Inspired to write: High school student writers receive tips from Josh Wood

Aspiring writers from HEM High School shared works and words of wisdom with Saratoga-based writer Joshua Wood at a special literary dinner April 18.

Presented at the school by HEM Speech and Language Arts Teacher Brenda Ostendorf, the dinner featured counsel from Wood, who has published works such as the short story “Than Never to Have Loved at All,” and the book “After the Sun Sets and the Moon Rises”. The attending HEM student writers, including sophomore Maggie Johnson, sophomore Tabitha Mabe and freshman Joe Rohwein, shared original writing pieces.

Mabe shared her original poem titled “Lily,” while Johnson shared her original poems known as “Shadow”, “Moisture”, “Blue” and “Love Walk.” The students also talked about their favorite books and authors, as well as what drives them to write their own poems and stories.

In addition to the student pieces, Wood, who began writing in middle school, shared a short, philosophical story titled “Why do we Write?” at the dinner. He expressed the importance of putting feelings and thoughts down on paper.

“I really started writing as a way to cope with bullying after I had moved to a new school,” Wood said. “I began writing as an outlet, which helped me for a good amount of time, and wrote whenever I could throughout school. For example, if I was waiting for five minutes for class to start, I’d write something down.”

Wood’s writing proved to pay off after receiving first place in the 2005 Wyoming State Young Authors competition for his story “Undying.” With that in mind, he encouraged students to hold onto everything they write and always think positively about their work.

“Everything you write can turn into something big,” Wood said. “Those five sentences you wrote two years ago could spark a novel. The poem you wrote about a flower could start a poetry collection, or that poem you wrote about a shadow could start a humorous child series. We are also our own worst critics with some of our writings, but to someone else, that writing of ours could change their life.”

As Wood works on his short story collection titled “Wyoming Dead,” he also runs the Writers of the Valley group in Saratoga, which meets 6 p.m., and every second Sunday of every month at. The group meets in different locations, including Wood’s home and other private residences.

“We want to get more younger people involved ,” Wood said. “They can learn a lot from the older members, who can learn a lot from the younger members as well.”

To find out where the next Writers of the Valley meeting is, call Joshua Wood at 307-710-7734.