USU student Clarissa Casper has published a nature writing piece about shorebirds and the shifting environment around Utah’s Great Salt Lake in the September/October issue of Salt Lake Magazine. Clarissa’s piece first began to take shape during the Spring semester while taking creative nonfiction writing with English Department Lecturer Ashley Wells. 

“Several different versions of this story existed before it became what it is now. After receiving feedback from my professors and fellow classmates, I spent a lot of time thinking about where to take my first draft,” said Clarissa regarding how the class helped shape her work. “Mostly, the piece changed over time depending on the experiences I had throughout the semester. I went to the lake quite a few times, on early mornings or on weekends, to see the birds and to learn from ecologists and birders. The last adventure I went on was only two weeks before I submitted the final draft to the magazine and was heavily incorporated into the final draft.” 

Clarissa intends to continue focusing on nonfiction writing with a specific emphasis on nature. She says, “I do have plans to continue writing nonfiction, particularly nonfiction centered around wildlife, the environment, and the human relationships with both. I plan on writing many more pieces like this one, with a focus on specific animals and/or environmental issues faced by our society today. I will continue to submit these pieces to magazines and hope to one day be featured in National Geographic!” 

The September/October issue of Salt Lake Magazine is currently available online here.