8 Writing Conferences in January 2017

January is cold, dark, and dismal. What better way to warm up your writing fingers than with a cozy conference?

This month features conferences all over the US, from New Jersey to San Francisco. If you have a completed manuscript, there are conferences with pitch sessions, as well as the opportunity to informally chat with agents and editors. There are also workshops, readings, and discussions.

Many conferences are offered annually, so if you miss a conference in your area this year, you can always catch it next year. For a full month-by-month list of conferences go here: Writing Conferences.

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TMW January Jumpstart XVII. Jan 6 - 8, 2017, Oak Ridge, TN. Parallel sessions of workshops on fiction, poetry, nonfiction, writing for young people, editing, storytelling, self publishing, oral history, keeping series books fresh; panel discussions/readings; Saturday banquet. Faculty includes banquet speaker Sonja Livingston; Michael Knight, Jesse Graves, Courtney Stevens, Denton Loving, Beverly Connor, Bob Mayer, Saundra Kelley, Robert Gipe, Judy DiGregorio, Cathy Kodra.

Winter Poetry & Prose Getaway. January 13 - 16, 2017, Galloway, New Jersey. Workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as craft talks, one-on-one tutorials, featured readings, and open mics. The faculty includes poets Stephen Dunn, Laura McCullough, Sharon Olds, and James Richardson; fiction writers Joyce McDonald and Carol Plum-Ucci; and creative nonfiction writer Barbara Hurt. Tuition, which includes some meals, ranges from $490 to $690, depending on the workshop; lodging is not included.

Poets and Writers Live. January 14 - 15, 2017, San Francisco, CA. The conference features publishing panels, craft talks, readings, multimedia performances, and a book and magazine fair, as well as small-group sessions in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Ticket holders also receive one free drink at a cocktail reception at the conference hotel on Saturday night. Participating writers include poets Jane Hirshfield, Joyce Lee, Ishmael Reed, Barbara Jane Reyes, Kay Ryan, Solmaz Sharif, C. Dale Young, Javier Zamora, and Matthew Zapruder; fiction writers Grant Faulkner, Jonathan Franzen, Bich Minh Nguyen, and Benjamin Percy; and nonfiction writers Sarah Manguso and Susan Orlean. U.S. poet laureate Juan Felipe Herrera will deliver the keynote. Participating publishing professionals include agents Anna Ghosh (Ghosh Literary), Jennifer March Soloway (Andrea Brown Literary Agency), and Danielle Svetcov (Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary Agency); and editors Jordan Bass (McSweeney’s), Rusty Morrison (Omnidawn Publishing), Ethan Nosowsky (Graywolf Press), and Steve Wasserman (Heyday Books). The cost of the two-day conference is $175 before December 4 and $250 thereafter.

Key West Literary Seminar. January 16 - 20, 2017, Key West, Florida. The seminar offers readings, lectures, and conversations with poets, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers. The 2017 theme is  “Revealing Power: The Literature of Politics.” The writers' workshop offers workshops and craft discussions for poets, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers. Faculty includes Jennine Capó Crucet, Billy Collins, Marie Myung-Ok Lee, Kristen-Paige Madonia, Michael Maren, Daniel Menaker, Kate Moses, Rowan Ricardo Phillips, and Dani Shapiro.

Eckerd College Writers’ Conference. January 14 - 21, 2017, St. Petersburg, FL. Workshops, roundtables, panel discussions, Q&As, readings book signings, and receptions. The faculty includes poets Richard Blanco, Denise Duhamel, Major Jackson, and Peter Meinke; fiction writers Lan Samantha Chang, Andre Dubus III, Fabienne Josaphat, Laura Lippman, Stewart O’Nan, Les Standiford, Sterling Watson, and David Yoo; and creative nonfiction writers Ann Hood and Helen Wallace.

Palm Beach Poetry Festival. January 16 - 21, 2017, Delray Beach, Florida. The faculty includes poets David Baker, Tina Chang, Lynn Emanuel, Daisy Fried, Terrance Hayes, Dorianne Laux, Thomas Lux, Carl Phillips, Martha Rhodes, and Charles Simic.  $895 includes all events, one gala seat; $495/auditor. Accepted participants may schedule a one-on-one conference at additional cost.

Digital Book World Conference + Expo, New York City, Jan. 17– 19, 2017. This is the premier event for digital publishers and content providers of all sizes and business models.

Write on the Red Cedar, Jan 20 - 21, 2017, East Lansing MI. Workshops, speakers, panels, manuscript reviews, networking, and pitch appointments with literary agents. Regular Registration $125 includes Friday night cocktail party and full slate of workshops on Saturday. Full Conference $200. (Prices go up after Dec. 1)