Tag: fiction

YA First Pages Workshop with Stephanie Guerra

Posted on by Ryan Collins

The Midwest Writing Center is hosting a writing class on YA novels, led by author Stephanie Guerra. This workshop will support the creation of books for teens and help writers to better understand how to write gripping openings for YA novels.

This two-hour workshop will focus on the craft of writing the first five pages of a YA novel. Through instruction, demonstration, reading analysis, group discussion, and generative writing, participants will work through how to establish compelling plot hooks in the first five pages of a YA novel.

This workshop also includes manuscript review from instructor and children’s author Stephanie Guerra. Participants may send the first five pages of their YA manuscript any time in the two weeks following the workshop in order to receive feedback.

THE ATLAS 21 Pre-Order is live! Order your copy today | Release Party 8/13 at RIPL & Rozz-Tox!

Posted on by Ryan Collins

LOCATION UPDATE!

The Young Emerging Writers (YEW) Summer Internship Program will host a two-part party to celebrate the release of the latest issue of THE ATLAS, the Program’s literary magazine, on Thursday, August 13 at the downtown Rock Island Public Library and Rozz-Tox.

The event will start at 6:00 p.m. in the Community Room of the downtown Rock Island Public Library with the release of THE ATLAS 21, where the 2026 YEW interns will give a brief reading of their work from the magazine. Copies will be available for $10, along with other local literary artists selling their work. Light refreshments will be served.

Then, at 8:00 p.m., the party will move down the street to Rozz-Tox, featuring an open mic for YEW alumni and staff, followed by live music from KAS.

YEW Intern & Staff Showcase – Thursday 7/23 at RIPL Watts-Midtown Branch, 5:30 p.m.

Posted on by Ryan Collins

MWC celebrates 21 years of The Young Emerging Writers Program (YEW) with a showcase of selected YEW 2026 interns and staff on Thursday, July 23 at the RIPL Watts-Midtown Branch.

The event will start at 5:30pm with a social, followed by the Young Emerging Writers showcase, followed by readings from a selection of this year’s YEW interns and staff, previewing THE ATLAS 21 literary magazine, which the program will publish on 8/13 (pre-orders coming soon). Back issues of The Atlas will be available for $5/copy, as well as other MWC Press books.