16 Writing Conferences in March 2016

There are lots of great conferences in March.

With locations stretching from Massachusetts to Washington State, one of them is bound to be near you.

Some of these conferences offer valuable one-on-one sessions with authors to get the feedback you need, as well as pitch sessions with agents.

The best way to establish yourself as a professional in this business is to network with other industry professionals. This is how people make contacts, in any field. For that reason, and many others, I can't recommend writing conferences highly enough.

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Redrock Creative Writing Seminar, St. George, Utah, March 4-5, 2016. Classes and readings in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. The faculty includes poets David J. Rothman and Marleen Bussma; fiction writer Marilyn Richardson; and creative nonfiction writer Brian Passey. Cost: $65.

Wordcrafters: Be Writing. Eugene, Oregon. March 5, 2016. Six classes, one-on-one session with author. $95.

William Paterson University Spring Writer’s Conference. Wayne, New Jersey, March 5, 2016.  Application Deadline: March 1, 2016. readings and workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. The faculty includes poets Hadara Bar-Nadav and Charlotte Nekola; fiction writers Philip Cioffari, Barbara Krasner, and West Moss; and nonfiction writers Laurie Lico Albanese, David Borkowski, Randall Klein, and Luc Sante. Cost: $55.

Digital Book World Conference + Expo, New York City, Mar. 7–9, 2016. This is the premier event for digital publishers and content providers of all sizes and business models.

Algonkian Writers New York Pitch Conference, New York City, March 10-23, 2016. "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. "

Springmingle. Decatur, Georgia, March 11-13, 2016. Conference for children's book writers and illustrators. Faculty includes writers, illustrators, agents, editors, and publishers.

Bay to Ocean Writers Conference. Wye Mills, Maryland, March 12, 2016. Sponsored by the Eastern Shore Writers Association. "The BTO conference features workshops, presentations, and panel discussions on a wide variety of topics pertaining to the craft of writing, publishing, marketing, the Internet, and the intricacies of particular genres. It is an opportunity to meet with many writing peers in the region. Speakers include accomplished authors, poets, film writers, writing instructors, editors, and publishers. BTO also offers one-on-one manuscript reviews with experienced writing instructors and editors for registered attendees for a fee."

Berkshire Festival of Women Writers. Lenox, Mass. March 12 - 20, 2016. More than 40 events celebrating women writers.

Algonkian Novel Retreat, Sterling, Virginia, March 16 - 20, 2016. Consultations and time to write for fiction and nonfiction writers. The faculty includes fiction writers Robert Bausch and Michael Neff and editor Caitlin Alexander. Cost: $1,395, which includes tuition, a private room, and some meals. Submit a writing sample of up to 500 words with a short synopsis. Registration is first come, first served.

Virginia Festival of the Book, March 16-20, 2016. Book exhibits, talks by authors, readings, workshops on book promotion, finding an agent, poetry, publishing, agents roundtable - you name it, this conference has it.

Everything You Need to Know About Children’s Book Publishing A Crash Course. Honesdale, PA. March 17-20. Sponsored by Highlights for children, this is an intensive workshop covering every aspect of publishing children's books.

Norwescon, March 24-27, 2016, Sea Tac, WA. Norwescon is one of the largest regional Science Fiction and Fantasy conventions in the United States.

WonderCon, March 25-27, 2016, Los Angeles, CA. HUGE comic book convention.

The AWP Conference & Bookfair, March 30-April 2, 2016, Los Angeles, CA. " 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. The 2015 conference featured over 2,000 presenters and 550 readings, panels, and craft lectures. The bookfair hosted over 800 presses, journals, and literary organizations from around the world. AWP’s is now the largest literary conference in North America."

31st Annual National Undergraduate Literature Conference, March 31 - April 2, 2016, 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."

13th National Black Writers Conference. Brooklyn, NY, Thursday, March 31 – Sunday, April 3, 2016. Readings, panels, and roundtable discussions on the theme of “Writing Race; Embracing Difference.” Featured writers include poet and honorary chair Rita Dove; fiction writers Edwidge Danticat and Charles Johnson; and nonfiction writer Michael Eric Dyson. Cost: $65.