This weekend: 5th annual Writer’s Weekend

On Friday, March 17, the Department of English and Foreign Languages at Augusta University will host its fifth annual Writer’s Weekend, a conference for emerging writers.

The two-day event will include lectures, readings and workshops with award-winning authors and Augusta faculty. Attendees will have the opportunity to network with published writers and poets from various backgrounds.

Lecture and workshop topics range in subject from place-based storytelling, writing food poems, crafting and creating gender to manipulating time in stories. Speakers include a poet, short story writer and novelists. Jim Minick, assistant professor of English, will also debut his new novel, Fire is Your Water.

“We strive to host authors who are enthusiastic about their work and eager to engage with other aspiring and established writers,” said Anna Harris-Parker, assistant professor of English. “Writers Weekend is a unique opportunity for members of the Augusta University and greater Augusta communities to come together to celebrate and share a common love for reading and writing.”

A new addition to this year’s conference is titled “Where Are They Now” and will feature a reading and panel discussion with alumni of the department’s creative writing program.

Parker is excited for the conference and hopes the event inspires Augusta University students and community members.

“I hope people take with them confidence and inspiration to pursue their own writing projects,” she said. “I hope students, in particular, take with them new books and a renewed commitment to pleasure reading. I also hope people recognize and remember Augusta University as a literary community.”

Writers Weekend will close with an open mic event at 8 p.m. on March 18 at The Book Tavern, the official bookseller for the event. A complete schedule of events can be found on augwritersweekend.com. Writers Weekend is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Anna Harris-Parker.