Literature teachers may find the interview of Maxine Hong Kingston a useful reference for budding writers.
Reading the interview reminds me of how creative people take common observations and wrap them into stories I recognize, yet have never met the characters or specific situations before.
It also reminds me how fortunate I was to have had teachers who insisted I read and write prose and poetry when I thought it more important to play sports and work on my car. I hope you have memories of thoughtful teachers also. School wasn’t free choice or student interest driven. It was, and I argue should still be, driven by content students probably will not acquire as rapidly in other ways, with or without mobile PCs.