Writers on the Road Series

    The literary event, "Writers on the Road Series" at Burke's Bookstore, was great experience. "Writers on the Road Series" gives students, who are aspiring to be future writers, a chance to read their work to audiences. Also, it gives them a chance to speak with other students and answers questions that other students might have about becoming a writer. The place where this event took place was at Burke's Bookstore on south Copper. The seating was very limited and a lot of people had to stand. They probably did not expect as many people to come that did, but we managed all to squeeze in to listen to the students read. The atmosphere was laid back and relaxed even though it felt like we were on top of one another. It was nice that is was small because, it gave a chance for the students to connect with the audience. Another plus to it being a small audience in a small place was that the audience could hear the student speak very clearly withou0t a bunch of noise or interruptions. Although there were a few interruptions because where they were reading was right by the entrance to the store. And since the audience was squeezed in the students decided to stand while reading their work so the audience could see them. Therefore, anytime someone would enter the store the writer and to move over and tell the person that was entering the store that they could come in. This caused a little distraction not only for the audience but for the student reading as well because; they had to stop what they were reading and start again. This was really the only big downfall to the setting and stage of the event. Besides the interruptions the event itself was very enlightening.

    Although I am not becoming a writer, this event enlightened me on how writers write the stories they do, rather it is from own personal experience to something that is completely made up in his or her minds. The two poets mainly used personal experience for their ideas on their poems, but sometimes they also added things and changed things up a bit. Even though fiction is considered to be made up, the two fictional writers stilled seemed to get their ideas from something they could relate to or have experienced. The girl fictional writer, even though the story was fiction, she still got the idea and setting from a bar in her hometown. Through this I learned that sometimes fiction may hold some sort of truth or idea within the story.

    Besides the fact that the setting was limited and some of the audience members had to stand and there were a few interruptions with people entering and leaving the store, the event was a great experience. The experience was great, not only for the audience, but for the student writers as well. They got a feel for what it is like to read their own stories to an audience and also how to express and connect with an audience while reading their stories. I hope that Writers on the Road Series will keep going and that other future writers and college students get to experience this event for years to come. It is a great way to see how the writers come up with their stories and also a great way for students who are in college and aspiring to be writers themselves, a chance to ask questions. It is definitely a learning experience from both ends, and who knows maybe one of those four students will become famous one day.

Word Count 604