6 Distinctive Writing Conferences in December 2025

Because of the holidays, writing conferences are sparse in December. That doesn't mean there are none worth attending.

The Write to Pitch Conference is well worth attending if you are ready to publish a book. This conference draws editors from all the major publishing houses, as well as agents who want to hear your pitch. If you write commercial fiction or nonfiction, this conference is a career starter. Please note: This conference is held every December, but it is limited to 65 participants, so you have to apply early. 

For a month-by-month list of conferences throughout the year see: Writing Conferences. (You will also find links to resources that can help you find conferences in your area on that page.)

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Pitch Perfect: Finding Your Novel’s Theme and Crafting the Pitch. December 2 @ 7:00 pm - December 4 @ 7:00 pm, 2025: Online. Struggling to capture the heart of your novel? Join award-winning authors Jennifer Gennari and Lisa Moore Ramée and explore ways to uncover your story’s theme—and turn it into a clear, compelling pitch that guides your draft, fuels your revisions, and grabs the attention of agents and editors.

How to Build a Seed: Designing Your Own Writing Prompts. December 5, 2025: Online. In this workshop, writers will plan ahead for the days when we need to grow new work but all our creative soil feels bone-dry and chock full of rocks. Bring 3-4 favorite poems (by other poets) that you find especially effective to use as nourishment. We’ll use the materials we always have on hand to consider what a new literary creation needs in order to break open and throw roots. Plan to leave with a small collection of prompts to use in any upcoming winters of the mind.

Online Writing Workshop of Chicago. December 5 - 6, 2025: Online. "This is a special two-day “How to Get Published” online writing workshop. 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." 

The Mesa Book Festival. December 6, 2025: Mesa, Arizona. The festival features presentations, readings, visits with authors, and a poetry open mic. "Everyone! Authors, Publishers, and Book Sellers are invited to  register for space to showcase, promote, and sell their books. Readers are invited to come and buy their books direct. We're encouraging a wide variety of literary arts purveyors to share their work to create a bigger audience for everyone." All events are free and open to the public.

Word/Play: A Generative Poetry Workshop. December 10th, 2025, 6:00-7:30PM EST: Online. Wordplay is time traveling: it is an opportunity to explore the history of words and languages while also crafting new futures and directions for words and language. Wordplay can bring fun and pleasure back into the craft of writing. Words can also enact dramatic plays, exploring the nuances of language using sound and employing multiple meanings at once.

WTP 2025. December 11 - 14, 2025: NY. NY. "The goal of this conference, and all its companion editorial and development programs, is to set you on a realistic path not only to publication, but to becoming a career author. The Write to Pitch utilizes a time-tested methodology that works to get writers published. Pitching TV/Film pros, literary agents, and publishing house acquisition editors is a vital component (see the Schedule), of course, but when asked what specific elements make the event unique and better than other writer conferences, our response lists a number of game-changing factors, both major and minor."