Friday, June 25, 2021

33 Fabulous Writing Conferences in July 2021

Summer is in full swing, and so are writing conferences. This July features more than two dozen conferences and workshops for writers, mostly 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.

(Image credit: Pixabay)

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Fine Arts Work Center Summer Workshops (poetry, fiction, art, and creative nonfiction). June 7 - August 27, 2021: Provincetown, Massachusetts. Last year's faculty included David Baker, Samiya Bashir, Jill Bialosky, Sophie Cabot Black, Gabrielle Calvocoressi, Martha Collins, Kate Daniels, Nick Flynn, Vievee Francis, Gabriel Fried, Jorie Graham, Marie Howe, Major Jackson, Fred Marchant, Gail Mazur, Jane Mead, John Murillo, Eileen Myles, Matthew Olzmann, Gregory Pardlo, Carl Phillips, Rowan Ricardo Phillips, Victoria Redel, Martha Rhodes, Brenda Shaughnessy, Nicole Sealey, Alan Shapiro, Carmen Giménez Smith, Craig Morgan Teicher and many more. See individual workshops for dates.

ASLE Biennial Conference. July 6 - 9, 2021: Portland, OR. "ASLE seeks to inspire and promote intellectual work in the environmental humanities and arts. Our vision is an inclusive community whose members are committed to environmental research, education, literature, art and service, environmental justice, and ecological sustainability."

Midsummer Online Getaway. July 7 - 11, 2021. "Each four-day workshop will meet for 12 hours and will offer craft discussion, writing prompts, writing time, feedback, motivation and inspiration. By spending four days in one workshop, you will venture deeper into your writing, making more progress than you thought possible. Each four-day workshop in poetry, fiction, and CNF is limited to 10 participants." 

In Your Write Mind Workshop. July 8 - 11, 2021: Greensburg, Pennsylvania. Special Guests: Raw Dog Screaming Press, Omnium Gatherum, Entangled, Titan and more. Agents: Kristopher O’Higgins (Scribe Agency) and Andy Ross (Andy Ross Agency) Guest authors: Tim Waggoner Business and Craft Tracks. Pitch Sessions. Virtual Book Signing. Networking. Author Readings. Writing Sprints. Critique Groups. And more! $60 for the whole event, $25 for single days. Will be held online.

The Colorado Writing Workshop. July 9 - 10, 2020: Denver Colorado. An online “How to Get Published” event. "This writing event is a wonderful opportunity to get intense instruction over the course of one day, pitch a literary agent or editor (optional), get your questions answered, and more." Will be held online.

The Summer Writers Institute. July 9 - 30, 2021: 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.

Tin House Summer Workshop. July 11 - 17, 2021: Portland, Oregon. Closed. 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. Closed.

Community of Writers Workshop in Fiction. July 11 - 17, 2021. These workshops assist serious writers by exploring the art and craft as well as the business of writing. The week offers daily morning workshops, craft lectures, panel discussions on editing and publishing, staff readings, and brief individual conferences. The morning workshops are led by staff writer-teachers, editors, or agents. In addition to their workshop manuscripts, participants may have a second manuscript read by a staff member who meets with them in individual conferences. Featured Writers Include: Reagan Arthur, Michael Carlisle, Alex Espinoza, Janet Fitch, Karen Joy Fowler, Sands Hall, Vanessa Hua, Michael Jaime-Becerra, Dana Johnson, Louis B. Jones, Stephen Graham Jones, Peter Orner, Kirstin Valdez Quade, BJ Robbins, Margaret Wilkerson Sexton, Tracy Sherrod, Martin J. Smith, Hector Tobar, Andrew Tonkovich, Gail Tsukiyama, Oscar Villalon, Josh Weil. Tuition: $850. Will be held online.

Kenyon Review Writers Workshops. June 20 - 26 and July 11 - 17, 2021: Gambier, Ohio. Workshops in poetry, fiction, and nonfiction led by an accomplished faculty. Genre workshops (Fiction, Literary Nonfiction, and Poetry) are held for three hours each morning. (See individual workshops for dates.)

Young Writers Workshop. July 11 - 23, 2021: 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.

Victorian Chautauqua Writers Workshop. July 12 - 16: Mountain Lake Park, Maryland. The 2021 summer program includes adult personal essays, teen and adult playwriting, teen creative writing, and youth creative writing. Faculty: Diana Hume George, A.J. DeLauder, Mary McEwen, Kimberly Weimer.

Summer Fishtrap Gathering of Writers. July 12 - 18, 2021: Wallowa Lake, Oregon. "The program features workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as panel discussions, craft talks, and readings. The theme for the 2021 conference is “Resilience” and features a keynote from nonfiction writer Craig Childs. The faculty includes poets Anis Mojgani and Frank X Walker; fiction writers Beth Piatote, Sharma Shields, and Leni Zumas; nonfiction writer Amy Irvine; and fiction and nonfiction writer Joe Wilkins." Registration is rolling through July 12.  Will be held online.

Juniper Institute for Young Writers. July 12 - 23, 2021: 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.

Malice Domestic. July 14 - 17, 2021, 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. 

Romance Writers of America. July 14 - 17, 2021: Nashville, TN. The Summer Retreat is an intimate in-person event designed to enhance your connection with your peers and to engage you with educational sessions to boost your craft and career.

Southampton Writers Conference. July 14 - 18, 2021: 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.

Green River Writers Workshops:Turning Memory into Story: Memoir Writing Workshop. July 15 - 18, 2021: 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 15 - 18, 2021: 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.

Cascade Three-day Writing Workshop. July 16 – 18, 2021: Bremerton, WA. "Our Three-Day Critique Workshop is an opportunity for you to submit the first 4000 words of your novel, short story, or whatever project you are working on, for critique in a group of up to 8 peers led by an industry professional. This is a great way to polish up those first pages and first chapter. Submissions are due six weeks before the event via our ProBoards. Registrants will receive login information a few weeks before submissions are due. There will also be one-hour workshops and panel presentations on craft, querying, the publishing industry, and more. Optional casual gatherings provide opportunities to get to know other writers as well as authors, editors, and agents." Will be held on Zoom

Port Townsend Writers’ Conference. July 18 - 25, 2021, Port Townsend, Washington. workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as craft lectures, readings, open mics, and time to write. "The Port Townsend Writers’ Conference has been since 1974 at the wild heart of the thriving Pacific Northwest literary scene. With a focus on community and rigorous attention to craft, the Conference offers morning workshops, afternoon workshops, residencies, guided freewrites, and a vibrant readings and lectures series presented by vital, contemporary writers."

Northwestern University Summer Writers’ Conference. July 30 - 31, 2021: Chicago, Illinois. "This year’s schedule offers presentations for writers of all genres and backgrounds. Learn how to write your life in 750 words or less, structure your chapbook, and infuse your writing with revolution. Hear from award-winning authors on how to generate dramatically rich scenes, evoke memories through metaphors, and layer your writing with suspense. Get some pro tips for interviewing and advice on how and when to submit to literary journals, agents, and contests." Will be held online.

Sewanee Writers’ Conference. July 20 - August 1, 2021: 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.

Writer’s Digest Conference. July 22 - 24, 2021: New York City. Annual Writer's Digest Conference featuring: Pitch Slam, with more than fifty agents and editors in attendance, educational tracks devoted to publishing and self-publishing, platform and promotion, and the craft of writing,  speakers and instructors. Will be held virtually.

North Carolina Writers' Network Squire Summer Writing Residency. July 22 - 25, 2021: Greenville, North Carolina. This workshop will explore how to write about places and spaces, while remaining mindful of the interconnections between the natural and cultural, the built and non-built, the human and animal. We will investigate how notions of home and belonging are created and maintained as well as how they can be disrupted by alterations to the cultural traditions and physical environments that surround us and inform our sense of place. During the workshop, we will read and write about the places that have made us who we are today. We will also consider our responsibilities to those places and how to preserve them both in reality and on the page.

Writeaway in New Mexico. July 23 - 30, 2021: Rancho los Milagros, Abiquiú, New Mexico. $2,100 for private room; $1,650 each for friends or couple sharing a room Includes writing consultations and daily writing workshops, all meals, wine and cocktails, plus a cooking class and excursion. Full.

Confluence-SFF. July 23 - 25, 2021: Pittsburgh, PA. Located at the birthplace of the Ohio River, Confluence is Pittsburgh’s longest-running literary conference with a strong focus on science fiction, fantasy and horror. Award-winning authors, editors, artists and song-writers gather for three full days.

Catamaran Writing Conference: Poetry. July 25 - 29, 2021: 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.

Midwest Writers Workshop: Virtual Conference: Craft + Community. July 28 - 31, 2021: 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.

Write-in-Ritual Retreat with Leslieann Hobayan. July 29 - August 1, 2021: Austerlitz, NY. "When you have the space to rest — to truly REST — the mind relaxes and the subconscious (where creativity lives) comes out to play!  And maybe, just maybe, you’ll hear your intuition (aka The Muse) whispering in your ear. JOIN ME for Write-in-Ritual, a writing and sacred healing retreat for women of color in Upstate NY at Millay Arts.  Four days of deep rest to restore your energy and nourish your nervous system (and your body!) with sacred ritual and writing." Space is limited.  Deadline to register is July 15.

Florida Authors and Publishers Association Annual Conference. July 30 - 31, 2021: Orlando, Florida. "On Friday, July 30, six (6) optional small-group workshops are being scheduled, offering attendees options a more intimate setting to learn about specific topics related to the publishing industry.  These focused workshops will be offered a la carte and are scheduled so that you may register for up to three (3)."

Willamette Writers Conference. July 29 - August 1, 2021: 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.

Into the Springs Writers Workshop. July 30 -  August 1, 2021: Yellow Springs, OH. Faculty for 2021 are Maddie James (romance) and Dan Stout (noir mystery).

Hurston/Wright Summer Writers Week. July 30  - August 6, 2021: Washington, DC. For more than 20 years, the Hurston/Wright Summer Writers Workshop has offered a safe space for black writers in intensive workshop sessions and master classes. Workshops are led by award-winning writers who are influencing today’s literature. The program features critiques, craft talks, writing time and public readings. Hurston/Wright workshops serve emerging and experienced writers who are starting projects, developing projects or seeking to polish projects. More than a thousand writers have participated in workshops since the first session in 1996. Will be held virtually.

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