These writing events 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. If you miss an application deadline, put it on your calendar for next year. Quite a few conferences offer scholarships, so apply early. Plan ahead!
Be sure to check out Highlights list of workshops. They offer many throughout the year.
(Image: Algonkian Park, VA: PICRYL)
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The 2024 Writing Workshop of Austin. March, 1, 2024: Austin, TX. A full-day “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, get your questions answered, and more. Note that there are limited seats at the event (120 total)."
In Search of Home. March 2, 2024: Online. “We often think of home as a structure with a street address. But home is actually a much harder thing to pin down. It’s an experience, an attitude, a time of life, a feeling of being “at home” that is influenced by many factors, including people, landscape, weather, and age."
The 2024 Houston Writing Workshop. March 2, 2024: Houston, TX. "This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop on Saturday, March 2, 2024, at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Houston Near the Galleria. 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."
Breakout Novel Intensive. March 4 - 10, 2024: Online. Included are new or revised units on story discovery, strong voice, standout characters, the inner journey, compelling story worlds, beautiful writing, creating resonance and finding meaning in both story and process. Breakout fundamentals are also covered: strong characters, inner conflict, personal stakes, plot layers, powerful scenes, micro-tension, practical theme techniques and much more. Instructor: Donald Maass.
The 2024 Colorado Writing Workshop. March 8 - 9, 2024: Online. "This is a special two-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop on March 8-9, 2024. In other words, it’s two days 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. And even though this is the “Colorado” Writing Workshop, make no mistake — writers from everywhere are welcome to attend virtually."
2024 Carolina Writing Workshops. March 8 (Charlotte) and March 9 (Raleigh). "The workshops are both 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."
Colrain Classic. March 8 - 11, 2024: Via Zoom. "The Colrain Manuscript Classic is a highly focused, 3.5 day conference designed for poets with manuscripts in progress. The Classic features in-depth pre-conference work and candid, realistic evaluation and feedback from nationally-known poets, editors and publishers. In preparation, participants work at home on pre-conference assignments and then, in the workshop, review, arrange, and winnow their work based on the pre-conference work. In addition to the manuscript preparation workshop and editor sessions, there will be an editorial Q&A, and an after-conference strategy session."
Ossabaw Weekend Writer’s Retreat. March 8 - 13, 2024: Ossabaw Island, GA. Workshops and seminars led by nationally recognized faculty, and evening readings (special emphasis on ghost stories) by faculty and participants. Application deadline: January 15.
"Writing in Proximity to History" March 8, 15, 22, 29, 2024: 3:00-6:00 PM EST. "This workshop will introduce participants to the creative practice of memory work. Akin to what Toni Morrison called “literary archeology,” memory work involves both research and imagination." NOTE: This is a live online workshop. Registered participants will receive a Zoom link one week in advance of the workshop. Registration closes at noon on March 1, 2024.
Bay to Ocean Writers Conference. March 9, 2024: Wye Mills, Maryland. Sponsored by the Eastern Shore Writers Association. "Featuring eight tracks and over 30 sessions sure to fit all your writing needs, this year’s Bay to Ocean Writers Conference celebrates a quarter of a century of helping writers develop their craft, edit, publish, and market their writing. This year’s sessions, all 90-minutes in length, are carefully designed to help you generate solid writing, hone your craft, and ask pointed questions from published and award-winning presenters about the process."
Algonkian Writers New York Pitch Conference. March 14 - 17, 2024: NY, NY. "The event focuses on the art of the novel pitch as the best method not only for communicating your work, but for having you and your work taken seriously by industry professionals. More importantly though, it is also a diagnostic method for workshopping the plot, premise, and other elements of the story to determine quality and marketability. Simply put, you cannot successfully pitch a viable commercial novel if you don't have a viable commercial novel. Our goal, therefore, is to set you on a realistic path to publication."
Alabama Writing Workshop. March 15, 2024: Birmingham, Alabama. "A one-day writing workshop full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We will also have literary agents onsite to give feedback and take pitches from writers, as well."
Writing By Writers Boulder Generative Workshop. March 15 - 17, 2024: Boulder, Colorado. Lectures, craft talks, writing exercises and class discussions. Each participant will have the opportunity to work in a small group setting with all three faculty members.
Kansas City Writing Workshop. March 16, 2024: Kansas City. This is a special one-day in-person “How to Get Published” writing workshop on Saturday, March 16, 2024, at the Marriott Kansas City Overland Park. 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.
Atlanta Writing Workshop. March 16, 2024: Atlanta, GA. "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."
Creating for Our Youngest Readers: Board, Novelty, and Concept Books. March 18 - 20, 2024: Online. Join author/illustrators Merrill Rainey and Joe Cepeda to learn about patterns, language, and appeal of board books, novelty books, and concept books in today's publishing market.
Giggles and Laughs: Connecting with Humor in Picture Books, Early Readers, and Chapter Books. March 18 - 20, 2024: Online. New readers love to laugh! Learn the "why" of writing with humor for children, and help your story connect and resonate with this age group. Then learn strategies to find the right level of funny in your picture books, early readers, and chapter books.
Get Away to Write. March 19 - 24, 2024: New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Spend an inspiring week working on your memoir or poetry. Enjoy plentiful writing time, insightful feedback, homemade meals and time to relax. ach workshop will offer craft discussion, writing prompts, writing time, feedback, motivation and inspiration. By spending the entire week in one workshop, you will venture deeper into your writing, making more progress than you thought possible.
Writing the Loess Hills: Letting Landscape Guide the Pen. Tuesdays, March 19, March 26, April 2, April 9, April 16, 2024: Online. "The Loess Hills comprise a unique landform running primarily along the western edge of Iowa but also reaching into South Dakota, Missouri, and Nebraska. The wind-deposited steep slopes of loess are globally unique, with only one other matching site in the world. Its unique topography provides protection for hidden pockets of wildness, including some of the last remaining remnant prairie in the state. An important corridor for migration, and a repository of endangered and threatened species, its ecological significance cannot be overstated. Like most places, it also has a human story, a history of habitation, cities and towns, railroads that came and went, and visionaries of all kinds. From the Black Angel statue in a cemetery in Council Bluffs, to the ancient remains uncovered near Turin, to the story of a ranging mountain lion sporting a radio collar from Nebraska, or the history of agriculture in the valleys between the ridge lines, the older story of bison and elk, or the even older story of the Ice Age, the hills are alive with stories. Using a variety of examples, prompts and exercises, we will explore the hills creatively, crafting poems, stories and short memoir that reflect the unusual terrain and the experiences held there. We will use the hills as a metaphor to pursue our own internal stories, as well. Whether you already have a connection to the Loess Hills, or your interest is sparked and you’d like to learn more, you will leave this workshop with a renewed appreciation for their fragility and majesty, and multiple new drafts of creative work."
University of North Dakota Writers Conference. March 20 - 22, 2024: Grand Forks, North Dakota. Founded in 1970 and held every year since, the UND Writers Conference is a three day event featuring six to eight authors annually. Authors ranging from Gwendolyn Brooks and August Wilson to Tommy Orange and Colson Whitehead, the UND Writers Conference is committed to community outreach, engagement, and finding ways to increase audience access to literature. The conference is free, but workshop space is limited to twenty participants; registration is first come, first served. Will be held online and in person.
Algonkian Novel Retreat. March 20 - 24, 2024: Algonkian Park, Virginia. "In keeping with the spirit of this place and the goals of this retreat, you can be as goal-oriented or as hesitant in approach as you wish. You can show us your manuscript, improve your skills, clear your head, have your work read by our writer mentors, whatever works for you, whatever helps you grow and discover your vision as a writer. You discuss with us ahead of time via the Algonkian Writer Retreat Application the goals you wish to accomplish, and we'll work with you to make it happen. Do you desire a review of your short stories or flash fiction? A line edit? Do you wish to discuss the reality of the current fiction market, your novel project, plot and characters, or perhaps get feedback on the opening hook or a few sample chapters? Or would you simply like a relaxed and productive dialogue about your goals as a writer?" Registration is first come, first served.
Virginia Festival of the Book, March 20 - 24, 2024: Charlottesville, VA. "The Festival is the largest community-based book event in the Mid-Atlantic region and has attracted audiences of more than 20,000 for each of the past thirteen years. We have presented a captivating list of authors, ranging from international bestsellers to topical specialists to debut authors." Book exhibits, talks by authors, readings, workshops on book promotion, finding an agent, poetry, publishing, agents roundtable - you name it, this conference has it.
Moravian Writers’ Conference: “Write to Explore”. March 21 - 23, 2024: Bethlehem, PA. To celebrate the conference's 10-year anniversary, this FREE conference (featuring in-person and live streamed events) will focus on different approaches for thinking about story and story sharing. Some questions our offerings will pose include:
- What is the value of writing in our society today?
- Can we use it as a tool to promote social justice and peace?
- What professions draw on storytelling skills?
- Can we use story sharing to make connections to our own histories and each other?
Headliner Javier Ávila will perform The Trouble With My Name (a one-man show) on Saturday, March 23, and lead a craft talk earlier that same day—with limited spaces available on a first-come, first-served basis.
2024 Virginia Writing Workshop. March 22, 2024: Richmond, VA. "This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. 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."
Power of Narrative. March 22- 23, 2024: Boston, MA. Over 30 journalists, directors, producers and editors lead three days of lively discussions geared to advance the knowledge of narrative storytellers. Approximately 500 persons attend. Early registration is encouraged. Will be held in person.
California Creative Writers Conference. March 22 - 24, 2023: Los Angeles, CA. "You benefit from the most informed presentations and the latest information from the world of publishing. And along with perennial favorites, we offer important fresh voices and industry experts to widen your wealth of knowledge. Plus you have the opportunity to meet and network in person with literary agents, editors, and industry professionals to help guide you on the path to success." Via Zoom and in person.
Chesapeake Writing Day Workshop. March 23, 2024. Online. A full-day “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."
Liberty States Fiction Writers Conference. March 23, 2024: NJ. "In addition to our wonderful and diverse keynote speakers, we have a number of editors and agents who will be attending to take pitches as well as some awesome writer and reader workshops!"
Annual National Undergraduate Literature Conference. March 28 - 30, 2024: Weber State University, Ogden, UT. "Each year, nearly 200 undergraduate writers and poets throughout North America, and sometimes beyond, come to Weber State University to present their work and learn from some of the most important writers in contemporary literature."
Norwescon. March 28 - 31, 2024: Sea Tac, WA. Norwescon is one of the largest regional Science Fiction and Fantasy conventions in the United States.
WonderCon. March 29 - 31, 2024: Anaheim, CA. HUGE comic book convention.
Make it Strange (Again) Poetry Workshop. March 30, 2024: Lincoln, NE. "One of the wonders of poetry is how it can reawaken us to the world. The familiar can be reignited with color, metamorphosed into creatures, landscapes, and sounds that can astonish us into beauty and/or resist desensitization. In this generative poetry workshop, we will use writing prompts to look upon what we may have rendered as quotidian in our lives and make it strange again and again. Both beginners and advanced writers are welcome."
PJ Library Retreat: Picture Book Summer Camp for Emerging Writers. August 25 - 29, 2024: Boyds Mills, PA. "If you’re a pre-published author with a Jewish picture book in progress (or no more than one published book) we invite you to apply for five-days of inspiration, mentorship, fun, and creativity on the beautiful campus of the Highlights Foundation." Application deadline March 31.
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