Written by Olivia Cyrus
At Arrow Creative, Memphis’ creative hub, young Memphians have the unique opportunity to participate in a variety of artistic practices such as creative writing, illustration, fashion design, and more. Hear from some of the campers as they reflect on week one.
“I came to camp because I like drawing, making books, and painting,” said Jordan, 10.
Having further developed his authorial skills under the guidance of Kifani Press co-owner and camp creative writing teacher Ashley Davis, Jordan is enthusiastic about the completion of his new book called Ranjin Jump.
“It’s about two twins trying to find a power source while villains are trying to use them for evil.”
He admits that while the process of illustrating dynamic action scenes in his book has been challenging, working with Ms. Davis has been beneficial.
“She has helped me learn how to actually write books and show me how they are supposed to look,” he said.
Additionally, he believes that his creative writing skills have grown exponentially over the past few days and attributes this in part to working alongside his fellow authors and campers, Zamaya and Camila.
Camila, 10, has been coming to Arrow Creative for several weeks to participate in the plethora of activities the haven for artists offers. Upon being offered the opportunity to attend camp, Camila was intrigued by the prospect of creating her own short story. At the moment, she is writing an adventurous narrative around a young boy’s unique extraterrestrial encounter.
“My book is about a boy who thinks he has a boring life until he meets this alien named Eri. When they meet, she tells him a huge mistake in his earthly life has caused her world to corrupt,” Camila said.
For Camila, her favorite part of this week-long experience has been getting the opportunity to feel like a real writer. This sentiment was similarly shared by camper Zamaya, 10, as she writes her debut story, Cops and Robbers.
Cops and Robbers is a mysterious tale following sisters Petra and Heather on their quest to apprehend historical artifacts from international sleuths while navigating the social tribulations of their new school in Orlando, Florida.
Zamaya says that while it has taken a lot of work on her part to craft a smoothly flowing fictional narrative for the first time, she, like her peers, Jordan and Camila, would love to come back to camp again.
For other children her age in the Memphis area, curious about attending a creative writing camp at Arrow but unsure about whether to attend, Zamaya says, “It’s a great experience, and I think they would have lots of fun.”
To learn more about Arrow’s camp offerings, click here.