Nicole Hebel

• Senior at Beloit College
• Major: Creative Writing and Environmental Studies
• Minor: Journalism
• Hometown: Genoa, IL

ACM: What sparked your interest in writing, and how did you get started writing fiction?

Hebel: I have always loved reading, and I think that it’s only natural for a lot of readers to attempt writing. But it wasn’t until a creative writing unit in high school that I began thinking more seriously about fiction writing in terms of my future. I began looking at colleges known for strong creative writing programs, and Beloit College came to my attention.

 ACM: How have you developed your writing while you’ve been at Beloit?

Hebel: Beloit has been truly instrumental in my development as a writer. My professors have been extremely encouraging in their critique of my work, and classes are structured in such a way that I have been able to receive personal feedback at levels which I might not have at a bigger school. I have also been able to take classes which really interest me, and as a result, my writing has grown richer and more diverse in content.