College helping aspiring writers
Every serious writer needs some friendly feedback, so Elgin Community College welcomes students and the community to the 2007-08 Writers Center Coffee House where creative writers can share what they're working on with other aspiring authors and poets.
Writers Center coffee houses are held from 7 to 9 p.m. on six Wednesdays, Sept. 5, Oct. 3, Nov. 7, Feb. 6, March 5 and April 2, and are open not only to college students but also to writers from the general public. All ages are welcome.
The evening begins with informal time for breaking the ice, where writers have social time to connect with each other.
From 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. writers read their work, poems, essays, short stories, creative non-fiction, lyrics, or maybe one scene from a novel. Everyone gets five minutes to present, but the reading must be their own material. This is where participants share their work without any critical feedback or commentary.
The chance to gain feedback comes outside the formal reading time, when participants can ask for input or even find others with whom they can exchange manuscripts.
The coffee houses are free, and refreshments are served. The informal gatherings take place in the Alumni Room of the Student Resource Center on the ECC main campus, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin. For information, contact Rachael Tecza at (847) 214-7578 or rtecza@elgin.edu.