Ms. Royston Writes On

With her reading in assembly on April 30th, Ms. Royston began the final stanza of her time at Gilman. Joining the community as the 23rd Tickner Writer in Residence in the Fall of 2023, Ms. Royston has worked tirelessly in teaching a section of Creative Writing, directing the AJ Downs Writers at Work series, advising the student-run literary and arts magazine Paragon, and continuing to further her own literary pursuits. 

The role consists of working every other day on campus to fulfill teaching and advising responsibilities and half the week free from school obligations to focus on writing. This schedule provided for the “freedom to write,” which Ms. Royston deemed as the most attractive aspect of the fellowship. In her time in the role, she managed to produce 35 new works of poetry, including ten of which received publication in The Journal, the American Literary Review, and Los Angeles Review. When reflecting on her time at Gilman, Ms. Royston noted how Gilman taught her patience and flexibility. Ms. Royston commented on the shift from a high-intensity MFA program to the teaching-centered role of the Tickner writer in residence as both challenging and rewarding. The position offered her a chance to take authority and perspective in her writing, as there were “no teachers, it was just me deciding on my own writing.”

Ms. Royston’s role in the Gilman community had a significant impact on those around her. One of the students who took her Creative Writing class this year, Daniel Son ‘25, commented, “Ms. Royston was really good at getting the class engaged even when the students didn’t have the most energy.” Even beyond the classroom, Ms. Royston’s role as one of the faculty advisors for Paragon has helped with the magazine's production. “She really cared about cultivating passion about art at Gilman,” mentioned Jay Salovaara ‘26, one of Paragon’s literary editors this year. “She helped encourage underclassmen submissions,” bringing together voices from all parts of the Gilman community.

This coming fall, Ms. Royston plans to go back to the West Coast to begin her PhD in creative and critical writing at UC Santa Cruz. She is also working to finish her first book of poetry. We wish her the best of luck in all her future endeavors.