Tag Archives: Creative Writing

My Story Episode: Lindsay Owens, Digital Humanities Minor

2016-10-11

Episode 16 of the BYU English Society’s podcast, My Story, features Lindsay Owens, an English Major with a Minor in the Digital Humanities. Lindsay has always had a passion for writing and creating websites so she decided that she would combine the two and make her dreams a reality. When she faced opposition as she studied programming she decided to change to print and web publishing. As a result of her Digital Humanities Minor she added two more minors one in Graphic Design and another in Creative Writing. Lindsay is taking on the world of web design one print publish at time, and showing the skills that the English Major has given her. With the approach of graduation Lindsay is excited to explore the world of digital humanities even more, and she invites you to do the same! Play the podcast embedded above, and please check out all our episodes featuring stories about how to apply your English Major by visiting the BYU English Society SoundCloud page.

Lindsay’s Interview

Reading Series: Robert Pinsky

robert_pinsky_credit_eric_antoniouLast week at the English Reading Series we had the privilege of hearing from Robert Pinsky. Not only did Pinsky serve as poet laureate, he also turns out to be a marvelous reader. I’ll be the first to admit that my eyes tend to glaze over a bit when I hear poetry read aloud (sorry, no tar and feathers, please), but Pinsky had an entertaining and almost magical way of reading. He read a bit out of his translation of Dante’s Inferno (which I didn’t know about but seriously, it was so much better than the other translations I’ve read–no offense to other translators), and then he took requests for individual poems. He also answered several audience questions, such as “What advice would you give an aspiring writer?” His answer–take note, you aspiring writers out there–was to “Make your own anthology of works you love.”

This week’s reading (Friday at noon in the library auditorium) will be from Wade Bentley, one of Utah’s own poets. Don’t miss it!

Did you attend Robert Pinsky’s reading? What did you think?

Jessica Romrell

I am a reader, a writer, a tennis player, a violinist and I’m an English major.

Romrell, Jessica

Jessica Romrell

I am and always have been an avid reader. This began with my father buying me the Harry Potter books on CD. I spent many hours listening to those books, and since then I have loved reading. I love it so much, that I’m going to turn it into a profession. I am minoring in editing, and my dream is to become an editor or book reviewer for science fiction/fantasy novels.

One of my favorite books is Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Reading Series: Patrick Madden and Kristen Eliason

The English Reading Series kicked off with a bang with readings from Patrick Madden and Kristen Eliason!

Pat Madden 2 Pat Madden, a professor here at BYU, kept us laughing by reading from his personal essays. A master of hyperbole, Madden apologized to the reader for the few tiny factual errors in his personal essay collection (now, was it Helen who sang the alto part, or was it Mary?–we may never know). He discussed and read from some purposefully unfinished essays, complete with pictures of Kiss and music clips. To finish off, he read his own eBay listing for a writer’s unfinished bottle of water, surprising the audience by planting his own students in the audience to interrupt and ask questions. (I was one of those lucky students.)

Kristen Eliason read to us primarily from her book Picture Dictionary, an unusual work of Kristen Eliasoncreative non-fiction written in the form of a Japanese picture dictionary. In Picture Dictionary and in the haiku from her chapbook Yours, she enthralled us with her fascinating use of language and form. My favorite part, though, was hearing her poem about cuddling (which, as she pointed out, is perfect for students at BYU, who are preoccupied with cuddling), describing the predicament of having to figure out what to do with your arm when cuddling. When she described the out-of-place arm as a “chicken wing,” she spoke to my soul.

If you missed the readings by these fantastic authors, don’t make the same mistake again–the Reading Series takes place every Friday at noon in the library auditorium, with different authors each time! And you really don’t want to miss out this week–ROBERT PINSKY, former poet laureate, aka one of the very best poets currently living in the United States, is reading (this reading only will be in the JSB auditorium–after this week the Reading Series will return to the library auditorium). Be there or be square! (Or, I should say, miss out on an amazing opportunity that you may never have again!)

Hi, I’m Tesia Tsai

I’m a creative writer, a Tumblr addict, and a student editor. And I’m an English major.

Tesia Tsai

Me at Disneyland (where I always want to be)

I’m one of the lucky few who never reconsidered her major through college. Ever since my senior year of high school, I’ve known that English is the major for me. Some cliché reasons: I love to read and I love to write. Always have. Always will. Funny fact is that English isn’t even my first language. But I guess my English tutoring in kindergarten did the trick, because I’ve grown to love the language more than my first.

Some things about me that aren’t English related… I was born in California, but I’ve lived in Utah now for more than half my life. I love traveling, though I wish I could afford to so more often. (Alas, the cons of being a college student.) I’ve been lucky enough to visit London, New York, Paris, and Taiwan (which, contrary to popular misunderstanding, is not the same as Thailand). I speak Mandarin, English, and some French. When I’m not doing homework or studying for exams, I’m usually obsessing over my favorite things on Tumblr. (If you have a Tumblr account, you’ll understand.) I would love to become a published author someday, so I spend a lot of time daydreaming about stories and little time actually writing them down. I also love watching movies and visiting the theater whenever I can. 🙂

 

One of my favorite books is Marissa Meyer’s Cinder.

Hello, I’m Boo Ludlow

I’m a face in the rain, a dead poet, a fantasy reader, and an actor. And I’m an English major.

Boo Ludlow

From a performance of The Importance of Being Earnest

I love books. I love reading books so much that I eventually figured I should probably start the long road to writing a few, although I’m at the very beginning. My favorite authors are Brandon Sanderson and Orson Scott Card, my favorite genres fantasy and sci-fi. It amazes me how well literature can connect distant, awkward human beings throughout the ages. Some of my best friends were discovered by finding out we enjoyed the same books. I enjoy memorizing pieces of old or modern poetry to casually insert into everyday life… Nobody knows how to romance like Shakespeare, so why not let him help me out? “How like a winter hath my absence been from thee, the pleasure of the fleeting year…” Big, fat novels with tiny print prove a fatal attraction, and if I’m not carrying one around with me at all times, then there’s a very good reason for it. Finally, I just love the blending of fascinating and unique ideas that proves timeless and infinitely shareable found in paper and ink. Books change and illuminate lives. I slowly wring out short stories, scripts, and poems for practice and fun every day, but my real baby is still in the works, an fantasy epic that I hope will delight everyone that reads it!

One of my favorite books is Brandon Sanderson’s Words of Radiance.

 

Hi, I’m Rachael Rackley

I’m a violist, lover of chocolate, and optimist of life. And I’m an English Major.

Rachael Rackley

My viola and I

For as long as I can remember I have always been reading and creating new stories. While other kids wanted to play sports, I wanted to run to the library or book store and read a new book. While other kids spent hours playing Webkinz online, I spent hours typing out ideas on Microsoft Word for potential future novels. My mind has never stopped running with new ideas for stories, and neither has my dream for becoming a great writer one day.

As a brand new freshman at BYU I will work hard to not only evolve as a writer, but also as a person. I strongly believe that until I achieve both of these goals, my dream of becoming a great writer will never be accomplished.

Writing to me is not busy work; it is my passion and joy in this life. As I work to achieve my goals I hope I can inspire other people to follow their own dreams as well. After all, I have found that the greatest joys in this life are simply by helping other people. And if I can do that through my writing, even if it is for one person, then I know I have succeeded.

One of my favorite books is Lois Lowry’s The Giver.