38 Writing Conferences in October 2018

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October offers writers a bumper crop of writing conferences. There are no fewer than 38 conferences, retreats, expositions, and fairs this month, spanning the country. Genre-specific conferences include romance, science fiction, fantasy, children's literature, poetry, mystery, thrillers, horror and more. There is something for everyone!

I can't recommend attending a conference enough. There is nothing like making personal contacts with agents, editors, and writers to advance your career as a writer.

If you can't make your ideal conference this year, plan ahead for next year. Many conferences are yearly events. Planning ahead also gives you an opportunity to apply for the scholarships offered by some of these conferences. You can find a comprehensive list of conferences throughout the year here: Writing Conferences.

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Digital Book World Conference + Expo, Nashville, TN, October 2 - 4, 2018. This is the premier event for digital publishers and content providers of all sizes and business models.

Georgia Romance Writers: Moonlight and Magnolias. October 4 – October 7, 2018: Atlanta, Georgia. Includes keynote speakers, workshops, editor/agent appointments, autographing & bookfair, awards banquet.

Beginner’sClass In World Building And World Conjuring 2018. October 4 – October 7, 2018: Honesdale, PA. If you are in the beginning stages of creating a speculative, science fiction, magical realism, or fantasy novel, this workshop will teach you the techniques of worldbuilding, the process of constructing an imaginary world. Workshop leader Cori McCarthy is well versed in the challenges of the craft and will guide you to create depth in your world and characters with techniques that lend themselves to fantastical worlds: ways to establish rules and meaning, build relationships, and structure governments. Special guest authors Amy Rose Capetta, Sage Blackwood and Kristen Simmons will help Cori immerse you in the process of building compelling and believable worlds in your fiction and help you develop new ideas for your work-in-progress. Along with daily lectures and writing, Cori will host one-on-one consultations on the first 10 pages of your work-in-progress and facilitate writer’s roundtables on additional pages.

New York Comicon. October 4 - 7, 2018: New York, New York. New York Comic Con is the East Coast's biggest popular culture convention: Show Floor plays host to the latest and greatest in comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, toys, movies and television; Panels and Autograph Sessions give Fans a chance to interact with their favorite Creators; Screening rooms feature sneak peeks at films and television shows months before they hit big and small screens.

2018 Creative Retreat for writers, photographers. October 5 - 7, 2018: Mountain View, Missouri. Relax & refuel your creativity along a scenic river, while picking up tips from professionals in writing & photography. There will be time to learn & time to create. Participants stay in rustic cabins & enjoy family-style meals in dining hall.

Colrain Classic. October 5-8, 2018: Leicester, Massachusetts. The conference will be held at the beautiful Barred Owl Retreat, a 15-room, 1920′s colonial home located just outside the city of Worcester, Massachusetts. The retreat’s lovingly landscaped acreage hosts an orchard, a brook, two ponds and an abundance of wildlife including herons, beavers, otters, deer, and of course, barred owls. The property abuts a secluded 114-acre nature preserve so on the grounds one might feel away from it all, yet Barred Owl Retreat is just four miles from downtown Worcester. Here, you will work with poet-editor-educators Joan Houlihan, Rusty Morrison, and Ellen Dore Watson.

PictureBook Illustration: From Conception To Birth 2018. October 5 – October 7, 2018: Honesdale, PA. A down-to-earth, hands-on workshop for the illustrator who’s looking for the inside track, packed with valuable pointers and solid advice. Picture book illustration is a highly competitive field. Art directors and editors are not only looking for the illustrator with the right style for a particular book. The edge goes to the professional who’s confident in the craft of making picture books. This workshop is designed to give you that competitive edge by providing practical tips and direction from an art director with many years of experience working in the trenches.

Creatures, Crimes & Creativity. October 5 - 7, 2018: Columbia, MD. A writer's and fan's conference for genre fiction covering mystery, suspense, thriller, sci-fi, fantasy, steampunk & horror.

State Writing Conference & Convention, sponsored by The Kansas Authors Club, Oct 5 - 7, 2018, Salina, Kansas. Writing workshops, panels, and presentations by Kevin Rabas, Jeff Broome and more.

Write on the Sound Writers' Conference and Pre-Conference. Oct 5 - 7, 2018: Edmonds, WA. WOTS offers the opportunity to explore various writing craft techniques with nationally recognized industry professionals in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. SOLD OUT.

Imaginarium. Oct 5 - 7, 2018: 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.

Picture Book Summit. Oct 6, 2018, Online. An online, 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.

WritingFor All Young Readers: Board Books Through Mg Series 2018. October 7 – October 9, 2018: Honesdale, PA. This workshop is for anyone looking for ways to break in or expand upon a career in writing for children, from board books to middle grade series. Crystal Allen, Kelly Starling Lyons, Kristy Dempsey, and Gwendolyn Hooks met at the Highlights Foundation’s Chautauqua Workshop over a decade ago. Their friendship was forged over works-in-progress, critiques, and the drive to publish great books for all children. Fast forward to now, and between the four women, they have over 30 books published for readers of all ages. They’ve designed a workshop to share with you all that they have gathered over years of their journeys.

Ozark Creative Writers Conference. Oct 11 - 13, 2018: Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Workshops by published authors, editors and agents; Publishers Row, independent publishers available to hear about your next project; Writing contests available to all participants.

Other Words Literary Conference. Oct 11 -13, 2018: University of Tampa, 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."

2018 Greater Nebraska Writers Conference. Oct 12 -13, 2018: Aurora, Nebraska. Hear Keynote Speaker: Alex Kava and attend 22 great classes! New this year: Boot Camp! Split into groups with a facilitator at each table. Read your first chapter or 2,000 words. Get personal feedback and give others feedback.

Northern Woodlands Writers & Readers Conference. Oct 12 - 14, 2018: Fairlee, Vermont. Sponsored by The Trust for Public Land, the conference explores how writers, artists and educators express the rich forest heritage of the Northeast: both the natural history of our region, and the interactions of people and place. The event will include writing workshops, readings, a nature illustration class, special workshops for educators, woods walks, fun talks on forest topics, and plenty of time for informal conversations over meals and around the campfire. Register by Oct 1.

TLA Power of Words Conference. Oct 12 - 14, 2018: Plainfield, Vermont. Conference that explores the use of expressive language arts, including written, spoken, and sung words. Special tracks in Narrative Medicine, Right Livelihood, and Social Change.

When the Personal Becomes Political. October 13, 2018: Galloway NJ. "Are you eager to contribute to the political conversation? Take advantage of our supportive atmosphere as a safe space to write a provocative personal essay worthy of submitting to the Op-Ed editors of major publications. Whether you lean left or right—or stand smack dab in the middle—this invigorating workshop will help you transform your fiery arguments into an eloquent and persuasive, thought-provoking piece."

James River Writers Conference. October 13 - 14, 2018: Richmond, Virginia. Participants include poets Tyree Daye and Pavana Reddy; fiction writers Xhenet Aliu and Mackenzi Lee; nonfiction writers David Coogan and Laurie Gwen Shapiro; literary agents Moe Ferrara (BookEnds Literary), Jessica Felleman (Foundry), Dara Kaye (Ross Yoon Agency), Chad Luibl (Janklow & Nesbit Associates), Beth Phelan (Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency), and Rebecca Scherer ( Jane Rotrosen Agency); and editor Latoya C. Smith (LCS Literary Services). The cost of the conference, which includes some meals and a one-on-one meeting with an agent, is $335, or $195 for a single day. The cost of a master class is an additional $65.

The Craft And Heart Of Writing Poetry For Children 2018. October 14 – October 18, 2018: Honesdale, PA. If you have a passion for writing children’s poetry, then please join us. Beginning poets, seasoned writers, teachers, and dreamers are all welcome. Would you love to work in an intimate setting with published poets, make new friends, and immerse yourself in writing poetry and working on the craft? Then this workshop is for you. Our goal is to bring poets together to delve into the heart, joy, and craft of poetry. We will be discussing, learning, writing, revising, and working on the craft of writing poetry for children. This workshop will offer plenty of interaction, direction, and free creative writing time. We’ll focus on all elements of poetry, from the importance of word choice to surprising metaphors. There will be plenty of writing exercises to inspire new poems followed by group discussions. As a group, we’ll brainstorm ideas, share our writing process, and generate original poems. You’ll be inspired to create new poems or bring works in progress to polish.

Writing By Writers Workshop @ Tomales Bay. October 17 - 21, 2018: Tomales Bay, California. Manuscript and poetry workshops are limited to 12 participants and generative workshops are limited to 15 to ensure an intimate setting.

TellingIt True: The Art Of Storytelling In Picture Book Biography AndNarrative Nonfiction 2018. October 18 – October 21, 2018: Honesdale, PA. Engage children in the lives of others through captivating events and compelling narrative threads. Unfamiliar names may not hook your readers, but a well-told true story can inspire, delight, teach, and enthrall. It’s an exciting time for nonfiction in the children’s book world. Teachers are craving more of it. Authors are experimenting with structure and story-telling technique. And kids are realizing that nonfiction can read with the same page-turning momentum as great fiction. Join Leda Schubert and Tod Olson as they explore the art of writing nonfiction for children and teens in both long and short forms. The process, for both picture books and narrative nonfiction, starts with the idea and research—lots of it. From there, the art of storytelling takes over.

Cagibi Hudson Valley Writing Retreat. October 18 - 21, 2018, Rhinebeck, NY. "Join a small group of writers for a long weekend of dedicated writing time and workshops co-led by teachers and editors under the spell of Hudson Valley’s spectacular autumn. Tuition includes gorgeous accommodations on-site in a stunning renovated farm house, three scrumptious meals a day, and one-on-one consultations. The retreat leaders will be Matt Pasca (author of A Thousand Doors and Raven Wire) and Terri Muuss (author of Over Exposed, co-editor of Grabbing the Apple), along with Cagibi founding editors."

Annual Florida Writers Conference, October 18 - 21, 2018: Altamonte Springs, Florida. Four workshops and panels dedicated to help you learn how to pitch your story, and more than fifty acclaimed authors, poets, and publishing industry experts for three days of networking opportunities.

Nimrod Conference for Readers and Writers. October 19 - 20, 2018: University of Tulsa, Oklahoma. The conference features workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as readings, master classes, panel discussions, and individual manuscript consultations with faculty. Participants include poets Kaveh Bassiri and Patricia Smith; fiction writers Rilla Askew, Erin Bow, Sarah MacLean, and Julia White; poet and creative nonfiction writer Jill Bialosky; editor Carl Engle-Laird (Tor); and recent winners of the Nimrod Literary Awards. The cost of the conference is $60, which includes lunch. Scholarships are available. The deadline to register for a one-on-one manuscript consultation with an editor is October 13.

Magna cum Murder XXIII. Oct 19  - 21, 2018: Indianapolis, IN. 45+ authors of crime writing fiction Guest of Honor: Terence Faherty; International Guest of Honor: Reavis Wortham.

Annual Rochester Writers’ Conference, October 20, 2018: Rochester, Michigan. Lectures, Workshops and Panel Discussions in fiction, non-fiction and business of writing presentations. Open to new, working and published writers of all genres. Attendees select four presentations from a dozen to tailor fit their needs.

DAWG Writing Workshop, Write to Publish: Climbing Toward Success!  Oct 20, 2018: DeSoto, TX. Faculty: Stephen Fraser, Sarah LaPolla, Brian Smith and more.

ElementsOf Plot With Grace Lin And Padma Venkatraman 2018. October 21 – October 24, 2018: Honesdale, PA. Find your way through your novel, from point to point and place to place. Crafting engaging characters and an interesting concept are only part of what makes a novel successful. For all stories, plot is a crucial element. It provides the energy to move your story from beginning to end. Plot must be responsive in its point of view, dialogue, and characterization. Join Newbery winner Grace Lin and critically acclaimed author Padma Venkatraman in a hands-on experience designed to help you understand the analytical nature of plot and uncover ways to plan your novel. You’ll examine the internal and external conflicts of your story and whether or not an emotional arc is achieved. Grace and Padma will offer feedback on pacing, tension, and stakes, as well as guide you in planning the journey of your story. Whether plot comes to you intuitively or you struggle to bring structure to your concepts, this workshop is designed to help you strengthen your novel under the support and guidance of Grace and Padma. Writers will be asked to submit 10 pages from the beginning of their work-in-progress, along with a chapter-by-chapter summary of the entire manuscript. Picture book writers are also welcome to attend and may send a single manuscript in its entirety.

Viable Paradise Science Fiction Writers' Workshop. Oct 21 - 26, 2018: Martha’s Vineyard, MA. One-on-one & workshop critiques, participation in student group critiques, writing sessions, daily readings. Instructors include Scott Lynch, Debra Doyle, Patrick & Teresa Nielsen Hayden, Sherwood Smith, James D. Macdonald and Daryl Gregory, with Elizabeth Bear and Laura Mixon as writers in residence. Applications close June 1.

John R. Milton Writers' Conference. Oct 25 - 27, 2018: Vermillion, South Dakota. The 2018 conference theme is “This Lonely Frontier: Exploring Boundaries of Space, Identity, and Genre." Percival Everett, Ellen Forney, Karen Salyer McElmurray and Erika T. Wurth are keynote and featured authors. In addition, Ellen Forney will deliver a workshop on creating comics.

Emerald City Writers' Conference. Oct 26 -28, 2018, 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. 

Retreat to the Springs! Oct 26 -28, 2018: Yellow Springs, OH. Includes instruction and one-on-one manuscript critique. Faculty: Ann Hagedorn (creative nonfiction), Donna MacMeans (romance), Jason Sanford (scifi/fantasy), and Valerie Coleman (self-publishing).

Writer's Digest Novel Writing Conference, Oct. 26 - 28, 2018: 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.

Steel Pen Conference. October 27, 2018: Fair Oaks, IN. Featured speakers and experts in the field provide workshops, and authors can showcase books, or receive direct critiques on their work from experienced writers and network with fellow writers. This is an annual conference.

FundamentalSteps To Writing Historical Fiction 2018. October 28 – October 31, 2018: Honesdale, PA. Give your historical fiction a strong start by learning the fundamentals of this popular genre. Are you writing a novel where a historical event or historical figure plays a main role? This workshop is designed to help you finish or revise your historical novel with five thoughtful steps. Using the acronym STEPS, award-winning historical fiction author Joyce Moyer Hostetter will introduce the basics of writing historical fiction.

American Literary Translators Association (ALTA) Conference. October 31 - November 3, 2018, Bloomington, IN. 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."