Story by Devorah Feldman, Reporter
Photo by Cecelia Soto, Photographer
The dinner crowd at Austin Java coffee shop appeared to be enjoying their meals. However, a table of ACC creative writing students seemed nervous and excited.
They were about to participate in the open mic portion of ACC’s Literary Coffee House on Sept. 16 near the Rio Grande Campus.
Literary Coffee House is a monthly event where students interact with other writers.
“I’m not sure what to expect. This is my first time here,” Alexander Dickerhoof said. “It’s nerves — I might not read tonight, but I think these things are awesome. I get to hear others’ styles and see them acting out their work.”
Dickerhoof ’s classmate Kalee Espitia was also nervous. Like Dickerhoof, this event would mark the first time sharing her work with a live audience.
“I haven’t decided if I’m going to read tonight because of my fear of reading in front of people,” Espitia said. “I’ve only written for silent audiences, such as online forums.”
Literary Coffee House participants perform to an average of 35 to 50 people and sometimes to standing-room-only crowds of 75 people.
Event coordinator and creative writing professor John Herndon has described the motivation behind the event as follows:
“We wanted a venue for our students to perform their work in public so they could interact with other students, professors, and their community of writer peers. Public performance is an integral part of any writer’s life today.”
The event begins with a featured reader (a faculty member, community member, or Texas writer) who shares an original work. Then the mic is opened to the audience.
Participants of various ages and levels of experience share poetry, memoirs, and excerpts from screenplays and novels.
Alexander Dickerhoof chose not to perform for the Sept. 16 event. However, Kalee Espitia shared an original poem.
After presenting her work, Espitia returned to her seat grinning and visibly relaxed.
“It feels nice,” she said. “I think I’ll want to read again.”
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