Seniors Anna and Kelly Pratt are twins, but their outer appearance only compliments their shared inner passion for literature and writing. Both hold active roles in Roseville High’s Creative Writing club, with Anna serving as president and Kelly as treasurer.

Though Anna was always an avid reader, it was her sister Kelly that inspired her heavy involvement in writing and later helped her create a literary piece.

“It was my sister who started writing,” Anna said. “I did it for a little bit and then followed her up after that – we both wrote a book in 2015 and that was a good experience.”
Kelly found an outlet in the Creative Writing club, which focuses on developing students’ writing abilities and giving them the chance to express themselves through words, something she strives for.

“It’s where everyone loves writing so it’s a comfortable environment,” Kelly said. “No one will judge you because if you’re a bad writer we are all in the same boat together.”

Their newest project goes beyond the two of them, as they work with Creative Writing club adviser Jamie Handling, members of the club, and other outside sources to ultimately publish an edition of the Uproar – the RHS literary magazine – before the end of the semester.

The literary magazine is a collection of art and literature by RHS students and staff. As Handlings’ creative writing course doesn’t take place until next semester, the task of generating student interest and collecting literary and art pieces for the magazine falls onto the Creative Writing club.

Kelly feels that although it’s a daunting task, it is manageable.

“There is a lot of us so I don’t think it’ll take one person to do all the heavy lifting,” Kelly said. “It seems like a pretty ambitious project but I think we can get it done.”

She believes the group dynamic is beneficial for the making of the magazine.

“Mrs. Handling seems to know what she is doing,” Kelly said. “And the people in the Creative Writing club seem dedicated, like they want to work on it, and they’re passionate.”

While Anna and Kelly mostly abstained from sharing the book they wrote together with others, the literary magazine has the opposite intention, as one of the goals is to reach a large audience.

Anna acknowledges the difficulty of taking part in this project for those who are nervous to have their work so publicly showcased.

“I think the biggest thing is that people don’t want to put their words out there because they might be afraid,” Anna said. “But it’s your words, you should be proud.”