Mary Salmonsen (AS ’15) Capstone was a novel, Imperfect Imitations, and Arthur Flowers was her advisor. She has so much advice for you that we just need to let her speak!

If you’re in the process of making a Creative Writing Capstone, then the best thing I can say to you is congratulations. You’ve demonstrated an amazing amount of passion, enthusiasm, and skill for creative writing, and your professors have recognized that passion…

The biggest roadblock I faced in the process of putting this work together was an overwhelming sense of doubt. Doubt in my own skills, doubt that I could accomplish such a large project in such a short amount of time, and doubt in the work I had already produced when I had produced it… What I have learned…the hard way, is: when you spend time doubting, you are spending time you could use working. When you doubt yourself, look back at what you’ve already done, whether it’s Capstone work or something you’ve already written. Tell yourself that you have the tools not only to continue, but to improve.

 Finally, don’t worry too much about being profound. Write what you love. Write what you want to read. Don’t think of it as this daunting task – think of it as an expressive process. Most of all, when you are done, be proud of yourself.