Thanks to the generosity of our donors, SVWC is proud to offer scholarships to our local students, teachers, and librarians each year. In 2022, one Wood River High School senior, Anja Grover, was able to attend. We asked her about her experience at SVWC—here’s what she had to share:

Name: Anja Grover
High School: Wood River High School
College: Dartmouth
Year in School: Freshman

Can you tell us a little about yourself and why you wanted to attend the Sun Valley Writers’ Conference?

In middle school and high school, I had some amazing English teachers who inspired me to write. Mrs. Shafer, Mrs. Jewett, Mrs. Allen, Amy McGraw, Mrs. Spindler, and Mr. Wilson to name a few. Via their guidance, I developed a passion for reading and writing. This drove me to seek opportunities that pushed me to expand the way I think and therefore, grow through my writing. One of those opportunities was the Writers’ Conference, which I dove into with unabridged curiosity.

What was your favorite part about attending the Sun Valley Writers’ Conference?

My favorite part was getting to have lunch with Anthony Doerr, whose work I have been captivated by from the first time I read “All the Light We Cannot See.” From him, I learned about the process of writing and how everyone’s process is different.

What was the most important thing you learned?

That to be a good, or even great writer, you cannot fall in love with your work. You have to be willing to cut, revise, let go, and begin again.

How has this experience helped you in school or in your writing and English classes? Or in life?

At Dartmouth, this lesson has pushed me to tirelessly revise my work. Removing some of my love for what I put on the page has given me the opportunity to write with greater clarity, beauty, and skill.

Photo credit: courtesy Anja Grover