"Everything at the School of Continuing Studies鈥擶riting the Internet, and Intro to Creative Writing鈥斕齢as been the highlight of my McGill career,鈥澨齭ays Shillingford.
Jaede Shillingford听lives and breathes the written word.听A听second-year McGill student听majoring in English Literature and minoring in Cultural Studies,听reading and writing are her greatest joys.听Someday, she hopes to pursue a career that will听allow听her听to combine her听two passions.听Once she has completed听her undergraduate studies, Shillingford听is听looking forward to taking听her major to the next level听by completing听a PhD听in the same concentration.听听
As a step towards achieving her professional and academic goals, Shillingford registered for two courses at the听McGill Writing Centre:听Intro to Creative Writing听(CCOM 200) and听Writing the Internet听(CCOM 315), which allowed her听creativity to shine听while honing her technical writing skills.听The McGill Writing Centre, which offers credit, non-credit and specialized writing courses open to听McGill students and听the听general听public, is the University鈥檚 central resource for written communication.听We听recently听spoke with Shillingford about听why she chose these courses, what she gained from them, and听how the McGill Writing Centre has helped her evolve as a writer.听听
What prompted you to take these two MWC courses?听
For听Writing the Internet听I was instantly drawn to the way the course was described.听Being on the older-ish听end of the Gen Z spectrum, I found the听pedagogy听behind the course听incredibly relevant,听as it essentially guides our understanding of听how we create and engage with digital media. Knowing why we are drawn to the posts we gravitate towards or even the kind of language that captivates us听most听online is essential in听exploring the ways in which we consume and interact with the internet.听These are skills听that translate听to听so many different industries: digital marketing, public relations and of course,听online writing in general.听
Introduction to Creative听Writing was听a听course I wanted to take last听year but听couldn鈥檛听sign up fast enough for! I remember I would refresh听the听Virtual Schedule Builder every hour during add/drop period hoping a seat would become available, but听unfortunately,听I had听no luck.听This year I made it my mission to get in.听听
In the university setting,听we听are听so used to writing听in an academic way听that we forget how to听flex our creative muscles a little bit. We lose sight of the fact that writing does not always have to adhere to a strict set of rules and conventions, and that听it can be such an incredible tool for听self-exploration and听for听exploring听the world around us. I wanted to take this course because it pushes past the听rigidity听of our conventional writing and allows for a sense of听artistic license and freedom.听听
What have been your听most important听takeaways from each of these courses?听
Writing should not feel like a punishment. I know听that听for a lot of college-aged kids, essays are the听bane听of听our existence and听can听feel like a chore. This, of course, is to be expected when听students听don鈥檛听have听the flexibility to allow听for听at least听some听听creative听expression to play听a role in what听we鈥檙e听being asked to write about. I think that the ways in which we approach writing in academia can almost hinder the capacity听our writing has to reach听other听people.听I think it can easily become almost听鈥渟oulless鈥澨齱hen we听don鈥檛听find ways to have students听genuinely听engage with the prompts they鈥檙e given.听
These courses reminded me that writing听is听such a听critical听tool in connecting with the world around us and the people in it. When given just a little bit of artistic license,听we leave pieces of ourselves between听the lines听that crystallize our values, hopes, thoughts, and beliefs.听I think people would stop looking at writing as so much of a chore if we found ways to make it听more听accessible听in the same听way听that听these courses did for me.听Now,听more than ever,听it鈥檚听important to really consider what kind of听thinkers听we are sending out into the world, as they鈥檒l be the ones to produce the next generation of听thinkers,听and so on.听听
How have听these courses听helped you in your academic,听professional,听or personal life?听
Funny enough, after I completed听the听Writing the Internet听course, I attended a family holiday听event,听and the course听found its way into听our听conversations. I听mentioned the听blog I created听in听class and shared the link听for听everyone听to read听my posts. My cousin听ended听up reaching out to me after going through a few pages听and was听so听impressed with the visuals and听the overall quality of writing, that she offered me a job building听a blog for her fashion line,听which听I听worked听on with her for a while.听
I鈥檝e听always been such a huge admirer of the fashion industry,听especially when I was younger.听At some point in time,听I wanted a career in听fashion,听but I never made an active effort to pursue it because I knew I wasn鈥檛 artistic听in the way that听the听industry calls for听It听wasn鈥檛听until I was given that opportunity to work in a design studio and write about the process behind the whole conceptualization of fashion that I realized how much of a gateway writing听can be into any industry.听Not everyone can design the clothes, but somebody has to write about them, right? That鈥檚 why we have听Vogue听and all these other fashion magazines.听Online writing, now more than ever, is an asset in any听and every听industry.听
Introduction to Creative Writing has had a monumental impact on my personal life.听When I write a poem,听or even a short story, I feel like听I鈥檓听largely writing for myself,听which听can be very cathartic. I know other people will read it and have their own interpretations of the things听I鈥檓听saying, which is fun as well, but every line I write is a听means of working through something important and personal.听It can be difficult to speak honestly about the things that bother you or cause you a great deal of worry. Writing, however, is one of the rawest forms of self-expression there听is听and if you really allow yourself to be open听about what you feel inside,听there鈥檚听really no emotion or thought that the pen can鈥檛 reach. If there was ever a听vessel for听confronting听your fears, beliefs, and even your听greatest听joys,听it would be in writing.听I听don鈥檛听know if I would听have听handled听the听pandemic听as well as I听have听if it weren鈥檛 for this course. Professor Wolfson really made it so that every journal you write, poem you draft,听and scene you conjure up听can serve as a vehicle for working through whatever it is you may be feeling.听It鈥檚听therapy, really. And I think听that鈥檚听an incredibly healthy way of looking at writing.听
What would you tell students who are considering taking either of these courses, or a course in general at the McGill Writing Centre?听
Prepare to be challenged creatively, especially if听you鈥檙e听not necessarily in the habit of writing beyond the听conventional听academic mode. Both courses really keep you on your toes, as听there鈥檚听really something new to do every week and you won鈥檛听entirely听be told how听you should听approach the prompts you鈥檙e given听because that鈥檚 up to you. This can be听nerve wracking听at first because there鈥檚 so much free rein within the听assignments,听which听isn鈥檛听typical of most university courses.听听
It听may听feel overwhelming,听but听that鈥檚听also what makes听the work so exciting.听You鈥檙e听really allowing your听intuition,听your passions听and interests听to听guide you through听the work.听It鈥檚听important to remember,听in my opinion,听to know that there is no wrong way to write听in these courses. It may feel like听there is, though,听because the structure听isn鈥檛听as rigid as听with a听typical writing听assignment听or听academic essay,听but the only听way you can mess up is by not trying at all.听You听become the architect of your own听creativity, and not only will you be a better writer for it,听but you鈥檒l also听come out听the course听a stronger academic too.听
For more information on the McGill Writing Centre, visit听听