After 20-plus years, the David R. Collins Writers’ Conference (formerly known as the Mississippi Valley Writers’ Conference) will be back at Augustana College this week, June 22-24.

The event features a stellar conference faculty (Kali White VanBaale, Keith Pilapil Lesmeister, Jesus “Chuy” Renteria, and Rebecca Wee) leading three-day workshops, participating in a Community Conversation keynote event, and holding a public reading. The conference will also host a community book fair on Saturday, June 24 for local/regional authors, publishers, booksellers, and more.

Registration is open now, via the Midwest Writing Center website or by calling the MWC office at (309) 732-7330. The center will continue to offer scholarships to students, veterans/active-duty service members, and those with financial need.

This year’s conference offers four three-day workshops, led by accomplished faculty members, and returning Midwest Writing Center favorites:

  • “Where Is Language Coming From? Point of View in Novels” with Kali White VanBaale
  • “Half-Court Offense, Full-Court Press: A Generative Short Fiction Workshop” with Keith Pilapil Lesmeister
  • “Mapping Our Memories for Storytelling: Memoir Workshop” with Chuy Renteria
  • “Making New Poems” with Rebecca Wee

Complete course descriptions as well as bios for the conference’s distinguished faculty are available on the MWC website HERE.

DRC Writers’ Conference Public Events

  • Keynote Event: Community Conversation featuring Writers’ Conference Faculty:   Thursday, June 22, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. at Figge Art Museum, 225 W. 2nd St. Davenport.

The free public reception will be at 6 p.m. and the keynote event at 7 p.m. For this year’s keynote, the conference faculty will start a conversation MWC will be continuing in a series of events throughout the year by responding to a simple question: Why is writing important?

They will give their individual responses, to begin a conversation among themselves, and then attendees will be invited to join via Q & A.

  • Conference Faculty Reading and Participant Open Mic: Friday, June 23 at Rozz-Tox, 2108 3rd Ave. Rock Island.

There will be a social hour at 6 p.m., faculty reading at 7 p.m., and participant open mic at 8 p.m. This is also free and open to the public.

  • Community Book Fair: Saturday, June 24, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Gävle Hall (in the Gerber Center for Student Life), Augustana College, 3435 9 1/2 Ave. Rock Island.

This book fair is for local/regional authors, publishers, booksellers, and more. Registration fee not required to participate in the book fair. Tables for participants are $10, or two for $20. Free and open to the public.

The 2023 David R. Collins Writers’ Conference is made possible thanks to the generous support of our sponsors and grantors: Modern Woodmen of America, Founding Sponsor; the Regional Development Authority; Illinois Humanities; the Illinois Arts Council Agency; Augustana College; the Figge Art Museum; and Rozz-Tox.

For more information about the Writers’ Conference, contact Ryan Collins, ryan.collins@mwcqc.org, 309-732-7330, or visit the conference website HERE.

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