Queens University of Charlotte is excited to host the 2^nd Annual Queens Writers Symposium on Saturday, October 20, 2012. With its nationally recognized MFA in Creative Writing Program, undergraduate creative writing major, and many continuing education classes in creative writing, Queens offers unparalleled depth of instruction in writing in the Charlotte area.

At the Writers Symposium, you will have a unique opportunity to connect with fellow writers in the Charlotte area, while learning from published authors about the comprehensive process of writing and publishing a manuscript.

The morning portion of the day will include two keynote speakers and distinguished guest panel that will discuss the process of transforming manuscripts into published work. The morning session will conclude with a networking luncheon with the speakers and panelists. Writers at all levels of accomplishment are welcome to participate in the morning session of the Symposium.

Keynote Speakers:  
Read Speaker Bios

Fred Leebron
Why Time Matters
An investigation of why time is the determining element in any form of creative writing, and a presentation on how this element can be both infinite and manipulated to suit any need of any story, poem, essay, novel, or other writing project.

Elissa Schappell
The Art of the Ending
How does a work of creative writing reach an appropriate ending without being too simple or too neat?  How can an ending both resolve tensions and resonate with the reader long after the work has been concluded?  We'll consider these questions in this presentation.

A separate, afternoon session is open to more experienced writers with manuscripts. These "Master Classes" are special workshops led by published authors that will focus on revising manuscripts for publication. These highly individualized workshops will be limited to only six participants in each class. You are assigned to each Master Class based on your writing genre -- fiction, nonfiction, poetry or young adult literature. Participants are required to submit their work two weeks prior to the Symposium (no more than 20 pages of prose or 5 pages of poetry). You will also exchange your work with peers during the workshop for feedback. Because space is limited, enrollment will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis.  

Date: Saturday, October 20, 2012
Time: Part I, 8:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. (speakers, panel discussion and lunch)
Part II, 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. (Master Classes*)
Location: Queens Sports Complex & Conference Center, 2229 Tyvola Rd., Charlotte, NC 28210
Price: $125 for Part I; additional $175 for Part II* 

Participants in the Writers Symposium may wish to further their writing by participating in the Charlotte Writers' Club.  This group, founded in 1922, is one of the oldest arts organizations in North Carolina.  The Club is devoted to nurturing writers through presentations, contests, workshops and critique groups, and to sustaining literature and reading in the broader community.