Editor’s Note: The following story by up-and-coming journalist RACHEL STAMFORD was published by Nicholson Student Media on its website NSM Today for UCF by UCF on April 8, 2017. Her story profiled our local writing group Writers of Central Florida or Thereabouts.
As the sun sets on a Wednesday evening, twenty-or-so patrons file in to a small Winter Park coffeehouse. The walls are lined with bookshelves and the ceiling is adorned with colorful lanterns. Fairy lights crawl up the cement walls and over the bar in the back of the performance room. The bartenders serve wine and lattes alike under the menu written on a chalk board with names like Best Boring Waffle and Vote for Pedro.
While there is usually a featured writer slated to speak on the schedule, a clipboard left on a table near the stage offers last minute sign-ups to anyone who wants to perform throughout the night. The writers range from UCF affiliates to complete strangers and patrons of the coffeehouse.
One may see retired UCF math professor Mike Taylor reading his own science fiction. Writing and rhetoric major Ross Ellison is developing his novel, and asks the audience for critiques on his characters. A young man in a hoodie who calls himself “J” requests no one takes his picture, joking he has some “alleged outstanding warrants or whatever.” J. Bradley shows off copies of his newest novel “Jesus Christ, Boy Detective”. Published writer Shasta Grant stays in the back of the room and reconnects with her old dance coach; someone she ran in to at the venue just by chance, as they haven’t seen each other in over a decade.
It may sound like a typical writing discussion group, but the Writers of Central Florida or Thereabouts has influenced the lives of locals, whether it be by sparking a passion for speech or giving them the strength to lead a vigil after Pulse.
The idea for the group was formed by Jeffrey Rembert and Chet Hall in an Einstein Bros. Bagel store as they discussed the lack of opportunities writers have for honest feedback in a comfortable environment.
Rembert had been interested in journalism ever since sixth grade, when he published a paper on a student who accidentally stated he wanted to be a firetruck instead of a firefighter when he grew up. Rembert studied journalism in college where he focused on sports writing and was known for his specialty in sarcasm. He left the newspaper business to specialize in agriculture; writing stories about farmers and farming techniques. According to Rembert’s uncle, a dairyman in East Texas, Rembert’s southern drawl would help him assimilate with the farmers, but if they shook his hand they’d know he hadn’t done a lick of work in his life. Rembert spent a large portion of time eating fried steak with the farmers and other unusual habits to gain their trust before switching to the commercial mortgage industry – insisting there was nothing funny about either of those subjects.
When Rembert felt there was a lot of creative ideas stuck in his head, he began blogging and writing as a contributor to his friends’ magazine. Now Rembert’s content is mostly on politics with the occasional comic piece – his personal favorite being a top ten list on top ten things.
Hall was less experienced with writing. After working with the Maitland Post Office for 35 years, he was on the verge of retirement when he expressed an interest in storytelling. Before that, Hall only wrote annual family Christmas cards with elaborate, fake stories like his wife getting in a bar fight with Chuck Norris.
The two friends began observing local open mics, but were unimpressed with many of the vetting processes. Hosts often reviewed written pieces before the show, and denied writers when they didn’t like their work. The venues felt stuffy and pretentious; often in expensive restaurants with monetary covers to participate. Guests planned throughout the week to attend, and dressed up to perform their writing. Hall considered these groups to be the “white wine crowd” that felt art should be up to their standard.
“What standard?” Hall said. “It’s writing! There is no standard.”
Rembert and Hall decided to create their own writing group with no other motive than to amuse themselves and give people something to do. They focused on eliminating the main reasons people don’t perform at open mics. The Writers of Central Florida or Thereabouts eliminated any sort of vetting process. The group treated each performer as a headliner and promoted their work by announcing their name. Additionally, performances were always free to attend.
“There are a lot of college people who can’t afford five bucks. They’re splitting a Fanta,” Rembert said. “All we want this to cost the people who get up here is the amount of time you’ve put in to your work.”
The Writers of Central Florida or Thereabouts first met in a library, but it closed at 9 p.m. The group later tried various bars and restaurants, but live bands in the other rooms would play over performers. Rembert and Hall finally settled on various pubs and coffeehouses throughout the Orlando and Winter Park area. One such venue was Stardust Video & Coffee. It was here that Carrie Moran first crossed paths with the group.
With pink streaks in her hair and vivid tattoos down her arms, Moran isn’t a typical librarian. She is the librarian for the UCF Women’s Studies Program by day, and a poet at local open mics by night. Moran found the Writers of Central Florida or Thereabouts through a website called Meetup, and just observed the first night she attended. When Rembert remembered her at the next event, she began to see the group as a welcoming family.
Over the next few weeks, the Writers of Central Florida urged Moran out of her comfort zone. Moran performed her poetry, and through that learned performance lessons, such as slowing her words down, using infliction and properly giving hand gestures. Moran’s first experience on stage with Rembert and Hall became completely contrasted to the kind of speaker she is today.
“It was terrifying,” Moran said. “I could get in front of 100 people no problem, but the first time I performed I was shaking life a leaf. Now I’m at the point where I’ve done it so much I really love being on stage.”
However, Moran is most grateful for the confidence her experience with the Writers of Central Florida gave her when she became president of the UCF Pride Faculty and Staff Association two weeks before the Pulse shooting occurred.
Moran was asked to speak at the victims’ vigil on campus to an estimated audience of 1,000 students. The Student Union was adorned with candles and yellow roses to commemorate the lives lost. Musicians and guest speakers spoke about the strength within the LGBTQ+ community, and students held signs that said #OrlandoUnited. Among all the sorrow and mourning, Moran represented not only the UCF faculty, but her own passion for LGBTQ+ rights.
“All this work I did as a writer helped prepare me for who I was when I had to speak at that vigil,” Moran said. “All that practice.”
Moran was inspired by the way Rembert and Hall conducted their open mics, and she later began hosting her own in the UCF library while simultaneously starting an art project to commemorate the Pulse victims. She never thought that she would be the one getting people up on stage.
“Every step you take is leading you on a path even if you don’t know where that path is taking you,” Moran said.
The Writers of Central Florida also inspired several UCF students to perform and build their writing portfolio. Kira Calvaresi moved to Orlando with nothing but what she could fit in her car in hopes of getting into UCF’s film program. Calvaresi was used to slam poetry that had to be under three minutes and cater to a specific audience, so Rembert and Hall’s open mics were a positive change. Calvaresi admired the diversity of the writing group and their eagerness to support her poetry.
“They built me up and supported my story telling,” Calvaresi said. “I was able to bond with people who were both my age and significantly older. I heard stories about modern day technology struggles, and battling in WWII.”
Calvaresi included the writing she had performed and edited with the Writers of Central Florida in her film B.F.A. portfolio, and was accepted into UCF’s film program. She credits those who supported her throughout her experience in the Writers of Central Florida for a large portion of the success.
She went on to explain her best advice to aspiring writers looking to perform.
“You’re not ever alone in this thing you’re doing. There are ears and eyes waiting for your work, your stories that no one else can tell. Find them. They’ll open doors when you feel too weak to, they’ll encourage you when you have no kind words for yourself, and they’ll give you home like you’ve never known before,” Calvaresi said.
Rembert and Hall continue to host open mics every other Wednesday at Stardust Video & Coffee. Their audience ranges from college students to orators that recount their days living with Jim Crow laws. None of the participants know exactly what they are getting when they show up to the coffeehouse. They may hear from a retired professor, or an unfamiliar face in the crowd. Slam poetry to unpublished novels. War stories to Yelp reviews. Comedy to tragedy.
The energy in the venue is made to be as authentic as possible.
“That’s the purpose of our group,” Rembert said. “We rather have someone go up and make his mistakes here and we will help fix those mistakes before he makes it somewhere else and they’re less forgiving.”
On leaving your comfort zone, Rembert added, “If you have an idea put it out there. If it’s not good, who cares? People are entertained by bad stuff all the time.”
The Writers of Central Florida or Thereabouts is a writing discussion group that attracts new members – students and strangers alike – nearly every day to their over 550 social media members. Regardless of its popularity, Rembert and Hall emphasize that the goal isn’t just to develop better writing and give encouragement; it’s to have fun.
“We’ll go up there and be foolish,” Hall said. “We’ll go up and make you glad you didn’t pay to get in here tonight.”
Originally published April 8.