YOUTH OUTLET

YO Piece:
​"Ode to the Pasta"

Youth Outlet: Author Reflection

by ​​Emily Block

The reason I attended the writing workshop at John Carroll University was to break my cycle of summertime sluggishness. With both my father and grandfather as alumni, a neighbor was sure to mention it. Through word of mouth, this message came to me and I was immediately hopeful. I work better in sterilized, classroom environments that force me to focus on nothing but my work. When the opportunity came to ignite my creativity once more, I seized it, and it just so happened to be the Young Writer’s program at John Carroll.

Depending on the circumstances, our split groups entered a poetry or narrative related class, zeroing in on the aspects of writing and how to incorporate them into our personal works. The lessons themselves were insightful and informative, but the amount of freedom given to let the recently taught skills to swirl and build in my mind I found extraordinarily helpful. The environment was safe and professional, creating comfort for works of both personal and frivolous nature. The natural affinity I shared with those around me allowed me to break out of my shell and be truly passionate about what I love most; writing. Creative writing holds a place in my heart like no other, but relying on it as a primary source of income both concerns and frightens me. In an ideal world, I’d love to work as a screenwriter for a television/web/comic book series. Until then, I’ll hone my craft to one day speak to all sides of the world. 

Emily Block

Emily Bock is fifteen years old, in her sophomore year attending Fairview Park High School. Outside of writing, Emily takes interest in art, history, marching band, filmmaking, and Junji Ito.