The College Jacques Stephen Alexis (good rest commune of La Croix-des-Bouquets) seems determined to put its students in the footsteps of the writer. As a prelude to the launch of the celebration of the centenary of the birth of Jacques Stephen Alexis, the college organized this Sunday, February 13, 2022 a creative writing workshop for students. Led by Haitian writer Gary Victor, this workshop aims to teach students the basic principles of organizing a story as part of the competition for the “Grand Prix Jacques Stephen Alexis de la Nouvelle” organized by the school’s cultural section.
About thirty students, handpicked, participated in an exercise of initiation to literary creation through a workshop, led by Gary Victor. Through this workshop, the cultural section of the college hopes to better equip students who will participate in the competition of short story called “Grand prix Jacques Stephen Alexis de la Nouvelle”. “Today the students are introduced to creative writing techniques. They are now able to produce a short story to participate in the competition,” said the poet Widly Jean responsible for the cultural section of the college, noting that April 22 is the date chosen for the publication of results and awards.
According to the themes of the contest, “students will write their stories from an incipit of Gary Victor. They will have until March 22 to submit their text,” said Widly Jean who does not worry about the deadline for production because, he said, the students have the talent. Widly Jean stressed the need for the college to direct the students’ gaze to the sun of the beautiful human love and the revolutionary dimension of the work of Jacques Stephen Alexis.
During 3 hours, Gary Victor, writer, professor of dramaturgy at the Faculty of Humanities of the State University of Haiti, presented to the students the basic principles of the organization of a story. As a practical exercise, they worked on an embryo of a story.
The writer said he was pleased with the students’ work. “What surprised me was that all the plans, all the embryonic stories that were presented were quite interesting,” said Gary Victor.
The author believes that such an initiative is of great importance at the high school level considering that there are students who read a lot and want to write. Introducing creative writing to students in the classical school allows them to see the opportunities in the literary world, explained Gary Victor. “In writing there are many jobs,” said Gary Victor, who cites advertising as an illustration.
Samuela Dalmacy, a student in New Secondary II, applauds the workshop. For someone interested in writing, her satisfaction is first and foremost personal. “As I am used to writing, this workshop allows me to better organize my thoughts and better tell my stories,” says Samuela Dalmacy.