DAVID R. COLLINS WRITERS’ CONFERENCE 
June 25-27, 2026

David R. Collins Writers’ Conference
Augustana College – Rock Island, IL
June 25, 26, and 27, 2026
(all times Central)

The Quad City’s Longest Running Writing Event Returns to Augustana College!

MWC and The David R. Collins Writers’ Conference (formerly known as the Mississippi Valley Writers’ Conference) are thrilled return to the campus of Augustana College this summer, June 25-27. Featuring our stellar Conference Faculty leading three-day workshops, an anniversary party, holding a public reading, a concluding luncheon, and more. 

Click here for online registration for the 2026 David R. Collins Writers’ Conference!

We will continue to offer scholarships to students, veterans/active duty service members, and those with financial need. Download a scholarship application for the DRC Writers’ Conference here. We offer scholarships to students, veterans/active duty service members, and those with financial need.

For more information please email MWC, or to register via phone,
please call MWC at 309-732-7330.

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2026 David R. Collins Writers’ Conference
Course Descriptions, Faculty Bios, and Schedule 

Complete information coming soon!

Nonfiction Workshop with Cyn Kitchen 

Course Description: Every life contains a story worth telling. In this workshop, we’ll explore the craft of memoir from the inside out beginning with the raw material of memory, moving through the architecture of scene and structure, and arriving at the question every memoirist must ultimately face: why does this story need to exist, and who needs to hear it? Through craft discussion, writing exercises, and shared reflection, students will leave with new pages, new tools, and a clearer sense of the memoirist they want to become. All experience levels welcome.

Offered 8:45-10:15 a.m. on June 25, 26, and 27

Cyn Kitchen

Cyn Kitchen is Professor of English at Knox College where she’s taught literature and creative writing for more than two decades. She is the author of Ten Tongues, a collection of short stories, and her first book of poems, Broken Hallelujah, is due out in June of 2026. A Pushcart nominee, Cyn’s essays and poems appear in numerous literary journals and anthologies including, American Writers Review, Poetry Quarterly, Poetry South, Burningword, Cutleaf and Appalachian Review. She is currently shopping her memoir, Prosthesis, about growing up in the Midwest and what it took to step beyond the label of “good girl”. You can learn more about Cyn’s work by visiting her website at cynkitchen.net or on Substack: substack.com/@cynkitchen1

 

Short Fiction Workshop: Beginning Anew with Adam al-Sirgany

Course Description: Many writers find themselves attached to the inevitably highly-polished first few paragraphs of a piece and struggle to be open to making changes there, even though the now-completed story may need something different in its first scenes than the writer originally envisioned. We’ll boldly explore new beginnings for your existing stories, hoping to shape something that better fits where the story is actually headed. On the final day, we’ll explore how these new beginnings may also inform revisions of the final paragraphs of our stories. (Participants should, if possible, bring an existing short story of theirs to work through in this workshop.)

Offered 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. on June 25, 26, and 27

Adam al-Sirgany

Adam al-Sirgany is a writer of fiction and poetry, born and raised in the Driftless Midwest. His debut short story collection, More Hell, was published by Whiskey Tit Books last year, and Adam was recently named the Poet Laureate for the city of Rockford, IL. He serves as the Acquisitions & Developmental Editor for the indie press SFWP and also as a freelance editor. He teaches developmental editing for the UCLA Extension Writers Program, and is a volunteer facilitator for teen poetry workshops. You can see more of what Adam is up to by visiting his website, adamalsirgany.com.

 

Poetry Workshop: Generative Poetry Marathon with Margaret Yapp

Have you ever heard of a “Couch to 5K” training program? This class is like that, but for poems! Students will participate in a fast-paced and exciting marathon of generative and editing exercises that build on each other. We will do writing exercises that feel more familiar, of course, and might also experiment with crafting, drawing, video, and movement techniques to spark new ideas. This class is less focused on workshopping poems, and more focused on creating new work. Participants will walk away with a lot of new writing, new ideas, and new editing techniques to push their work even farther after the class is over.

Offered 1:45 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. on June 25, 26, and 27

Margaret Yapp

Margaret Yapp is the author of Green for Luck (EastOver Press, 2024) and the founding editor of Rampage Party Press. She has an MFA in poetry from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and an MFA in Book Arts from the University of Iowa Center for the Book. Her latest poems can be found in Bennington Review, Volt, Noir Sauna, and Broken Stone Review. She lives and works in Iowa City.

 

Novel Workshop with Tatiana Schlote-Bonne

   Course Description coming soon!

Offered 3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. on June 25, 26, and 27

Tatiana Schlote-Bonne

Tatiana Schlote-Bonne is the author of the horror novels Such Lovely Skin, The Mean Ones, and What Feeds Below (Fall 2026.) She has an MFA from The Nonfiction Writing Program at the University of Iowa. When she’s not writing, she’s either gaming, lifting weights, or teaching people how to lift weights. She is of Japanese, Mexican, and European descent, and lives in Iowa. Find her on IG @thebuffwriter

 

Brown Bag Lunches, Faculty Reading & Open Mic, Conference Social, Manuscript Critiques, University of Iowa Press Pitches

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Conference Faculty Reading and Participant Open Mic
   Thursday, June 25 at Rozz-Tox (2108 3rd Ave. Rock Island, IL)
   Social at 6pm, Faculty Reading at 7pm, Participant Open Mic at 8pm – free and open to the public

Join us at Rozz-Tox to hear Conference faculty reading their work. Followed by an open mic for Conference participants. Free and open to the public.

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Conference Social: Friday, June 26, 6:00 p.m. – Location TBA

An opportunity for participants and faculty to hang out, talk about their experiences, and enjoy good company. Location TBA. Stayed to for more info… 

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Brown Bag Lunches and Manuscript Pitches for University of Iowa Press & MWC Press

Brown Bag Lunches
   Thurs. 6/25 an Fri. 6/26, 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. in the Wilson Center, Augustana College

These session will be led by Allison Means, Associate Director/Marketing Director of University of Iowa Press. Open to the public without Conference Registration – $20 per session for MWC members, $30 for non-MWC members. More information coming soon. 

University of Iowa Press Book Pitches with Allison Means – Times will be scheduled during the Conference
  Dates and times will be scheduled during the Conference
  Sorensen Hall, Augustana College

Open to fiction (short story collections, novels, etc.), poetry collections, nonfiction projects (essay, memoir, other), children’s and YA book projects, and more. Contact us with questions about your project – complete info coming soon!

MWC Press Book Pitches with Allison Means – Times will be scheduled during the Conference
  Dates and times will be scheduled during the Conference
  Sorensen Hall, Augustana College

Open to fiction and nonfiction, projects – complete info coming soon!

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Concluding Luncheon
   Saturday, June 27, 12-1:30 p.m. at Wilson Center, Augustana College

Conference sponsors will be recognized, and the faculty will reflect on their workshops over a catered lunch. Cost is included with your Conference Registration fee, or $15 for MWC members without paid registration fee, and $20 for non-MWC members without paid registration fee. Please confirm or register on or before June 20

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Please call Ryan Collins at (309) 732-7330 to register over the phone today, or email him at mwc@midwestwritingcenter.org for more information.

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Conference Sponsors:

Modern Woodman of America,
Founding Sponsor of the David R. Collins Writers’ Conference

The Figge Art Museum

Augustana College

Illinois Arts Council

Rock Island Public Library

Rozz-Tox