Oliver, Sofia Samatar, H.D., and more. So much of my writing and publishing experience started in these workshops. In the four short years since starting at Carleton, I’ve published two chapbooks, performed at Versefest, and won an award from Room magazine. I joined the editorial team of In/Words Magazine, and had the opportunity to publish chapbooks by two of my peers from a poetry workshop. Seeing how others write and where they get inspiration from is so helpful to your own growth as a writer. Whenever I face writer’s block, I remember an essay Rick Taylor shared in my Fiction workshop, on “Shitty First Drafts.” This has really pushed me to develop my voice through writing, rather than waiting for inspiration to hit. The professors are so encouraging and want writers to succeed, which is so important as an emerging writer.