On March 15th,  Marion Cline received her acceptance into the well-respected UVA Young Writer’s Workshop. The founder of the writer’s retreat, Margo Figgins, founded the camp in 1982 in part to create a place for young, creative writers to find others like themselves and to refine their writing. Before the YWWs, young writers in VA had no meeting place to discuss their writing or an area to immerse themselves in writing. Now hundreds apply for the workshop and among the many, Marion Cline now talks about her  thoughts on UVA’s YWW and her experience with writing.

How did you hear about the writing workshop ?

My friend Carly Roberts told me about it, and it was perfect because I had been craving more creative environments.

What kind of writing or classes will you do at the camp?

Poetry !!!!

What are you looking forward to about the camp?

I’m looking forward to finding people that are as passionate about words as I am, and to see in what areas of poetry I need to improve.

Have you ever attended a camp like this? How do you think it will compare and contrast to this  camp?

I have not gone to a creative writing class like this, so I have no idea

As a soon-to-be junior, do you feel like attending this camp will help you find colleges you’re inclined to?

Yes! I have a few top choices in New York, and I think going to a top school-sponsored program definitely lets other universities know that your work is valuable on a diverse level.

As a writer, what atmosphere or subjects inspire you? Do you think the camp will have these, or do you think the camp will open you to new things that will better your writing?

I am inspired by very small common things, beautiful things that people see every day and never notice. Things like moving hands or running water or leaves or wind in hair or essentially anything, and the fact that there is so much beauty in the world is definitely a compelling motive to write. I think that this camp will help there be, I guess,  more of an outburst of imagination in things that I see, and the experience of being with other imaginative souls will help my point of view.

How do you think this experience will help you? Do you think it will help when you write college essays or when you choose a major?

I think the experience will be helpful with being more confident in writing, and also endurance with writing projects, instead of just diving into a story and coming out with something good but really short. Overall, perseverance is something I really need to work on, and yes, that can help with something as simple as essays.