Evolving skills: US varsity team helps students learn the art of writing

Mentors aim to polish students’ writing skills.

KARACHI: Writers from the International Writing Programme visited the students of Hijrat Colony and Sultanabad on Thursday, encouraging them to write and publish their experiences of life.

The University of Iowa, working hand-in-hand with The School of Writing (TSW), aims to polish the writing skills of underprivileged students and refine their expression of creativity.

As many as 55 boys and girls participated in the session, coached by a team of three professional writers from the United States and India as they wrote poems and articles about creative writing and travel blogging.

The visiting mentors, headed by IWP director and author Christopher Merrill, shared excerpts of their own work as well as talking to the students about the skills of writing. “We were asked to write a story during the session so that they could correct us and help us improve,” explained 19-year-old Hina Hussain.

Merill said that the students’ dedication is commendable. “The picture I had in mind of these students from Hijrat Colony and Sultanabad is very different from reality.”

The two Indian authors, Kavery Nambisan and Sridala Swami, completed exercises with the students designed to help them write more powerful stories.

“They were invaluable in helping me develop my ability to express myself on paper,” said 17-year-old Afshan Malik.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 6^th, 2015.