Quinton Kneeland
Quinton Kneeland is a North Texas based writer and a third year BA–MA accelerated track student at Texas Woman’s University, where he is earning his master’s degree in English.
Outside of his creative work, Kneeland serves as an editor for TWU’s academic journal, where he is helping lead a major revamp of the publication for the upcoming fall semester. He hopes to continue building spaces where student voices can grow and be heard. When he isn’t writing or editing, he enjoys studying craft, exploring new ideas, and finding motivation in small, steady steps forward.
Photo of Texas Women's University library
The Windward Review is pleased to publish "Rip It Out" in our 24th volume as it strongly aligns with The Windward Review’s broader vision of highlighting voices that explore power, presence, and perspective in unexpected ways.
"Rip It Out" will be his first published piece, marking an important milestone in his writing journey. His work often explores the quiet, internal battles people face when they feel stuck, tired, or unsure of their next step. This poem grew out of his own feelings of stagnation, those moments when long‑term goals feel far away, even when you’re working hard every day. “You can’t graduate from college in a year. Long-term goals take time, but they feel like they drag on forever,” Kneeland says.
Excerpt from "Rip it Out" (2026)
“It’s all I’m capable of anymore, working and sleeping. I dream of what I could be capable of once I find the self‑sabotaging part is causing me to grow stagnant in my life. The scraps of plans and blueprints I thought up for what I can be stay tapped to the side of my mirror as dreams litter the colorful horizon while I stand firmly in my own numbness."
Photo of Balanced Rock at Big Bend National Park by Sam Goodgame (2023)
Editorial Notes of Praise
This piece stood out to the Windward Review staff for its bold use of mechanical imagery to express a deep human experience: the fear and necessity of change. The piece refuses easy optimism. Instead, it lingers in the discomfort of growth, showing how breaking free from old patterns can feel violent, frightening, and uncertainty still necessary.
Culturally and socially, "Rip It Out" speaks to a generation facing burnout, self-criticism, and the pressure to constantly improve. Aesthetically, it blends speculative elements with emotional realism, creating a narrative that feels both intimate and universal. Kneeland’s work reminds us that transformation is rarely clean, but it is often the first step toward reclaiming one’s life.