Sometimes, it's enough to show up.

Starting a creative writing club can feel overwhelming. You may feel bombarded by possibility and risk, like you need to be armed with an arsenal of best-practices. I hope this post shows that you don't need to be an expert to create a successful space.

Undoubtably, being the president of BG Inklings carries a connotation of prestige. My mentor teacher used this to our advantage, flaunting the title among my students to indicate that I am a "literary genius." What the title disguises was that, the year I first won it, I was the only candidate. And I wasn't a member of the club. Or, by any means, a literary genius.

Instead, my name got around as someone who might be willing to do it. Maybe I would be willing to speak to the room, pass out flyers, and otherwise keep the club's veins circulating. Admittedly, I am not even a "genius" at this; I am forever indebted to my other executive members. Despite this, imposter syndrome has no sway on me. I took the position because I was willing to do it when no one else was.

My leadership may be imperfect, but it exists. Thanks to it, the club exists. Now, it boasts more than 15 members a meeting. In this year's executive elections, which were once a formality of confirming one grudging candidate for each role, more than 9 members spoke about how they want to maintain the club as the positive space they experienced last year.

If you are wondering if you are the best person for the role, consider: Who else will do it, if not you?