Most students aren’t aware that the University of Houston-Downtown has a Creative Writing Club, but as of Fall 2025, the club has provided a space for writers of all majors to explore writing techniques, workshop critiques, and engage with fellow writers.
The Creative Writing Club meets every Friday during the school year, except on holidays, including Spring Break and Christmas. There is no strict attendance within the club, and new members appear even in the middle of the semester. English majors are common, but any major is welcomed as each person brings their own perspective to their writing.
The Friday weekly meetings are held in One Main Building, room A625, and begin at 11:30 a.m.
When you enter the room, light music plays as attendees sign in and engage in idle chatter before the meeting begins. The meetings often begin with a five-minute prompt to help writers get into a creative headspace. Some writers like to share what they wrote, while others prefer to keep it to themselves or revise it and share it on workshop days.
Workshops are held every two weeks. Attendance is required for writers who have submitted. The workshops are a great way for writers to build their skills and get feedback. There is collective finger snapping when a powerful line speaks to the writers. The piece’s positives are shared first, and critiques are offered to enhance the writing. Each review of a piece ends in clapping and appreciation for the author’s work.
The Creative Writing Club has been partnering with the Feminist Literature Club for its end-of-the-semester anthology. Both clubs share writers, and the anthology provides a platform to showcase their work.
To learn more about the Feminist Literature club’s origins and goals, I spoke with Claudia Chappelle, President of the Feminist Literature Club.
Q: What was the moment that sparked your interest in creating the Feminist Literature Club?
A: The club was our first president, Yasmeen Ammourah’s idea. She had wanted to start a club focused on feminism for a while; of course, she needed people to come along as other officers to help create the space. She and I, along with the 6 other founders of this club, met in Dr. Robertson’s Fall 2024 ethnic seminar course. She had talked to me about it one day after class, and I, with a passion for feminism and a desire to be in a space centered around it, jumped on board immediately as Vice President. We bonded as classmates over the discussion that was pushing us to think more critically about race, gender, disability, sexuality, and even our personal identity. Through this transformative class, Yasmeen asked some of our classmates, including me, if they wanted to be officers, and the Feminist Literature Club was born with Dr. Robertson as our sponsor.
Q: How did the Feminist Literature Club come to work in collaboration with the Creative Writing Club? Why do you think this alliance works so well?
A: Well, I took multiple classes with the club’s president, Tom, and he talked to me one time during class about the club. Eventually, in another convo we had, he talked to me about a prospective collaboration because he knew I was a writer and figured some of the people involved would be, so we collaborated on the first zine.
I think this alliance works because we are like-minded creatives who share a love for the craft and care for marginalized voices. Also, literature consumption and creation naturally go hand in hand; in a way, collaboration was inevitable.
Q: What is the overall vision for the Feminist Literature Club, and what do you envision for its future?
A: The overall vision for the Feminist Literature Club is to be a space where emotion, intellect, and vulnerability come together through discussions of texts from marginalized voices, discussed by students who are often also from a marginalized group. The space is meant to let people see texts and movies as more than objective academic material, and also something that can empower and transform them as individuals.
What I envision for the future of the club is that this core mission will continue on and expand to reach more students, collaborate on events with more clubs, and be a place for radical conversations within the University of Houston-Downtown campus.
In addition to Chapelle’s perspective, I spoke to Thomas Tice, who founded the Creative Writing Club in the Fall of 2025; it was the first writing club for UHD. I asked him some questions about the experience.
Q: What was your personal motivation behind creating the Creative Writing Club?
A: When I started as an undergraduate in creative writing, I found myself wishing there was a dedicated space where writers could come together regularly (outside of the classroom) to share work, exchange feedback, and build a sense of community.
Creative writing can be an isolating process, and having a consistent circle of peers to workshop with is incredibly important. I created the club because I wanted that space for myself, but also for other students who might be looking for the same kind of support and connection.
Q: What have you learned from creating this club, and would you have done anything differently?
A: I learned just how much effort it takes to build something from the ground up. Getting the club established meant putting in a lot of time organizing, setting goals, coordinating people, and ensuring a clear vision. It was a lot of work (maybe even more than I initially expected), but I’m proud of that effort and what it produced. Looking back, I wouldn’t have done anything differently. The amount of work I put in was necessary to give the club a strong foundation.
Q: What was your long-term vision for the club?
A: My long-term vision has always been simple: I hope it keeps going. The value of peer feedback and a supportive creative community can’t be overstated, especially for students just starting to take their writing seriously. I wanted to create something lasting, a resource that future students could rely on, just like I wished I had when I began. More than anything, I hope the club continues to grow and remains a space where writers feel encouraged, challenged, and connected.
If you’re a writer looking for feedback or a newbie wanting to share your stories, the UHD’s Creative Writing Club is a great place to build community. The Creative Writing Club encourages current and past students to keep in touch with the club for events and to maintain a strong writing community for feedback and resources.
Be on the lookout for events by the Creative Writing Club and the Feminist Literature Club. The Creative Writing Club has tabled at Gatorcon and Gator Zine Fest to showcase the anthology, collaborated with UHD’s Music Appreciation Club, and the Teapresso Bar. The Feminist Literature Club will hold an open mic on April 22, 2026, from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. The Creative Writing Club meets every Friday in room A625 at 11:30.
@uhdcreativewritingclub
@uhdfemlit
