Although the act of writing is usually a solitary pursuit, the Winnetka-based Off Campus Writers’ Workshop has built their reputation on inclusivity and collaboration.
With hundreds of members from the North Shore, metropolitan Chicago and beyond, the group has worked to become a haven for writers and their craft, welcoming new voices and seasoned authors.
This summer, Off Campus Writers’ Workshop celebrates their 75th anniversary with a new anthology, “Turning Points: Short Stories, Memoirs, and Creative Non-fiction from members of the Off Campus Writers’ Workshop.”
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The group’s president, Fred Fitzsimmons, says that over the past five years, the organization has flourished due in part to an atmosphere of congeniality that invites seasoned authors and author wannabes to come together to hone their craft and refine their writing talent.
“Turning Points” features a cross-section of the organization’s writers, some publishing for the first time, alongside those who have written many books, Fitzsimmons said.
Published by Windy City Publishing, the anthology book showcases the work of 43 writers challenged to write about a turning point in their life or their character’s life. Stories are offered in a variety of genres from memoir, to science fiction to poetic prose.
The anthology includes a foreword by Fred Shafer, a revered educator in the creative writing field, and a preface by bestselling author Scott Turow, whose mother, Rita, was an influential, longtime member of the group, according to a news release.
“In this remarkable anthology,” writes Shafer, “each piece of writing has achieved its own identity; together, they are a tribute to the unique purpose of an organization that has helped countless people realize their potential as writers.”
Kelly Q. Anderson of Glencoe says it all started for her when a friend asked her to tag along to a novel writing workshop.
“From that moment I realized that I had been waiting for a group like this all my life,” Anderson said.
“Now, just a couple of years later, it’s humbling to see my first work of fiction in print. The arduous work to create a story that could leave a lasting effect was really worth it,” Anderson said.
Judy Panko Reis of Wilmette says she’s been a member since 1988.
Much of that time, Reis’s writing has been in the health care field, working as an advocate for women with disabilities.
“With Turning Points, the rigorous peer review and an interactive editorial process gave me the confidence to know that now I can write fiction,” Reis said.
Peter Hoppock of Evanston says he had published a dozen stories in literary magazines both online and in print, when he submitted his story and agreed to act as co-editor on Turning Points.
“Writing is a lonely profession, OCWW is a place to share your passions, to participate and learn, to sit shoulder to shoulder with credentialed writers, to share the belief that what you are doing as a writer is worthwhile,” Hoppock said.
“Turning Points” is available in paperback from The Book Stall in Winnetka, by special order from Barnes & Noble and independent book stores, and direct from online retailers like Amazon. E-book editions will be available this summer.
Gina Grillo is a freelance reporter.