Post by Waterford School

This week we were proud to welcome two artists to campus as part of the Visiting Writers Series, alumna Katie Sanyal ’20 and Professor and former Utah Poet Laureate Paisley Rekdal. The Visiting Writers Series creates opportunities for Waterford students to hear from both local and internationally known writers about the craft of writing, the process of publishing, and what it means to work creatively in the world. Katie Sanyal delivered a talk in Monday's US Assembly about her experience publishing her first novel, Lady of the House (Madville Publishing). She shared with students how her passion for literature began at Waterford and how the discipline she learned about the process of writing culminated in a contract with a publisher and the launch of her first book. Professor Paisley Rekdal visited on Thursday and joined Betsy McGee's AP Literature class to talk about poetic craft and the skill of close reading. Then, English teacher Harmony Button interviewed Paisley during a library event where Paisley discussed how she first became interested in poetry and what it means to "forensically" uncover possibilities for meaning in poems. Students asked thoughtful questions and met with Paisley after the interview to talk further. The Visiting Writers Series is an ongoing set of events that provides opportunities for young writers and would-be writers to explore the world of literature with invaluable hands-on experiences. We were thrilled to welcome these artists, and we look forward to visits from even more writers in the future.