Writing Conferences

Conferences are not only the best way to meet agents, get tips from other writers, and learn about the publishing industry, they make you feel like a writer. We all need community, and this is how we, as writers, get the necessary incentive to keep writing.

All of these conferences and workshops charge tuition, but some offer financial assistance. There are deadlines for applying for aid, so make sure you apply early.

While many conference have open registration, some have registration deadlines, especially those which include workshops with authors. Be sure to check Poets & Writers database for registration deadlines.

If you miss your ideal conference this year, don't worry. Many of these are annual events. Plan ahead!

Note: I continually update this page as conference schedules are published.

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Databases for Writing Conferences:

Poets & Writers has a well-organized list of conferences and residencies. You can search by event type, state, and admission.

The Association of Writers & Writing Programs has a directory of over 300 conferences, centers, and retreats. You can search by location, type, and genre.

Publishers Weekly keeps a list of key conferences and book fairs, worldwide. List is ordered chronologically.

Poets & Writers Local is an app that lets you search for conferences near you.

Shaw Guides lists local, regional, national and international writing conferences. Organized by month.

Writing Day Workshops are managed by, Chuck Sambuchino, longtime Writer's Digest editor, Writing Day Workshops are full-day “How to Get Published” writing events that happen all around the United States throughout the year.

Related posts:

Valuable Tips for Pitching to an Agent or Editor

Getting an agent: Schmooze or you lose (How to find conferences in your area)

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JANUARY 2024

Pacific University Master of Fine Arts in Writing Residency Writers Conference. January 4 - 14, 2024: Seaside, Oregon. Writers seeking to deepen their craft and expand their professional community are invited to attend the Residency Writers Conference together with MFA students, faculty and guest speakers. Join us for 10 full days of craft talks, workshops, panels, classes, readings and more featuring some of the best minds of the literary world. This residency is a rare opportunity to engage in sustained and meaningful conversation with others who share your passion for the art of writing. Application deadline: November 21, 2023.

Key West Literary Seminar. January 11–14, 2024: Key West, Florida. Each year, the Key West Literary Seminar explores a particular literary theme. In January 2024, we’ll turn our attention to this weird, wild, always-going-underwater bellwether of a state that (for better and for worse) we call home — FLORIDA.

Winter Poetry & Prose Getaway. January 12 - 15, 2024, Atlantic City, New Jersey. A participant-focused writers’ conference. Advance your craft and energize your writing at the 30th annual Winter Poetry & Prose Getaway. Enjoy challenging and supportive workshops, insightful feedback and an encouraging community. Choose from workshops in poetry, fiction, nonfiction, memoir, songwriting, playwriting and more.

Colrain Classic. January 12 - 15, 2024: Online. "The Colrain Manuscript Classic is a highly focused, 3.5 day conference designed for poets with manuscripts in progress. The Classic features in-depth pre-conference work and candid, realistic evaluation and feedback from nationally-known poets, editors and publishers. In preparation, participants work at home on pre-conference assignments and then, in the workshop, review, arrange, and winnow their work based on the pre-conference work. In addition to the manuscript preparation workshop and editor sessions, there will be an editorial Q&A, and an after-conference strategy session." Will be conducted online.

TMW January Jumpstart. January 13 - 14, 2024: Oak Ridge, TN. “We will have a “Meet and Greet” session Friday from 7 p.m. – 8 p.m. Eastern. On Saturday there will be concurrent Poetry and Fiction morning sessions from 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Eastern, and afternoon sessions from 1:30 – 4:30 Eastern." Registration $150. Application deadline December 29.

Eckerd College Writers in Paradise Conference. January 13 -20, 2024, St. Petersburg, FL. Workshops, roundtables, panel discussions, Q&As, readings book signings, and receptions. Emmy-award winning journalist and NYT best-selling author of the memoir, Between Two Kingdoms, Suleika Jaouad, will kick off the week as our Keynote Speaker.
  • Luis Alberto Urrea, Pulitzer-prize finalist and “literary badass” (NPR), joins the Workshop Faculty at Writers in Paradise for the first time.
  • Newly minted St. Petersburg Poet Laureate and winner of the Poetry Gold Medal Florida Book Awards, Gloria Muñoz, returns to Eckerd College as this year’s Emerging Artist in Poetry.
  •  NYT Editor’s Choice and “Best Books to Read in 2023” by Today, author of the short story collection, When Trying to Return Home, Jennifer Maritza McCauley, will read and lecture at Writers in Paradise as this year’s Emerging Artist in Fiction.
  • Writers in Paradise welcomes back Poet, Collaborator, Professor and National Book Critics Circle Award Finalist (Blowout), Denise Duhamel, as Faculty to lead the Poetry Workshop.
  • Mitchell Kaplan, Founder and Owner of Books & Books, co-founder of the Miami Book Fair, Podcast host of The Literary Life with Mitchell Kaplan, and Producer (The Mazur Kaplan Company), joins the publishing panel at Writers in Paradise.
  • International best-selling debut sensation whose short story collection, If I Survive You, who has garnered countless accolades including the PEN/Faulkner Award and National Book Award short lists, Jonathan Escoffery, will close the 2024 conference.
Digital Book World Conference. January 15 - 17, 2024: NYC. This is the premier event for digital publishers and content providers of all sizes and business models. 

Writing By Writers GET THE LEAD OUT! January 19 - 21, 2024: Online. This workshop brings all levels of writers together for a weekend of inspiration, craft and the generation of new work. Faculty: Pam Houston, Keenan Norris and Lidia Yuknavitch. Tuition: $750 includes one three-day workshop, admittance to all craft talks and readings.

St. George Island Writers’ Retreat for Women. Jan 21 - 28, 2024: St. George, FL. Program Focus: Autobiography/Memoir, Fiction. Contact Perky Granger at PersisGranger@aol.com for further information and/or to have a registration form emailed to you.

Sunshine State Book Festival. January 26 - 27, 2024: Gainesville, Florida. "Authors from around Florida and the nation will gather at the Hilton University of Florida Conference Center on January 27th, from 10 am to 5 pm to sell books and talk about their work. Festivities include guest speakers, giveaways, storytelling, and more." Admission is free.

Northeast Texas Writers Organization. January 27, 2024: Mt Pleasant, TX. Children's Book Writing Workshop, 

JANUARY 2023

Writing By Writers DRAFT. Application deadline: January 15, 2023: Lake Tahoe and Boulder, CO. DRAFT is an intensive program for 15 writers who are committed to completing a novel, memoir, short story, or essay collection over the course of two years. Whether starting a first draft, or working through a new revision, this program is appropriate for writers who want a rigorous and supportive community throughout their process.

JANUARY 2022

Palm Beach Poetry Festival. January 10 - 15, 2022: Delray Beach, Florida. Workshop Faculty Poets: Kim Addonizio, Laure-Anne Bosselaar, Chard deNiord, Mark Doty, Yona Harvey, John Murillo, Matthew Olzmann, and Diane Seuss. Canceled for 2023. May return in 2024.

FEBRUARY 2024

Jaipur Literature Festival. February 1 - 5, 2024. Presentations, panels, readings, and music performances. In an uplifting celebration of the mind and heart, authors from the Americas, Asia, Africa, and Europe will take part in provocative conversations about life and society, economics and the arts, equity, freedom, and the care of our planet. In these critical times, the penetrating, intercultural dialogue exchanged speaks deeply to individuals and gives rise to the joy of community.

Tinker Mountain Winter Recharge. February 2 - 4, 2024: Online. The weekend begins with a social session on Friday evening and continues with workshops Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 2 to 4 p.m.  Just the right amount of time to affirm your writing and to reset for the balance of winter and spring. Manuscript workshops, limited to 8 participants, give you an opportunity to receive feedback on your work from peers and your faculty mentor and learn what other writers are working on. Write now workshops, limited to 10 participants, allow you to immerse yourself in the craft of writing and generate new work without the pressure of preparing or reading manuscripts.

On Memory and Metaphor: Bringing the Past to Life. February 3, 2024: Online. "How do we translate a vague memory in our thoughts into a vivid memory in an essay or memoir? Sensory knowledge, written descriptively, assists in memory, in recalling past events. From here, we metaphorically string memories together. By reflecting on our lives, we see truths not initially observed in the past. Memories are dynamic, not static. They change as we change. When we write our sensory memories, they present us with fresh perspectives. This second life doesn't just recapture past actions, it gives them depth and meaning." This presentation includes a writing prompt, space to read your work, as well as time for discussion and questions-and-answers.

Association of Writers & Writing Programs Conference. February 7 - 10, 2024: Seattle, WA. "The AWP Conference & Bookfair is an essential annual destination for writers, teachers, students, editors, and publishers. Each year more than 12,000 attendees join our community for four days of insightful dialogue, networking, and unrivaled access to the organizations and opinion-makers that matter most in contemporary literature. AWP’s is now the largest literary conference in North America." 

The 2024 Boston Writing Workshop. February 9-10, 2024. Online. "This writing event is a wonderful opportunity to get intense instruction over the course of one day, pitch a literary agent or editor (optional), get your questions answered, and more. Note that there are limited online “seats” at the event (200 total). This is a special two-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop on February 3-4, 2023. In other words, it’s two days full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome."

SCBWI In-Person Winter Conference 2024. February 9-11, 2024: NY, NY. Come and be inspired by renowned authors and illustrators, learn about the state of the children's book publishing industry from panels of agents, editors and art directors, dive deep into your craft with TWO three-hour Creative Labs, and get your work in front of industry professionals!

San Francisco Writers Conference. February 15 - 18, 2024: San Francisco, CA. Attendees will join with 100+ presenters and fellow writers from across the country and around the world at this year’s event. The SFWC events are consistently rated among the top writer’s conferences anywhere. "Our goal is to help writers become published authors as we help them become better at the craft and business of writing. The SFWC is also one of the friendliest conferences. Presenters this year will include bestselling authors, literary agents, editors, and publishers from major publishing houses. There will be experts on self-publishing, book promotion, platform building, social media, and author websites. The San Francisco Writers Conference has one of the largest faculties of any writer’s conference to ensure the best networking with the people who can help you get published." 

Strategic Submission: An Online Workshop. February 15 – March 14, 2024, Each Thursday, 5:00-7:00pm EST/EDT: Online. "In this five-week online workshop, writers of all genres are invited to set excuses aside and learn proper submission etiquette and protocol. In a supportive environment, you’ll write cover letters and an author bio, create a submission strategy and research markets for publication, funding and conferences to identify which options best fit your work. You’ll have the opportunity to submit your writing to several markets as your workshop mates cheer you on. Bring a completed short story, a group of 3 to 5 poems, a novel excerpt, an essay or creative nonfiction piece that’s polished and ready to submit."

Southern California Writers’ Conference (and Retreat). February 16 - 18, 2024: San Diego, CA. Faculty: 60+ working, professional authors of fiction, nonfiction & screen, editors & agents. "Founded and run by professional writers the SCWC provides veteran and emerging talent with authoritative guidance to help distinguish those manuscripts that are ready for market consideration." Limited to 150 conferees.

The Art of Short Fiction: An Online Workshop. February 16 - March 15, 2024. Each Friday, 3:00-5:00pm EST/EDT: Online. "In this workshop, we will discuss the foundations of short fiction and what makes it so uniquely different from novel writing. We will examine a diversity of voices and styles from contemporary short story writers and consider key aspects of the genre—voice, plot, characterization and more. Through generative writing exercises, we will practice techniques to help you hone your skills using these craft elements. You are welcome to bring a piece you’re currently working on or to start something entirely new. After we spend time writing, we will share and discuss our work in a supportive and productive environment. Beginning and experienced writers are welcome."

Come Play(wright) with Me! A Playwriting Class for ALL Writers. February 17, 2024: Lincoln, Nebraska. "Class for all writers, whether writing for stage and screen or not. Participants will explore techniques for building an excellent playground (i.e. structuring a story) and inviting interesting people (i.e. complicated characters) to connect with audiences there. Topics and activities include tips for utilizing non-traditional story structures, infusing character backstory seamlessly into action, and writing compelling dialogue."

The Engine of Narratives: Openings, Metaphors, and Characters. February 21. 2024. Online. Join author Tommy Dean for a 2 hour generative writing session focused on The Engine of Narratives: Openings, Metaphors, and Characters. Make dreading the blank page a thing of the past!   There are many ways to write a story, but these three elements can make the writing easier and more dynamic.  We'll look at model texts and get inspired by the writing prompts! Past students have published stories inspired by my prompts in today's best literary magazines.

Wild Seeds Writers Retreat. February 22 - 25, 2024. The Wild Seeds Writers Retreat (formerly the North Country Institute & Retreat for Writers of Color), a collaboration with the Center for Black Literature, the English Department at SUNY, Plattsburgh, and the Paden Institute and Retreat for Writers, provides a writing community where established and newly discovered writers of color can focus on the craft of writing and create cross-cultural conversations around the literature created by writers of the African diaspora. Deadline: Friday, December 15, 2023.

St. Augustine Author-Mentor Novel Workshop. February 23 - 26, 2024: St. Augustine, Florida. "The St. Augustine Author-Mentor Novel Workshop creates an intimate and professional environment that combines private meetings with small-group workshops, thus enabling aspiring authors to wisely approach the writing and publication of their novel. At the St. Augustine event, aspiring authors will:
1) Work one-on-one with top authors and savvy market professionals.
2) Apply advanced story and narrative technique to their novel-in-progress.
3) Hone and improve their writer voice and style.
4) Learn the necessary inside mechanics of the publishing business.
5) Leave the workshop with a detailed plan to work towards publication of their novel.
Group workshop sessions will be interspersed with agent and author consultations, workshop assignments, as well as consults with workshop leaders."

The 2024 Indiana Writing Workshop. February 24, 2024: Indianapolis, IN. This is a full-day in-person “How to Get Published” writing conference. This writing event is a wonderful opportunity to get intense instruction over the course of one day, pitch a literary agent or editor (optional), get your questions answered, and more. Note that there are limited seats at the event (150 total). 

FEBRUARY 2023

Hedgebrook’s Writer-in-Residence Program supports writers from all over the world for residencies of two to four weeks. The cottage, all meals, and the entire residency experience at Hedgebrook is free to selected writers. Travel is not included and is the responsibility of the writer to arrange and pay for. Up to 6 writers can be in residence at a time, each housed in their own handcrafted cottage. They spend their days in solitude – writing, reading, taking walks in the woods on the property or on nearby Double Bluff beach. In the evenings, “The Gathering” is a social time for residents to connect and share over their freshly prepared meals.  Writers must be women, which is inclusive of transgender women and female-identified individuals. Because gender inequity still occurs in all spaces including literary ones, it is part of our explicit mission to support and promote women’s voices. Applications open Feb 15 - March 15, 2023 for 2024 Residency,

Publishing Workshop. February 18, 2023: Atlantic City, NJ. "Do you want to publish your writing but struggle with a lack of know-how and fear of rejection? Join us for this hands-on workshop where we will guide you through the process from blank page to published piece. If you are an aspiring author you will learn how and where to submit your work. If you are experienced you will discover new markets and resources to expand your readership. Whether you are working on a novel, memoir, short stories, personal essays or poetry, you will go home with an action plan and the tools to carry it out."

The Writers Studio, sponsored by the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program, February 23 - 26, 2023, Los Angeles, CA. The conference offers workshops in fiction and creative nonfiction, as well as writing for television and film. Offered by the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program, the Writers Studio brings together a community of writing students to workshop with some of Southern California’s most accomplished writers and teachers. From among the 10 offered, participants choose one workshop in which they work closely with a professional writer in classes limited to no more than 15 people. Enrollment for 2024 opens in April.

Indie Author Forum. February 25, 2023. Online. This full-day, virtual conference taps the editorial expertise of Publishers Weekly and BookLife to give attendees an up-to-the-minute, insider's look at the rapidly evolving world of self-publishing. The Forum will cover a wide range of topics from examining the audiobook option and mastering marketing strategies to discussions on craft and putting together a distribution tool kit. New this year are genre-specific breakouts while popular sessions on cover design and book pitches return.

MARCH 2024

The 2024 Writing Workshop of Austin. March, 1, 2024: Austin, TX. A full-day “How to Get Published” event. "This writing event is a wonderful opportunity to get intense instruction over the course of one day, pitch a literary agent or editor, get your questions answered, and more. Note that there are limited seats at the event (120 total).

In Search of Home. March 2, 2024: Online. “We often think of home as a structure with a street address. But home is actually a much harder thing to pin down. It’s an experience, an attitude, a time of life, a feeling of being “at home” that is influenced by many factors, including people, landscape, weather, and age."

The 2024 Houston Writing WorkshopMarch 2, 2024: Houston, TX. "This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop on Saturday, March 2, 2024, at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Houston Near the Galleria. In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome."

Breakout Novel Intensive. March 4 - 10, 2024: Online. Included are new or revised units on story discovery, strong voice, standout characters, the inner journey, compelling story worlds, beautiful writing, creating resonance and finding meaning in both story and process. Breakout fundamentals are also covered: strong characters, inner conflict, personal stakes, plot layers, powerful scenes, micro-tension, practical theme techniques and much more. Instructor: Donald Maass. 

The 2024 Colorado Writing Workshop. March 8 - 9, 2024: Online. "This is a special two-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop on March 8-9, 2024. In other words, it’s two days full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome. And even though this is the “Colorado” Writing Workshop, make no mistake — writers from everywhere are welcome to attend virtually."

2024 Carolina Writing Workshops. March 8 (Charlotte) and March 9 (Raleigh). "The workshops are both one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome."

Colrain Classic. March 8 - 11, 2024: Via Zoom. "The Colrain Manuscript Classic is a highly focused, 3.5 day conference designed for poets with manuscripts in progress. The Classic features in-depth pre-conference work and candid, realistic evaluation and feedback from nationally-known poets, editors and publishers. In preparation, participants work at home on pre-conference assignments and then, in the workshop, review, arrange, and winnow their work based on the pre-conference work. In addition to the manuscript preparation workshop and editor sessions, there will be an editorial Q&A, and an after-conference strategy session." 

Ossabaw Weekend Writer’s Retreat. March 8 - 13,  2024: Ossabaw Island, GA. Workshops and seminars led by nationally recognized faculty, and evening readings (special emphasis on ghost stories) by faculty and participants. Application deadline: January 15.

"Writing in Proximity to History" March 8, 15, 22, 29, 2024: 3:00-6:00 PM EST. "This workshop will introduce participants to the creative practice of memory work. Akin to what Toni Morrison called “literary archeology,” memory work involves both research and imagination." NOTE: This is a live online workshop. Registered participants will receive a Zoom link one week in advance of the workshop. Registration closes at noon on March 1, 2024.

Bay to Ocean Writers Conference. March 9, 2024: Wye Mills, Maryland. Sponsored by the Eastern Shore Writers Association. "Featuring eight tracks and over 30 sessions sure to fit all your writing needs, this year’s Bay to Ocean Writers Conference celebrates a quarter of a century of helping writers develop their craft, edit, publish, and market their writing.  This year’s sessions, all 90-minutes in length, are carefully designed to help you generate solid writing, hone your craft, and ask pointed questions from published and award-winning presenters about the process."

Algonkian Writers New York Pitch Conference. March 14 - 17, 2024: NY, NY. "The event focuses on the art of the novel pitch as the best method not only for communicating your work, but for having you and your work taken seriously by industry professionals. More importantly though, it is also a diagnostic method for workshopping the plot, premise, and other elements of the story to determine quality and marketability. Simply put, you cannot successfully pitch a viable commercial novel if you don't have a viable commercial novel. Our goal, therefore, is to set you on a realistic path to publication." 

Alabama Writing Workshop. March 15, 2024: Birmingham, Alabama. "A one-day writing workshop full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We will also have literary agents onsite to give feedback and take pitches from writers, as well."

Writing By Writers Boulder Generative Workshop. March 15 - 17, 2024: Boulder, Colorado. Lectures, craft talks, writing exercises and class discussions. Each participant will have the opportunity to work in a small group setting with all three faculty members.

Kansas City Writing Workshop. March 16, 2024: Kansas City. This is a special one-day in-person “How to Get Published” writing workshop on Saturday, March 16, 2024, at the Marriott Kansas City Overland Park. In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome.

Atlanta Writing Workshop. March 16, 2024: Atlanta, GA. "This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop. In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome." 

Creating for Our Youngest Readers: Board, Novelty, and Concept Books. March 18 - 20, 2024: Online. Join author/illustrators Merrill Rainey and Joe Cepeda to learn about patterns, language, and appeal of board books, novelty books, and concept books in today's publishing market.

Giggles and Laughs: Connecting with Humor in Picture Books, Early Readers, and Chapter Books. March 18 - 20, 2024: Online. New readers love to laugh! Learn the "why" of writing with humor for children, and help your story connect and resonate with this age group. Then learn strategies to find the right level of funny in your picture books, early readers, and chapter books.

Get Away to Write. March 19 - 24, 2024: New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Spend an inspiring week working on your memoir or poetry. Enjoy plentiful writing time, insightful feedback, homemade meals and time to relax. ach workshop will offer craft discussion, writing prompts, writing time, feedback, motivation and inspiration. By spending the entire week in one workshop, you will venture deeper into your writing, making more progress than you thought possible.

Writing the Loess Hills: Letting Landscape Guide the Pen. Tuesdays, March 19, March 26, April 2, April 9, April 16, 2024: Online. "The Loess Hills comprise a unique landform running primarily along the western edge of Iowa but also reaching into South Dakota, Missouri, and Nebraska. The wind-deposited steep slopes of loess are globally unique, with only one other matching site in the world. Its unique topography provides protection for hidden pockets of wildness, including some of the last remaining remnant prairie in the state. An important corridor for migration, and a repository of endangered and threatened species, its ecological significance cannot be overstated. Like most places, it also has a human story, a history of habitation, cities and towns, railroads that came and went, and visionaries of all kinds. From the Black Angel statue in a cemetery in Council Bluffs, to the ancient remains uncovered near Turin, to the story of a ranging mountain lion sporting a radio collar from Nebraska, or the history of agriculture in the valleys between the ridge lines, the older story of bison and elk, or the even older story of the Ice Age, the hills are alive with stories. Using a variety of examples, prompts and exercises, we will explore the hills creatively, crafting poems, stories and short memoir that reflect the unusual terrain and the experiences held there. We will use the hills as a metaphor to pursue our own internal stories, as well. Whether you already have a connection to the Loess Hills, or your interest is sparked and you’d like to learn more, you will leave this workshop with a renewed appreciation for their fragility and majesty, and multiple new drafts of creative work."

University of North Dakota Writers Conference. March 20 - 22, 2024: Grand Forks, North Dakota. Founded in 1970 and held every year since, the UND Writers Conference is a three day event featuring six to eight authors annually. Authors ranging from Gwendolyn Brooks and August Wilson to Tommy Orange and Colson Whitehead, the UND Writers Conference is committed to community outreach, engagement, and finding ways to increase audience access to literature. The conference is free, but workshop space is limited to twenty participants; registration is first come, first served. Will be held online and in person.

Algonkian Novel Retreat. Algonkian Park, Virginia, March 20 - 24, 2024. "In keeping with the spirit of this place and the goals of this retreat, you can be as goal-oriented or as hesitant in approach as you wish. You can show us your manuscript, improve your skills, clear your head, have your work read by our writer mentors, whatever works for you, whatever helps you grow and discover your vision as a writer. You discuss with us ahead of time via the Algonkian Writer Retreat Application the goals you wish to accomplish, and we'll work with you to make it happen. Do you desire a review of your short stories or flash fiction? A line edit? Do you wish to discuss the reality of the current fiction market, your novel project, plot and characters, or perhaps get feedback on the opening hook or a few sample chapters? Or would you simply like a relaxed and productive dialogue about your goals as a writer?" Registration is first come, first served.

Virginia Festival of the Book, March 20 - 24, 2024: Charlottesville, VA. "The Festival is the largest community-based book event in the Mid-Atlantic region and has attracted audiences of more than 20,000 for each of the past thirteen years. We have presented a captivating list of authors, ranging from international bestsellers to topical specialists to debut authors." Book exhibits, talks by authors, readings, workshops on book promotion, finding an agent, poetry, publishing, agents roundtable - you name it, this conference has it. 

Moravian Writers’ Conference: “Write to Explore”. March 21 - 23, 2024: Bethlehem, PA. To celebrate the conference's 10-year anniversary, this FREE conference (featuring in-person and live streamed events) will focus on different approaches for thinking about story and story sharing. Some questions our offerings will pose include:
  • What is the value of writing in our society today?
  • Can we use it as a tool to promote social justice and peace?
  • What professions draw on storytelling skills?
  • Can we use story sharing to make connections to our own histories and each other? 
Headliner Javier Ávila will perform The Trouble With My Name (a one-man show) on Saturday, March 23, and lead a craft talk earlier that same day—with limited spaces available on a first-come, first-served basis.

2024 Virginia Writing Workshop. March 22, 2024: Richmond, VA. "This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome."

Power of Narrative. March 22- 23, 2024: Boston, MA. Over 30 journalists, directors, producers and editors lead three days of lively discussions geared to advance the knowledge of narrative storytellers. Approximately 500 persons attend. Early registration is encouraged. Will be held in person.

California Creative Writers Conference. March 22 - 24, 2023: Los Angeles, CA. "You benefit from the most informed presentations and the latest information from the world of publishing. And along with perennial favorites, we offer important fresh voices and industry experts to widen your wealth of knowledge. Plus you have the opportunity to meet and network in person with literary agents, editors, and industry professionals to help guide you on the path to success." Via Zoom and in person.

Chesapeake Writing Day Workshop. March 23, 2024. Online. A full-day “How to Get Published” event. "This writing event is a wonderful opportunity to get intense instruction over the course of one day, pitch a literary agent or editor (optional), get your questions answered, and more."

Liberty States Fiction Writers Conference. March 23, 2024: NJ. "In addition to our wonderful and diverse keynote speakers, we have a number of editors and agents who will be attending to take pitches as well as some awesome writer and reader workshops!" 

Annual National Undergraduate Literature Conference. March 28 - 30, 2024: Weber State University, Ogden, UT. "Each year, nearly 200 undergraduate writers and poets throughout North America, and sometimes beyond, come to Weber State University to present their work and learn from some of the most important writers in contemporary literature." 

Norwescon. March 28 - 31, 2024: Sea Tac, WA. Norwescon is one of the largest regional Science Fiction and Fantasy conventions in the United States.

WonderCon. March 29 - 31, 2024: Anaheim, CA. HUGE comic book convention.  

Make it Strange (Again) Poetry Workshop. March 30, 2024: Lincoln, NE. "One of the wonders of poetry is how it can reawaken us to the world. The familiar can be reignited with color, metamorphosed into creatures, landscapes, and sounds that can astonish us into beauty and/or resist desensitization. In this generative poetry workshop, we will use writing prompts to look upon what we may have rendered as quotidian in our lives and make it strange again and again. Both beginners and advanced writers are welcome."

PJ Library Retreat: Picture Book Summer Camp for Emerging Writers. August 25 - 29, 2024: Boyds Mills, PA. "If you’re a pre-published author with a Jewish picture book in progress (or no more than one published book) we invite you to apply for five-days of inspiration, mentorship, fun, and creativity on the beautiful campus of the Highlights Foundation." Application deadline March 31.

MARCH 2023

The 2023 Writers Conference of St. Louis. March 11, 2023: St. Louis. MO. "This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop on Saturday, March 11, 2023, at the Doubletree by Hilton Westport. In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome."

The 2023 Cincinnati Writing Workshop. March 11, 2023: Cincinnati, OH. "This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop on Saturday, March 11, 2023, at the Doubletree by Hilton Westport. In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome."

Western Reserve Writers' Conference. March 25, 2023, South Euclid, Ohio. This free one-day writing conference takes place at Cuyahoga County Public Library's William N. Skirball Writers' Center, located in the South Euclid-Lyndhurst Branch library. It features a choice of breakout sessions, a keynote address, and private sessions with editors. Biennial.

The 2023 National Black Writers Conference Biennial Symposium. March 31 - April 1, 2023: Medgar Evers College, CUNY, Brooklyn, NY. "Diasporic Visions: A Celebration of Black Speculative Fiction: Black speculative fiction encompasses and blurs the genres of magical realism, futurism, horror, fantasy, paranormal, and mythology. These imaginative stories enable writers to create alternative and futuristic worlds, narratives rooted in traditional beliefs and spirituality, and compelling stories that center the Black experience. The stories also raise questions about colonialism, racism, identity, and gender." 

MARCH 2022

Redrock Creative Writing Seminar. March 5, 2022: St. George, Utah. Classes and readings in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. The faculty includes Lola Haskins, Tim Keller, and Denis Feehan.

Meet the Publishers! March 26, 2022: Tulsa, OK. Meet different publishers, traditional to self-published, magazines, newspapers, etc. Learn what they are looking for and how the industry is changing. Canceled for 2023.


APRIL 2024

Rananim online classes Courses run for eight weeks from April through May. "Participants receive personalized feedback on assignments from their instructor, as well as responses from classmates on discussion board forums. All instructors are university professors and/or working professional writers, who have experience teaching at the Taos Summer Writers’ Conference. Classes are limited to 15 students who will engage in conversation with you and your work. Firm deadlines and feedback help keep you writing and improving your work throughout the class." International students accepted. Cost: $400 per class.

Writing About Mental Health for MG and YA Readers: A Two-Night Mini. April 2 - 4, 2024: Online. Join middle grade novelist Crystal Allen and young adult author and pediatric neuropsychologist Katie Keridan to consider what it takes to develop authentic representations of mental health that hold reality and hope throughout your novel.

Beall Poetry Festival. April 3 - 5, 2024, Waco, TX. The festival features readings, panel discussions, and the Virginia Beall Ball Lecture on Contemporary Poetry. Participating poets include Major Jackson, Ruben Quesada, Tracy K. Smith, Allison Benis White, and a Poetry Panel. All events are free and open to the public.

The Monterey Writer Retreat in California. April 3 - 7, 2024: Monterey, CA. Participants in the Monterey Writer Retreat will work one-on-one with two of the best literary "closers" in the business: Paula Munier, Michael Neff, and Jennifer Sander combine 60 years of working with aspiring authors and ushering them to publication. They will be available for multiple private consultations from 9 AM to noon and 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM each day of the retreat. Choice of sessions and focus will be up to each individual writer. 

Stories Your Collection Can Tell: A Larksong Bootcamp for Poets. April 3, 10, 17, 24, 2024: Larksong Writers Place, 1600 N. Cotner Blvd., Lincoln, NE.  "Are you looking to not only consider individual poems, but also look at the sequencing of a collection as a whole? Maybe you’re looking for a workshop for like-minded poets at this stage of their writing who want to be the best they can be, and you want to join them? If any of that is true, a Larksong Bootcamp workshop is for you. The Bootcamps are taught by various teachers and in various genres at various times, so if you can't make one, keep coming back to see if the next one fits your needs."

Tennessee Mountain Writers Annual Conference. April 4 - 6 2024: Oak Ridge, TN. Writing Contests, Workshops, Networking, Manuscript Evaluations, Publishers, Book Signings, Bookstore, Vendors, And more!

Breakout Novel Intensive 2.0. April 4 - 10, 2024: Hood River, OR. Included are new or revised units on story discovery, strong voice, standout characters, the inner journey, compelling story worlds, beautiful writing, creating resonance and finding meaning in both story and process. Breakout fundamentals are also covered: strong characters, inner conflict, personal stakes, plot layers, powerful scenes, micro-tension, practical theme techniques and much more. Instructor: Donald Maass. 

Buffalo Writing Workshop. April 5, 2024: Buffalo, NY. This is a special one-day in-person “How to Get Published” writing workshop at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Buffalo. In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome.

The 2024 Writing Workshop of San Francisco. April 5 - 6, 2024: Online. A full-day “How to Get Published” event. "This writing event is a wonderful opportunity to get intense instruction over the course of one day, pitch a literary agent or editor (optional), get your questions answered, and more." Online format.

WriteAngles. April 6, 2024: Northampton, Massachusetts. Panels and workshops, keynote speaker Honorée Fanonne Jeffers, a limited number of agent meetings. Continental breakfast, and buffet lunch included. 

The 2024 Minnesota Writing Workshop. April 6, 2024: St. Paul, MN. "This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop. In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome."

Las Vegas Writer’s Conference April 11 – 13, 2024: Las Vegas, Nevada. Join writing professionals, agents publishers and marketing experts for a weekend of workshops and enlightening discussions about the publishing industry. A chance to pitch your manuscript and ideas to agents. 

Write Stuff Writers Conference. April 11 -13, 2024: Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. 20 workshops, Agent./Editor pitch sessions, marketing consults plus lunch and Keynote address, Book Fair, Flash Literature Writing Contest, Door Prizes. Featuring: Jonathan Maberry.

Idaho Writers League Annual Conference. April 11 - 13, 2024: Boise, Idaho. Our theme: The Lifelong Author. Do you want to do this writing thing for life? No matter whether that means self-publishing or traditional publishing, part-time writing or making this your career, doing this for life requires a mindset and strategy that anyone can learn. And we’re bringing experts from everywhere to teach you how: from the writer’s life to marketing your work, from the business of writing to improving your craft. They include J. Thorn, Nick Thacker, our keynote speaker, James A. Owen. 

Ozarks Writers League Conference. April 12 - 13, 2024: Branson, MO. The Ozarks Writers League is a group of like-minded individuals dedicated to promoting writing, literacy, photography, and art. Since 1983, OWL has welcomed individuals at all stages of their development. 

Writing Through Trauma to Empower Readers: A Working In-Community Retreat for Storytellers. April 11 - April 14, 2024: Boyds Mills, PA. A 3-night/4-day writing retreat for authors who are crafting books for kids and teens that center their lived experiences in areas of trauma, mental health, grief, and beyond.

Breaks, Blank Space, and Gaps: Poetic Gutters in Novels in Verse and Poetry. April 11 - 18, 2024: Online. How you use stanza breaks, blank space, and the gaps between poems affects the way that readers engage with your story. Join author Laura Shovan for an exploration of how we can use poetic gutters with intention to ensure active reading.

Florida Writing Workshop. April 12 (Tampa) and 13 (Orlando), 2024. Two separate full-day “How to Get Published” writing events in Florida — Tampa (April 12, 2024) and Orlando (April 13, 2024). "These writing events are a wonderful opportunity to get intense instruction over the course of one day, pitch a literary agent or editor (optional), get your questions answered, and more. Note that there are limited seats at the events. All questions about the events regarding schedule, details and registration are answered below. Thank you for your interest in the 2024 Florida Writing Workshops! We are very proud of our many success stories where attendees sign with agents following events — see our growing list of success stories here."

Authorpreneur Workshop. April 13, 2024: Red Bank, NJ. During this retreat like full day workshop authors have the opportunity to attend various Presentations, pitch Literary Agents and Editors (Optional), get work critiqued by Agents and Editors (Optional), attend the Critical Mass: First Page Critique Literary Agent and Editor Panel, and Network with authors and industry professionals all day long and during a Networking Mixer following the event on Saturday afternoon.

San Antonio Book Festival. April 13, 2024: San Antonio, TX. The San Antonio Book Festival is a FREE, annual, daylong event that unites readers and writers in a celebration of ideas, books, libraries, and literary culture. Featuring more than 80 nationally and regionally acclaimed authors, the Festival offers programming for all ages.

Rally of Writers Conference. April 13, 2024: Lansing, Michigan. Michigan authors and educators in 15 breakout sessions and workshops on all aspects of writing, including poetry, fiction, nonfiction, screenwriting, the Nuts & Bolts of manuscript submissions, and more. 

Writing in the Pines. April 13, 2024 (in person), Stockton University, Galloway, NJ. Choose from workshops in memoir, poetry and revision. Each workshop will meet for 6 hours and will offer craft discussion, writing prompts, writing time, sharing and inspiration. 

Working (PLAYING) Retreat: Artistic Play and Exploration. April 14 - 17, 2024: Boyds Mills, PA. Join the creative duo of Denise Fleming and Ashley Wolff for time to create and connect. (They asked us to include "PLAYING" in the title for this special program, because their sessions will center play and exploration, and celebrate your artistic creativity!)

Non-Traditional Picture Book Structure: A Two-Night Mini. April 15 - 17, 2024: Online. Picture book journeys aren’t one size fits all, and that’s a good thing! Join children’s book author Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen and literary agent Rachel Orr to celebrate alternative approaches to picture book structures.

Emotions in Nonfiction Picture Books: A Two-Night Mini. April 16 - 18, 2024: Online. Picture books open the world of information to readers. Join children’s book author Heidi E.Y. Stemple and editor Eileen Robinson to explore the many ways to infuse emotion into your nonfiction picture book, and hook and inspire your readers. 

Before the Book: A Two-Night Mini to Get Organized and Get to the Heart of Your Story. April 16 - 18, 2024: Online. Getting ready to write a novel doesn’t just mean finding a computer or the right pen—you also need to spend time considering the elements that bring emotion and structure to your story. Join author Jennifer Gennari for this short course to learn tangible techniques for getting organized, and getting to the heart of what you need to know about your story—even before you’ve written a word!

Magpie Poems. April 16 - May 14, 2024: Online. As poets, we depend on our five senses to make images and music on the page. What surprising things will happen to our poems if we allow other artistic disciplines to inspire our content and form? We’ll learn from poets like Tyehimba Jess, Frank O’Hara and Eduardo Corral, and explore artists whose work crosses genres, including Renee Gladman and Lenka Clayton. Drawing from creative mediums like traditional ekphrasis, collage, sculpture, song and more, we’ll challenge the boundaries of the poem on the page and imagine it in constant conversation with its aural and visual neighbors. Poets of all levels are invited to create something new or revive existing work each week in this supportive workshop.

The Crash Course in Children’s Book Publishing (Spring). April 16 - June 18, 2024: Online. Join lead faculty Harold Underdown and special guests for a Crash Course in Children’s Publishing. At the end of the course, you will understand how the children’s book publishing industry works, including submitting, publishing, marketing a book for children, teens, or young adults, and beginning ideas about craft and critique.

Just Do It! Your Collaborative Support Group for Finishing Your Draft (Spring/Summer). April 17 - June 5, 2024. This supportive program takes all creatives (nonfiction or fiction, picture books, novels, essays, and more) from goal-stating to finished drafts. Together, we’ll move through live sessions, writing prompts, studio dates, daily inspirations, check-ins, feedback, and more.

Chicago-North RWA's Spring Fling. April 18 - 20, 2024: Oak Brook, IL. Three day Biennial writer's conference geared towards both aspiring and established writers of any genre but focused on romantic fiction. Bookseller/Blogger/Librarian event, Masterclass in Craft and Marketing, Closing Gala. 

Chanticleer Authors Conference. April 18 - 21, 2024: Bellingham, Wash. Sessions with a special focus on the business of being a working writer on topics such as marketing, publicity, platform, sales tools & strategies, publishing, production, distribution, organization, storycraft, editing, and more. 

Kentucky Writing Workshop, April 19, 2024: Louisville, KY. This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop on Friday, April 19, 2024, at the Kentucky International Convention Center. In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome.

Authors' Salon at Clockwork Alchemy. April 19 - 21, 2024: San Mateo, California. Clockwork Alchemy is the San Francisco area's own steampunk convention. Originally a part of FanimeCon, Clockwork Alchemy is now its own independent event celebrating music, makers, dancing, writing, crafting, fashion, and fun related to steampunk!

Multiple Narrator Novels: A Two Night Mini. April 19 - 21, 2024: Online. Join authors Meera Trehan and Sarah Kapit to explore techniques and innovative choices when bringing multiple narrators to your middle grade or young adult novel.

Monadnock Pastoral Poetry Retreat. April 19 - 21, 2024. Greenfield, NH.  Includes workshops, individual conferences, participant & mentor readings; hiking & kayaking (weather permitting). Each workshop uses dual mentors.

Poetry at Round Top Festival. April 19 - 21, 2024: Round Top, Texas. Featuring: Pádraig Ó Tuama, Kimiko Hahn, Kim Stafford, James Crews, Danusha Laméris, ire’ne lara silva, José Antonio Rodríguez. 

North Carolina Writers’ Network Spring Conference. April 20, 2024: University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina. Features intensive workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as publisher exhibits, on-site "lunch with an author" readings, and an open mic. 

San Diego Writing Workshop. April 20, 2024: San Diego, CA. This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop. In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome. 

Tennessee Writing Workshop. April 20, 2024: Nashville, TN. This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop. In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome. 

Blurred Lines: Writing Speculative Nonfiction. April 20 - May 18, 2024: Online. Though the golden rule of writing nonfiction is to be truthful, in speculative nonfiction, invention and imagination help a writer capture and hold truth’s slippery nature. In this five-week online workshop, we will read examples of speculative nonfiction by other writers like Margot Jefferson, Elissa Washuta and Jami Nakamura Lin, and learn how to draft scenes where facts are not fighting with what is imagined. Through exercises that employ both fiction and speculative nonfiction techniques, we will generate new material or fine-tune pieces already in progress. This workshop is open to new and more experienced writers looking to set their minds free—to use fact to explore fiction, blur the lines and create your own truth.

Nebraska Writers Guild Annual Conference and Writing Retreat. April 25 - 27, 2024: Omaha, NE. Workshops, pitch sessions with an agent and writing sessions followed by evening keynote speakers.

IBPA Publishing University. April 25 - 27, 2024: Denver, Colorado. The Independent Book Publishers Association offers 30+ educational sessions including experiential learning labs, insightful keynotes, a gala book award ceremony, networking events, and more! 

The Pikes Peak Writers Conference. April 25 -  April 28, 2024: Colorado Springs, Colorado. "The three-day conference is full of topical, in-depth workshops, dynamic keynote speakers, opportunities for one-on-one time with agents and editors, the chance to read your work aloud for constructive critique, plus time to socialize with fellow writers. Will be held in person.

Whole Novel Workshop: A Virtual Course for Middle Grade and Young Adult Writers. April 25 - June 27, 2024: Online. A transformative opportunity to have your entire draft (up to 80,000 words) of a novel read by faculty, with detailed written feedback and a private consultation provided. This online program is for any writer of a middle grade or young adult novel. Apply by March 15.

Writing and Illustrating for Kids (WIK): Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. April 26 - 28, 2024: Homewood, Alabama. "Gather with fellow writers, illustrators, translators, agents, editors, and other children's book publishing professionals for a day of craft, networking, professional development, and community. Make new connections, meet new friends, learn and explore, and refine your creative and business skills to move your kidlit career forward. With optional pre-conference intensives offered on Friday afternoon, April 26, and a free kidlit creators' social and trivia night event that evening, this will be a weekend to remember!"

Malice Domestic. April 26 - 28, 2024, Bethesda, MD. Malice Domestic™ is an annual fan convention in the metropolitan DC area that celebrates the traditional mystery, books best typified by the works of Agatha Christie. The genre is loosely identified as mysteries which contain no explicit sex, or excessive gore, or violence. 

The Creativity Workshop in New York. April 26-29, 2024: New York, New York. "The Creativity Workshops take away the fear of writing and open the way to new ideas. They are especially helpful for writers in fiction, poetry, memoir, theatre and film to get over writing blocks. In our Creativity Workshop Retreats you will generate both new work and ideas for the work you are in the midst of creating. We use many different techniques to help you find your way through the novel, essay, poem, memoir, or script you are writing or hope to write. In The Creativity Workshop you will be doing free writing, writing from guided visualizations, collaborative writing, journaling and memoir work and even some rudimentary drawing, collage and photography." 

Philadelphia Writing Workshop. April 27, 2024: Philadelphia, PA.  This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop on Saturday, April 22, 2023, at the Philadelphia Convention Center. In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome.

Atlanta Self-Publishing Conference. April 27, 2024: Dunwoody, Georgia. The Atlanta Self-Publishing Conference (ASPC) is dedicated to serving self-published authors and the independent publishing market. No matter whether you're curious about the self-publishing market or you want to learn how to grow your independent author business, our conference will help you launch your career forward.

APRIL 2023

Columbus State Community College Writers Conference. April 15, 2023: Columbus, Ohio. Workshops to explore audiobooks, crafting kids’ books, comedy, fan fiction and more. This one-day conference is free of charge

Northeast Texas Writers Organization. April 29, 2023, Jefferson, TX. (?) One-day bootcamp. 

MAY 2024

Asian and Asian American Voices: An In-Community Retreat. May 2 - 5. 2024: Boyds Mills, PA. The third annual Asian and Asian American Voices retreat celebrates the vibrant world of Asian and Asian American voices in children's and young adult literature. Waitlisted.

Lakefly Writers Conference. May 3 - 4, 2024: Premier Waterfront Hotel & Convention Center in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Workshops, talks, and a book fair for poets, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers. Previous presenters: Beth Amos, Malinda Andrews, Valerie Biel, Rebekah Bryan, R. R. Campbell and more. 

Washington Writers Conference. May 3 - 4, 2024: Bethesda, MD. "Expert sessions with authors and publishing pros on the many paths to publishing — from writing killer query letters and landing an agent to going your own way and utilizing a self/hybrid model — and publicizing your book once it exists!" 

Michigan Writers Workshop. May 4, 2024: Detroit, MI. This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop. In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome. 

The 2024 Writing Conference of Los Angeles. May 4, 2024: Los Angeles, CA. This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop. In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome. 

SCBWI 2024 Writers & Illustrators Working Conference. May 4 - 5, 2024: Round Rock, TX. Conference on children's books with keynotes; general sessions; breakout sessions for writing, professional development and illustration; intensives for novels, picture books and illustration; critiques; pitches and more. Will be held in person.

Jewish Symposium: An In-Community Gathering for Jewish Writers and Illustrators. May 5 - 8, 2024: Boyds Mills, PA. The heart of the Jewish Symposium is to offer community for Jewish writers and publishing professionals. The program is designed to be an exchange of ideas, a place to connect, and a springboard for diversifying and amplifying Jewish content in literature for children and teens. There will be inspiring and engaging keynote addresses and faculty panel discussions with Q&A, readings by faculty and participants, and time set aside to write, retreat, and connect with fellow creatives.

Nonfiction Writers Conference. May 8 - 10, 2024. ONLINE EVENT. Online conference devoted to writing, publishing and promoting non-fiction books. Participation is live via phone or Skype, and recordings can be downloaded. Features 15 speakers over three days. Private Facebook group for attendees!

Grub Street Muse and the Marketplace Conference. May 10 -  12, 2024: Boston, Massachusetts. The Muse and the Marketplace is a three-day literary conference designed to give aspiring writers a better understanding about the craft of writing fiction and non-fiction, to prepare them for the changing world of publishing and promotion, and to create opportunities for meaningful networking. On all three days, prominent and nationally-recognized established and emerging authors lead sessions on the craft of writing—the "muse" side of things—while editors, literary agents, publicists and other industry professionals lead sessions on the business side—the "marketplace." 

Colrain Classic. May 10 - 13, 2024: Via Zoom. "The Colrain Manuscript Classic is a highly focused, 3.5 day conference designed for poets with manuscripts in progress. The Classic features in-depth pre-conference work and candid, realistic evaluation and feedback from nationally-known poets, editors and publishers. In preparation, participants work at home on pre-conference assignments and then, in the workshop, review, arrange, and winnow their work based on the pre-conference work. In addition to the manuscript preparation workshop and editor sessions, there will be an editorial Q&A, and an after-conference strategy session." 

Seattle Writers Workshop. May 11, 2024: Seattle, WA. This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop. In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome. 

Longleaf Writers Conference. May 11 - 18, 2024: Seaside, Florida. "Formerly the Seaside Writers Conference, Longleaf Writers Conference is an annual gathering of creative writers from all over the nation, featuring award-winning writers in poetry and fiction and screenwriting who will offer a full week of intensive writing workshops, one day seminars, school outreach programs, and social events. This event occurs every year in May, and offers the opportunity for beginning, intermediate and advanced writers to celebrate writing, to network with other writers, and to hone their craft. There will also be seminars hosted by professional editors and literary agents who will offer one-on-one consultations. All participants who pay the full conference tuition fee will be able to take part in all daily activities, while those paying a la carte pricing will have the pick of which classes and workshops they would like to attend. The Longleaf Writers Conference is one of the only conferences in the nation to take place on one of the most beautiful beaches in the US, and every year will feature notable guest writers, literary agents, and professional editors."

Writing with Pride: A Two-Night Mini for Picture Book Writers. May 14 - 16, 2024: Online. Picture books can be filled with Pride! Join celebrated authors Lesléa Newman and Rob Sanders for this short course designed to bring LGBTQIA+ creators and their allies together to study the craft of picture books, and build confidence to create picture books with LGBTQIA+ characters and or/themes.

Biographers International Organization Conference. May 16 - 17, 2024. Each year, BIO brings together some of the finest practitioners of the craft of biography to help guide, mentor, encourage, and advise attendees on a wide variety of topics relating to the writing, researching, and selling of biography. The conference also offers a unique opportunity to hear some of biography’s best—and best-known—writers share their stories. During the James Atlas Plenary, prominent biographers such as Douglas Brinkley, Annette Gordon-Reed, David Remnick, Stacy Schiff , T. J. Stiles, and Evan Thomas begin the day in casual conversation. The afternoon features a keynote lecture by the recipient of the BIO Award. Past recipients include Robert Caro, Ron Chernow, Arnold Rampersad, Jean Strouse, and Claire Tomalin. Panel sessions throughout the day provide tips for novice biographers, examination of the craft of biography, and exploration of issues aimed at seasoned biographers. And a highlight of the conference is the presentation of the Plutarch Award for the year’s best biography.

Working Retreat: Nonfiction and Informational Fiction. May 16 - 16, 2024: Boyds Mills, PA. Join Heidi Stemple, Andrea Page, and editor Eileen Robinson for time to create and connect with fellow nonfiction writers.

Pennwriters Conference. May 17 - 19, 2024: Pittsburgh, PA. The Annual Pennwriters Conference features three days of workshops, panels, networking and learning to help you learn, grow, soar! Friday, Saturday and Sunday feature an open attendance slate of one-hour workshops on all things writing. The schedule is structured with open attendance, so you can take whichever classes appeal to you. Attendees will have 40+ hours of sessions to choose from. Our faculty is comprised of published authors, literary agents and editors, and other writing industry professionals. Pitch appointments are available at no additional fee.

Peripatetic Writing Workshop and Retreat. May 17 - 24, 2024: Catskill,  New York. NYU teachers and authors Maureen Brady and Martha Hughes lead the program featuring daily workshops, stimulating writing exercises, structured "quiet hours" for writing, plus optional tutorials. Martha Hughes founded the Peripatetic on Shelter Island, NY in 1991 in response to writers' needs for a quiet time and place for writing coupled with constructive feedback of their work from excellent editors and like-minded peers. Since then in keeping with its name, the Peripatetic has moved from state to state and country to country, meeting twice-annually in such diverse locations as Achill Island, Ireland; Anna Maria Island, Florida; Antigua, Guatemala; Siracusa, Sicily; Woodstock, NY; Verona, Italy; St Simon's Island, Georgia; Tybee Island, Georgia; and Deal, England. This is the Peripatetic's first stay in Catskill in Upstate New York. The location of the Peri may change, but what remains year after year is the stimulating atmosphere and warm camaraderie created by serious writers sharing work and writing concerns.

Kachemak Bay Writers' Conference. May 18 - 21, 2024: Homer, Alaska. This year, we will be exploring the theme “Wonder in the Wounded World” and the myriad ways we can be stronger writers and readers. Not only will there be four-days of craft classes, agent and editor meetings, panel discussions, readings by the participants and the faculty, but we’ll have more chances for folks to interact with each other and form the community of writers that sustains us when we return to our desks.

Writeaway in New Mexico. May 18 - 25, 2024: Casa Bellisima, New Mexico. $3.200 for private room; $2,800 each for friends or couple sharing a room Includes writing consultations and daily writing workshops, all meals, wine and cocktails, plus a cooking class and excursion. 

Working Retreat: Novelists and Graphic Novelists. May 19 - 22, 2024: Boyds Mills, PA. All creatives need time and space to accomplish their goals. We invite novelists and graphic novelists to gather with fellow storytellers for an immersive experience where productivity meets inspiration!


Balticon. May 24 - 27, 2024: Baltimore, MD. Balticon is sponsored by the Baltimore Science Fiction Society (BSFS). BSFS presents the Compton Crook Award, the Robert A. Heinlein Award, and the winner of the annual Jack L. Chalker Young Writer's Contest annually at this event. Multiple tracks of Programming over the four day weekend, featuring authors, artists, scientists, musicians, podcasters, publishers, editors, costumers and other creative SF luminaries. 

ThrillerFest XIX. May 28 – June 1, 2024: New York City. This is the annual conference of the International Thriller Writers. The ThrillerFest conference has four main components: Master CraftFest, CraftFest, PitchFest, and ThrillerFest. Master CraftFest was designed as an educational tool for aspiring writers as well as debut and midlist authors to gain advanced training from the masters of the craft in an intimate, day-long training session. CraftFest was designed for all writers to learn from bestselling authors and subject experts who kindly offer their advice and assistance to advance attendees’ writing techniques and further their careers. PitchFest was designed to match writers with agents, editors, publishers, and producers. ThrillerFest, the final two days of the conference, is intended to offer readers a chance to meet the best authors in the industry and be introduced to debut and midlist authors. Expect innovative panels, spotlight interviews, and workshops to educate and inspire. 

North Words Writers Symposium. May 29 - June 1, 2024: Skagway, Alaska. "Exploring the Frontiers of Language," the North Words Writers Symposium welcomes all to an intimate setting with just 40 participants engaging with authors in a spectacular Alaska setting. Join this year's faculty of Alaska-NW authors for four days of panel discussions, writing workshops, readings, and adventure in Skagway, Alaska. Symposium events include activities such as hiking and writing workshops, a barbecue with live music at Alderworks Writers & Artists Retreat in Dyea; and a keynote banquet in a show garden.

Pittsburgh Writing Workshop. May 31 - June 1, 2024: Online. "This is a special two-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop. In other words, it’s two days full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome. And even though this is the “Pittsburgh” Writing Workshop, make no mistake — writers from everywhere are welcome to attend virtually. Our WDW writers conferences have helped dozens of writers find literary agent representation." Will be held virtually.


MAY 2023

The Massachusetts Poetry Festival. May 5 - 7, 2023, Salem, Massachusetts. The Mass Poetry Festival offers nearly 100 poetry readings and workshops, a small press and literary fair, panels, poetry slams, and open-air readings. More than 150 poets will engage with thousands of New Englanders. Biennial.

Annual PEN World Voices Festival of International Literature. May 10 - 13, 2023 at various locations in New York City and Los Angeles. "Join more than 125 writers and artists representing over 50 nationalities in New York City for the 2019 PEN World Voices Festival: Open Secrets. In 60+ events in venues across New York City, the 15th anniversary of New York’s first international literary festival will gather nonfiction and fiction writers, thinkers, and activists to discuss what we reveal and what we withhold, and the opportunities and dangers inherent in the rapid reconfiguring of the public and the private in the literary, cultural, social, and political realms." 

Big Sur on Cape Cod. May 12 - 14, 2023, North Falmouth MA. Focus on children's writing. Faculty: Andrea Brown and four of her agents, four editors and four authors. 

Wrightwood Literary Festival. May 20, 2023: Wrightwood, CA. The Festival exemplifies the Arts Center’s commitment to make Wrightwood a destination for dynamic engagement with the arts in Southern California. This one-day, juried event will feature a wide variety of visual, culinary, literary, musical, textile, and performing arts, along with wine-tasting presented by regional wineries, and capped off with a poetry slam in the evening.

Boldface Conference for Emerging Writers. May 22 - 26, 2023: Houston, Texas. Daily workshops, readings, craft talks, social events and professionalism panels in an intimate and supportive environment designed specifically with the needs of emerging writers in mind.

JUNE 2024

The Writer’s Hotel Maine “Mini MFA”. June 5 - 11, 2024: Boothbay Harbor, Maine. "The Writer’s Hotel Maine “Mini MFA” is a unique, hybrid, comprehensive writing program. Our programming includes our TWH two-editor pre-conference Team Reading and our conference, to be held IN-PERSON at the Spruce Point Inn Resort and Spa in Boothbay Harbor, Maine! TWH Directors and Editors Shanna McNair and Scott Wolven will read and consult on each writer’s full length manuscript pre-conference in our “TWH Team Reading”. Each writer receives two sets of comments in their Team Reading—two editors read each manuscript. We also offer a follow-up phone call to discuss the comments and strategize next steps. No other writers conference delivers a full, comprehensive pre-conference manuscript reading and a conference call. We developed our program around the Team Readings—so that writers have their full manuscripts read all the way through, right from acceptance."

The Creativity Workshop in New York. June 6 - 9, 2024: New York, New York. "The Creativity Workshops take away the fear of writing and open the way to new ideas. They are especially helpful for writers in fiction, poetry, memoir, theatre and film to get over writing blocks. In our Creativity Workshop Retreats you will generate both new work and ideas for the work you are in the midst of creating. We use many different techniques to help you find your way through the novel, essay, poem, memoir, or script you are writing or hope to write. In The Creativity Workshop you will be doing free writing, writing from guided visualizations, collaborative writing, journaling and memoir work and even some rudimentary drawing, collage and photography."

Nebula Conference. June 6 - 9, 2024: Pasadena, CA. SFWA members and other individuals who are interested in the field of science fiction and fantasy are welcome to attend SFWA’s Nebula Conference. Attendees may participate in workshops, programming and special events throughout the weekend. You do not need to be a member of SFWA to attend. 

Tinker Mountain Writers’ Workshop. June 9 - 13, 2024: Roanoke, Virginia. "In our manuscript workshops, capped at 10, you will distribute manuscripts in advance, prepare comments for your colleague’s submissions, and gather each morning to share insights and gain inspiration on the best path to advance your writing. You’ll receive critical feedback from peers and your faculty mentor and learn what other writers are working on as well. Our write-now workshops, capped at 12, allow you to immerse yourself in the craft of writing without the pressure of preparing or reading manuscripts. Through daily reading, writing exercises, and prompts, you’ll write both in class and during the afternoon to generate new work over the course of each day, dedicating as much time as possible to your own new writing. In our tutorial (a new offering this year!), you will submit work in advance to your faculty mentor, and then meet one-on-one three times during the week in 30-minute sessions. You will get an individualized reading list and extensive writing prompts to help you continue your work throughout the week."

Working Retreat: Spark Inspiration with Meditation and Creative Play. June 15 -18, 2024: Boyds Mills, PA. Join Kekla Magoon and Laurie Calkhoven for a retreat built to spark creativity through meditation and creative play, and then give you time to harness that spark in your own projects.  

Working Retreat: Writing for the Educational Market. June 20 -23, 2024: Boyds Mills, PA. Are you currently writing for the educational market, or would you like to learn how to produce content for educational publishers? Join us to discuss the opportunities welcoming writers into this kid-centered market.

Hedgebrook: Virtual Radical Craft Retreat with Claire Dederer. June 22 - 26, 2024: Whidbey Island, WA. "Radical Craft Retreats combine Hedgebrook's retreat experience with the unique opportunity to  study with an experienced and celebrated instructor. Participation in each class is limited, to ensure individual attention, and create an intimate, supportive writing community."

Working Retreat: Poetry and Poetry Anthologies. June 23 - 26, 2024: Boyds Mills,PA. Join us for this Working Retreat if you are a poet looking for inspiration and time to work; have a poetry collection in progress and want to get it submission-ready; would like to place your work in poetry anthologies; or want to learn more about opportunities in writing poetry for children.


JUNE 2023

Application for the Whole Novel Workshop: An In-Person Retreat for Novelists. August 17 - 22, 2023: Boyds Mills, PA. OVERVIEW: In-person 6-Day/5-Night Workshop and Retreat with a Full Novel Critique Included This intensive Whole Novel Workshop offers writers the rare opportunity to have the entire draft (up to 80,000 words) of a novel read by faculty, with detailed written feedback and two private consultations provided. Attention in an intimate setting makes this program one that guarantees significant progress in preparation for submission. This Whole Novel Workshop is specifically designed for writers of novels for children and teens. Apply by June 1.

Tennessee Writing Day Workshop. June 2 -3, 2023. Online. This “How to Get Published” writing event is a wonderful opportunity to get intense instruction over the course of one day, pitch a literary agent or editor (optional), get your questions answered, and more. Note that there are limited online “seats” at the event (200 total). Will be conducted online.

Writing The Rainbow: An Online Intensive For Picture BookStorytellersJune 2 -5, 2023: Honesdale, PA. This workshop is designed to bring LGBTQIA+ creators and allies together to craft picture books with clear LGBTQIA+ themes. You will learn to create books that celebrate joy, respect, and appreciation for children in today’s world, showing beauty and strength in our rainbow of experiences. Will be conducted online.

Sundress Academy: Summer Poetry Writing Retreat. June 2nd-4th, 2023: Firefly Farms, Knoxville, TN. The three-day, two-night camping retreat will be held at SAFTA’s own Firefly Farms in Knoxville, Tennessee.  All SAFTA retreats focus on generative poetry writing, and this year’s poetry retreat will also include the following break-out sessions: “The Cascade and the Overflow: The Use and Uselessness of Punctuating Your Poetry” and “Singing the Body Electric: Writing our Embodied Experiences.” A weekend pass includes one-on-one and group instruction, writing supplies, food, drinks, and all on-site amenities for $250. Tents, sleeping bags, and other camping equipment are available to rent for $25.  Payment plans are available if you reserve by March 31, 2023.

Wyoming Writers Conference. June 2 - 4, 2023: Cheyenne, WY. The conference features workshops in craft, marketing, and productivity for poets, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers, as well as publisher pitch sessions, roundtable critiques, and open mics. Participating writers include fiction writer Nina McConigley. Poet Matt Mason will give the keynote address. Participating publishing professionals include publisher Bernadette Soehner (5 Prince Publishing) and director of literary development Angie Hodapp (Nelson Literary Agency). The cost of the conference is $235 until May 15 and $275 thereafter. Single-day registration is available for $150. Lodging is available through the Historic Plains Hotel. 

Bread Loaf Environmental Writers' Conference. June 2 - 8, 2023: Ripton, VT. The Bread Loaf Orion Environmental Writers' Conference is a week-long writers’ conference designed to hone the skills of people interested in producing literary writing about the environment and the natural world. The conference is co-sponsored by the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, Orion magazine, and Middlebury College’s Environmental Studies Program. Application Deadline: March 1, 2023.

Bread Loaf Translators' Conference. June 2 - 8, 2023: Ripton, VT. The Bread Loaf Translators’ Conference includes workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as lectures, craft classes, meetings with editors and agents, and readings by faculty and guests. 

IWWG Summer Writers Conference. June 2 - 22, 2023: Virtual. The 2023 Virtual Conference includes an opening panel on spiritual memoir, 9 workshops, an IWWG anthology launch from our work with women writers in Afghanistan, and a closing open mic.

Yale Writers' Conference. June 3 - 10, 2023, on campus, June 11 - 17, virtual: New Haven, CT. The Yale Writers’ Workshop brings together the experience and expertise of leading teachers, authors, editors, agents and publishers in a series of panels and workshops, for the benefit of writers the world over. We are offering three sessions (one on campus and two remote) that will enhance the writing skills of any serious writer. Our faculty provides unique, tailored, and transformative experiences to all participants. Will be conducted online and in personApplication deadline: April 3, 2023. 

An Intersectional Lens: Awareness + Action For Representation In Kids’ Books, Libraries & Classrooms. June 4 - 7, 2023: Boyds Mills, PA.  Professional & Personal Development for Educators, Librarians, Storytellers, & Publishing Professionals. Build the skills you need to analyze children’s books for meaningful representation, reader engagement, visual literacy, and more.

Lit Camp. June 4 - 9, 2023: Bell Valley Retreat Center and the Boonville Hotel in Mendocino County, California. The conference features workshops, panels, and craft talks for fiction writers and creative nonfiction writers. The faculty includes writers Ingrid Rojas Contreras, Janis Cooke Newman, Susan Straight and Daniel Torday. The cost of the conference, including lodging and meals, ranges from $995 to $2,395, depending on lodging. Registration is limited to 25 participants. Application Deadline: March 18, 2023.

Interlochen Writer’s Retreat. June 4 - 9, 2023: Interlochen, Michigan. Nestled deep in the woods between two lakes, Interlochen College of Creative Arts' five-day Writers Retreat is a true writer's dream. Spend your days writing new material, attending presentations by award-winning faculty, and enjoying lakeside lunches and evening readings while making friends and connections in the literary world. Select your concentration from four unique courses, each grounded in different craft concepts  with an emphasis on generating new work—appealing to both advanced and beginning writers alike. 

Fine Arts Work Center Summer Workshops (poetry, fiction, art, and creative nonfiction). June 4 - August 19, 2023: Provincetown, Massachusetts. The faculty includes poets Oliver Baez Bendorf, Tina Chang, Chen Chen, Vievee Francis, Kimiko Hahn, Marie Howe, Jessica Jacobs, Gail Mazur, Eileen Myles, Porsha Olayiwola, Matthew Olzmann, Rowan Ricardo Phillips, and Monica Youn; fiction writers Alexander Chee, Andrea Lawlor, Celeste Lecesne, Carmen Maria Machado, Victoria Redel, and Alexandra Teague; and nonfiction writers Garrard Conley, Melissa Febos, Nick Flynn, Paul Lisicky, Seema Reza, Sarah Schulman, Deborah Taffa, and Joan Wickersham. Tuition is $800 for one workshop/week. Housing is available at nearby guesthouses and inns; limited campus housing is available on a first-come, first-served basis for $1,000 for six nights. See individual workshops for dates.

VCFA Novel Retreat. June 5 - 11, 2023: Montpelier, Vermont. "Whether you seek the reflective solitude of a retreat or writing time combined with consultations, group discussions, and more, the VCFA Novel Retreat enables you to craft an experience best suited to your individual needs. No matter what stage your project is at—beginning, drafting, middle, or final edit—the retreat is designed to accommodate all aspects of the writing process. Retreat participants gain the added benefit of working with our renowned faculty. Our 2023 faculty includes Connie May Fowler, Adam McOmber, Laura Warrell, and literary agent Jeff Kleinman, founding partner at Folio Literary Management in New York City. While participants and faculty write each morning, afternoons and evenings offer a variety of optional sessions, including craft and process discussions, generative writing classes, manuscript clinics, and agent advice."

The Writers Hotel. June 5 - 11, 2023: Boothbay Harbor, Maine. Following the pre-conference Team Reading process, writers meet in Maine for the TWH immersive, intense program. Writers workshop their writing in intimate Major Workshops with some of the industry’s top authors, and they attend generative Craft Lab workshops. We are keeping the price the same, at $3500. This is a semi-hybrid event; our Agent Pitching Sessions and Agent Pitching Practice Session for prose writers will take place virtually on Zoom on June 29th, 2024, following the in-person conference. All other events will be held on-site at the Inn.

Odyssey Writing Workshop. June 5 and August 14, 2023. (6 weeks and 12 weeks) Since its inception in 1996, Odyssey has become one of the most highly respected workshops for writers of fantasy, science fiction, and horror. Will be held online. Deadline March 15.

Whole Novel Workshop: A Virtual Course for Middle Grade and Young Adult Writers. April 25 - June 27, 2024: Online. A transformative opportunity to have your entire draft (up to 80,000 words) of a novel read by faculty, with detailed written feedback and a private consultation provided. This online program is for any writer of a middle grade or young adult novel. Apply by March 15.

From Pencil Or Paint To Pixel: A Two-Night Mini ForBeginning Illustrators. June 6 - 8, 2023: Honesdale, PA. Beginning illustrators can join children’s book author/illustrator Courtney Pippin-Mathur to talk about approaches to using different media (traditional and/or digital) in your illustrations, and special guest Aram Kim for ten tips about submitting work to an art director (tradition and/or digital).  This program is a great fit if you’re looking for a short course of two, 75-minute sessions offering limited interaction with the community, but loads of information. Will be conducted online.

In-Company: A Retreat For Experienced Authors AndIllustrators. June 7 - 11, 2023: Boyds Mills, PA. Join us in company to share, grow, and cultivate creativity when you’ve been working in the industry for a long time. Talk with your peers about your career, challenges, deadlines, and upcoming projects. Offer your wishes for pushing boundaries of your work, and the industry! 22 participants max. 

Clarksville Writers Conference. June 8 - 9, 2023: Clarksville, TN. Two days of writing workshops and presentations, a keynote banquet with the authors, and manuscript consultations.

Historical Novel Society North American Conference. June 8 - 10, 2023: San Antonio, TX. The biennial Historical Novel Society (HNS) North America Conference will be held from June 8 to June 10 at the Marriott Rivercenter hotel in San Antonio, Texas, as well as online. The conference features presentations, panels, pitch sessions with agents and editors, query critiques, a Readers Festival, and social events for historical fiction writers. The theme for this year’s conference is “The Working Writer.” Participating writers include fiction writers James Scott Bell, Jamie Ford, Libbie Grant, and Lisa Wingate. Participating publishing professionals include editors Amy Durant (Sapere Books), Amelia Hester (Dragonblade Publishing), and Verena Rose and Harriette Sackler (Level Best Books); and agents Danielle Egan-Miller (Browne & Miller Literary Associates), Cate Hart (Harvey Klinger), Shannon Hassan (Marsal Lyon Literary Agency), Viola Hayden (Curtis Brown), Imogen Pelham (Marjacq), Marcy Posner (Folio Literary Management), Rayhané Sanders (Massie & McQuilkin), Mitchell Waters (Brandt & Hochman), and Paige Wheeler (Creative Media Agency). The cost to attend the conference in person is $639 ($589 for HNS members), or $350 for students, not including lodging. The cost to stay at the San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter is $195 a night. The cost for virtual participants is $299. Registration is rolling through May 15 for in-person participants, and June 4 for virtual participants. The cost of master classes ranges from $50 to $75. The cost of pitch sessions and query critiques is $25 per session. Hybrid event.

New York Pitch Conference. June 8 - 11, 2023: NY, NY. The New York Pitch Conference and writers workshop is held four times a year and features publishing house editors from major houses such as Penguin, Random House, St. Martins, Harper Collins, Tor and Del Rey, Kensington Books and many more who are looking for new novels in a variety of genres, as well as narrative non-fiction. The event focuses on the art of the novel pitch as the best method not only for communicating your work, but for having you and your work taken seriously by industry professionals.

Squam Writes Retreat. June 8 - 11, 2023: Squam Lake, New Hampshire. The Squam Writes Retreat is a small group retreat for experienced fiction writers. We focus on craft with an eye toward publication. We offer opportunities for feedback and plenty of time to write, make new friends, and recharge creative batteries in a beautiful New Hampshire lakeside setting. Every participant receives a one-on-one critique with an agent or editor. 

The 2023 Writers' Police AcademyJune 8 – 11, 2023: Raleigh, NC. "MurderCon is a rare opportunity for writers to participate in hands-on “for law enforcement eyes only” training, using modern testing and evidence collection tools and equipment, in workshops taught by some of the world’s leading homicide investigation experts. This incredibly detailed, cutting-edge instruction has never before been available to writers, anywhere."

Indiana University Writers’ Conference. June 8 - 11, 2023, Indiana University in Bloomington. The conference features workshops in poetry and fiction, as well as craft classes, readings, and panels for poets, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers. The cost of the conference is $375, or $800 with a workshop. Lodging and meals are not included; lodging is available in campus dormitories and in the campus hotel. The registration fee is $25; general registration is first come, first served. To attend a workshop, submit 8 to 10 pages of poetry or 15 to 25 pages of prose; admissions are made on a rolling basis. 

Sundress Academy: Trans/Nonbinary Writing Retreat. June 9th-10th, 2023: Via Zoom. All SAFTA retreats focus on generative writing, and this year’s retreat will also include the following craft talk sessions: “Queering the Lens: Trans Ekphrastic” and “The Poetics of Addiction: Imagery, Symbolism, and Juxtaposition in Writing Alcoholism.” The event will be open to trans and nonbinary writers of all backgrounds and experience levels and provide an opportunity to work with many talented authors and poets from around the country, including workshop leaders jason b. crawford and Remi Recchia and keynote speaker Ina Cariño. Cost $75.

West Chester University Poetry Conference. June 9 - 11, 2023: West Chester, PA. The conference offers poetry workshops and features a keynote speaker, critical seminars, panel discussions, faculty readings, and an opportunity for participants to have conferences with workshop leaders and resident poets.

Mountain Heritage Literary Festival. June 9 - 11, 2023: Cumberland Gap, TN. "Every year writers gather at the ancient and beloved Cumberland Gap to celebrate writing, music, and Appalachian heritage. Events include workshops, panels, readings, concerts, lectures, open mic, and more." 

West Virginia Writers Conference. June 9 - 11, 2023: Ripley, West Virginia. Author readings, contests and sharing your love of writing with others. 

Get Published Conference. June 10, 2023: Bozeman, Montana. This conference is devoted to book writing, marketing and getting published. Faculty includes experienced writers who share their methods for planning, writing and finishing their books, along with practical marketing and promotional information

California Crime Writers Conference. June 10 - 11, 2023: Culver City, California. "Sisters in Crime/Los Angeles and SoCal Mystery Writers of America invite emerging and established mystery writers for a weekend of invaluable guidance, insight, and community at the California Crime Writers Conference. Whether your novel is brewing in your imagination, ready to publish, or you already have several published books under your belt, our workshops, presented by agents, editors, award-winning authors, and crime investigation professionals, are geared to elevate your mystery writing skills and foster relationships on your path to publication and beyond."

Juniper Summer Writing Institute. June 11 - 17, 2023: Amherst, MA. Daily workshops in poetry, fiction, & nonfiction; interactive craft sessions that include discussions & writing exercises; evening readings by faculty & writers-in-residence. Workshops and craft sessions are led by MFA candidates from the renowned University of Massachusetts MFA Program for Poets and Writers who design curricula especially for the Institute setting. Application deadline February 15.

Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers. June 12 - 16, 2023: Sandy, Utah. A week-long conference filled with hands-on workshops where the faculty work WITH you on your manuscript. As a participant of a five-day workshop, you get free feedback from an agent or editor on your writing, opportunities to network with like-minded writers, and five days of afternoon breakout sessions filled with dozens of craft-specific topics designed especially for kidlit authors.

Naropa Summer Writing Program. June 12 - July 1, 2023: Boulder, CO. Summer Writing Program of the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics at Naropa University. (See site for individual classes)

Responsible Representation in Children's Books. June 13, 2023. Online. Whether you’re drawing from your own experiences or outside of them, writing demands research, empathy, attention to detail, and an interrogation of one’s own place in this world. Join literary agents and writers D. Ann Williams and Linda Epstein to begin your own personal interrogation, and build understanding of crafting respectful and responsible representation in your writing. Webinar style program.

ASJA (American Society of Journalists and Authors) Writers Conference, June 13  - 15, 2023: Online. "As freelance journalists and authors, we collaborate with editors, agents, publishers, designers, and multimedia experts. At the 2022 conference, we will explore the ways collaboration helps us succeed. We have three tracks of interactive, dynamic programming focused on journalism, content marketing, and books. Sessions will benefit freelancers at all phases in their careers. Also available are members-only mastermind programs for small groups led by freelance experts.​​​​​​​"

Pacific University Master of Fine Arts in Writing Residency Writers Conference. June 15 - 25, 2023: Forest Grove, Oregon. Writers seeking to deepen their craft and expand their professional community are invited to attend the Residency Writers Conference together with MFA students, faculty and guest speakers. Join us for 10 full days of craft talks, workshops, panels, classes, readings and more featuring some of the best minds of the literary world. This residency is a rare opportunity to engage in sustained and meaningful conversation with others who share your passion for the art of writing.

Whole Novel Historical: A Virtual Course for Historical Novelists. June 15 - August 11, 2023. The Highlights Foundation Whole Novel Workshop offers writers the rare opportunity to have the entire draft (up to 80,000 words) of a novel read by faculty, with detailed written feedback and two private consultations provided. This online program in particular is for writers of Historical Fiction novels. Multi-Month Online Course, $2199. This program is full, but will be offered again next year. If you would like to be notified when it is available, please add your name to the waitlist.

Orion Environmental Writers’ Workshop. June 18 - June 23, 2023: The Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York. This program is for writers who want to learn how to write an Orion essay, short story, or poem; for writers who seek to become better advocates for the environment through their writing; for poets who are drawn to writing about nature and culture; for teachers and scholars who wish to write for a more general readership; and for environmental professionals who want to bring better writing skills to bear on their work. The program will feature small writing workshops dedicated to poetry, fiction, and nonfiction, as well as faculty readings and lectures, student readings, and presentations on publishing.

The Santa Barbara Writers Conference. June 18 – 23, 2023: Santa Barbara, Calif. "Every summer, writers in many genres from around the world gather to participate in a magical week of intensive work focused on story, voice, craft, marketing, and networking with fellow writers and publishing professionals." 

Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshops. June 18 – 23, 2023: Gambier, Ohio. At Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshops, talented high school students from around the world join a dynamic and supportive literary community to stretch their talents, discover new strengths, and challenge themselves in the company of peers who are also passionate about writing. Online.

Aspen Summer Words. June 18 - June 23, 2023: Aspen, Colorado. Workshops, panels, and readings in fiction and creative nonfiction, as well as opportunities to meet with agents and editors. "Aspen Summer Words is the Rocky Mountain gateway to the literary world. Recognized as one of the country’s pre-eminent literary conferences, Summer Words welcomes visitors and locals alike to celebrate writing and writers in Aspen for a week each June. The exceptional faculty and awe-inspiring mountain scenery combine to make this a writing retreat like no other."

Kenyon Review Writers Workshops. June 18 - 24, 2023: Gambier, Ohio. Workshops in poetry, fiction, and nonfiction led by an accomplished faculty. Genre workshops (Fiction, Literary Nonfiction, and Poetry) are held for three hours each morning. OnlineApplications are open March 15 – April 16, 2023.

Speculative Fiction NIP Bookcamp & Writing Retreat Work Week. June 18 - 24, 2023: West Bend, Wisconsin. Six days of personal writing time with opportunities to discuss writing issues with the Retreat Mentor (an award-winning novelist and editor), opportunities to attend certain Bookcamp presentations, all social activities, critiques, and chat with fellow writers and publishing professionals in a relaxed environment.

The All-Genre Novel-In-Progress Bookcamp & Writing Retreat. June 18 - 24, 2023: West Bend, Wisconsin. The Bookcamp offers morning instruction, an afternoon editing clinic, group critique sessions, discussions on the current publishing industry, one-on-one consultations with our staff, pitch sessions with literary agents and acquisition editors, and presentations on writing or publishing topics.

Chesapeake Writers' Conference at St. Mary's College of Maryland. June 18 - 24, 2023: St. Mary's City, Maryland. "Join us on Maryland’s Western Shore-for the 8th Annual Chesapeake Writers’ Conference for a week of craft talks, lectures, panel discussions, and readings, as well as daily workshops in fiction, poetry, screenwriting, translation, songwriting, or creative nonfiction.
Christopher McKitterick Speculative Fiction Writing Workshop. June 18 - 30, 2023: Online. Learn how to write SF that sells. Using the short-story form, we help you master the elements that create great stories. Since 1985. This annual two-week residential writing workshop helps established writers grow their skills while helping those who have just begun to publish or who need the final bit of insight or skill to master the elements that create great stories readers love and editors want to buy. Become part of a writing community: Award-winning author, SF scholar, long-time director of James Gunn's original SF research center, and Ad Astra SF Institute Director Christopher McKitterick has led this workshop since 2010, and served as guest author in James Gunn's SF Writers Workshop starting in 1995. Apply by May 19.

Community of Writers at Squaw Valley: Poetry Workshop. June 19 - June 25, 2023: Olympic Valley, California. "We work together to create an atmosphere in which everyone might feel free to try anything. In the mornings we meet in workshops to read to each other the work of the previous twenty-four hours; each participant also has an opportunity to work with each staff poet. In the late afternoons we gather for a conversation about some aspect of craft. On several afternoons staff poets hold brief individual conferences." Registration deadline: March 28, 2023.

Stonecoast Writers’ Conference. June 20 - 25, 2023, Portland, ME. "Your conference experience centers around the workshop. In these classes, your work (and the work of your peers) serves as the primary text. Faculty focus on providing constructive criticism that can help you unlock your writing. Class discussions provide opportunities to discuss theories and practical application of writing craft. Each instructor adapts their class to reflect the interest and abilities of the students. Generative writing exercises ensure that you’ll have threads of new work to follow after the conference ends. This summer we are offering two distinct workshop classes: Fiction and CNF/Memoir. Each workshop is limited to ten students.

Minnesota Northwoods Writers Conference. June 20 - 25, 2023: Bemidji, Minnesota. We offer six intensive four-day writing classes and affordable auditor options. We’re proud to announce our 2023 MNWC faculty:  Aimee Nezhukumatathil (Hybrid Poetry & Prose) Ross Gay (Poetry), Keetje Kuipers (Poetry), Lia Purpura (Creative Nonfiction), Will Weaver (Fiction) and Diane Wilson (Memoir to Fiction). And we’re thrilled to have Heid E. Erdrich and Sun Yung Shin be our two visiting writers. Waitlisted.

Chautauqua Writers’ Festival. June 21 - 24, 2023: Chautauqua, New York. In addition to the Festival’s tradition of intensive workshops and optional à la carte one-on-one conferences with award-winning contemporary authors, attendees can also experience panel conversations, and a keynote address. The 2023 theme is “Hope & its Entanglements” and these various conversations will draw fruitful and urgent connections between the personal, the political, and the craft of writing. All of these features are included in the cost of Standard Registration and available as an option to any workshop participant.

Western Writers of America Convention. June 21 - 24, 2023: Great Falls, Montana. Children's, Fiction, Marketing, Non-fiction, Publishing, Young Adult. History presentations at the convention include Cats in the Old West, Border Wars/Law and Order, Mark Twain Literary Contributions, and more. Other sessions will take place related to the craft of writing, book marketing, and research sources and techniques.

Writing For The Educational Market. June 21 - 25, 2023: Boyds Mills, PA. If the words “educational market” make you think only of workbooks and textbooks, it’s time to think again!  Today’s educational publishers are eager to see lively nonfiction, fast-paced fiction, poetry, video scripts, and more.

Fordham University Retreat. June 21 - 25, 2023: New York City. "In order to help mentor the next generation of Asian American writers, Kundiman sponsors an annual Retreat in partnership with Fordham University. During the Retreat, nationally renowned Asian American poets and writers conduct Master Classes and manuscript consultations with fellows. Readings, writing circles and informal social gatherings are also scheduled. Through this Retreat, Kundiman hopes to provide a safe and instructive environment that identifies and addresses the unique challenges faced by emerging Asian American writers." 

Jackson Hole Writers Conference, June 22 - 24, 2023: Jackson Hole, WY. You will have ample opportunity to share your work with a distinguished faculty as well as writers from Massachusetts to Florida, from Texas to Washington. Serious writers pour into Jackson Hole each June looking for a fresh, but critical eye on their work. This event usually has at least 4 agents to pitch. 

David R Collins Conference Faculty & Workshops. June 22 - 24, 2023: Rock Island, IL. Daily workshops, critiques, pitches, evening events, keynote. Will be held in person.

In Your Write Mind Workshop. June 22 - 25, 2023: Greensburg, Pennsylvania. No up-to-date details. The following is from last year: Special Guest: L. Marie Wood. Agents: Eva Scalzo (Speilburg Literary Agency) and Erin Clyburn (Howland Literary). Editors: Miranda Hill (Berkley-Penguin Publishing Group) and John Edward Lawson (Raw Dog Screaming Press). Artist: Greg Chapman. Business and Craft Tracks. Pitch Sessions. Book Signing. Networking. Author Readings. Writing Sprints. Critique Groups. And more! Will be held online and in person.

Bookstock Literary Festival. June 23 - 25, 2023: Woodstock, Vermont. From Poets & Writers: "The festival features workshops, readings, discussions, and a book fair for poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers. Participating writers have included poets Benjamin Aleshire, Laura Foley, Pamela Harrison, April Ossmann, and Elizabeth Powell; fiction writers Jean Hanff Korenlitz and Roland Merullo; and nonfiction writers Jabari Asim, Bruce Coffin, and Sarah Prager. All events and workshops are free and open to the public."
 
The 2023 Writing Workshop of Chicago. June 24, 2023: Chicago, IL. This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop on Saturday, June 24, 2023, at the Congress Plaza Hotel. In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome.

Frost Place Conference on Poetry and Teaching. June 24 - 28, 2023 | Writing Intensive June 28 - June 29, 2023: Franconia, NH. Held each year in June, the Conference on Poetry and Teaching (CPT) is a unique opportunity for teachers to work closely with both their peers and a team of illustrious poets who have particular expertise in working with teachers at all levels: K–12, graduate and undergraduate, and nontraditional and community-based instructors.

Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshops. June 25 - July 8, 2023: Gambier, Ohio. At Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshops, talented high school students from around the world join a dynamic and supportive literary community to stretch their talents, discover new strengths, and challenge themselves in the company of peers who are also passionate about writing. In person.

New York State Summer Writers Institute at Skidmore College. June 25 - July 22, 2023: Saratoga Springs, NY. Since 1987, the Institute has been offering students the opportunity to learn from an extraordinary faculty of distinguished writers led by director Robert Boyers. The program is an offshoot of the New York State Writers Institute created by Albany native and Pulitzer Prize-winning author William Kennedy. The curriculum is designed for college-aged students and adults, and the new virtual format will retain many of the Institute’s hallmark features:
  • Creative writing workshops in poetry, fiction and non-fiction
  • Small classes that offer individualized attention and workshop student writings
  • Public readings and afternoon Q & A sessions with world-renowned guest writers
  • Private tutorial sessions for student fiction manuscripts, book-length poetry, or non-fiction (available for an additional fee)
  • Option to enroll for one-week, two-week, or four-week sessions
  • Optional undergraduate credit for eligible students enrolled in one genre for four weeks
  • Merit Scholarships for tuition
Clarion West Summer Writers Workshop. June 25 - August 5, 2023: Seattle, Washington. "The six-week workshop can give you time away from everyday distractions and encourage you to experiment and take artistic risks. The critique sessions are the heart of the workshop: you learn not only by receiving critiques, but by reading others’ work and constructing your own critiques. Instructors work directly with attendees to present group critiques of newly written stories, participate in discussions about writing techniques or professional concerns, and hold individual or small-group conferences. Throughout the entire experience, the Clarion West Workshop staff is present to help guide participants and facilitate an inclusive environment." Closed.

Hurston/Wright Summer Writers Week. June 26  - July 21, 2023: Rutgers. For more than 20 years, the Hurston/Wright Summer Writers Workshop has offered a safe space for Black writers in intensive workshop sessions and master classes. Workshops are led by award-winning writers who are influencing today’s literature. The program features critiques, craft talks, writing time and public readings. Hurston/Wright workshops serve emerging and experienced writers who are starting projects, developing projects or seeking to polish projects. More than a thousand writers have participated in workshops since the first session in 1996. See website for individual workshops.

Haiku North America Conference. June 28 - July 2, 2023. Cincinnati, Ohio. "Haiku North America is designed for, and open to, everyone—beginners and seasoned specialists alike. Haiku North America (HNA) is a biennial conference in celebration of haiku poetry. Every two years we offer five stimulating days of papers, panels, workshops, readings, performances, book sales, cultural outings, and much socialization with fellow poets, translators, scholars, editors, and publishers. Our first conference was in 1991 and subsequent conferences have taken place in the United States and Canada, focusing on North American poets, their haiku, and related arts. Everyone is welcome to attend HNA, the largest and oldest gathering of haiku poets outside Japan."

JUNE 2022

Colgate Writers’ Conference. June 19 - 25, 2022: Hamilton, New York. Morning craft talks & workshops. Individual consultation with workshop instructor in the afternoon. Late afternoon participant readings and talks on publishing, storytelling. Evening readings by instructors & guests. Late night social events. "Bring a story, a book in progress, some poems, or a novel, and work with us on developing narrative strategies, verse techniques, and methods of research. Members of the publishing profession will also be here to discuss marketplace tactics.Postponed for 2023.

Writers' League of Texas. June 24-26, 2022: Austin, Texas. "For writers with finished manuscripts, the conference’s one-on-one consultations with agents and editors offer a unique opportunity to pitch their work directly to publishing professionals. For writers working toward a completed manuscript, the conference’s genre meet-ups, panels, presentations, and general sessions offer an abundance of useful information and a friendly, relaxed atmosphere for informal chats with agents, published authors, and fellow writers from all genres and backgrounds. Confirmed participating agents include Erica Bauman (Aevitas Creative Management), Jan Baumer (Folio Literary Management), Danielle Bukowski (Sterling Lord Literistic), Heather Carr (The Friedrich Agency), Caroline Eisenmann (Frances Goldin Literary Agency), Paloma Hernando (Einstein Literary Management), Lynn Johnston (Lynn Johnston Literary), Alex Kane (WME), Julia Kardon (HG Literary), James Mustelier (The Bent Agency), Aemilia Phillips (Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency), Anna Sproul-Latimer (Neon Literary). Confirmed Keynote: Jami Attenberg. Additional agents, editors, and authors will be added soon. Will return in 2024.

JUNE 2021

Martha’s Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing Summer Seminar. June 6 - 12 and 13 - 19, 2021, Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. Workshops in poetry and fiction, one-on-one manuscript consultations, panel discussions, and readings. Offers fellowships. Canceled for 2023.

Martha's Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing. June 6 - 13, 2021. "The 2021 MVICW Virtual Summer Writers’ Conference offers over 30 live seminars in poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, panel discussions, late-night open mics, and courses on publishing & editing. Our program encourages cross-genre exploration and attendees have the option of taking seminars in all genres. All seminars are recorded and accessible to attendees for 6 months after the conference." Canceled for 2023.

Chuckanut Writers Conference. June 21 - 27, 2021: Bellingham, Washington. Writers conference that includes speakers, panels, breakout sessions, authors' readings, reception with authors, pitch sessions with literary agents, book signings, open mic for attendees. Autobiography/Memoir, Children's, Fiction, Nature, Non-fiction, Poetry, Publishing. Paused for 2023.

Wesleyan Writers Conference. June 23 - 27, 2021: Middletown, CT. The conference offers workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as master classes, craft sessions, panel discussions, readings, lectures, and manuscript consultations with agents and editors. The program includes a choice of daily seminars focused on the novel, short story, poetry, and nonfiction (memoir, short- and long-form nonfiction, and journalism). Canceled for 2022Will return in 2023.

JULY 2024

Black Voices: An In-Community Retreat for Storytellers. July 7 -10, 2024: Boyds Mills, PA. A retreat to celebrate the power of community and various approaches to uplifting and championing Black voices in crafting stories for children and teens.

Summer Camp in Illustration: Intensive Artistic Inspiration. July 10 -13, 2024: Boyds Mills, PA. At the Highlights Foundation, “summer camp” is different than s’mores by the fire and hiking in the woods. (Though we do that, too.) Get away for four days at our Summer Camp in Illustration for inspiration, guidance, support, community, fun, creativity, and growth. Waitlisted.

Summer Camp in Writing: Create and Dream! July 14 -18, 2024: Boyds Mills, PA. Our Summer Camp in Writing is a time to find the kind of encouragement for your stories that only a generous mentor can provide. To find inspiration and support. To be with a community that understands the long process of turning dreams into books for children. To work 1:1 and fine-tune your words and pitches while you have some fun. Waitlisted.

Writing Heights Writers Conference. July 19 - 20, 2024: Fort Collins, CO. Workshops, seminars, speakers, entertainment, agent roundtables, pitch sessions, networking with authors and industry professionals. Will be held online and in person.

The Creativity Workshop in New York. July 26 - 29, 2024: New York, New York. "The Creativity Workshops take away the fear of writing and open the way to new ideas. They are especially helpful for writers in fiction, poetry, memoir, theatre and film to get over writing blocks. In our Creativity Workshop Retreats you will generate both new work and ideas for the work you are in the midst of creating. We use many different techniques to help you find your way through the novel, essay, poem, memoir, or script you are writing or hope to write. In The Creativity Workshop you will be doing free writing, writing from guided visualizations, collaborative writing, journaling and memoir work and even some rudimentary drawing, collage and photography."

JULY 2023

Idyllwild Arts Summer Program for Children & Teens. July 2 - 29, 2023: Idyllwild, California. The 2023 Summer Program will offer workshops for all ages and abilities on our picturesque mountain campus. The tradition of gathering an impassioned community of artists during the summer months in Idyllwild dates back over seven decades and has served generations of musicians, painters, writers and performers in a variety of disciplines including dance and theatre. Join us in discovering the magic of an Idyllwild Arts summer, and explore your creativity in an inspiring setting with an enthusiastic community of students, faculty and staff. Residential options exist for adults and students aged 10 and up.

Orion Nonfiction Workshop with Moeko Fujii. July 5 - August 9, 2023. The course: Stranger Natures. "How do we see nature? When does the environment come to life—or into something stranger—in films and in nonfiction? In this workshop, we will learn how to write alongside visual media that makes us re-think our notion of “nature.” We will proceed from the infinitesimally small to the impossibly large, from looking carefully at still frames to analyzing grand narratives about the climate. In this class, we will watch slowly and with detailed attention, also looking at films that may not, at first glance, seem to be “about” the environment. We will experiment together, considering what techniques of film can be integrated into our own writing. The reading list will include essays from writers such as Susan Sontag, Rob Nixon, Anna Tsing, Annie Dillard, and Mel Chen. Each class will be separated into two parts. For the first section, we will discuss the reading/watching assignment. The second half of the class will be devoted to critiquing student work. Additionally, you will complete a small (300-500 words) writing assignment every week, in which you will respond to a prompt. Students will be asked to write a short essay inspired by the readings and viewings." Apply by May 15.

Sleuthfest. July 6 - 9, 2023: Boca Raton, FL. Sponsored by the Florida Chapter of Mystery Writers of America a conference for writers and fans. Features writing workshops, social events, and pitch sessions, including:
* Agent Appointments to pitch your finished work
* Critiques of your 10 page manuscript submission
* Forensic track with current forensic techniques & hands-on workshops
* Social events to mingle with agents, editors and your favorite authors
* Auction to purchase critiques of your work by bestselling authors
* Sessions on the craft of writing
* Sessions on marketing and promoting your work
* Practice your Pitch sessions with experienced authors

North Carolina Writing Day Workshop. July 7 - 8, 2023. Online. This is a special two-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop on July 7-8, 2023. In other words, it’s two days full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome. And even though this is the “Carolina” Writing Workshop, make no mistake — writers from everywhere are welcome to attend virtually.

Summer Camp In Fiction: Explore, Play, And InspireJuly 7 - 11, 2023: Boyds Mills, PA. "Our summer camp is a time to find the kind of encouragement for your writing that only a generous mentor can provide. To find inspiration and support. To be with a community that understands the long process of creating. To work 1:1 and fine-tune your words and pitches while you have some fun." 

The Loft's Wordplay Conference. July 8, 2023, Minneapolis MN. "The Loft’s Wordplay aims to be Minnesota's largest celebration of readers, writers, and great books. Imagine a weekend full of famous authors and celebrated books; a weekend of readings, conversations, workshops, kids’ activities, demonstrations, and one-of-a-kind happenings with outdoor stages, cooking stages, book signings, quiet reading corners, boisterous parties, food trucks, beer tents, and books, books, books." 

Tin House Summer Workshop. July 8 - 16, 2023: Portland, Oregon. The 20th annual Tin House Summer Workshop will be held from July 8 to July 16 at Reed College in Portland, Oregon. The program features workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction (limited to 8 to 10 members per class), as well as one-on-one meetings with faculty and industry guests, craft lectures, author conversations, generative exercises, readings, and karaoke. Participating writers include poets Megan Fernandes, Solmaz Sharif, and Jake Skeets; fiction writers Dantiel W. Moniz, Deesha Philyaw, and Matthew Salesses; and nonfiction writers Jaquira Díaz, Melissa Febos, and Meredith Talusan. Tuition is $1,500; the fee for meals and lodging in the Reed College dormitories is $700. Scholarships, payment plans, and application fee waivers are available. Using only the online application system, writers submitted a writing sample of up to four poems totaling no more than eight pages or up to 4,000 words of prose with a $25 application fee from January 9 to January 29. Closed.

ASLE Biennial Conference. July 9 - 12, 2023: Portland, OR. "ASLE seeks to inspire and promote intellectual work in the environmental humanities and arts. Our vision is an inclusive community whose members are committed to environmental research, education, literature, art and service, environmental justice, and ecological sustainability."

Young Writers Workshop. July 9 - 29, 2023: Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Restrictions: For students completing grades 9, 10, 11. Three 90-minute workshop sessions daily, including imaginative writing activities and discussion of readings. Weekly individual meetings with workshop instructor. Focus is on using various forms of creative writing to develop language and thinking skills. 

Victorian Chautauqua Writers Workshop. July 10 - 14, 2023: Mountain Lake Park, Maryland. The Victorian Chautauqua 2023 Writers’ Workshop series will include four courses that include adult and children's literature. Children can register for one of two creative writing workshops for grades 3-5 and grades 6-8. The week-long workshops offer diverse instruction for creative writing disciplines by experienced and notable instructors. At the end of the week, each workshop participant will have an opportunity to be part of a public showcase of their work.

Summer Fishtrap Gathering of Writers. July 10 - 16, 2023: Wallowa Lake, Oregon. Take a weeklong writing workshop in your favorite genre: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, memoir, or short story. Each workshop is limited to no more than 13 participants, giving you the opportunity to build connections with a world-class instructor and your fellow writers. Throughout the week, we’ll bring the best of Summer Fishtrap to you through craft talks, discussions, open mics, readings, and a special 35th Anniversary Celebration.

Community of Writers Workshop in Fiction. July 10 - 17, 2023: Olympic Valley, California. These workshops assist serious writers by exploring the art and craft as well as the business of writing. The week offers daily morning workshops, craft lectures, panel discussions on editing and publishing, staff readings, as well as brief individual conferences. The morning workshops are led by staff writer-teachers, editors, or agents. There are separate morning workshops for Fiction and Narrative Nonfiction/ Memoir. In addition to their workshop manuscript, participants may have a second manuscript read by a staff member who meets with them in an individual conference. During the week, a portion of our workshops is devoted exclusively to nonfiction. Memoir, narrative nonfiction, and essays are invited. Literary criticism and scholarly work will not be considered. Nonfiction applicants can use the same general form for submission. Application deadline March 5.

The Summer Writers Institute. July 10 - 30, 2023: St. Louis, Missouri. The Washington University Summer Writers Institute is an intensive, two-week program featuring workshops in fiction, micro fiction, modern humor, personal narrative, playwriting, and poetry, as well as reading and individual conferences with instructors. Adult writers of all levels of experience work together with published authors and exceptional teachers in a supportive, non-competitive format that allows for personalized attention and constructive feedback.  

Summer Camp in Illustration: Intensive Artistic Inspiration. July 12 - 15, 2023: Boyds Mills, PA. "In-person 4-Day/3-Night Workshop and Retreat Get away for four days at our Summer Camp in Illustration for inspiration, guidance, support, community, fun, creativity, and growth."

Southampton Writers Conference. July 12 - 16, 2023: Long Island, NY. The conference features workshops in poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and publishing, as well as readings, lectures, and a master class series. Creative writing workshops are the heart and soul of the summer experience, meeting four afternoons or mornings throughout the session. Enrollment is limited to 13 lucky writers who have applied with writing samples. Those accepted have the privilege of sharing their work in an intimate, rigorous and friendly setting. 

Saskatchewan Festival of Words. July 13 - 15, 2023: Moose Jaw, Canada. Workshops for all ages, reading sessions, concerts, film, panel discussions, interviews, music, theatre, a slam poetry competition as well as workshops and author readings.

Imaginarium. July 14 - 16, 2023: Louisville KY. A three day annual event held in Louisville, Kentucky centered entirely around creative writing, including the worlds of books, movies, gaming, music, and comics/graphic novels. Imaginarium Convention features extensive programming content, with panels and workshops presented by over 150 professional guests covering everything from the craft of writing to various genres, industry-specific topics, publishing, and social media/publicity. The convention features a film festival with a full array of awards, a masquerade/costume contest, live music, gaming, an expo open to the general public, an awards banquet, a series of literary awards called the Imadjinns, and many more activities, creating a welcoming, inclusive atmosphere that is content-rich and ideal for networking, promotion and personal development. 

Colrain Classic. June 16 - 19, 2023. "The Colrain Manuscript Classic is a highly focused, 3-day conference designed for poets with manuscripts in progress. The Classic features in-depth pre-conference work and candid, realistic evaluation and feedback from nationally-known poets, editors and publishers. In preparation, participants work at home on pre-conference assignments and then, in the workshop, review, arrange, and winnow their work based on the pre-conference work. In addition to the manuscript preparation workshop, manuscript workshop and editorial sessions, there will be an editorial Q&A, and an after-conference strategy session." On Zoom.

Summer Camp in Nonfiction: Explore, Engage, and Inspire. July 16 - 20, 2023: Boyds Mills, PA. "In-person 5-Day/4-Night Workshop and Retreat Get away for five days at our Summer Camp in Nonfiction for inspiration, guidance, mentorship, community, fun, creativity, and growth."

Port Townsend Writers’ Conference. July 16 - 22, 2023: Port Townsend, Washington. workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as craft lectures, readings, open mics, and time to write. "The Port Townsend Writers’ Conference has been since 1974 at the wild heart of the thriving Pacific Northwest literary scene. With a focus on community and rigorous attention to craft, the Conference offers morning workshops, afternoon workshops, residencies, guided freewrites, and a vibrant readings and lectures series presented by vital, contemporary writers." 

Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshops. July 16 - 29, 2023: Gambier, Ohio. At Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshops, talented high school students from around the world join a dynamic and supportive literary community to stretch their talents, discover new strengths, and challenge themselves in the company of peers who are also passionate about writing. In person.

Writer’s Digest Conference. July 17 - 20, 2023: New York City. Annual Writer's Digest Conference featuring: Pitch Slam, with more than fifty agents and editors in attendance, educational tracks devoted to publishing and self-publishing, platform and promotion, and the craft of writing,  speakers and instructors. 

Sewanee Writers’ Conference. July 18 -  30, 2023: Sewanee, TN. Faculty will give readings and provide instruction and criticism through workshops and craft lectures, as well as meet individually with participants to discuss their manuscripts. The Conference will offer five fiction workshops, four poetry workshops, and a playwriting workshop supported by two professional actors. In addition, a substantial number of literary agents will attend.

Midwest Writers Workshop. July 19 - 22, 2023: Muncie, Indiana. July 20 -22, 2023 Virtual. Craft and business sessions, agent pitches, manuscript evaluations. MWW includes quality instruction by a faculty of authors, agents, editors, and specialists. Will be held online and in person.

Romance Writers of America. July 19 - 22, 2023: Anaheim, California. Opening Session Speaker: Mel Walker. Workshop leaders: Jen Graybeal, Peggy Jaeger, Thien-Kim Lam, Mia P. Manansala, and many more.

The Cambridge Writers’ Workshop Summer Writing Retreat. July 19 - 25, 2023: Paris, France. The retreat offers participating writers of all genres and levels to work alongside award-winning authors and editors. Participating writers will hone their craft and expand their writing skills, while working on new or existing projects. Tuition is $3,875, which includes lodging in central Paris, creative writing workshops and writing seminars with our supportive and award-winning faculty of writers and editors, and daily breakfast. Register by June 1, 2023.

Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Retreat. July 20 - 23, 2023, Colorado Springs, CO. An intensive 3-day writing retreat. Sold out.

North Carolina Writers' Network Squire Summer Writing Residency. July 20 - 23, 2023: Davidson, North Carolina. This workshop will explore how to write about places and spaces, while remaining mindful of the interconnections between the natural and cultural, the built and non-built, the human and animal. We will investigate how notions of home and belonging are created and maintained as well as how they can be disrupted by alterations to the cultural traditions and physical environments that surround us and inform our sense of place. During the workshop, we will read and write about the places that have made us who we are today. We will also consider our responsibilities to those places and how to preserve them both in reality and on the page.

IWWG Summer Writers Conference: Writing for Equity and Inclusion. July 20 - 24, 2023: Chestnut Hill College, Philadelphia, PA. The conferene will feature over 70 workshops, critiques, open mics, performances, and awards.

Northwestern University Summer Writers’ Conference. July 21 - 22, 2023: Chicago, Illinois. "This year’s schedule offers presentations for writers of all genres and backgrounds. Learn how to write your life in 750 words or less, structure your chapbook, and infuse your writing with revolution. Hear from award-winning authors on how to generate dramatically rich scenes, evoke memories through metaphors, and layer your writing with suspense. Get some pro tips for interviewing and advice on how and when to submit to literary journals, agents, and contests." Will be held online.

Cascade Three-day Critique Workshop. July 21 – 23, 2023: Bremerton, WA. "Our Three-Day Critique Workshop is an opportunity for you to submit the first 4000 words of your novel, short story, or whatever project you are working on, for critique in a group of up to 8 peers led by an industry professional. This is a great way to polish up those first pages and first chapter. Submissions are due six weeks before the event via our Discord Channel. Registrants will receive login information a few weeks before submissions are due. There will also be one-hour workshops and panel presentations on craft, querying, the publishing industry, and more. Optional casual gatherings provide opportunities to get to know other writers as well as authors, editors, and agents." Proof of vaccination required.

Confluence-SFF. July 21 - 23, 2023: Pittsburgh, PA. Located at the birthplace of the Ohio River, Confluence is Pittsburgh’s longest-running literary conference with a strong focus on science fiction, fantasy and horror. Award-winning authors, editors, artists and song-writers gather for three full days.

The Greater Los Angeles Writers Conference, July 21-23 Virtual; July 28-30 In-Person, Los Angeles, CA. West Coast Writers Conferences presents a full weekend of panels, workshops and presentations by educators, noted speakers, and industry professionals focused on the craft and business of writing.

Mystery Writers Conference.  July 21 - 23, 2023: Corte Madera, CA. In this conference, mystery writers learn the clues to a successful writing career. Editors, agents, and publishers tell participants what they need to know to get published. Authors offer classes on setting, dialogue, suspense, point of view, and openings. They tell how to write about private eyes, amateur sleuths, and police protagonists, and how to create thrillers and historical mysteries. Panels of detectives, forensic experts, police, and other crime-fighting professionals provide information that allows crime fiction writers to put realism in their work. 

Grub Street Muse and the Marketplace Conference. July 27 -  30, 2023, Boston, Massachusetts. The Muse and the Marketplace is a three-day literary conference designed to give aspiring writers a better understanding about the craft of writing fiction and non-fiction, to prepare them for the changing world of publishing and promotion, and to create opportunities for meaningful networking. On all three days, prominent and nationally-recognized established and emerging authors lead sessions on the craft of writing—the "muse" side of things—while editors, literary agents, publicists and other industry professionals lead sessions on the business side—the "marketplace." Will be held virtually.

Taylor's Professional Writers Conference. July 28 - 29, 2023: Upland, Indiana. Advanced and Teen Tracks starting July 27, 2023. 35 seminars covering General & First-timers, Fiction, Nonfiction, Platform & Marketing and Specialty Writing. 

Steamboat Springs Writers Conference. July 28 - 29, 2023: Steamboat Springs, CO. Two instructors, seminar-type workshops for all levels, beginning to professional. Topics change each year. Limited enrollment. 

Catamaran Writing Conference: Poetry. July 30 - August 3, 2023: Pebble Beach, CA. The workshop meets four mornings and each participant will receive focused feedback from the group on their poems. You'll be invited to submit a writing sample for group feedback. Optional participant readings will be held. During registration you will be invited to indicate your poetry workshop instructor preference. 

Napa Valley Writers’ Conference. July 30 - August 4, 2023: Napa, California. The conference features workshops in poetry, fiction, and translation, as well as craft talks and evening readings. The faculty includes poets Jane Hirshfield and Major Jackson, fiction writers Lan Samantha Chang and ZZ Packer, and translator Forrest Gander. The cost of the conference is $1,100, which includes tuition, daily breakfast and lunch, two dinners, and wine tastings. Closed.

Frost Place Poetry SeminarJuly 30 - August 4, 2023. The Seminar schedule features a daily presentation/discussion exploring aspects of craft and technique, an afternoon workshop of participants’ poems or individual, virtual meetings with faculty, and an evening reading, some by faculty poets and others featuring participants. The application deadline is July 1, 2023Will be held online.

AUGUST 2024

Neurodiverse Writers and Illustrators: An In-Community Retreat for Storytellers. August 8 - 11, 2024: Boyds Mills, PA. Join us for an in-community retreat tailored for neurodivergent writers and illustrators, where you can fully embrace your perspectives and talents in a welcoming and inclusive environment.

AUGUST 2023

Writing As a Pathway Through Grief, Loss, Uncertainty and Change. August 1 - 7, 2023: Watsonville, CA. "The tool we’ll use for transformation is writing and sharing from the heart. Writing and being witnessed in community is a powerful catalyst on your journey of self-discovery. We'll teach you everything you need to know to experience the power of true stories shared and received."

Willamette Writers Conference. August 2 - 6, 2023: Portland, Oregon. Three full days of classes, workshops, keynotes, critiques, and events. There are also Master Classes with industry professionals in which you can learn from top instructors in a small group setting and many options for one on one critique, including On the Spot Critiques and Advance Manuscript Critique. As always, they will have a roster of agents, editors and film executives ready to hear about your project. 

Mendocino Coast Writers Conference. August 3 -  August 5, 2023: Mendocino, California. The conference features workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as craft seminars, panels, one-on-one manuscript consultations, and open mics. The faculty includes poet Claudia Castro Luna, fiction writers Jean Chen Ho and Lydia Kiesling, creative nonfiction writer Faith Adiele, and cross-genre writer Anastacia-Reneé. Fiction writer Karen Tei Yamashita will give the keynote address. Participating publishing professionals include agent Jonah Straus (Straus Literary). The registration fee is $675 and includes morning workshops, all afternoon events, and breakfast and lunch each day. One-on-one manuscript consultations are available for an additional $60. Lodging is available at a wide range of accommodations on the Mendocino Coast, including oceanfront inns, campgrounds, and motels. The registration deadline is June 30.

Cape Cod Writers Center Conference. August 3 - 6, 2023: Hyannis, Massachusetts. Supporting published and aspiring writers. Featuring distinguished authors, editors and agents in workshops on fiction, nonfiction, screenwriting, poetry, mysteries and thrillers, social media, promotion and more! 

Florida Authors and Publishers Association Annual Conference. August 4 - 5, 2023: Orlando, Florida. "Six (6) optional small-group workshops are being scheduled, offering attendees options a more intimate setting to learn about specific topics related to the publishing industry.  These focused workshops will be offered a la carte and are scheduled so that you may register for up to three (3)."

Into the Springs Writers Workshop. August 4 - 6, 2023: Yellow Springs, OH. Faculty: Jane Friedman & Jason Sanford.

Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators Annual Conference. August 4 - 6, 2023: Via Zoom. More than 100 writers, editors, illustrators, & agents. Workshops, breakout sessions, manuscript and portfolio consultations, panels, discussions. Will be held online.

An Introduction to Engaging Kids with Podcasts. August 6 - 13, 2023. Online. Faculty: Matthew Winner OVERVIEW: A Short Intensive Online Course Thinking about starting a podcast for kids, but don’t know where to start? Join librarian, writer, and podcast innovator Matthew Winner to find the heart of your podcast for kids. This online intensive workshop will include presentations, small group discussions, a Q & A gathering, and more! 

Vermont College of Fine Arts Postgraduate Writers’ Conference. August 7 - 13, 2023: Montpelier, Vermont. The conference is designed for writers with graduate degrees or equivalent experience. Workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as readings, craft classes, and individual consultations with faculty members. "At the heart of the Postgraduate Writers' Conference's unique model is the small workshop size, with groups led by acclaimed faculty limited to five or six writers. The intimate format allows for an extraordinarily in-depth, far-reaching discussion of participants’ work. Beyond the daily group sessions, each member has an individual consultation with the workshop instructor. The schedule also features a rich menu of readings by faculty and participants, craft talks, generative writing sessions and social events that galvanize our vibrant, inclusive community." 

Travel Writers & Photographers Conference. August 10 – 13, 2023: Corte Madera, Calif. Writing and photography workshops in the morning, a full afternoon of panels and discussions, and evening faculty presentations. There are optional, working field trips to explore the resources of the Bay Area. The faculty includes publishers, magazine editors, photographers, travel essayists, food writers, restaurateurs, guidebook writers, and more. 

Writing and Illustrating Science & Nature for Kids and Teens. August 12 - 16, 2023: Boyds Mills, PA. Mentorship, hands-on activities, presentations, and ample time for retreating will help you on your path to energizing readers through science and nature-themed fiction or nonfiction.

Elk River Writers Workshop. August 13 - 18, 2023: Chico Hot Springs, MT. The Elk River Writers Workshop embodies the idea that deep, communal experiences with the wild open the door to creativity. We bring together some of the most celebrated nature writers in the United States with students who are serious about fostering a connection with the environment in their writing. It all happens at Chico Hot Springs, a historic retreat just north of Yellowstone National Park. 

Murphy Writing of Stockton University: Live Free and Write. August 16 - 18, 2023: Sunapee, NH. "Combine an extended writing retreat with a relaxing summer vacation in the picturesque mountains of New Hampshire. This getaway blends our trademark challenging and supportive workshop experience with plenty of free time for you to write and bask in the refreshing New England summer." 

The Speculative Fiction Bookcamp & Writing Retreat. August 13 - 19, 2023: West Bend, Wisconsin. The Bookcamp offers morning instruction, an afternoon editing clinic, group critique sessions, discussions on the current publishing industry, one-on-one consultations with our staff, pitch sessions with literary agents and acquisition editors, and presentations on writing or publishing topics.

From Idea & Sketch to Dummy & Submission: An Author/Illustrator Online Course. August 15 - September 19, 2023: Online. If you are illustrating AND writing your own book, and wondering how to prepare your dummy for submission, this is the course for you. You will focus on the craft of writing and illustrating a picture book with an intense level of feedback. Participants who complete all assignments should be able to finish or revise a working dummy in its entirety during the course, preparing for submission to editors, agents, or art directors.

Bread Loaf Writers' Conference. August 16 - 26, 2023: Ripton, VT. Workshops in fiction, poetry, and nonfiction are at the core of the conference. Each faculty member conducts a workshop that meets for five two-hour sessions over the course of the 10 days. Groups are kept small to facilitate discussion, and all participants meet individually with their faculty leaders to elaborate on workshop comments. Faculty members also offer lectures on issues around literary writing and one-hour classes on specific aspects of the craft. Readings by the faculty, conference participants, and guests take place throughout the day and into the night. Participants meet with visiting editors, literary agents, and publishers who provide information and answer questions, individually or in small groups. 

Writer's Digest Annual Conference. August 17 - 20, 2023: NYC. Writer's Digest Annual Conference offers everything you need to advance your writing career creatively and professionally. Gain invaluable tips to improve your craft, explore publishing options and learn how to establish a sustainable career—all while being inspired by successful authors and your fellow attendees. It’s all brought to you by Writer’s Digest, the experts at nurturing and developing writers at every stage of their career for over 100 years.

Killer Nashville Writers’ Conference. August 17 - 20, 2023: Nashville, TN. The Killer Nashville International Writers’ Conference was created in 2006 by author/filmmaker Clay Stafford in an effort to bring together forensic experts, writers, and fans of crime and thriller literature. "At the conference, we try diligently to ensure that the weekend has something for every writer and lover of literature, and our sessions are structured to assist writers on multiple career levels. Our learning tracks tackle the craft of writing, business of writing, marketing, and forensics. Killer Nashville features nine breakout sessions for intense smaller group interaction, an authors’ bar (free for hotel guests), a moonshine and wine tasting, free agent/editor roundtable pitch sessions, a mock crime scene designed by special agents and other law enforcement professionals, cocktail receptions, the Guest of Honor Dinner and Awards Banquet, film previews, live music performances and—of course—all the great activities one can enjoy in downtown Nashville."

The Whole Novel Workshop. August 17 - 22, 2023: Honesdale, PA. This intensive Whole Novel Workshop offers writers the rare opportunity to have the entire draft (up to 80,000 words) of a novel read by faculty, with detailed written feedback and two private consultations provided. Attention in an intimate setting makes this program one that guarantees significant progress in preparation for submission. This Whole Novel Workshop is specifically designed for writers of novels for children and teens. Application Deadline: June 1, 2023. 

Poetry at the Frost Farm. August 18 - 20, 2023:  Derry, New Hampshire. The retreat offers workshops, readings, and one-on-one consultations for formalist poets. "Join a small community of people at the historic Robert Frost Farm learning, reading and writing formal poetry with contemporary award-winning poets. Choose your focus from a series of offerings designed to provide tools for beginning poets as well as perfect the mastery of published poets." 

Shape Your Story: A 6-Week Novel Intensive with Author & Agent Linda Epstein (Fall) August 24 - September 28, 2023 Faculty: Linda Epstein OVERVIEW: A Six-Week Online Course with Pre-recorded Lectures, and Live Discussion/Q & A/Writing Exercises Mold your middle grade or young adult novel into the story only you can tell, with senior literary agent and writer Linda Epstein. Pre-recorded lectures released on Fridays (August 11, 25; September 1, 8, 15, 22) Live sessions via Zoom. 18 participants max.

Colrain Classic. August 25 - 28, 2023. "The Colrain Manuscript Classic is a highly focused, 3-day conference designed for poets with manuscripts in progress. The Classic features in-depth pre-conference work and candid, realistic evaluation and feedback from nationally-known poets, editors and publishers. In preparation, participants work at home on pre-conference assignments and then, in the workshop, review, arrange, and winnow their work based on the pre-conference work. In addition to the manuscript preparation workshop, manuscript workshop and editorial sessions, there will be an editorial Q&A, and an after-conference strategy session."

Bear River Writers’ Conference. August 31 - September 1, 2023: Camp Michigania on Walloon Lake, near Petoskey, Michigan. Workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as readings, discussions, nature walks, and time to write.

DragonCon. August 31 - September 4, 2023: Atlanta, Ga. HUGE sci-fi event, with parade, autograph sessions, live performances, readings, wrestling (!), workshops on belly dancing, writing (yes, there's even some writing), art show. (This conference sounds really wild.)

AUGUST 2022

Ocean View Writing Getaway. August 4 - 7, 2022: Atlantic City, NJ. "Our experienced workshop leaders plan their sessions to benefit both beginning and experienced writers. We pride ourselves on building an encouraging community of writers where all feel welcome." This program is presented by Murphy Writing of Stockton University in collaboration with AC Residential Life.

The Writer's Hotel Virtual Summer Fiction Workshop. August 6 - 28, 2022. All fiction genres. "TWH Virtual Summer Fiction Workshop program centers on weekend writing workshops and lectures over four weeks, plus two full manuscript readings by TWH Editors, one-on-one agent pitching sessions and attendee readings. Space is extremely limited. There will be two cohorts of just 14 people each." App deadline: May 16, 2022

Horror Bites. August 13, 2022. "Horror Bites serves up a series of short horror writing workshops, covering some of the most essentials elements of the genre, including atmosphere, characterisation, pacing, writing violence and more. Led by horror writer, workshopper and Creative Writing Lecturer Alex Davis, HORROR BITES gives you the chance to take a big bite of horror or select some light bites from the workshop buffet…" Tickets £28 for full day or £7 per workshop session. Virtual.

Northern Woodlands Writers & Readers Conference. August 20, 2022: Fairlee, Vermont. The Northern Woodlands Conference is a fun, informal weekend celebrating the natural history of the Northeast and the interactions of people and place. Set in the beautiful forested landscape of central Vermont, this event attracts writers, editors, teachers, readers, students, and naturalists from across New England and New York.

SEPTEMBER 2024

Furious Flower IV: Celebrating the Worlds of Black Poetry. September 18-21, 2024: Harrisonburg, VA. "Through open mics, interviews, roundtable scholarly discussions, and, of course, readings by the most renowned names in poetry, the Furious Flower Poetry Conference continues to stage contemporary trends in Black literature, culture, and thought from a range of creative outlooks, as well as provide a platform for new scholarship, critical approaches, and performance strategies."  

Hedgebrook Writers Conference 2024September 19 - 22, 2024: Seattle, WA. "Hedgebrook is a community of visionary women writers whose stories and ideas have shaped our culture in the past, now, and for generations to come. We have tapped into this community to collectively build Hedgebrook’s Writers Conference – a three-day intensive for writers across the globe. If you aspire to improve your craft, come learn from seasoned writers that are equipped to challenge, engage, and inform.  Our illustrious alumnae instructors craft and guide participants through interconnected lessons over the course of three days, proving “No Writer Is An Island.” Will be held in person.


SEPTEMBER 2023

Kaz Conference Keep Writing Virtual Nonfiction Cohort. Sept - Oct, 2023. Are you a nonfiction writer working on a memoir? For one month this fall just 6-8 writers will gather via ZOOM -- at each workshop two writers will workshop 10 to 20 pages of a work of creative nonfiction/memoir. The sessions include discussions on the business of being a writer i.e. publishing, legal issues, agents and self promotion.  Will be held online. Apply by August 24, 2023.

WriterCon. September 1 - 4, 2023: Waterford, Oklahoma. Last year's conference featured over 70 presentations from authors, editors, agents, and publishers, opportunities for pitching and private consultations, manuscript review, workshops, master classes, and open mics for poets, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers. The faculty included fiction writers Yasmin Angoe and Amy M. Le, and fiction and nonfiction writer Barry Friedman. Poet Billy Collins, novelists Robert Dugoni and Steven James, and literary agent Elizabeth Kracht (Kimberley Cameron & Associates) delivered the keynote addresses. Participating publishing professionals included agents Blythe Daniel (Blythe Daniel Agency) and Abby Saul (Lark Group), and publishers Jeanne Devlin (RoadRunner Press) and Ally Robertson (Wild Rose Press).

The Gathering. September 2 - 4, 2023. Workshops in poetry as well as readings. 2-hour Workshops & Readings Friday night, Saturday , and Sunday. Participant Open Mics Friday and Saturday night. Will be held on Zoom. 

Honing the Muse: An Online Poetry Workshop. September 7 - October 5, 2023. Each Thursday, 7:00-9:00pm EDT. Online. "The major components of our five-week workshops typically include variations of the following elements: inspiring craft models, writing assignments, discussions and sharing. The organization and emphasis of these elements is dependent on the workshop leader’s vision. Their goal is to get you inspired and writing!"

Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Colorado Gold Conference. September 8 - 10, 2023: Denver, CO. Round Table Critiques, Pitch-Prep Coaching, and One-on-One Mentor appointments, as well as keeping the Saturday Publishing Professionals Panel Luncheon and the Sunday Gold Rush Winners Reading Brunch.

Creatures, Crimes & Creativity. September 8 - 10, 2023: Columbia, MD. A writer's and fan's conference for genre fiction covering mystery, suspense, thriller, sci-fi, fantasy, steampunk & horror.

The Alabama Writers' Conclave. September 8 - 10, 2023: Mountain Brook, Alabama. The Conclave is today one of the oldest continuing writers' organization in the United States. Writers, aspiring writers and supporters of the writing arts may join. Sharing information, developing ideas, honing skills, and receiving practical advice are hallmarks of the annual meeting. 

EPIC: Michele Bombardier Poetry Workshop. September 9, 2023. You won't want to miss this two-hour workshop presented by Award-Winning Poet Michele Bombardier. We will explore the role of vulnerability in the writing process: what kills it, how to connect with it, and how to bring power to the page. We will read examples and discuss aspects of craft. This workshop is for all levels of writersFor EPIC members only. Will be held virtually.

Letters & Lines Children's Book Writers and Illustrators Conference. September 9 - 10, 2023: Golden, CO. This conference offers you opportunities to learn your craft, boost your career, and get feedback on your work. The schedule includes three keynotes; a industry professionals panel; 33 breakout sessions on writing, illustrating and professional development; intensives on picture books, novels and illustration; as well as critiques, portfolio reviews and showcase, a virtual bookstore of faculty titles hosted by BookBar, and more. 

Orion Online Creative Nonfiction Workshop. September 9 - October 14, 2023. Online. Course: Nature and the Archive. In this class, we will observe ourselves as natural and consider how our relationships with the natural world were formed. Writers will spend time making meaning at the intersection of our lived experience and the historical record. We will consider the role of nature in our sense of self by troubling dominant narratives about nature and ourselves, crafting nature writing from new perspectives. This course is primarily generative and oriented toward creative nonfiction writers but open to all genre expressions. Duration: This class meets over six consecutive Saturdays from 1-4 pm ET from September 9 to October 14, 2023. Apply by August 10th.

Writing by Writers: Lake Superior Writing Adventure. September 10 - 15, 2023: Bayfield, Wisconsin. The Lake Superior Writing Adventure is a week-long workshop with Pam Houston and Luis Alberto Urrea where writers will work with both faculty members to generate new work while hiking, kayaking and exploring the pristine beauty of the Lake Superior and Apostle Islands region. The workshop is limited to 20 participants to ensure an intimate setting, plus plenty of time to write and explore all the outdoor wonders Lake Superior has to offer.

A Weekend For Words. Sept 15 - 17, 2023: Irvine, CA. 60+ working, professional authors of fiction, nonfiction & screen, editors & agents. Manuscript critique & one-on-one consultation additional.]

49 Writers Tutka Bay Retreat. September 15 - 17, 2023: Tutka Bay, Alaska. Guest Instructor: Amy Butcher.

Okoboji Writers' in-person Retreat. September 17 - 20, 2023: West Lake, IA. The annual Okoboji Writers’ Retreat, founded in 2021, is open to all skill levels. Columnist Julie Gammack is the producer. Over 30 faculty resources will be on hand to work with participants in small-group settings. Whether you come to find out how to get started or land a book deal, this retreat is a welcoming event for all.

Breakout Novel Graduate Learning Retreat. September 18 - 24, 2023: Sarasota, Florida. An intensive week of critiques, one-on-one sessions, query clinics, brainstorming and writing. Limited to 16 students. "For graduates of our Breakout Novel Weeklong Intensive." Will be held in person.

Orion Online Creative Nonfiction Workshop. September 18 - November 6, 2023. Online. Course: Writing About Food. Just as the climate, soil, and landscape of a place impart unique flavors to traditional foods (if we are wine people, we call this terroir; if we aren’t, we’re still looking for a better word for it), writing about food becomes more than just food writing when it, too, is deeply tied to the places, ecosystems, cultures, and individuals who nurture what we eat. When food is on the table, what ideas can writers have, what worlds can they reveal, what relationships can they probe? How does writing about food help us explore the personal and political forces that tie us together and tear us apart? Throughout the semester we’ll read, research, and write our own food-focused personal essays. Classes will be discussion-based and generative, with time to share work. Readings may include Ligaya Mishan, Rebecca Solnit, John McPhee, Alice B Toklas, Naben Ruthnum, Bill Buford, Ruby Tandoh, and Maya Jewell Zeller. Duration: This class meets over eight consecutive Mondays from 7-9 ET (4-6 PT) from September 18 through November 6th. Apply by August 10th.

The Algonkian Writer Retreat and Novel Workshop. September 20 - 24, 2023: Algonkian Park, Virginia. "You can show us your manuscript, improve your skills, clear your head, have your work read by our writer mentors, whatever works for you, whatever helps you grow and discover your vision as a writer. You discuss with us ahead of time via the Algonkian Writer Retreat Application the goals you wish to accomplish, and we'll work with you to make it happen. Do you desire a review? A line edit? Do you wish to discuss the reality of the current fiction market, your novel project, plot and characters, or perhaps get feedback on the opening hook or a few sample chapters? Or would you simply like a relaxed and productive dialogue about your goals as a writer?"

Writing On The Door: Washington Island Literary Festival. September 21 - 23, 2023: Washington Island, Wisconsin. "The Washington Island Literary Festival is a moveable feast of writing, reading, discussion, and thought about the written word. Writers’ workshops, author panels and presentations, readings and parties are scheduled at various quaint, historic and beautiful venues around the Island. Participants have a unique opportunity to share time with prominent authors and dedicated readers in the intimate, friendly setting of Washington Island, a half-hour by ferry from the Door County mainland, in September’s color and warmth." 

PNWA Conference. September 21 - 24, 2023: Lake Washington, Washington, Sponsored by the Pacific Northwest Writers Association. More than 50 seminars, editor/agent forums & appointments, practice pitching, keynote and featured speakers, reception, awards ceremony. Many agents and editors attending. Will be held in person.

LiTFUSE Poets’ Workshop. September 22 - 24, 2023: Tieton, WA. The workshop features readings, performances, and meditation for poets. The past faculty included poets included Ching-In Chen, Christopher Howell, Brooke Matson, Diana Khoi Nguyen, Dennis Nurkse, Kelly Schirmann, Chad Sweeney, Dujie Tahat, Alexandra Teague, and Tobias Wray. 

8th Annual Broadleaf Writers Conference. September 23 - 24, 2023: Dunwoody, Georgia. "With one of the strongest list of authors you will ever find at a conference, we’ve added even more agents, editors and publisher representatives than ever before! Combined with educational sessions and workshops, the 8th Annual Broadleaf Writers Conference will offer you all that you need to refine and improve your craft." 

UCLA Extension Writing Retreat at Lake Arrowhead. Sept 24 - 29, 2023: Lake Arrowhead, CA. Join a small group of committed writers for four full days of uninterrupted writing time at UCLA’s beautiful conference center at Lake Arrowhead. Participants will enjoy private bedrooms, private baths, and three gourmet meals each day, along with complimentary beverages all day long. The Writers’ Program will coordinate some structured activities, including pre-dinner social hours and nightly open mic events, but your time will ultimately be yours to accomplish your writing goals at your own pace. 

Brooklyn Book Festival. September 24 - October 2, 2023: Brooklyn, NY. This year’s Festival Day and Literary Marketplace, a day-long celebration of authors and books, will take place in person in Downtown Brooklyn as well as virtually. At our live BKBF Children’s Day, families will enjoy a full day of readings, workshops, performances, book signings, yoga, and art projects with favorite authors and illustrators.  All events are free and open to the public.

Six Bridges Book Festival. Septmeber 25 - October 1, 2023: Little Rock, Arkansas. "Prestigious award-winners, screenwriters, comedians, an expert witness, artists, and a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet are among the diverse roster of presenters who will be providing sessions." Free. 

Vermillion Writing and Literature Conference. September 28 - 30, 2023: Vermillion, South Dakota. The 2023 conference theme, “Beginnings: New Approaches in Creative Writing, Literary Studies, and Pedagogy,” looks with hope to possibilities for new voices, ideas, forms, and projects in the literary arts. VWALC’s panel sessions and public readings will address these and other overlapping concerns.

Native Creatives: An In-Community Retreat. September 28 - October 1, 2023: Boyds Mills, PA. OVERVIEW: In-person 4-Day/3-Night, In-Community Retreat “Time with fellow Native creatives helps sustain me along this author’s journey. I look forward to a weekend together to share our stories, write, create art, and talk practically about how we navigate the publishing industry.” —Traci Sorell (Cherokee Nation) This in-community retreat is for Native writers and illustrators with host Traci Sorell and special guests, author Monique Gray Smith and senior editor Karen Boss.

Algonkian Writer Conference–New York City Pitch. September 28 - October 1, 2023: Ripley-Grier Studios in New York City. The New York Pitch Conference and writers workshop is held four times a year and features publishing house editors from major houses such as Penguin, Random House, St. Martins, Harper Collins, Tor and Del Rey, Kensington Books and many more who are looking for new novels in a variety of genres, as well as narrative non-fiction. The event focuses on the art of the novel pitch as the best method not only for communicating your work, but for having you and your work taken seriously by industry professionals.

Flathead River Writers Conference. September 29 -  October 1, 2023: Kalispell, MT. Writers help writers in this two day conference packed with energizing speakers and workshops. Features: Workshops, MS preparation & submission, working with agents, movie deals, media use, & children's book publishing.

The Creativity Workshop in New York. September 29 - October 2, 2023: NY, NY. "The Creativity Workshop is an experiential course of doing and experimenting. Our exercises and instructors’ talks focus on helping you learn practical techniques to stimulate your imagination and innovative thinking." 

SEPTEMBER 2022

Nimrod Conference for Readers and Writers. September 24 - December 1, 2022: University of Tulsa, Oklahoma. "For over 40 years, Nimrod has hosted an in-person, all-day writing conference in conjunction with the publication of our fall issue. While we will not be hosting this year’s in-person events due to the continuing effects of the pandemic, we’re thrilled to host an extended period of virtual creative writing programming this fall. This year’s programming will feature several months of craft talks, Q&As, readings, and more. We will add more offerings to this schedule as they become available, so keep checking back."

The Pacific Coast Children's Novel Workshop & Retreat. September 29 - October 2, 2022: Santa Cruz, CA. Intensive seminar offers editor or agent feedback on selected whole-novel manuscripts, including two in-person consults with your mentor. Editor and agent critiques on your polished, opening chapters. Paused until 2024.

SEPTEMBER 2021

Kentucky Women Writers Conference. Sept. 9 –12, 2021: Lexington, KY. The Kentucky Women Writers Conference is the longest running literary festival of women in the nation. About 1,000 individuals attend the conference each year. Daytime sessions attract about 150 writers at all stages of development, and free evening events gather a lively community of readers. Most come seeking literary sisterhood, help with a manuscript, or practical advice about the publishing industry. Many are students or beginning writers.

Aspen Autumn Words. September 26 - October 1, 2021: Aspen, Colorado. Workshops, panels, and readings in fiction and creative nonfiction, as well as opportunities to meet with agents and editors. "Aspen Autumn Words is the Rocky Mountain gateway to the literary world. Recognized as one of the country’s pre-eminent literary conferences, Autumn Words welcomes visitors and locals alike to celebrate writing and writers in Aspen for a week each June. The exceptional faculty and awe-inspiring mountain scenery combine to make this a writing retreat like no other." 

SEPTEMBER 2020

Publish & Promote Your Book Conference. September 26, 2020: Bronxville, New York. "If you’re ready to find an agent and present your book to the marketplace, come join our community of educators, writers, agents, editors, and publishers at a one day conference designed to help you succeed in your publishing ventures. In addition to panel discussions, participants can register for Pitch Sessions and discuss their book with up to three agents/editors for 10 minutes each. If you're thinking of attending a Pitch Session, consider signing up for one of our Prep For Your Pitch sessions.

OCTOBER 2023

Bookgardan: A Year's Sustenance for Women Writers. October 2023 to October 2024. "Bring your book project and your literary practice to full fruition in Bookgardan, a year-long program of sustained, one-on-one mentorship and advanced craft curriculum created by an acclaimed writer, seasoned editor, and devoted & inspiring literary mentor, shared with an intimate cohort of like-minded literary artists. Hone your work-in-progress, develop your technical expertise, and refine your inimitable artistic process over twelve months bookended by two full retreat weeks as fall writers-in-residence at Craigardan, an interdisciplinary mountainside residency program for artists in the majestic Adirondacks of upstate New York. Now enrolling its fifth cohort, Bookgardan is unlike any other writing program, book incubator, or literary mentorship. Designed for women writers with book-length, literary fiction and creative nonfiction projects, created in partnership with a residential artists’ program that fosters collaboration and cross-fertilization among artists, and intentional in its goal of building a lasting, mutually supportive community of women writers, at Bookgardan’s heart is Kate Moses’ passionate dedication to helping other women writers realize their vision for their work, made manifest in the unstinting one-on-one mentorships she forges with each writer and their book." Applications due September 1, 2023. 

Middle Grade Writers: A Generative Retreat Experience. October 1 - 4, 2023: Boyds Mills, PA. OVERVIEW: In-person 4-Day/3-Night Workshop and Retreat To write for children, we need to reconnect with the clever, imaginative, and curious core of our childhood selves. Join celebrated middle-grade authors Erin Entrada Kelly and Laurel Snyder for a four-day retreat focused on generative writing inspired by the sleepaway camps of our youths. 

Crash Course in Children's Publishing. October 4 - December 6, 2023: Boyds Mills, PA. OVERVIEW: Join lead faculty Harold Underdown and special guests for a Crash Course in Children's Publishing. At the end of the course, you will understand how the children’s book publishing industry works, including submitting, publishing, marketing a book for children, teens, or young adults, and beginning ideas about craft and critique. Multi-Week Online Course 10 weeks.

Write on the Sound Writers' Conference and Pre-Conference. Oct 6- 8, 2023: Edmonds, WA. Founded in 1985, Write on the Sound writers’ conference (WOTS) is a small, affordable conference focused on the craft of writing. A variety of sessions, workshops and panel discussions are available for all levels and interests, including valuable information regarding today’s writing and publishing industry. 

James River Writers Conference. October 6 - 8, 2023: Richmond, Virginia. James River Writers is excited to offer both in-person and online elements for our conference this year. Join us for Master Classes online and in-person, on Friday, October 6. Then, join us at the Greater Richmond Convention Center (in Richmond, Virginia) for a full slate of programs focusing on the craft and business of writing. Look forward to lively panel discussions, live critique sessions with literary agents, fun and engaging plenary sessions, and agent one-on-one meetings (standard with your ticket). In addition, we’ve included opportunities for networking and socializing, because community is at the heart of everything we do.

Picture Book Summit. Oct 7, 2023, Online. A one day live event for picture book writers including author keynotes, interviews, workshops and agent & editor panels. Recordings provided for attendees for four months post-conference.

DFW Writers Conference. October 7 - 8, 2023: Fort Worth TX. Featuring pitch sessions with literary agents, advanced classes, engaging panels, interactive workshops.

Larksong's Bootcamp for Poets with Matt Mason. October 7, 14, 21, 28, 2023: Online. "Are you looking to “level up” on your writing? Maybe you’re looking for a workshop of like-minded writers who want to be the best they can be and you want to join them? Maybe you want just enough instruction and guidance on a particular piece of writing to prepare it for the submittal process. If any of that is true, a Larksong Bootcamp workshop is for you. This limited-enrollment workshop is open to a maximum of 10 writers who are committed to improving their own writing and are willing to read and respond to the work of the other writers in the workshop."

Viable Paradise Science Fiction Writers' Workshop. Oct 8 - 13, 2023: Martha’s Vineyard, MA. Viable Paradise is a unique one-week residential workshop in writing and selling commercial science fiction and fantasy. The workshop is intimate, intense, and features extensive time spent with best-selling and award-winning authors and professional editors currently working in the field. VP concentrates on the art of writing fiction people want to read, and this concentration is reflected in post-workshop professional sales by our alumni. ClosedApplications will re-open in January 2024.

Larksong's Bootcamp for Prose Writers. October 9, 16,  30, & November 6, 2023: Lincoln, NE. This Larksong Bootcamp for Prose Writers will be led by Lucy Adkins. It is a limited-enrollment workshop open to a maximum of 6 writers who are committed to improving their own writing and are willing to read and respond to the work of the other writers in the workshop.

Desert Nights, Rising Stars Writers Conference. October 12 - 14, 2023: Tempe, AZ. "The Desert Nights, Rising Stars Writers Conference creates a unique and intimate creative writing experience where writers of all backgrounds, genres, and skill levels gather together and connect through the celebration and study of literary craft, culture, and community. Featuring over 25 faculty members teaching more than 50 sessions, we seek to create a warm and welcoming environment that meets people wherever they are, where writers can learn from and support each other as they work toward their goals. Beyond regular programming, we also feature advanced pre-conference workshops, an exhibitor fair, scholarships, and fellowships. We also offer opportunities to advertise with or sponsor the conference as well."

Storymakers & Indie Author Hub Writing Conference. October 12 - 14, 2023: Blue Springs, MO. "The SMIAH Writers Conference is a writing event sponsored by both the Storymakers Author Guild and Indie Author Hub Guild. This conference is on it's tenth year of inspiring authors from across the country and around the world, giving them the tools they need to take their writing to the next level. The 2021 will continue to bring a unique spin to the traditional writers conference, offering both in-person and virtual attendance options. With a distinctly Indie flavor and all the traditional building blocks, this is the conference you need to step out of the ruts and see your writing and career clearly." 

Ozark Creative Writers Conference. October 12 - 14, 2023: Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Workshops by published authors, editors and agents; Publishers Row, independent publishers available to hear about your next project.

Women Writing the West 2023 Conference. October 12 – 14, 2023: Online. "This Virtual Conference will feature all the Awards, Workshops, Panels, Book Store, Silent Auction and camaraderie that WWW Members and Guests expect." Will be held virtually.

Georgia Romance Writers: Moonlight and Magnolias. October 12 – 14, 2023: Atlanta, Georgia. Includes keynote speakers, workshops, editor/agent appointments, autographing & bookfair, awards banquet.

New York Comicon. October 12 - 15, 2023. "New York Comic Con is your event. Where you can feel unafraid to geek out. Where you’re accepted and embraced for being yourself. Where you can experience the best in pop culture because no matter what fandom you’re passionate about, we have it waiting here for you. Be inspired by award-winning comic artists and Japanese anime creators. Get star struck over your favorite TV and film idols. Treat yourself to exclusive fandom gear and unique artwork. But most importantly, create all of those memories with the people you care about the most. Because this event is for you. To embrace your inner hero or root for the villain. To geek out as a family. To celebrate a weekend together you’ll never forget."

Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference. October 13 - 14, 2023: Dallas, Texas. The Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference is a forum for journalists, writers, readers, students, educators and the general public to listen to, be inspired by and practice their craft at the highest possible level. Every year, the Mayborn Conference gathers some of the most talented storytellers in the country to share their stories, life-changing experiences and expertise with aspiring writers through three days of lectures, panels, one-on-one sessions, and student classes. In addition, the conference includes a variety of writing contests for anyone from high school students to Pulitzer prize winning professionals, who receive hand-made trophies, more than $26,000 in cash awards and have their work published in Mayborn's journal, Ten Spurs, or anthology, Best American Newspaper Narratives.

Central Coast Writers' Conference. October 14, 2023: San Luis Obispo, CA. "Unlike other Writers' conferences, this year's conference has been expanded to encompass the wider 'Content Creator Community.' Our goal is to amplify the connection of content creators on the Central Coast and beyond including bloggers, podcasters, YouTubers, influencers, authors, narrators, journalists, artists, screenwriters, musicians, and of course - writers of all genres! As the medium for literary work has expanded beyond the book, content creators from all walks of life are encouraged to attend. There will be 16+ expert panels, featuring 50+ experts & thought leaders." 

Green River Writers Workshops: Memoir Writing Workshop. October 13 - 15, 2023: Santa Fe, New Mexico. Using memory as a starting point, Green River Writers Workshops focus on the craft of storytelling through memoir, fiction, historical writing, and poetry. Both experienced and beginning writers are welcome.

Annual Maryland Writer’s Conference. October 14 - 15, 2023: Baltimore, MD. The Brain to Bookshelf Annual Conference offers over 20 workshops and agent panels. Agent pitches and critiques are available, but agent slots are limited, so register early. New York Times Best Selling Author and Educator Maria V. Snyder will begin with keynote craft workshops each day. Day 1: Emotion is NOT a Dirty Word and Day 2: Writing: The Basics and Not so Basics.

Orion: Creative Nonfiction Online Workshop With Elissa Altman. October 17 - December 5, 2023. The Role of Place in Memoir. "In this class, we will breathe life into Susan Sontag’s incantation: love words, agonize over sentences, and pay attention to the world as being foundational to the role of place in memoir and essay, and how our relationship with and to it directly touches the experiences and narratives we create as a reflection of the world around us everywhere from nature to the table. Writers will spend time generating narratives at the intersection of the external and the internal, and how they directly influence each other. We will read short pieces by writers including Kerri Ni Dochartaigh, Ross Gay, Margaret Renkl, Barry Lopez, Robin Wall Kimmerer, and others. The course will primarily be generative." Apply by September 15.

Writing By Writers Workshop Tomales Bay. October 18 - 22, 2023: Tomales Bay, California. Manuscript and poetry workshops are limited to 12 participants and generative workshops are limited to 15 to ensure an intimate setting. 

Colrain Classic. October 20 - 23, 2023: Arlington, Vermont. "The Colrain Manuscript Classic is a highly focused, 3.5 day conference designed for poets with manuscripts in progress. The Classic features in-depth pre-conference work and candid, realistic evaluation and feedback from nationally-known poets, editors and publishers. In preparation, participants work at home on pre-conference assignments and then, in the workshop, review, arrange, and winnow their work based on the pre-conference work. In addition to the manuscript preparation workshop and editor sessions, there will be an editorial Q&A, and an after-conference strategy session." Will be conducted online.

Craft of Writing Conference. October 21, 2023: Glenpool, Oklahoma. The Craft of Writing Conference is focused on learning the skills needed to be an excellent writer. This includes topics such as plot & story structure, character development, conflict & motivation, point of view, editing—facets of the craft. Keynote Speaker; William Bernhardt. 

Annual Florida Writers Conference. October 20 - 22, 2023: Altamonte Springs, Florida. Over 75 workshops, major speakers, agent interviews, professional manuscript critiques, lively social events, and much more.

Youngstown Fall Literary Festival. October 20 - 21, 2023: Youngstown, Ohio. Nearly 150 presenters from throughout the U.S. will present on a wide array of literary topics of interest to readers, writers, translators, educators, editors and publishers.  Saturday, there will be a special track for K-12 language arts educators. The bookfair will include nearly two dozen small presses, booksellers and programs.

Making Magic: Writing and Refining Fantastical and Otherworldly Stories. October 23 - 26, 2023: Boyds Mills, PA. Deepen the magic in your middle grade or young adult novel with novelists Anna-Marie McLemore and Nova Ren Suma.  In this generative writing workshop, you’ll enjoy in-depth craft lectures from experienced faculty authors, small group workshopping, 1:1 faculty consultations, and ample private time to retreat so that you can write, wander, and connect with fellow magic makers.

Orion Nonfiction Workshop with Kerri Ní Dochartaigh. October 23 - November 27, 2023. The course: Writing Through Emergency. "How do we write of this earth? How do we write of this earth in these times? In this writing course you will seek to find ways to write of the natural world— our kith and our ki and our kin alike— in light of the various crises of our age. We will consider what it means to be a human animal living alongside other humans as well as other-than-humans; and how we might give voice to the in-between-ness of our relationships, one with the other. Together we will explore texts that unravel and challenge our views on how we might write the world around us— of which we are but one part. We will look at technique; examine old and new writings of the natural world; consider authorial voice and discuss themes of responsibility, diversity, and the importance of form when it comes to writing through emergency. We will consider the barriers faced by many in trying to share their essential stories. We will spend time with words crafted by displaced peoples; members of the disabled community; writers from a plethora of minoritized backgrounds and those from the LGBTQIA+ community. In giving voice to the experience of living with imposed otherness, these writers give voice to the aching need to move forward as a race from the myth of separation. We will give ourselves space to mold our own words through weekly writing exercises designed for those who feel drawn toward stewardship, kinship, and community, and we will work together on ways to write heartbrokenness and grief, joy and hope; as a means to bridge the gap between fear and action. We are less separate from the other beings of this earth than we have been led to believe.  This course makes room for a new and healing narrative of kinship." Apply by September 15.

Medical Writing and Communication Conference. October 25 - 28, 2023: Baltimore, MD. Workshops in medical writing, designing materials for patients, analysis, clinical reports, and more.

REVISION BOOTCAMP: All-Genre Intensive with Elmaz Abinader and Faith Adiele. October 27 - 28, 2023: Fish Creek, WI. Let’s put your writing through the workout it needs! Elmaz Abinader and Faith Adiele will coach you through editing and revising work of any genre. As multi-genre authors and master teachers, they will take your work through tried-and-true exercises to sculpt and refine your writing. They will help you understand what style of writer you are and which of the five stages of creative work your draft is in. Then they will show you revision strategies for every mode–developmental, stylistic, and structural. Plan to bring a draft manuscript that needs a workout (limited to 10 pages of poetry or 3,000 words of prose) and a laptop. The process will help you explore perspective and point of view, develop and deepen characters, and create contexts and build worlds. You will identify the work’s central questions and emotions, flush out scenes/forms, and harden the structure of your story or poems. You will pump up beginnings and endings and polish your language and metaphors to make your writing more powerful. The two days will be broken into team-taught craft lectures, writing exercises led by each teaching artist, lively Q&A, in-class writing, small group work and shares.

Ossabaw Weekend Writer’s Retreat. October 27 - 29, 2023: Ossabaw Island, GA. Workshops and seminars led by nationally recognized faculty, and evening readings (special emphasis on ghost stories) by faculty and participants. Application deadline: September 15.

The Rochester Writers Fall Conference. October 28, 2023: Rochester, MI. Lectures, Workshops, and Panel Discussions with a focus on nonfiction. Open to new writers, working journalists, and published authors. Professional development to move writers to the next level. 

Craft & Heart of Writing Poetry for Children. October 23 - 26, 2023: Boyds Mills, PA. OVERVIEW: In-person 5-Day/4-Night Workshop and Retreat If writing poetry for children is your passion, join celebrated poets Georgia Heard and Rebecca Kai Dotlich for this 5-day/4-night retreat to work on your own poetry through guided writing exercises, peer workshopping and sharing, lectures, and a private consultation.

Kentucky State Poetry Society. October 28 - 29, 2023: Online. Readings, workshops, panels, and keynote. "The Kentucky State Poetry Society seeks to inspire, encourage, and develop Kentucky’s poets through a wide variety of workshops, lectures, and publishing opportunities. The Kentucky State Poetry Society publishes the biannual literary journal Pegasus, offers a student and adult poetry contest, and hosts an annual poetry conference." Note: Membership not limited to Kentucky residents. Registration: $15. Will be conducted via Zoom.

OCTOBER 2022

Gold Rush Writers Conference. October 7 - 9, 2022, Mokelumne Hill, CA. "Writing professionals will guide you to a publishing bonanza through a series of panels, specialty talks, workshops and celebrity lectures. Go one-on-one with successful poets, novelists, biographers, memoirists and short story writers." Writing workshops in Autobiography/Memoir, Children's, Fiction, Marketing, Non-fiction, Poetry, Publishing, Romance, Travel, Young Adult. Individual sessions available. Postponed for 2023.

Orion Online Poetry Workshop. October 13 - November 17, 2022. Online. "This class meets once a week over six consecutive Thursdays from 1-4 ET. "This course will serve as a deep investigation of a single natural landscape of significance to you. This can be the woods near your home where you walk each day, a long-ago lake or coastal place where you haven’t dipped a toe in the water since you were a child, or somewhere you’ve never been but are fascinated by because of its profound or precarious ecological position. By the end of our six weeks together, you will have composed a suite of poems meditating on this place and digging into why its colors, textures, and scents deserve our close observation and consideration. This is your opportunity to peel back the layers—of personal observation, embodied memory, and the acquired knowledge of wildly varied (and sometimes imperiled) flora and fauna—that make our hearts wild for wild places." The Instructor: Keetje Kuipers is the author of three books of poems.

Nimrod Conference for Readers and Writers. October 13 - December 1, 2022: University of Tulsa, Oklahoma. "For over 40 years, Nimrod has hosted an in-person, all-day writing conference in conjunction with the publication of our fall issue. While we will not be hosting this year’s in-person events due to the continuing effects of the pandemic, we’re thrilled to host an extended period of virtual creative writing programming this fall. This year’s programming will feature several months of craft talks, Q&As, readings, and more. We will add more offerings to this schedule as they become available, so keep checking back."

Writer's Digest Novel Writing Conference. October 20 - 23, 2022: Pasadena, CA. Experienced authors, editors, agents and publishing experts will be on hand, ready to help you develop your own craft and position yourself for success.

Emerald City Writers' Conference. Oct 21 - 23, 2022, Bellevue, WA. Local Romance Writers of America conference, featuring film and television scouts, who will be taking pitches along with editors and agents, keynote speakers, workshops, and a master class. Postponed for 2023.

State Writing Conference & Convention, sponsored by The Kansas Authors Club, Oct 21 - 23, 2022: Wichita, Kansas. Theme: The Write Way to the Future. Writing workshops, panels, and presentations by Julie Sellers, Renee La Viness and more. Registration deadline September 20, 2022.

Other Words Literary Conference. Oct 28 -29, 2022: Lakeland, Florida. Workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as panels and readings. Their goal is "to bring together writers, editors, agents, publishers, book sellers, grant administrators, directors of writers' colonies and retreats, and other interested folk in one place. We'll be talking about the how to of the literary arts: how to write it, make it, sell it, fund it, and nurture it."

OCTOBER 2021

Be a Better Freelancer October 8 - 10, 2021: St. Louis, MO. Annual conference for freelance writers, editors, proofreaders, indexers, graphic artists, website managers and developers, etc., with presenters offering guidance and tips on marketing, promotions, new skills and other business aspects of freelancing. Focus: Nonfiction. 

NOVEMBER 2023

Clearwater Writers Women's Writing Retreat. November 2 - 12, 2023: Clearwater, Idaho. Retreats are facilitated by the Inn’s writer-in-residence, Paula Coomer, poet and author of such books as Jagged Edge of the Sky, Dove Creek, Nurses Who Love English, and Blue Moon Vegetarian. With more than 20 years of experience as a teacher of creative writing, Ms. Coomer offers creative inspiration and support for writers at all levels of achievement and ability.

Creative Hybrid Online Writing Workshop With Sarah Giragosian. November 2 - December 7, 2023. Creative Writing in the Anthropocene. "Creative writing within the framework of the Anthropocene is relatively undertheorized, yet critical in a time when our current geological era is being shaped by humans. In this hybrid course, we will demystify approaches to poetry and creative non-fiction that address the sixth mass extinction, climate change, and the ecological crisis, as well as explore how to narrate and represent the Anthropocene. Since climate change is a byproduct of human interventions in the natural world, we will consider the nuanced entanglements of nature and culture, as well as how the environmental crisis is in many ways a crisis of language and literacy, exploring how writers can develop readers’ ecological literacy and help them to develop a more sustainable relationship to the creatures and world around them. Integral to our study will be an engagement with writing that reckons with the more-than-human-world, with the systems and creatures that help us to think beyond an anthropocentric frame. Of value to the creative writer seeking new ways to address the Anthropocene in their writing, we will read work by such authors as Lia Purpura, Rebecca Giggs, Rebecca Solnit, Daisy Hildyard, Elizabeth Bishop, Patricia Smith, Camille Dungy, Anne Haven McDonnell, and Charlotte Pence, among others. We will be reading and writing each week with the goal of generating new work in a supportive environment. This is a virtual course to be held on Zoom." Apply by September 15

Wright Women Writers Conference. November 3- 4, 2023: University of Central Arkansas. "The C.D. Wright Women Writers Conference focuses on women-identifying writers from all genres and all experience levels, from journalism to mass market books to literary endeavors, and beyond. Our goal is to provide a space for camaraderie, connection-making, and inspiration, and while women-identifying writers are the only presenters at the conference, we welcome all of our male and male-identifying colleagues to attend. We believe that much of what we have to offer, including the specific, female perspective, is valuable for all audiences, and that male allies are necessary to changing the current gender imbalance in publishing."

Sanibel Island Writers Conference. November 3 - 4, 2023: Sanibel Island, Florida. Participants at all stages of development — from notebook scribblers to published novelists — are invited to view a variety of discussions and panels on fiction, poetry, songwriting, YA literature, screenwriting, creative nonfiction, and publishing and editing. 

North Carolina Writers’ Network Fall Conference. November 3 - 5, 2023: Charlotte, NC. The WSOC will feature classes and conversations on the craft and business of writing, as well as a keynote address by Jason Mott, a Pre-Conference Tailgate and a Prompt Party to get creative juices flowing, online Open Mic readings and Happy Hour virtual gatherings, and an Agents & Editors panel discussion. 

The Fall 2023 Online San Diego Writing Workshop. November 10 - 11, 2023. "This is a special two-day “How to Get Published” online writing workshop on November 10-11, 2023. In other words, it’s two days full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome. And even though this is the Online Fall “San Diego” Writing Workshop, make no mistake — writers from everywhere are welcome to attend virtually. Our WDW writers conferences have helped dozens of writers find literary agent representation." 

2023 Kauai Writers Festival. November 6 – 9, 2023, Master class. November 10 - 12, 2023. Conference:  Kalapaki Bay, Lihue, Kauai, HI. Join bestselling authors and agents in an intimate, oceanfront setting, with an emphasis on fiction, memoir, thrillers, and screenwriting. Includes in-depth sessions on craft, publishing, and the writing life, with opportunities for agent/editor feedback. 

American Literary Translators Association (ALTA) Conference. November 8 - 11, 2023: Tucson, AZ. Panels, workshops, readings, a book fair, and opportunities to meet with editors for translators. "The ALTA Annual Conference is a refreshingly collegial gathering of amateurs and professionals alike, both within the profession and outside it, all wholeheartedly committed to fostering, furthering, and supporting the practice of literary translation.Will be held in person.

Writing By Writers Manuscript Boot Camp. November 8 - 12, 2023: Stone Creek Village, Soquel, California. (In the event it is unsafe to meet in person due to COVID they will bring the workshop fully online at a reduced cost.) The Writing By Writers Manuscript Boot Camp is for the writer who has a full, book-length manuscript (novel, memoir, short story or essay collection) and would like to engage with a small group for a serious and productive response. The extended weekend will include an intimate manuscript workshop, craft panels, readings, and individual meetings – the perfect pre-publication boot camp for any manuscript. Classes are limited to 5 participants.

Futurescapes. November 9 - 12, 2023. Futurescapes is an intensive, exclusive workshop, offering writers an unparalleled chance to work with top authors and agents in speculative fiction (science fiction, fantasy, horror, paranormal). It has been almost five years since we last held a 200-page (50,000 word) workshop and we’re excited to do it once more. APPLY EARLY.

TLA Power of Words Conference. November 11, 2023: Online. "We welcome you to our 18th Power of Words conference, a special celebration of how we can build and sustain community, forge enduring individual and social change, and discover pathways to greater healing, meaning, and joy through writing, storytelling, theater, music, spoken word, and other word arts. Come connect with over two dozen musicians, storytellers, spoken word artists, teachers, community leaders, educators, and health professionals to celebrate and investigate how the arts can promote justice, healing, community-building, and social change." Online.

Travel & Words: Northwest Travel Writers Conference. November 12 - 14, 2023: Missoula, Montana. Workshops, panels, networking and Writer Matchmaking: Writers attending Travel & Words are looking for story ideas and possibly press trips. These “speed dating” sessions connect destination marketers with freelance writers and bloggers on the “Experienced” track. 

Red Clay Writers Conference. November 15 - 16, 2023: Kennesaw GA. Red Clay Writers Conference is the annual conference of Georgia Writers Association. Red Clay has been hosted since 2009 to encourage and inspire writers through literary events that focus on the art and craft of writing. Will be held online and in person.

Gotham Writers Conference. November 18 - 19, 2023: NY, NY. A writing conference built by agents, for writers, with a faculty of some of the top agents in New York City. Receive focused attention within your genre from some of the best in the business. Will be held on Zoom.

All Write, Columbia – Writers Conference. November 2023: Spencertown, NY. A five day intensive writing conference focused fiction. The conference is open to all levels of writers, from beginners to more advanced writers with a manuscript or publications. Open to writers who are at least 18 years old. Just 20 writers will be accepted.

NOVEMBER 2022 

Autumn Writing Getaway. November 5, 2022: Online. Join us for a welcoming getaway designed for writers of fiction, memoir, creative nonfiction and poetry. "This retreat will trigger your imagination, giving you the freedom to compose new and exciting work. Spend time immersed in the literary life: writing, discussing craft and sharing new drafts." Held online.

Nimrod Conference for Readers and Writers. November 5 - December 1, 2022: University of Tulsa, Oklahoma. "For over 40 years, Nimrod has hosted an in-person, all-day writing conference in conjunction with the publication of our fall issue. While we will not be hosting this year’s in-person events due to the continuing effects of the pandemic, we’re thrilled to host an extended period of virtual creative writing programming this fall. This year’s programming will feature several months of craft talks, Q&As, readings, and more. We will add more offerings to this schedule as they become available, so keep checking back."

NOVEMBER 2021

The Joshua Tree Experiential Arts and Writing Retreat. November 19 -21, 2021: Twentynine Palms, CA. Faculty: Sean Negus, Ariel Fintushel, Matthew Sherling, Nicelle Davis. "This retreat experiments with various experiential approaches to art and writing.  Retreat participants are encouraged to remain open to possibilities of improvisation, free play, rhizomatic experimentation, and pragmatic adjustments of the schedule throughout the retreat. Vaccines Required." Cost: Sliding scale/pay what you can $75-$400.

Kaz Conference Writing Workshop is a 5-week playwriting / screenwriting intensive for women writers. The intensive takes place via ZOOM. Each week we will read and discuss two to three submitted plays/screenplays using the Liz Lerman Critical Response Process as a base for our critique. Writers receive two critiques of 10 to 30 pages from Kaz and the rest of the cohort. COST: $375.00. For women writers only. DATES: The Intensive will meet from 1-3PM on Thursdays beginning January 6, 2022.  To APPLY - GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION: 1) Submit 5 to 10 pages of your best piece of playwriting. Apply by November 30.

DECEMBER 2023

The Fall 2023 Online Writing Workshop of Chicago. December 8 - 9, 2023. "This is a special two-day “How to Get Published” online writing workshop. In other words, it’s two days full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome. And even though this is the Online Fall “San Diego” Writing Workshop, make no mistake — writers from everywhere are welcome to attend virtually. Our WDW writers conferences have helped dozens of writers find literary agent representation." 

Larksong's 4th Annual Speedwriting & Reading Party. Saturday, December 9, 2023: Online. Workshop Leaders: Zedeka Poindexter, Steve Edwards, Tommy Dean, Kelly Madigan. Readers: Cliff Taylor, Mary Pipher, JV Brummels, Monica Joy, LeeAnn Roripaugh. "The format is simple. We alternate five-minute readings with 15-minute mini writing workshops that start with a craft talk and end with a writing prompt. Five readings, four workshops, so you’ll not only leave the event inspired but you’ll have some new writing too! After the presentations there’s time for a Q&A with writers and other participants." Free.

A(n) (Un)holy Alliance: Braiding the Sacred and the Profane. December 13, 2023, 6:00-7:30PM EST. "The word profane refers to the secular world, the parts of a life that are not directly related to spiritual or religious practice. However you may define the spiritual in your own life, what might happen in our writing if we blend the sacred and the profane to make a liminal world where these two things coexist?" Free.

The Mesa Book Festival. December 16, 2023: Mesa, Arizona. The festival features presentations, readings, visits with authors, and a poetry open mic. "Everyone! Authors, Publishers, and Book Sellers are invited to  register for space to showcase, promote, and sell their books. Readers are invited to come and buy their books direct. We're encouraging a wide variety of literary arts purveyors to share their work to create a bigger audience for everyone." All events are free and open to the public.

DECEMBER 2022

Nimrod Conference for Readers and Writers. December 1, 2022: University of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Topic: BIPOC Women: Claim Your Voice, Empower Your Writing. "Join us for a timely discussion about claiming the power in your voice as a BIPOC woman writer. We’ll talk about ways to claim your voice, empower your writing, and more at this panel discussion. The overturning of Roe v. Wade is destructive for all women, but particularly for those who have few choices, whether geographical, financial, or a combination. Many of those women are Black, Indigenous, and people of color. The way we raise our voices will shape the values of this generation and the next, and it’s vital, now more than ever, for BIPOC women’s voices to be heard." $5 fee.

Kaz: Write Your Nonfiction Book Proposal Workshop. "If you are near the completion of a nonfiction book you will need a book proposal in order to approach both agents and publishing houses. The nonfiction book proposal is a 20 to 40 page “pitch” – a compelling narrative about your book’s marketability and content. The Kaz Conference Writing Workshop’s one month book proposal workshop will take you through 4 critical sections of a winning proposal: The overview, Author Bio, Comp Titles and Platform. Limited to 4 to 6 writers, the workshop meets via ZOOM Mondays in January (2,9,16 and 23). At each session writers will share selected parts of their proposal for feedback." Tuition: $300. Application deadline: December 15, 2022

DECEMBER 2020

CLMP Writers Conference. December 2 - 4, 2020: NY, NY. Learn how to maneuver in the marketplace as an informed, empowered, professional writer. Our three-day online publishing conference features panels, clinics, Agent Pitch Sessions, and more—specifically designed to deliver insider tips on finding a literary agent, working with an editor, publishing in literary magazines, and other valuable information about building your career as a writer. On hiatus.

3 comments:

  1. I see a wonderful variety of conferences here. I recommend you include RWA international conference held every year by Romance Writers of America. I have benefited greatly by attending their San Diego conference this year. Next year July 2017 it will be in Orlando with opportunities to pitch your book.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Urk! After June 2017 the conference list reverts to May 2016... Can you update the list again? I'm looking for West Coast conferences in the Fall of 2017!
    (I can look elsewhere, but I thought you'd want someone to point out the glitch... feel free to delete my comment after it's fixed)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi! It's not really a glitch. I update the conference dates as I receive them, which means I can't get full lists more than two months in advance. You can do two things: 1) click on the conferences for last year. Most of these are annual events, so you'll get the current information. 2) click on the links at the top of the page. These will provide you with information on conferences throughout the year.

    ReplyDelete

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