30 Writing Conferences in July 2020

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Summer writing conferences are on! Some are going ahead with their planned live formats, but in most cases organizers have figured out how to hold them virtually. (One advantage to a virtual format is that you don't have to travel to get there, which means you can attend a conference anywhere. The other advantage is that, in many cases, the price to attend has dropped considerably.)

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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Kaz Conference Keep Writing Virtual Nonfiction Cohort. July 1 - 22, 2020. Workshops include developmental workshops as well as talks on the practical training of writers with input from editors, publicists, agents, social media experts and productivity coaches. Because reading and reviewing other work helps to strengthen ones own writing, peer review is a requirement of all sessions. Just 10 to 16 writers are accepted for each cohort. Will be held online. Deadline June 29.

Fine Arts Work Center Summer Workshops (poetry, fiction, art, and creative nonfiction). June 7 - August 21, 2020, Provincetown, Massachusetts. The faculty and presenters include poets Erin Belieu, Traci Brimhall, Mahogany L. Browne, Gabrielle Calvocoressi, Peter Campion, Tina Chang, Michael Collier, Mark Conway, Vievee Francis, Kimiko Hahn, Terrance Hayes, Marie Howe, Major Jackson, Ada Limón, John Murillo, Eileen Myles, Porsha Olayiwola, Matthew Olzmann, Gregory Orr, Rowan Ricardo Phillips, Martha Rhodes, and Nicole Sealey; fiction writers Kristen Arnett, Andre Dubus III, Aja Gabel, Pam Houston, Reif Larsen, Wendy C. Ortiz, Shobha Rao, Victoria Redel, Sarah Schulman, Justin Torres, and Joan Wickersham; nonfiction writers Alysia Abbott, Elissa Altman, Jill Bialosky, Garrard Conley, Nick Flynn, Ann Hood, Paul Lisicky, Alex Marzano-Lesnevich, T Kira Madden, Gregory Pardlo, Dani Shapiro, Susanna Sonnenberg, Brian Turner, and Marion Winik; and graphic memoirist Nicole J. Georges. Tuition ranges from $650 to $750. The deadline for scholarship applications is April 10. General registration is first come, first served.  (See individual workshops for dates.)

Frost Place Conference on Poetry. July 5 - 10, 2020: Franconia, NH. Spend a week at “intensive poetry camp” with writers who are deeply committed to learning more about the craft of writing poetry. The Frost Place Poetry Conference offers daily workshops, classes, lectures, writing and revising time in a supportive and dynamic environment. The application deadline is June 25, 2020. Will be held online.

Online Summer Camp In Writing Fiction for Children & Teens 2020. July 05, 2020 - July 10, 2020. "We've reinvented our Summer Camp as an online experience, with five whole days of intensive instruction, mentorship, manuscript feedback, peer community and hands-on activities. We've been doing this for over 35 years, and within this year's unique structure you can expect the same focus on craft, community & mentorship." Will be held online.

Idyllwild Arts Summer Program Writers Week. July 6 - 10, 2020, Idyllwild, California. The Writing Workshops offer poets and writers at all levels an experience designed to deepen your understanding of story and language. Faculty is composed of renowned authors eager to help you begin, continue or complete your books, poems, stories and essays. This summer, enjoy a writing workshop in Poetry, Fiction, or Creative Nonfiction, as well as a great line-up of craft talks and readings scheduled throughout the summer. Will be held online.

Summer Fishtrap Gathering of Writers. July 6 - 12, 2020: Wallowa Lake, Oregon. Workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as panel discussions, readings, and open mics. "Held each July at Wallowa Lake in northeast Oregon, Summer Fishtrap gathers writers for a week of inspired writing workshops and culminates with a weekend of passionate discussion on a key issue facing the West." Will be held online.

ThrillerFest XIII. July 6–14, 2020, 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. Will be held online.

Southampton Writers Conference. July 8–12, 2020, 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. Will be held online.

North Carolina Writers' Network Squire Summer Writing Residency. July 9 - 12, 2020: Greenville, North Carolina. An intensive course in a chosen genre (fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry), with ten hour-and-a-half sessions over the four days of the program. Registrants work in-depth on their own manuscript samples, as well as their colleagues’, while also studying the principles of the genre with their instructor. Other features include faculty readings, panel discussions, and open mic sessions for residents. The cost of the residency ranges from $425 - $675, depending on membership and housing preferences. Registration ends June 29 at 12:00 pm (noon).

The Summer Writers Institute. July 10 - 31, 2020, 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. Will be held online.

The Cleveland Writing Workshop. July 11, 2020: Cleveland, OH. A full-day “How to Get Published” writers conference. "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."

Online Summer Camp In Writing Nonfiction for Children & Teens 2020. July 11, 2020 - July 15, 2020. "We’ve reinvented our Summer Camp as an online experience, with four whole days of intensive instruction, mentorship, manuscript feedback, peer community and hands-on activities. We’ve been doing this for over 35 years, and within this year’s unique structure you can expect the same focus on craft, community & mentorship that we’ve always provided." Will be held online.

Young Writers Workshop. July 12 - 25, 2020, 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. Will be held online.

Tin House Summer Workshop. July 12 - 26, 2020, Portland, Oregon. Workshops with afternoon craft seminars and career panels. Evenings are reserved for author readings and revelry. Tin House editors and guest agents are available to meet individually with students throughout the week.  Participating writers include poets Hanif Abdurraqib, Jericho Brown, and Aimee Nezhukumatathil; fiction writers Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, Lesley Nneka Arimah, Kristen Arnett, Matt Bell, Jennine Capó Crucet, Renee Gladman, Manuel Gonzales, Catherine Lacey, Carmen Maria Machado, Tommy Orange, Matthew Salesses, Rion Amilcar Scott, and Leni Zumas; creative nonfiction writers Melissa Febos, Saeed Jones, Kiese Laymon, Jeannie Vanasco, and Elissa Washuta; and graphic narrative writer Mira Jacob. Tuition is $1,600. Scholarships and payment plans are available. Submit a writing sample of up to four poems, 5,000 words of prose, or up to 20 pages of graphic narrative with a $30 application fee by March 11. Will be held online.

Green River Writers Workshops:Turning Memory into Story: Memoir Writing Workshop. July 16 - 19, 2020: Las Vegas, 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.

Saskatchewan Festival of Words. July 16 - 19, 2020: 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.

Online Summer Camp Intensive in Illustration 2020. July 16, 2020 - July 20, 2020. "We've reinvented our Illustration Summer Camp as an online experience, with four whole days of faculty demonstrations, mentorship, portfolio/dummy feedback, and peer community. We've been doing this for over 35 years, and within this year's unique structure you can expect the same focus on craft, community & mentorship that we've always provided." Will be held online.

The Cambridge Writers’ Workshop Summer Writing Retreat. July 16 - 21, 2020, 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 May 30, 2020.

Colrain Intensive. July 17 - 20, 2020. The Colrain Manuscript Intensive is a small, select, highly focused, 3-day conference designed for the evaluation and discussion of book-length manuscripts by editors and publishers. The intensive is open only to those who have attended a previous Colrain conference and/or those whose manuscript is close to publication (semi-finalist, finalist or publisher feedback), and/or those with previous book publication. Will be held virtually.

Columbus State Community College Writers Conference. July 18, 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.

Juniper Institute for Young Writers. July 20 - 24, 2020: Amherst, MA. For high school students. 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. Will be held online.

Midwest Writers Workshop. July 20 - 25, 2020: Muncie, Indiana. 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.

World Building: Construct Real and Fantastical Worlds with Tracey Baptiste, a Two-Day Online Intensive 2020. July 21, 2020 - July 22, 2020. "A well-developed world is an essential component to every story--short fiction through novels. Join Tracey Baptiste as she showcases rich mentor texts like THE SERPENT’S SECRET, DREAD NATION, THE BELLES, and more for a two-day intensive in world-building." Will be held online.

Sewanee Writers’ Conference. July 21 - August 2, 2020: 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.

Taylor's Professional Writers Conference. July 24 - 25, 2020: Upland, Indiana. 35 seminars covering General & First-timers, Fiction, Nonfiction, Platform & Marketing and Specialty Writing.

IWWG Summer Writers Conference. July 24 - 30, 2020: Beverly, MA. The International Women's Writing Guild sponsors this residential writing program for women. Features: Over two dozen workshops ranging from three to six days in length and spanning fiction, poetry, memoir, creative nonfiction, screenwriting, playwriting, writing as performance, social justice, multi-genre, and mixed media; Critique sessions in fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and playwriting; A multimedia open studio and Two book fairs.

Catamaran Writing Conference. July 26 - 30, 2020: 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. Will be held online.

Mendocino Coast Writers Conference. July 30 -  August 2, 2020: Mendocino, California. The conference features workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as craft talks, readings, manuscript consultations, open mics, and pitch sessions with agents and editors. The faculty includes poet Victoria Chang; fiction writers Ingrid Rojas Contreras, Charlotte Gullick, Mitali Perkins, Shobha Rao, and Scott Sigler; and nonfiction writers Myriam Gurba, Ismail Muhammad, and Jeannie Vanasco. Participating publishing professionals include agents Sarah Bowlin (Aevitas) and Rayhané Sanders (Massie & McQuilkin) and editors Andrew Karre (Dutton Books) and Philip Marino (Little, Brown). An optional post-conference daylong Publishing Boot Camp taught by Marino will be held on August 4. The registration fee, which includes most meals, is $575. One-on-one manuscript consultations are available for an additional $60. The Publishing Boot Camp is $150. Register by June 30. Will be held online.

Willamette Writers Conference. July 31 - August 2, 2020: Portland, Oregon. This year the conference theme is Share Your Story with 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. Will be held online.

Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators Annual Conference. July 31 - August 4, 2020: Los Angeles, California. More than 100 writers, editors, illustrators, & agents. Workshops, breakout sessions, manuscript and portfolio consultations, panels, discussions. Will be held online.