At first glance, writing might seem like a solitary act—a private conversation unfolding between the author and the possibilities of the blank page. But creative writing, whether fiction, nonfiction, or poetry, arises from a deep engagement with the world: with the stories of others and the stories that we ourselves are. It begins with curiosity: an idea we want to explore, a face we cannot forget, a feeling we want to understand. And as the French philosopher Simone Weil writes, “Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity.”
Writing, then, can be an act of generosity: a way of attending to the complexity of our experience and sharing what we discover.
The history of the word attention offers an evocative image. It comes from a Latin verb meaning “to stretch toward.” To attend is to turn toward something and give it our time. What we choose to attend to is therefore more than an intellectual question; it is also an ethical one.
In a cultural moment when so much tries to capture our attention—from AI-generated content to memes, influencers, and advertisements—it matters more than ever to ask:
What deserves our attention?
The young writers of the Creative Youth Collective explore this question through their creative practices. They give an idea time to unfold, imagine their way into a character’s life, or search for the words that will make a feeling tangible. They treat their ideas, emotions, and impressions as worthy of sustained attention, even amid the noise that surrounds them.
They do something more, too: they turn what they notice into work that others can encounter. Here, another etymology is suggestive. Author traces back to the Latin augēre, “to increase” or “to cause to grow.” Through their writing, young authors add to the abundance of the world. And as they grow, they help others grow as well. In the spirit of Weil’s insight, they offer their attention—and its generosity—to the rest of us.
With that in mind, we’re delighted to share two upcoming opportunities to celebrate the Collective’s work and bring it to new readers:
Saturday, October 24, 6:30–7:30 p.m.
Location: Dog Eared Books
900 Valencia Street, San Francisco
This year, we’re thrilled to announce that the Creative Youth Collective has been selected to participate in Litquake! Our event will take place during Lit Crawl SF—one of the most anticipated literary nights of the year. Lit Crawl brings together authors and readers of all ages for the world’s largest free pop-up literary event. Join us at Dog Eared Books to hear our young authors read excerpts of their current works in progress and celebrate with the Collective!
New Book Induction & CYC Community Gathering
Saturday, November 7, 3:30–5:00 p.m.
International Library of Young Authors, San Francisco
We’re delighted to hold our fall community gathering at the International Library of Young Authors again. Librarian Jade Howe will officially induct seven of our newly published books into the permanent collection, then host a hands-on workshop for Collective members and their families. It’s going to be a wonderful afternoon, so please save the date.
We’d love to see you at one or both of our events this fall! As always, thank you for supporting our young authors.
Warmly,
Kathryn & Joshua
Co-founders, Creative Youth Collective