Twenty-five people gathered Wednesday night in the Vogel Room of the Memorial Union and partook of cider and snacks, shared laughs and soul-searching words. It was open mic night, an exciting evening for writers at Washburn and in the community.

Kilt-clad leader and Washburn Writer Lane Iams brought the meeting to order. He called out names from a sign-up sheet. With each call, artists took the podium to share a piece of their heart through prose or poetry.

Organized by Washburn Writers, open mic night provides an opportunity for writers to get up and share their work with fellow writers in a relaxed sitting.

Thirteen writers got up and offered a selection of their work for the audience. Those attending heard everything from flash fiction and short stories to an analogical poem about Winnie the Pooh.

Harrison Otto, the author of the Pooh Bear poem, said he went to open mic night to support his friends and because he is a writer.

The audience and participants included not only writers from the student body and the community but also a number of professors. Eric Bosse, a new instructor in the English department at Washburn, read his short story “Lavender,” and Margy Stewart, English professor, read two of her poems.

“Don’t be disappointed if you missed it,” said Miranda Ericsson, a Washburn Writer who helped organize the event. “We’re planning to have a few more next semester and get more people involved.”