14th Annual Writers Workshop at Wayne College

The University of Akron Wayne College invites writers to attend the 14th annual Writers Workshop on Sat., April 1 from 8:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. The event is open to students and the community, but registration is required. The College is located at 1901 Smucker Rd., Orrville.

This year's keynote address will be presented by author Karen Harper and is titled, The Writing Life, 2017. Times have changed since Ms. Harper was first published over 30 years ago. Some basic do's and don’ts remain, however. The good news is, it is easier; the bad news is, it is harder. A veteran survivor of U.S. and international publishing, Ms. Harper gives advice for getting works published on Amazon.com, in a grocery store, and on the bestseller list through traditional publishing.

Other presenters include Richard Hague, winner of four Fellowships in two genres from the Ohio Arts Council and publisher of sixteen poetry collections in addition to fiction, creative nonfiction and essays. Sandy Gurvis, freelance writer and author of sixteen books who will share her experiences over 30 years. Also, David Giffels, assistant professor of English at the University of Akron and award winning author who has been published in the New York Times Magazine, Atlantic.com, and the Wall Street Journal, among others, and has written for a popular MTV series. He will present, Writing Like Mr. Potato Head.

Intended for writers and aspiring writers to hone their craft and meet published authors, the event features sessions on poetry writing, techniques to engage all the senses, character setting, turning personal experiences into viable prose, inventing and reinventing yourself as a writer, and what sells books.

The event opens with a light breakfast followed by concurrent 75-minute workshops, a panel discussion, lunch, and the featured speaker. An awards ceremony will follow recognizing student and regional writers, including a Writer of the Year Award. The event concludes with a book signing featuring workshop presenters.

For more information or to register, contact Susan Ackerman at 330-684-8985 or 1-800-221-8308, ext. 8985. Registration is $40 before March 24 or $45 after the deadline and for walk-ins. To download the registration form go to http://wayne.uakron.edu/writers/writers-workshop.dot.