About the group
Writers@Work DuPage is now more than 20 years old. We first met in Laura Anshicks' Writers' Group class at College of DuPage in winter 1995. The class was normally structured with small groups critiquing work for part of the session and the entire class critiquing for another part. Since our class shrank a lot that term due to bad weather and illness, we ended up meeting around a long table and sharing work with the entire class at once.
At the end of that trimester, we decided to keep meeting around one long table, and that's pretty much how the group has remained, although the venue has changed. Our very first meeting was at Seven Dwarfs (sic) Restaurant, but we started meeting at Augustino's Deli not long after. Then we met at Borders Books & Music in Wheaton part time. We ended up back at College of DuPage after that and moved to a few locations on campus, where we were often interrupted by the vacuum zambonis.
This past year, we were offered a free space at the DuPage Art League annex. It's far quieter and even has nearby parking! Our new address is 225 W. Front Street in downtown Wheaton, in a former bank building. We now meet second and fourth Mondays from 7 to 10 pm.
Although our meeting place and time have changed through the years, our basic format has not. We don't ask for membership dues. All writers are welcome, but most of the regular writers in the group are working on novels. Those who wish to read should bring 6 to 8 copies of about 20 minutes of reading of their work (5 novel pages, double spaced). We now have an online option as well through Google Drive. Ask at the group for more info.
The other members take notes and make a written critique while the reading is going on, and then we chime in with our comments. We offer a readers' perspective, a constructive critique. We might ask for clarification on something or offer suggestions, but we're not trying to be mean.
We offer a Google Hangout option for those who can't make it to the meeting in person. We're planning to try it out for the whole group the next time we have such inclement weather that we can't make it for the regular meeting.
So that's our group. Hope to see you soon!
At the end of that trimester, we decided to keep meeting around one long table, and that's pretty much how the group has remained, although the venue has changed. Our very first meeting was at Seven Dwarfs (sic) Restaurant, but we started meeting at Augustino's Deli not long after. Then we met at Borders Books & Music in Wheaton part time. We ended up back at College of DuPage after that and moved to a few locations on campus, where we were often interrupted by the vacuum zambonis.
This past year, we were offered a free space at the DuPage Art League annex. It's far quieter and even has nearby parking! Our new address is 225 W. Front Street in downtown Wheaton, in a former bank building. We now meet second and fourth Mondays from 7 to 10 pm.
Although our meeting place and time have changed through the years, our basic format has not. We don't ask for membership dues. All writers are welcome, but most of the regular writers in the group are working on novels. Those who wish to read should bring 6 to 8 copies of about 20 minutes of reading of their work (5 novel pages, double spaced). We now have an online option as well through Google Drive. Ask at the group for more info.
The other members take notes and make a written critique while the reading is going on, and then we chime in with our comments. We offer a readers' perspective, a constructive critique. We might ask for clarification on something or offer suggestions, but we're not trying to be mean.
We offer a Google Hangout option for those who can't make it to the meeting in person. We're planning to try it out for the whole group the next time we have such inclement weather that we can't make it for the regular meeting.
So that's our group. Hope to see you soon!
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