Writers at the Mechanics' Institute
The Mechanics' Institute works to foster a creative culture supportive of all ranges of writer, from the published novelist to those who simply write for pleasure. The Institute offers support to our members who are writers through writers' groups, literary programming, craft workshops, publishing industry information, our Authors' Carnival series, and more.
Authors' Carnival
Named after events that occurred at the Mechanics' Pavilion from 1879-1882, the Authors' Carnival is a series of literary activities sponsored by the Mechanics' Institute Library that celebrate the creative achievements of our members and facilitate networking, learning, and camaraderie. Participation is limited to members; however, the public is invited to attend. Contact Taryn Edwards with any questions.
Writing Groups
The Institute currently supports five writers' groups. The writers' groups meet twice a month to provide encouragement, support, and careful critiques of original fiction and nonfiction works of their members. Groups are formed when the demand for them reaches approximately eight to ten people. Please contact Sharon Miller to request an application for the next group.
Independent Publishing
The self-publishing world of small presses, print-on-demand, e-books and more is flourishing! This group welcomes writers who have completed the self-publishing class or has any self-publishing experience. MIL members with questions about the process are invited to come to a meeting and investigate, but this is a working group meant for writers and/or publishers who are actively involved in the field. Open to Mechanics’ Institute members only, the group meets every other week beginning April 25 at 5:30 pm in the Library’s Archive Room on the 3rd floor. Contact Sharon Miller for more information.
If you are new to the concept of independent publishing, and would like to learn from the experiences gained by this group of writers, contact Carol Verburg for information on a class offered for beginners.
Meet Some Of Our Writers
We call this The Mirror.
There you can find out more about our writers and writing programs at the Mechanics' Institute.
