25 Writing Conferences in May 2020

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Like the May flowers that are the product of April showers, spring is usually when writing conferences start popping up.

In spite of the pandemic, you can still attend these conferences. Quite a few will be held virtually, including the famous Nebula conference, and others have been postponed. You may be self-quarantined, but don't give up on your writing career.

Plan ahead! Conferences often offer scholarships, but these have deadlines. If one of these conferences interests you, put the scholarship deadline date on your calendar for next year, or for whenever the conference rolls around again.

For a full list of conferences, organized by month, see Writing Conferences. While nearly all of these are in the United States, you can find links on that page that will take you to world-wide conference lists.

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Malice Domestic. May 1 - 3, 2020, 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. Rescheduled for April 29 - May 2, 2021.

Gold Rush Writers Conference. May 1 - 3, 2020, 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. Rescheduled for October 2 - 4, 2021.

Hedgebrook VORTEXT Salon. May 1 - 3, 2020, Whidbey Institute on Whidbey Island, about 35 miles northwest of Seattle. Workshops, panel discussions, lectures, open mics, and time to write in poetry, fiction, and nonfiction for women writers. Postponed.

Colrain Classic. May 1 - 4, 2020. Arlington, Vermont. "The Arlington Inn is a village estate built in 1847 that was later turned into a summer hotel in Arlington, Vermont. Today, the inn encompasses four buildings throughout four acres. This includes three buildings, 16 guest rooms and a restaurant. Located in the heart of The Shires of Vermont on The Shires By-Way, the Arlington Inn is just a short drive from Manchester and Bennington, Vermont; Massachusetts, and New York. Please note that we will make all reservations and arrangements for conference participants. Other details will be sent to all registrants along with the pre-conference materials." Here you will work with poet-editors Joan Houlihan and Martha Rhodes. Will be conducted online.

Write Now!  May 2, 2020, Raleigh, NC. One day writing conference hosted by Triangle Association of Freelancers.Sessions include screenwriting, financial tips for writers, pillars of freelance success, copyediting, trade pubs, column writing, publishing tips and more. Cost: $89; $75 for students with ID, seniors 65+ and retired/active duty military; $109 at the door. Canceled.

Austin SCBWI 2020 Writers & Illustrators Working Conference. May 2 - 3, 2020: Austin, 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 online.

Travel & Words: Northwest Travel Writers Conference. May 3 - 5, 2020. Bend, OR. 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. Postponed until Fall 2020.

Annual PEN World Voices Festival of International Literature. May 4 - 9, 2020 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." Canceled.

Columbus State Community College Writers Conference. May 6, 2020, Columbus, Ohio. Workshops in Autobiography/Memoir, Business/Technical, Fiction, Journalism, Marketing, Non-fiction, Playwriting, Poetry, Publishing, Screenwriting. This one-day conference is free of charge. Rescheduled for July 18, 2020.

10th Annual Nonfiction Writers Conference. May 6 - 8, 2020: Conducted online.

Lakefly Writers Conference. May 8 - 9, 2020, Premier Waterfront Hotel & Convention Center in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Workshops, talks, and a book fair for poets, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers. Presenters: Beth Amos, Malinda Andrews, Valerie Biel, Rebekah Bryan, R. R. Campbell and more. Rescheduled for May 6-7, 2021.

Atlanta Writers Conference. May 8 - 9, 2020, Atlanta, GA. The conference features publishing panels, pitch sessions, manuscript and query letter critiques, and a workshop on author branding for fiction writers, nonfiction writers, and graphic novelists. Participating publishing professionals include editors Lashanda Anakwah (Simon & Schuster), Sean deLone (Atria Books), Sarah Grill (St. Martin’s Press), Carolina Ortiz (HarperCollins), and Melissa Ann Singer (Tor), and agents Lisa Abellera (Kimberley Cameron & Associates), Ashley Lopez (Waxman Literary Agency), Ann Rose (Prospect Agency), Eva Scalzo (Speilburg Literary Agency), and Saba Sulaiman (Talcott Notch Literary Services). The cost of a single session ranges from $50 to $170, depending on the activity; the cost of the full conference is $620. For nonmembers of the Atlanta Writers Club, an additional $50 membership fee is also required. Lodging is available at the conference hotel for a discounted rate of $125 per night until April 16. The deadline to register for a manuscript critique is April 7. Space is limited; registration is first come, first served. The general registration deadline is May 7. May be held online (?)

Washington Writers Conference 2020. May 8 - 9, 2020: Bethesda, MD. Pitch sessions, expert sessions, author talks, and a luncheon, plus panels on how to query, how to pitch, and more publishing pros’ insights, are just some of the highlights. Past speakers include Bob Woodward, Bob Schieffer, Kitty Kelley, Judith Viorst, Alice McDermott, Ron Charles, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, Susan Coll, E.J. Dionne, and Jeffery Deaver. Canceled.

Big Sur on Cape Cod. May 8 - 10, 2020, North Falmouth MA. Faculty: Andrea Brown and four of her agents, four editors and four authors. Children's writing. FULL. Rescheduled for September 11 - 13, 2020.

The Loft's Wordplay Conference. May 9, 2020, 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." Will be held online.

Longleaf Writers Conference. May 9 - 16, 2020: 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."

Pennwriters Conference. May 14 - 17, 2020: Pittsburgh, PA. The 32nd 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. Postponed until 2021.

Novel-In-Progress Bookcamp. May 17 - 23, 2020: West Bend WI. 6-day, residential workshop-retreat for writers in all genres working on a novel or creative nonfiction book. Workshops in Autobiography/Memoir, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Non-fiction, Publishing, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult. Registration is limited to 30 people.

Boldface Conference for Emerging Writers. May 18 - 22, 2020: 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.

Balticon 54. May 22 - 25, 2020: 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. Faculty: Guest of Honor: Catherine Asaro. Multiple tracks of Programming over the four day weekend, featuring authors, artists, scientists, musicians, podcasters, publishers, editors, costumers and other creative SF luminaries. Will be held online.

Crafting Successful Author Visits. May 26 - May 30, 2020, Honesdale, PA. School visits are a powerful way to get your book into the hands of readers. But how do you take what you’ve written or illustrated and turn it into an attention-grabbing presentation for kids? This workshop will give you strategies for creating and delivering engaging talks, information on developing materials for teachers and students, and guidelines for developing other promotional tools. May be canceled.

Nebula Conference. May 28th - 31st, 2020, Los Angeles, 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. Will be held online.

Bear River Writers’ Conference. May 28 - June 1, 2020: 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.

Sundress Academy for the Arts Summer Poetry Writing Retreat. May 29 - 31, 2020: Knoxville, Tennessee. 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 break-out sessions on writing political poetry, writing confession, kicking writer's block, publishing, and more.

Tallahassee Writers Conference.  "Whether you are a beginner or an advanced writer of poetry, fiction, or nonfiction, you will have the opportunity to mix and mingle with other writers, editors, agents, cover designers, publishers and more!" Dates TBD.