By the Writer’s Guild

RI (Year 5-6)’s creative writing society

What goes well with a Pencake?

No, that’s not a trick question – the Pencake is the Guild-run website featuring creative writing from students and literary giants alike, and we think that its fun, open, and engaging nature reflects something about what we try to do here in Guild. While writing can be a fairly solitary activity, we use outings, peer editing, and external collaborations to make pursuing our interest in writing a communal process.

“So what do you do all the time? Write?”

We write, of course, but we also include, and explore. We strive to ensure that no one is sidelined in activities or discussions, and that everyone feels at home in Guild. As such, we don’t have a selection process, welcome new signups throughout the year, and schedule our sessions to be as convenient as possible for our members. (Guild) sessions are currently on Tuesday, from 4.30pm to 6pm, though that’s fairly flexible). Together, we venture beyond the stereotype of reclusive writer in all sorts of ways:

1. Writing prompts and outings

With prompts from sources as diverse as the Internet, fellow members and other people’s conversations, we veer toward the innovative and quirky: basically, the sort of thing you probably wouldn’t dream of doing on your own. For the same reason, we try to have termly outings – our latest was to the Singapore River – and usually there’s plenty of laughter and food involved too.

2. Peer editing

A significant portion of sessions is used for peer comments, and learning how to give and receive constructive feedback in small buddy groups.

3. Annual anthology

This one speaks for itself: we offer each member a chance to be part of the editing and publishing process; in addition, submissions are open to anyone and everyone.

4. Special initiatives

Last but certainly not least, we take advantage of everyone’s collective energy and ideas to start our own things and reach out beyond the CCA. Last year, we launched the Pencake, started a collaboration with the Faces of Singapore group, and initiated community service programmes that range from holiday writing activities for hospitalised children to customising picture books for intellectually disabled kids. We’re also planning exciting things for the year ahead, including collaborations with Raffles Press and the Photography club, and greater involvement in school events.

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So, anyway, what does go well with a Pencake?

Well, there’s something about the humble pancake that encourages kinship, conversation and oddball experiments that we’d like to think we stand for as a CCA. In short, we think that a passion for the written word, and more than that, a desire to pursue this passion alongside like-minded peers and friends, are pretty good to start with. A love for food and a certain willingness to poke fun at yourself doesn’t hurt either.