19 Great Writing Conferences in April 2021

Spring has sprung, and writers are thawing out! This April most writing conferences will be held online. Virtual events still offer everything a writer might want: intensive workshops, pitch sessions with agents, to how to market yourself and your books, discussions - there is something for everyone.

For a full list of conferences held throughout the year see Writing Conferences. During the pandemic most of these are being held virtually at reduced rates. Quite a few offer scholarships, so apply early.

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Norwescon. April 1 - 4, 2021: Sea Tac, WA. Norwescon is one of the largest regional Science Fiction and Fantasy conventions in the United States. Will be held online.

IBPA Publishing University. April 7 - 10, 2021, Redondo Beach, CA. The Independent Book Publishers Association offers 30+ educational sessions including experiential learning labs, insightful keynotes, a gala book award ceremony, networking events, and so more! Cost: $195-$475. Will be held online.

Tennessee Mountain Writers Annual Conference, Apr 8 - 10, 2021: Oak Ridge, TN. Speakers and session leaders include Joseph Bathanti, Karen Salyer McElmurray, Tracy Barrett, and more! 

Las Vegas Writer’s Conference is sponsored by the Henderson Writers’ Group, Sam’s Town Hotel and Gambling Hall, Las Vegas, Nevada. April 8 – 10, 2021. Join writing professionals, agents publishers and marketing experts for a weekend of workshops and enlightening discussions about the publishing industry. A chance to pitch your manuscript and ideas to agents. This Year’s Conference is ONLINE.

Michigan Writers Conference, April 9 - 10, 2021, Detroit, MI. This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Detroit Livonia Novi. In other words, it’s 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. Will be held virtually.

San Antonio Book Festival. April 9 - 11, 2021, San Antonio, TX. The San Antonio Book Festival is a FREE, annual, daylong event that unites readers and writers in a celebration of ideas, books, libraries, and literary culture. Featuring more than 80 nationally and regionally acclaimed authors, the Festival offers programming for all ages. Will be held virtually.

Breakout Novel Intensive 2.0. April 12 - 18, 2021: Hood River, Oregon. "Writers of commercial fiction who wish to soar out of category, as well as literary novelists who want to learn how to make powerful story principles work for them, will find the Breakout Novel Intensive 2.0 an idea-packed and career enriching experience. This workshop is as ideal for those just beginning a new project as it is for those embarking on a revision of a completed work. Breakout fundamentals are also covered: strong characters, inner conflict, personal stakes, plot layers, powerful scenes, micro-tension, practical theme techniques and much more."

ASJA (American Society of Journalists and Authors) Writers Conference, April 13  - 29, 2021 NYC, NY. Focus on Autobiography/Memoir, Business/Technical, Humor, Journalism, Marketing, Nature, Non-fiction, Publishing, Religion, Screenwriting, Travel. Attending: more than 100 editors, authors, literary agents, and publicists. Will be held virtually.

Colrain Poetry Manuscript Conference. April 16  - 19, 2021. The conference features evaluation and discussion of book-length and chapbook-length manuscripts with poets, editors, and publishers. The cost of the conference is $1,000. Using the online submission system, submit a brief bio and three to four poems. Will be held virtually.

Poetry at Round Top Festival. April 19 - 23, 2021. Round Top, Texas. Past faculty includes Mark Doty, Allison Joseph, Alicia Ostriker, ire’ne lara silva, Mary Szybist, Edward Vidaurre, and Jenny Xie. The cost of the conference is $150 ($50 for students) or $75 for Saturday only. Workshops are an additional $40. Private manuscript consultations are available for an additional $70. Will be held virtually.

Grub Street Muse and the Marketplace Conference. April 21 - 25, 2021, Boston, Massachusetts. The Muse and the Marketplace is a three-day literary conference designed to give aspiring writers a better understanding about the craft of writing fiction and non-fiction, to prepare them for the changing world of publishing and promotion, and to create opportunities for meaningful networking. On all three days, prominent and nationally-recognized established and emerging authors lead sessions on the craft of writing—the "muse" side of things—while editors, literary agents, publicists and other industry professionals lead sessions on the business side—the "marketplace." Will be held virtually.

Chanticleer Authors Conference. April 21 - 25, 2021. Writing workshops, presentations, book awards and more. Will be held online.

Nebraska Writers Guild Annual Conference and Writing Retreat. April 22 - 24, 2021: Omaha, NE. Workshops, pitch sessions with an agent and writing sessions followed by evening keynote speakers.

St. Augustine Author-Mentor Novel Workshop, April 22 - 25, 2021, St. Augustine, Florida. "The St. Augustine Author-Mentor Novel Workshop creates an intimate and professional environment that combines private meetings with small-group workshops, thus enabling aspiring authors to wisely approach the writing and publication of their novel. At the St. Augustine event, aspiring authors will:
1) Work one-on-one with top authors and savvy market professionals.
2) Apply advanced story and narrative technique to their novel-in-progress.
3) Hone and improve their writer voice and style.
4) Learn the necessary inside mechanics of the publishing business.
5) Leave the workshop with a detailed plan to work towards publication of their novel.
Group workshop sessions will be interspersed with agent and author consultations, workshop assignments, as well as consults with workshop leaders."

Ozarks Writers League Conference. April 23 - 24, 2021: Branson, MO. The Ozarks Writers League is a group of like-minded individuals dedicated to promoting writing, literacy, photography, and art. Since 1983, OWL has welcomed individuals at all stages of their development. Will be held online.

North Carolina Writers’ Network Spring Conference. April 23 - 24, 2021, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina. Features intensive workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as publisher exhibits, on-site "lunch with an author" readings, and an open mic. Will be held online.

The Pikes Peak Writers Conference. April 23 - 25, 2021. Colorado Springs, Colorado. "The three-day conference is full of topical, in-depth workshops, dynamic keynote speakers, opportunities for one-on-one time with agents and editors, the chance to read your work aloud for constructive critique, plus time to socialize with fellow writers. Will be held online.

Writing on the Door: Virtual Poetry Conference. April 23 - 25, 2021: Egg Harbor, Wisconsin. Poetry readings, talks, conversations with poets and more! Will be held online.

Northern Colorado Writers Conference. April 24 -  May 1, 2021, Fort Collins, CO. Workshops, seminars, speakers, entertainment, agent roundtables, pitch sessions, networking with authors and industry professionals. Will be held online and in person (April 24 workshop only).