Methodist University Southern Writers Symposium

21st Southern Writers Symposium Agenda

Celebrating Emerging Writers: A Day of Readings and Workshops
2011 Southern Writers Symposium
Medical Lecture Hall
Methodist University
February 26, 2011

9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.—Registration opens

9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.—Publish or Perish: A Reading with Michael Colonnese, author of Sex and Death, I Suppose; Beth Copeland author of Traveling Through Glass; Robin Greene author of Augustus; Brenda Jernigan, author of Every Good and Perfect Gift; and Shannon Ward, award-winning poet.

After the reading the panel will host a Q&A on publishing creative work.

11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.—Keynote Speaker—Lunch and Reading with Lorraine López, finalist for the 2010 PEN/Faulkner Award for her short story collection Homicide Survivors Picnic and author of The Gifted Gabaldón Sisters, Call Me Henrí, and Soy la Avon Lady and Other Stories. Ms. López served as the judge for the Symposium's emerging writers contest.

1:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.—Longleaf Press winner Cecilia Rodríguez Milanés, author of Everyday Chica, reading

2:15 to 3:15 p.m.—Reading by Emerging Writers Contest winners

3:30 to 4:45 p.m. –Pimp My Prose/Pimp My Poem (Mini-clinic)
Members of the morning panel will conduct mini-clinics to help participants see strengths as well as areas for improvement in their writing. Participants are invited to submit their writing (poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction) in advance for a short individual critique session with the authors.

5:00 to 6:00 Open Mic emceed by Celeste Doaks
All attendees are welcome to read. Readings from Tapestry, Methodist University's literary magazine, will kick off the event.

5:00 to 6:00 Book signing by featured authors

Book sales from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Refreshments served from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Registration fees

Symposium and lunch $15.00
Symposium, lunch, and mini-clinic $30.00

Methodist University students
Symposium and lunch $10.00
Symposium, lunch, and mini-clinic $15.00

General Information