UKIAH – Aspiring writers of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry are invited to participate in several workshops offered Saturday, April 24, as part of this year’s Literary Festival at Mendocino College.

“LitFest 2010,” featuring more than 20 local writers and poets will take place at the College, 1000 Hensley Creek Road, starting at 10 a.m. and continuing until 5 p.m. that day.

Admission to LitFest and the included workshops is free, and the event is open to the public.

Workshop topics will include the importance of rewriting, creating a writers’ group, writing poetry and building good story lines.

Published writers, poets, and book and magazine editors will be among the workshop presenters.

Participants are encouraged to come prepared to write or share unpublished works of writing. Pre-registration is urged by festival organizers. Descriptions of the workshops and registration is available on the event Web site, www.mendocino.edu/litfest2010. Interested individuals may also call 707-468-3051.

Sponsored by the Mendocino College Foundation and its affiliate organization, Friends of the Mendocino College Library, as well as other various supporters, the one-day literary festival is advertised as “A Celebration for Word Lovers.”

“We are pleased to be able to bring so many talented individuals to the College to share their writing, poetry, and knowledge with our students and other members of our community,” said John Koetzner, head librarian at Mendocino College. “The workshops promise to be entertaining and informative. They are always popular and fill quickly. That is one reason we suggest early sign-up.”

Morning workshops will include “Story Stalking,” a discussion about good story telling, presented by author Molly Dwyer; “Writing Poetry for Publication,” presented by poet/editor/publisher C.E. Chaffin; “Writing for Young Adults” presented by author Pamela Pizzimenti; and “Collaborative and Spontaneous Writing,” a discussion of techniques and ideas for new writing, presented by poet, designer, and letterpress printer Theresa Whitehill.

“How to Create and Maintain a Writers’ Group,” led by Jean Hegland and Sean Swift, and “Finished? Congratulations! Now Rewrite,” with presenters Peg Kingman and Doris Eraldi, are scheduled for the afternoon. Additionally, Armando Garcia-Davila, author of three poetry collections, will give examples of his writing process in an afternoon workshop entitled “A Writer Shares His Secrets.”

A special children’s workshop and reading has just been added to the LitFest schedule, according to Koetzner. Elizabeth Vega, author of “The Laughing River, “ will conduct the interactive session for youngsters.

LitFest attendees will have an opportunity to hear readings and talks by many contemporary authors and poetic artists who reside in the Mendocino, Lake, and Sonoma county areas, according to Koetzner. They include fiction writers Marc Bojanowski and Tara Sufiana, and poets Dan Barth, Blake More, Robin Rule, Ethel Mays, Armand Brint, Mary Norbert Korte and Sandra Wade.