Business Writing Skills Workshop
Tuesday, July 15
6:30 to 8:00 p.m.

$35 includes reference/workbook
Instructor: Debbi Weston
Please bring a sample of your writing.
If you have questions, call 563 343-1993.

Class Description: From the secretary to the CEO, everyone has room for improvement when it comes to business writing. Precision in writing makes you appear more intelligent and impressive as a representative of your company. Through a variety of exercises, you will find out how to reduce the time you spend writing by 30 to 50%. You will learn useful tips to avoid common mistakes in punctuation and grammar, resulting in more clear and concise material. If you would you like to have your documents read ahead of the others vying for your manager or client's attention; if you want to have greater impact, influence your readers and advance your career, this course is for you. Please bring a sample of your writing to the workshop

 

BROWN BAG SERIES at the Midwest Writing Center
Summer 2003
Wednesdays, 11:30am-12:30pm

Bring your lunch and join in the conversations on the craft of the storyteller. Various topics and presenters beginning May 28th with Mike McCarty, author of "Giants of the Genre," a collection of interviews with writers of horror, fantasy and science fiction - including Ray Bradbury, Dean Koontz, Peter Straub, William Nolan & Frederik Pohl.

June 4th
"Confessions of a Hungry Man," QC Times columnist Bill Wundram shares what it takes to get people to talk about themselves and the amazing stories they have to tell.

June 11th
"Stories, Songs and Salsa on the Side," with poet-musician Olenka

June 18th
31st annual Mississippi Valley Writers Conference book sale and silent auction.

June 25th
"Found Poetry" with John Turner. Join in on the fun of creating poems from words and phrases cut from magazines.

July 2nd
"Story of the Blues" with Ellis Kell, in conjunction with the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival

July 9th
"The World of Beatrix Potter," with Augustana English Professor Nancy Huse

July 16th
"The Legend of King Arthur," artist and historian Bill Hannan's quest for the truth behind Arthurian mythology.

July 23rd
"Writing For Dogs & Their Companions," with nationally acclaimed author Chris Walkowicz.

July 30th
GRAB BAG. Look inside and see what's on the menu (presenter to be announced.)

August 6th
"A Passion for Romance," with award-winning Romance novelist Kimberly Cates

August 13th
"Every Family Has A Storyteller," and perhaps it could be you. Bj Elsner will share some of her own family tales and the story of Rock Island's Cornelia Meigs, Newbery Award-winning biographer of Louisa May Alcott.

August 20th
"Crime Pays," if you choose to write like forensic researcher Matthew Clemens, whose work with Max Allan Collins has produced novels for CSI and CSI-MIAMI TV series, and other series tie-in novels.

August 27th
"Walking the River" with Richard Swanson. With the Mississippi as our muse, participants will each receive a notebook and invited back in the weeks ahead to share personal expressions of the sights, sounds, soul journeys along the river shore.

 

"Getting A Line On Poetry"
Workshop with QC Poet Laureate Dick Stahl
7-8:30 pm, Tuesday, June 3rd
Fee: $5 /free for MWC members

Master the rhythm and music of poetry by creating its energy through line length, pauses and line breaks. Bring a line of your favorite poem and your favorite writing pen.

 

Mid Mississippi River Folklorists, Storytellers and Writers Conference
June 13-15 2003, Quincy, Illinois

Quincy University North Campus, North 18th Street and Seminary Road.

Cost: $35

Registration fee includes sessions, refreshments, book of resource materials, and lunch June 14.

For more information: ssparks@jwcc.edu

217-641-4903 or 217-641-4902

 

Juvenile Forum
Open to all writer's of children's literature.
First Saturday of the Month at Midwest Writing Center.
2-4 pm.

Info: Kris Bergren
email: ishibook@hotmail.com

 

Authors on Writing Series
MWC's first featured author, Max Allan Collins, appeared in July in conjunction with release of DreamWorks' "Road to Perdition," based on his 1998 graphic novel of the same name. That event showed audiences are interested in writers talking about their lives, their experiences and what inspires them.

We're planning future programs that feature authors reading from their work and then talking about their "job" - the craft of writing. besides what inspired them to write a particular book, we want to know how they got the book published and what advice they have for other writers.

A BROWN BAG LUNCH Series in 2003 is in the works. Upcoming featured speakers include Chris Walkowicz, Roald Tweet, Jodi O'Donnell, Rich Johnson, Bill Hannan, Vicki Crompton-Tetter, JoAnna Lund, Matthew Clemens, Jill Esbaum and Bj Elsner.

 If you would like to be a featured speaker for the authors on writing series, contact: mwcqc@qcoline.com