Are you the writing type?

Many years ago, Sinclair Lewis was badgered into conducting a guest lecture to a group of aspiring writers at Wesleyan College. There, he grumpily asked students to raise their hands if they someday hoped to be writers.

When the entire class raised their hands, Lewis is said to have offered this famous admonishment:

“Well then, go home and write!”

The author then abruptly left the podium and walked out the door.

When you think about it, Lewis has a point: If you want to write and be successful at it, you ought to stay home and, well, write.

That’s where Community Writes comes in.

It’s gearing up for a big new year that will provide more avenues to strengthen the writing muscle for writers with strong ties to the North Oregon Coast.

Last year, when the Hoffman Center for the Arts launched the program, it invited writers to submit short pieces of fiction, nonfiction or memoir, focusing on rotating topics each quarter.

This upcoming year, it’s taking it up a notch or two.

Community Writes will now be monthly and poetry will be included.

The program is open to all ‑ whether you are a published writer or not — and contributions will be published on a rolling basis on the Hoffman Center website.

Contributors also will be offered an opportunity to read their work at periodic open mic events.

Fiction, nonfiction, essay, memoir and poetry will be accepted.

Submissions should not exceed 800 words, and should include an image, if possible.

The writing must be inspired by the prompt designated for each month: the first three month’s topics are rain, presidents and wind.

There is a $5 fee per submission.

For more information, go to hoffmanarts.org or call 206-900-1798 or 314-304-2821.