WSC will be hosting the Plains Writer Series on the second-floor lounge of Humanities on Nov. 18 in effort to bring awareness to fiction writers on the Great Plains.

Chad Christensen, associate professor, oversees the Plains Writer Series which is held multiple times during the year. Christensen said that it was started in 1977. The goal is to feature the best regional writers and their latest and greatest works. Christensen took over from JB Brummels.

“Most schools get huge budgets and WSC doesn’t always have that, so we have to focus on smaller and more regional writers,” Christensen said.

Christensen said the Plains Writer Series is held multiple times a year and this reading is in person as opposed to Zoom. There have been a few readings over Zoom, but they are excited to be in person Christensen said. The good things about Zoom readings are people can watch even if someone can’t make it to Wayne on a Thursday afternoon.

Richard Robbins, author of “Body Turn to Rain: New and Selected Poems”, is the guest writer.

“It is the first time to Wayne State I believe, I’m excited to meet him,” Christensen said.

After the Plains Writer Series Robbins is going to be a poetry slam judge where students can meet Robbins, talk and learn from him, Christensen said. Afterwards there will be books for sale, and they can be signed by the author.

Elijah Herrington, grad assistant for the WSC Press, has helped with this event for the past few years. Herrington said he runs the camera and makes sure everything runs smoothly. He also runs the public relations for this event such as making posters and posting information about the event on Facebook.

Christensen said Herrington helped set up the event even during Covid, he is the person behind the scenes.

The Plains Writer Series at Wayne is collaborating with Northeast Community College, Robbins will read Wednesday at Northeast and then come to Wayne the next day. This has been going on for a while now Christensen said. According to Christensen, the reason for this is to give more opportunities and more jobs to the writers.

“I like the Plains Writer Series because it’s a wonderful opportunity for the college and the community to be exposed and not as well-known writers,” Christensen said. “It’s a fun event, retired faculty, gathers of literary lovers coming together to just enjoy great writing. It is a way to come together and a chance to see people you don’t always see.”

Herrington said the opportunity to see local writers and ask questions about the craft and hear some of their backgrounds and their other works. They also get to see writers that are not extremely established and get to learn.

“Benefits of this events is to see an actual writer and get a few words in and ask for their advice,” Herrington said.

The Plains Writer Series will be livestreamed on their Facebook page and will be available to watch on the page afterwards.

If anyone is looking for more information about the history or general information of the Plains Writer Series, it can be found on wscpress.com