8 Fabulous Writing Conferences in February 2022

February is a short, dark month, but you can liven it up with writing workshops and conferences. This February there are eight writing conferences and workshops covering every aspect of writing, from poetry, to memoir, to how to get published. 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: Max Pixel)

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Keep Writing Virtual Nonfiction Writers Conference. MAR/APRIL 2022 (5 weeks) meeting Wednesdays from 2 to 4PM EST. "Are you a nonfiction writer working on a memoir? For 5 weeks this spring just 6-8 writers will gather via ZOOM -- at each workshop two writers will workshop 10 to 16 pages of a work of creative nonfiction/memoir. The sessions include discussions on the business of being a writer i.e. publishing, legal issues, agents and self promotion. The Kaz Conference was founded by award winning author Donna Kaz (UN/MASKED, Memoirs of a Guerrilla Girl) and is committed to diversity. Our conference faculty, mentors and cohorts reflect an all-encompassing and equal world and our goal is to challenge, inspire and foster a writers community that continues beyond the workshop because the stories we tell become the world we live in. In this workshop you will discover what is working in your pages, where your readers have questions, and what your peers want to see more of. These responses will spark fresh ideas about how you can strengthen your story and inspire you to return to your desk to complete and publish your work. Virtual workshop tuition: $375 for 5 weeks - includes at least two reviews of your writing samples from Donna Kaz and your cohort." Will be held online. Apply by February 2, 2022.

Michigan Writers Conference, February 4 - 5, 2022: Detroit, MI. This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop. 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.

Getting Started with Memoir. February 16 – Wednesday, March 16, 2022. Each Wednesday, 7:00-9:00pm EST/EDT. "Everybody has a story to tell. It does not need to be earth-shattering to be compelling; it just needs to be well written. We will start with a “snapshot” of memory—a recalled taste, sound, texture or smell—and learn to make it rich with sensory details, well-chosen words and a clear point of view. We will examine memoir excerpts to discuss how these authors create dialogue, move around in time or capture a sense of place. You will write in response to prompts that guide you to tap into your memories, experiences and ideas, practice new storytelling techniques and learn how fictional tools help the memoir writer. As we share our developing stories, we will also discuss how to expand them into publishable pieces." Led by Constance Adler. Limited to 12 participants. Cost: $350-$450. Will be held virtually.

Extending the Document: An Online Poetry Workshop. Thursday, February 17 – Thursday, March 17, 2022 Each Thursday, 7:00-9:00pm EDT/EST. "Join us for this five-week online poetry workshop focused on documentary poetics. Write to inspiring prompts, get insightful feedback and connect with a supportive community of writers." Led by Stephanie Cawley. Limited to 12 participants. Will be held virtually.

San Francisco Writers Conference, February 17 - 20, 2022: San Francisco, CA. Attendees will join with 100+ presenters and fellow writers from across the country and around the world at this year’s event. The SFWC events are consistently rated among the top writer’s conferences anywhere. "Our goal is to help writers become published authors as we help them become better at the craft and business of writing. The SFWC is also one of the friendliest conferences. Presenters this year will include bestselling authors, literary agents, editors, and publishers from major publishing houses. There will be experts on self-publishing, book promotion, platform building, social media, and author websites. The San Francisco Writers Conference has one of the largest faculties of any writer’s conference to ensure the best networking with the people who can help you get published." 

Southern California Writers’ Conference (and Retreat). February 18 - 20, 2022: San Diego, CA. Faculty: 60+ working, professional authors of fiction, nonfiction & screen, editors & agents. "Founded and run by professional writers the SCWC provides veteran and emerging talent with authoritative guidance to help distinguish those manuscripts that are ready for market consideration." Cost: $350-$425. Manuscript critique & one-on-one consultation additional. Limited to 175 conferees.

The Writers Studio, sponsored by the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program, February 24 - 27, 2022, Los Angeles, CA. The conference offers workshops in fiction and creative nonfiction, as well as writing for television and film. Offered by the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program, the Writers Studio brings together a community of writing students to workshop with some of Southern California’s most accomplished writers and teachers. From among the 10 offered, participants choose one workshop in which they work closely with a professional writer in classes limited to no more than 15 people. Will be held online.

Wild Seeds Writers Retreat. February 24 - 27, 2022. The Wild Seeds Writers Retreat (formerly the North Country Institute & Retreat for Writers of Color), a collaboration with the Center for Black Literature, the English Department at SUNY, Plattsburgh, and the Paden Institute and Retreat for Writers, provides a writing community where established and newly discovered writers of color can focus on the craft of writing and create cross-cultural conversations around the literature created by writers of the African diaspora. The cost of the Retreat is $500 and there is a one-time nonrefundable $25 application fee.