For 21 years, the Quad Cities’ David R. Collins Writers’ Conference has helped writers turn ideas into stories, first drafts into polished manuscripts and creative goals into achievable next steps. The conference returns to Augustana College in Rock Island June 25-27, with expanded programming, new opportunities for writers and its most diverse lineup of workshops and events to date.
Hosted by the Midwest Writing Center, the conference has become one of the region’s longest-running literary events. What began as a gathering for local writers has grown into a regional destination for authors, poets and storytellers.
The conference’s roots stretch back to the ’70s and the original Mississippi Valley Writers’ Conference, held from 1973 to 2001. Following the unexpected passing of Midwest Writing Center co-founder David R. Collins in 2003, the conference was placed on hiatus while the organization underwent changes. The event returned in 2006 as the David R. Collins Writers’ Conference, honoring the organization’s co-founder.
“The original concept for the conference was to get people excited about writing and connected with experts and community they could learn from,” said Sarah Elgatian, program and marketing specialist for the Midwest Writing Center. “Our founder, David R. Collins, was well-connected with writers from around the region, and the conference grew out of those opportunities for learning and connection.”
Every writer arrives with different goals. Some are working on their first poem or short story. Others are revising a memoir, finishing a novel or preparing a manuscript for publication. No matter where they are in their writing journey, participants will find opportunities to learn, receive feedback and move their work forward.
Elgatian said the sense of community is one of the reasons she looks forward to the conference.
“I get really excited about the conference every year because it’s always a really generative, magical thing to be around so many writers who care so much and have so much expertise to share,” she said.
This year, organizers are especially excited about the faculty lineup. “This year’s highlights will be the all-new faculty, each of whom are absolute stars in their genres, with impressive accolades and resumes,” Elgatian said.
That lineup includes Green For Luck author Margaret Yapp, who will be leading workshops on poetry. Iowa City horror novelist Tatiana Schlote-Bonne, author of Such Lovely Skin and The Mean Ones, will lead a novel-writing series. Adam al-Sirgany, the City of Rockford Poet Laureate, and author of the short story collection More Hell: Stories, Tilled and Driftless, will lead workshops on short fiction. And Cyn Kitchen, author of Broken Hallelujah, will lead personal nonfiction workshops.
The conference features the aforementioned workshop tracks as well as brown bag “lunch and learn” sessions with Allison Means, the associate director of the University of Iowa Press.
In addition to the conference happenings on the Augustana campus, there will be a pair of evening readings at Rozz-Tox on June 24 and 25. Both events start at 6 p.m. and are free to the public.
