The Literature Club at UNC Asheville is a place where, no matter what you study, you can join a group of students bonding over their love of literature. Students gather to discuss books, engage in writing prompts and play literature-themed games in Karpen Hall weekly on Thursday.
“We don’t have the expectation where you go off and read a book, then come back here and talk about it,” Literature Club President Emma Collard said.
Unlike a book club, there is no pressure to go to every meeting, keep up with a book, rather members have the freedom to discuss whatever book (or piece of media) you are interested in the moment.
“Generally, it’s more like little writing activities, community events and discussions about genre and literature,” Collard said.
Discussions can range from books to film and even folklore.
According to Collard, the activities previously included have been reenacting myths, blackout poetry and book brackets, with hopes of more community events off campus.
This semester, Treasurer Sam Crandall is attempting to get an event up where the club goes to a play at the North Carolina Stage Company. He also planned an open mic night that he hoped to do last semester, but is trying to make it happen this semester in Highsmith for anyone to join.
“You could either take one of your favorite works or something like that and read it out,” Crandall said. “Or something that you’ve worked on and created yourself.”
He said that it could just be for the pleasure of reading it out or ask for comments and questions on the story.
The club hosted a Lit Cafe last semester and aim do to it again this year, possibly off campus. They also encourage members to go to local events at Malaprop’s Bookstore downtown.
Working with professors Dr. Revere and Du of the English department, they are trying to bring more faculty into the space through a potential faculty work-in-progress session. Faculty members involved in the workshop would share their works and allow students to learn from their writing process with what they are working on outside of the academic class setting.
Freshman Dexter Corcoran, studying English, joined her first Lit Club meeting this semester.
“I used to read a lot, like a different book every week, and then I fell off,” Corcoran said. “I would like to get back into that.”
She said she joined the club with hopes of making new friends and as a way to get out of the dorms more.
“I thought it was fun,” she said. “It felt really cool to be a part of something.”
Geeking out on grammar and explaining the Oxford comma during the meeting, Corcoran said afterward she thinks it will tie in well to her hobbies and major.
Members split into four groups, all containing at least four students, to play Fictionary. The goal was to find an absurd word and have the group come up with made-up meanings while the real definition is thrown in. The players who pick the right answer receive points, but if you guessed the wrong one, whoever came up with the fake meaning gets a point.
Her favorite word that came from her group was gongoozler, meaning a person who enjoys watching activities on the canals of the United Kingdom.
“I just love it, it sounds like a British slang word,” Corcoran said.
The on-campus meetings may be the primary way the club gets together, the club aims to connect the campus community with the general literature-loving community.
“Trying to create a community outside of your individual classes,” Crandall said.
While games are some of the fun activities done in the group, the Lit Clubs communication officer, Catherine Latham, said the writing activities are also a way of helping people craft their own work.
“Its mostly just a place for people to talk about the books they love, the movies they love, maybe learn a little bit,” Collard said. “Be around people who are also enthusiastic about reading and writing.”
