Santa Monica College Emeritus Writing Students to Showcase Their Work

By Lokout Staff

March 20, 2018 -- Writers in the Santa Monica College (SMC) Emeritus Program bring a long lifetime of experience to their work and often a lifetime waiting to to see it in print. Their wait is over.

The stories and poems written by students in four Emeritus classes are included in the 2018 edition of the annual literary journal “Emeritus Chronicles,” and the event will be marked with a reception featuring readings by the authors next month.

The event will be held at 3:30 p.m. Monday, April 2, on the SMC Emeritus Campus, at 1227 2nd Street, in downtown Santa Monica.

"As you read through these stories you will travel through many landscapes, both physical and emotional," SMC Emeritus creative writing instructor Monona Wali wrote in the issue's introduction. "The act of writing is the act of reliving; writers must open the door to the past and recreate the experience as if it were just yesterday. This is no easy task. "It takes courage and humor, a bit of artful lying, but most of all the deep honest work of searching for the essential truth of the story. The stories and poems are probing, brave, smart, and funny -- all living testimonies to the richness of life and living," Wali wrote.

For the first time, students in a new class, “Writing for Publication,” produced the journal, which is the 27th volume of "Chronicles."

The stories and poems were written by students in four different classes that meet on a weekly basis.

"Students peer reviewed each other’s work, and edited and proofread it over ten weeks," college officials said. "They gained firsthand knowledge of the hard work it takes to put a journal together."

Copies of “Emeritus Chronicles” will be available for purchase at the reception. The cost is $10 per copy.

SMC’s Emeritus program was founded by Santa Monica College in 1975 to serve the lifelong learning interests of older adults.

It offers more than 120 noncredit adult education classes and special programs that serve more than 3,000 students each year.

For more information, call (310) 434-4306.