Winnetka writers’ workshop celebrates 80 years with topsy-turvy anthology

What do “This Lake, This Woman, This Man, This Bear,” “Crazy Old Lady Power” and “The Cruelest Month” have in common? They’re all titles of short stories that can be found in the 80th anniversary anthology of the Winnetka-based Off Campus Writers’ Workshop. 

Released on Sept. 1, “TILT: Off-Kilter Stories for a Topsy-Turvy World” features an assortment of fiction stories by writers who are among the more than 500 global members of the renowned writing workshop. 

The anthology is available for purchase as an e-book or in print from Barnes & Noble, independent booksellers via Bookshop.org, and online retailers like Amazon.

“All great storytelling involves conflict or some kind of unique narrative jump scare, and that can be something as subtle as a note under the door, and it can be something as jarring as whiplash,” said Kelly Q. Anderson, director of promotions of the workshop, of the anthology’s theme. “We wanted to write stories that would sort of skew your perspective, stories that would stay with you long after you finished reading them.

“We’re currently living in an off-kilter world that has quite a few topsy-turvy headlines a lot of times, and during moments of strife, we turn to art to process that. So, what could be more fitting than, in an off-kilter time in our history, … to read stories that help us process what’s going on in real life?”

Her own short story, “Light Your Memories on Fire,” kicks off the anthology. In it, Anderson explores the questions: What if you accidentally hired a vendor or contractor to work in your home, but that person is from your past? And what if that person was not a great person, and you’ve now invited them into your home?

Anderson’s story, and the questions it poses, is one example of the myriad ways in which writers interpreted the anthology’s theme.

“Some stories are heartbreaking, some are thought provoking, and others are just plain fun,” anthology co-editor Susan Bearman told The Record via email. Bearman is also a former OCWW communications chair and founding editor of the craft column, “About Write.”

80 Years

As for the organization itself, OCWW’s history is rich. It was founded in 1946 as a writing-based luncheon lecture series by a group of women who were not welcome on Northwestern University’s campus at the time. 

Over time, membership skyrocketed. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization adopted Zoom as a means to continue meeting and writing, opening up membership to a global audience. 

As such, the organization’s prepandemic membership number of approximately 150 has now jumped to approximately 500 global members. 

Today, the organization embraces a hybrid approach, and membership is open to everyone, with fees at $40 a year. Members are able to attend workshops and events either virtually or in person at the Community House on 620 Lincoln Ave. in Winnetka. 

The organization’s adaptability and volunteers’ dedication have led it to where it is today: celebrating its 80th anniversary and third anthology, “TILT.”

A Special Project

From initial concept to general meetings, creating an anthology governance board, editing and beyond, “TILT” took 18 months to put together.

OCWW member Peter Hoppock, who also serves as a member of the Special Projects Committee on the board of directors, co-edited the anthology with Bearman.

Hoppock said he joined OCWW as a member approximately 10 years ago.

“I’m not a real joiner, I told people, and here I am on the board of directors … but there was something about the way the group expressed itself, the kinds of people, writers, that they had come and talked to us,” said Hoppock, who formerly worked in advertising, of what first drew him into OCWW. “It was definitely what I needed.”

Bearman, who has a degree in communications and has written professionally for her entire career, joined OCWW as a member in 2007.

“I used to pick and choose which meetings to attend based on my interests, but one time I misread the calendar,” she told The Record via email. “Mystery writer J.A. Konrath was the speaker that day, and though I wasn’t a big mystery reader and had no mystery writing plans, within five minutes he gave me a huge aha moment that I think about to this day. 

“Essentially, he said every piece of writing is a mystery because when your reader gets to the bottom of a page or the end of a chapter, you want that reader to think ‘I wonder what comes next,’ and that’s a mystery. That’s when I started attending almost every week.”

Although Hoppock has been intricately involved in all three of OCWW’s anthologies, he said the theme of “TILT” made it especially unique. 

“There were a lot of ideas thrown around, and the one that garnered the most attention and support was a phrase: ‘I didn’t see that coming.’ … We knew that we were onto something that could capture the attention and be seductive for writers both experienced and inexperienced,” he said

“In the past … it was sort of genre specific or maybe even multiple genres and then that was it. But this one we said, we have a theme, and it was attractive and we had a lot of people interested right away. …I think that was a change for the better in terms of building anticipation, enthusiasm for a project.”

While the stories in the anthology may have a “TILT,” OCWW’s future is clear, bright and filled with much more creativity, collaboration and writing.

“It’s a tough world out there in publishing,” Bearman said. “Our developmental anthologies are designed to give writers at any stage of their writing journey the opportunity to learn about the industry, improve their skills, and become better literary citizens. I believe these anthologies are unique in the world of writing, and I look forward to the anthologies yet to come.” 

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