Creative Writing students aren’t the only ones who could write a novel!

Sarah Weiler (Creative Writing and English Studies, Class of 2017), among other SVC students,  is currently in the stages of drafting her first novel for the Shires Press Series. The Shires Press Series offers students the opportunity to write and publish their own book through the Northshire Bookstore in Manchester, Vermont.

Weiler started writing her book in fall 2014, and the Press began the following semester. Ever since, it has given her a great boost in her writing education. During an interview, Weiler talked about how the Shires Press has helped her, especially in terms of confidence.

The junior got a head start luckily, when she told Dr. Daisy Levy, an Assistant English Professor at SVC, an idea she had. Dr. Levy informed Weiler about the new Shires program.

Although she was “afraid to draft the book,” Weiler said that “Jennifer Burg,” head of the Humanities Division at SVC, “told [her] to just go for it, and write like a really ugly draft.” Weiler added that, “[Burg] was letting me write my novel in gibberish basically.”

Weiler is learning through the Shires Press Series that you don’t have to be an expert in writing to write a novel. “If you want to write a novel that doesn’t mean that you need to be a novelist,” she said. “This publishing opportunity is a good idea to let creative writing majors, or any major know that it’s there,” Weiler continued.

Weiler grew up in Tennessee and moved to Vermont when she was 13, always crazy with words. “When I learned how to read, that sort of took over everything for me,” the junior explained. However, when she moved into the mountains, she took a break and started writing instead.

“I have all these word journals where I would just write gibberish. It makes no sense, but it sort of clears out my head,” she said. “It’s relaxing and it’s fun.” She also enjoys her time outside of the classroom as a writer and editor.

As a student, editor and now writer, Sarah Weiler is writing her book with new found confidence and excitement. Even without knowing what lies beyond college, Weiler believes that these experiences will give her a good start in the right direction.