Letting Go of Teen Writers’ Club

Submitted by Holly Raus

Facilitating the Teen Writers’ Club for the past 11 years has been unique in the experience of a Youth Specialist, as it has allowed me to solely manage one particular program for over a decade. This opportunity has afforded me the honor and privilege of watching several 11-year-olds grow, change and mature into high school and even college graduates. I oversaw my last meeting in December and it did not come without emotion.

The very first Teen Writers’ Club meeting took place in January of 2014, after Julie asked if I would be interested in starting a program that would encourage local teens to meet peers with a similar passion for writing, and I agreed to give it a go. We started with a one hour long meeting each month, but the teens asked for more. We expanded to bimonthly meetings with meetings lasting for an hour and a half. This led to keeping up the meeting schedule throughout the summers with the introduction of the annual After Hours Lock-in to celebrate the end of summer. During the pandemic lockdown, we didn’t miss a beat and were the first program to pivot to virtual meetings. When the Cumming branch was undergoing an upfit and was closed to the public, the teens did not want to miss any meetings, and thanks to the Hampton Park branch graciously hosting us, we were able to keep to our regular schedule.

This group of teens have loyally attended the meetings for years! Often a sports season, band commitment or a theater production prevents a teen from attending for a few months but they usually come back when their Tuesday nights become free again. Participants have included three siblings from the same family, and even a few sets of twins. Teens often introduce writer friends to the club. We have hosted visiting authors, graphic novelists, an art therapist who led us in creating a book art project and a presentation from local printer and publisher, Book Logix. We even held a “launch party” for a teen who self-published her own YA novel!

The heart of the club is the opportunity for teens to share their original writing with their peers and gain valuable feedback. It has not been uncommon for a teen to attend meetings for two or three years without sharing their writing or even contributing to discussions, but one day that teen decides the time is right to share a poem or give some feedback and this feels like an amazing victory. My ultimate goal has always been to provide a safe space for teens to share and explore their creativity, and to allow each teen to be seen. I believe that if teens find their people, whether that is in band, theater, sports, youth group, book club or writing club, then they will be okay. I have often thanked the teens for helping to create a supportive environment and am grateful for the encouragement and thoughtful feedback they have offered to each other. 

Being part of the teens' lives has lifted me up and I have formed close bonds with several of them. I have been invited to college graduations, music concerts and a virtual wedding. Two of the members married and now have two children. One of the teens is applying to Valdosta State University’s MLIS program and another teen wants to work here at the library. Although it is difficult to step away from this program after so many years, I am confident that the club will go on as I am leaving it in the capable hands of fellow YS, Alexa Martin.