Hello everyone! My name is Isabella Leo and I am a budding junior attending Cornell College, impatiently awaiting my graduation in May of 2026. My future aspirations, branching from my Creative Writing major, are to become a published writer in non-fiction stories, poetry, and research, or even producing my own film(s). I am working my way towards my goal by staying involved in clubs at Cornell, such as being the President of BOOM Magazine, the Public Relations for Lyrically Inclined, alongside my submissions to SLAB and Open Field. Through Cornell College\u2019s courses I have been able to explore and expand upon my future goals, an example being through my Advanced Memoir course with visiting author Jeanna Kadlec. In such courses I learn how to properly expel my emotions and explain my interests through learning about the quota of the publishing industry and writing process as a whole. My love for creative work and self-expression is spread throughout my being, and the joy I find in understanding myself and expanding my knowledge is found in everything I do at Cornell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I sat in on the lunch with published writer, Rachel Yoder, on April 1st in the Ringer Dining Room. From coming to this event I learned a lot about Rachel Yoder\u2019s book Night Bitch and the process in creating it alongside its movie production. This event acted as an open opportunity to students and staff to learn about the industry and what being a writer can truly be like. Rachel Yoder answered every question carefully and tackled topics in connection to struggling as a first time mom when writing the book, how much she contributed in the films production\u2013as she is not the one directing or who had taken charge of its creation\u2013, the gap between writing a novel and scriptwriting, and much more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Through attending this event I acquired many valuable writing tips through our discussion that I intend to incorporate into my future works. A prominent point of discussion being script writing in comparison to novel writing when students asked her thoughts on someone else making the Night Bitch movie. Rachel stated that the movie adaption is the artist’s own story, her personalized image and art piece, part of a completely different world. Script writing is more poetic in nature, holding an abundance of imagery, maximized dialogue, and elaborated voices presented through emotional energy. To write a script is to animate the moments that were previously written, to flesh out every last detail. In writing the script you acknowledge the audience’s view compared to the novelist who does not think about their audiences, instead thinking about themselves and their emotions during their writing process. This point stuck with me as it made me realize that script writing is something that I may be good at as I hold a love and longing for poetry. Even though there’s a gap between script writing and writing novels, there is an audience that the author is reaching out to, an audience that I now long to reach in every way possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The discussion at this event also ties into a class that I had taken earlier this school year, Memoir with visiting author Jeanna Kaldec. In the course we covered the lengthy editing process and publication, which ties into what Rachel Yoder had discussed. In addition, this lunch holds a close resemblance to upcoming courses, ENG 365: Literature and Cinema taught by Sam Walker in block 1 and ENG 377: Topics: Screenwriting with a visiting professor, Jack Messitt in block 7. In these courses students will learn about the difference between basic novel writing in comparison to writing for a film or play, whether that be through investigating film societies and literary coteries of the early twentieth century or creating a short film. So, make sure to look out for these courses if you are interested in anything that Rachel Yoder discussed in terms of screenwriting and adaptations!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I have the dream, no, the goal, to become an accomplished writer and even experiment in film production. So, the discussion at this lunch provided me with helpful advice concerning the production industry in ties to the process behind creating a novel, both the steps within the business and editing portion and the emotional drawls\/releases. From attending this event I now know more about the daunting process, feeling more well-equipped to lead into such a career and expansive projects. In connection to my future career goals in writing, there are the upcoming writing events on Cornell College campus that I know will inspire me further towards my literary future. A couple upcoming events that I am looking forward to include the \u2018English and Creative Writing Awards Night\u2019 on April 30th from 6:30 to 8:00 PM in Hall Perine and the \u2018Last Free Write Friday & Poetry for Obsession Chapbook Release Party on May 2nd at Van Etten Lacey House. It has been such a great school year and as the new year is treading on I cannot wait to celebrate, collaborate, and communicate with Cornell\u2019s writing community at these end of the year events. I toast for us to forever be creative and never doubt the greatness of our writing, to express ourselves beyond our imaginary confines within our minds, and grow from our writing! Thank you Cornell literary community!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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