born in 1965, and Raymond, ….
born in 1965, and Raymond, born in 1967. Then, after a 12-year gap, Maria and Sarah were born.
For 40 years, Fred taught grammar and writing to high school and elementary school scholars. Upon retirement, he and Wilma moved into Mutual 12 in 2005.
He first joined the Theater Club and started writing variety shows, and then he moved to the Creative Writers’ Club. It was a perfect fit. He was president of the board from 2008-2021, stepping down just last month.
“There are always people who have the impulse to write,” said Fred. “This club encourages them by giving them an audience. Just about everyone has a book in their bedside drawer, waiting to be finished, but no one to listen to it. The club is a venue where people can comment on others’ work.” And that includes any genre, including poetry and non-fiction.
The club meets once a month. Feedback is upon request, so it’s a safe place for all manner of writers, from the novice to the most expert.
“Most people, true to human nature, like positive comments more than negative ones,” said Fred. “But everything is gently critiqued.”
As he got older, he found more pleasure in helping others find their voice. In one memorable example, a woman came to him asking for advice, admitting she did not know how to start.
“I asked her to write a specific experience from her life,” and she came back with a short story about a family trip that veered off track, ending up with them being stuck on a remote road overnight in a snowstorm.
“I told her to take the story and to change every ‘I’ to ‘she.’ She did that, and voila, a short story was born,” said Fred. “I love encouraging people, and I like to be around creative people.”
So the Creative Writers’ Club is a win-win for Fred, who credits it with enriching his LW years. He has advice for newcomers here: “Find a club or group that nurtures your spirit, something of interest, and if there isn’t a club for you, start one. “The important thing is relationship to people. That’s the wonderful thing that old age gives us, a level playing field. We are all faced with mortality and vulnerability. That gives us a certain humility with each other. Joining clubs builds bridges that lead to great relationships. We need friends.” The Creative Writers’ Club survived the COVID-19 shutdown and is emerging with a new board of directors to shepherd it through its next chapter. Of course, Fred will still be a member because, as every writer knows, the act of putting pen to paper is a compelling voyage into the unknown and, like the ocean is to a sailor, the stuff of life itself.
