Creative Writing Across the Generations

CAROL MITTLESTEAD

“Perseverance, perseverance”. That was Brian Clabby’s message to a group of teens gathered at the McLaughlin Branch of the Oshawa Public Library (OPL) on the evening of November 26th. Brian, an OSCC55+ member and an alumnus of the Creative Writing course and studio, was explaining the key ingredient needed to be a successful story teller. The teens were surprised by the amount of time and energy involved between the idea of a story and its finish. Numerous edits are generally required before an author is satisfied! In the case of Brian’s short story The Sling-shot, it was six or seven.

For just over a year, Caitlin Gauthier, a public services clerk at the Library, has guided twelve to seventeen year olds through the creative writing process. The Teen Writing Group meets the last Tuesday of every month. Caitlin often arranges for guest speakers to both educate and inspire these youth. Brian certainly met the criteria especially as he has a severe learning disability. He strives to encourage people to use creative writing as a means of overcom-ing whatever obstacles they may be facing in their lives.

Brian read aloud The Sling-shot; it received an honourable mention in the OSCC55+ 2019 Annual Writing Competition. He then explained that while the story is fiction, the characters and locale are based on real people and places from his childhood. The unusual sling shot with its carved wooden handle in the shape of a fish is very real! It is a prop that his in-structor brought to his OSCC55+ Creative Writing class as part of a 20 minute brain-storming exercise. You never know what will inspire you. Grab it and let the creative process begin! The teens acknowledged this good advice.

Brian was definitely a welcomed guest at the OPL Teen Writing Group!