Connecting through reading and writing: Kwantlen Pageturners and the Creative Writing Guild

Reading and writing are closely connected, and for Kwantlen Polytechnic University students looking to explore either or both of these areas this summer, the Kwantlen Student Association has two clubs that are open to new members: the Kwantlen Pageturners and the Kwantlen Creative Writing Guild.

The Kwantlen Pageturners are dedicated to reading and discussion and are led by club president Emilee Stewart.

In an email statement to The Runner, Stewart wrote that the club’s summer read is Sunrise on the Reaping, author Suzanne Collins’ latest prequel to her series, The Hunger Games. The novel revisits the world of Panem, focusing on a younger version of character Haymitch Abernathy during the 50th Hunger Games.

“We are aware that our book of the semester may not be every members’ cup of tea so we host several events that are related to reading for those who choose to opt out of the semester’s novel,” Stewart wrote. “So no matter what, you’ll have something to do every semester in our club.”

One of those events is a Hunger Games-themed gathering taking place on July 23 at 2:00 pm in the Spruce Atrium on the KPU Surrey campus. The event will include discussion panels with instructors, trivia games, food, and prizes.

The club is also launching a summer reading bingo challenge. Participants will complete prompts such as “read a book that starts with the letter P” or “read a poem by a Canadian author.” Movie nights will be held on the first Friday of each month from 3:00 to 6:00 pm and include food and discussions following the screening.

Students interested in joining the Kwantlen Pageturners can sign up using the membership form available at www.bit.ly/pageturnersform. 

For students interested in writing, the Kwantlen Creative Writing Guild offers a welcoming space for writers of all levels to explore creative expression in a supportive community.

In an email statement to The Runner, co-leaders Safiyya Mohamed and Bridget Heine wrote that the club’s greatest success is the tight-knit writing community they have built over the years. 

“We appreciate all the lovely people who have come to our meetings and reached out to our guild to meet fellow writers and learn more about writing!”

Weekly meetings are held on Wednesdays from 1:30 to 3:00 pm in Birch 260 on the Surrey campus. Each meeting is free form, with topics and writing methods “usually decided based on suggestions from those who attend.”

This semester, the guild is working on a collaborative poetry project on the theme “Drauntings.” Blending dreams and hauntings, the project explores ideas such as haunted dreams, eerie memories, recurring nightmares, and lingering hopes. At recent meetings, members have been brainstorming, workshopping, and editing each other’s pieces as they work together on the project.

The guild also plans to host an open mic night later in the semester, with more information to be announced soon.

Students can stay up to date on the guild’s activities by joining its Discord channel @KPU Writers, where they’ll find weekly prompts, writing tips, publishing opportunities, and updates on ongoing projects.

For more information about KSA clubs, visit www.kusa.ca/clubs.