Mendocino: Roadtripping California
This August there are more than two dozen writing conferences and workshops. Some conferences and workshops will be held online, but many will be in-person or hybrid as pandemic restrictions ease. 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. Quite a few offer scholarships.
I've included conferences that have early application dates on my list. So, if you have missed a conference that is ideal for you, put the application deadline on your calendar for next year. (Many conferences are annual events.)
_________________________
Writing As a Pathway Through Grief, Loss, Uncertainty and Change. August 1 - 7, 2023: Watsonville, CA. "The tool we’ll use for transformation is writing and sharing from the heart. Writing and being witnessed in community is a powerful catalyst on your journey of self-discovery. We'll teach you everything you need to know to experience the power of true stories shared and received."
Willamette Writers Conference. August 2 - 6, 2023: Portland, Oregon. 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.
Mendocino Coast Writers Conference. August 3 - August 5, 2023: Mendocino, California. The conference features workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as craft seminars, panels, one-on-one manuscript consultations, and open mics. The faculty includes poet Claudia Castro Luna, fiction writers Jean Chen Ho and Lydia Kiesling, creative nonfiction writer Faith Adiele, and cross-genre writer Anastacia-Reneé. Fiction writer Karen Tei Yamashita will give the keynote address. Participating publishing professionals include agent Jonah Straus (Straus Literary). The registration fee is $675 and includes morning workshops, all afternoon events, and breakfast and lunch each day. One-on-one manuscript consultations are available for an additional $60. Lodging is available at a wide range of accommodations on the Mendocino Coast, including oceanfront inns, campgrounds, and motels. The registration deadline is June 30.
Cape Cod Writers Center Conference. August 3 - 6, 2023: Hyannis, Massachusetts. Supporting published and aspiring writers. Featuring distinguished authors, editors and agents in workshops on fiction, nonfiction, screenwriting, poetry, mysteries and thrillers, social media, promotion and more!
Florida Authors and Publishers Association Annual Conference. August 4 - 5, 2023: Orlando, Florida. "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)."
The 2023 Pittsburgh Writing Workshop. August 4-5, 2023: Pittsburgh, PA. "This is a special two-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop on August 4-5, 2023. 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 “Pittsburgh” Writing Workshop, make no mistake — writers from everywhere are welcome to attend virtually. Our WDW writers conferences have helped dozens of writers find literary agent representation." In person and virtual.
Into the Springs Writers Workshop. August 4 - 6, 2023: Yellow Springs, OH. Faculty: Jane Friedman & Jason Sanford.
Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators Annual Conference. August 4 - 6, 2023: Via Zoom. More than 100 writers, editors, illustrators, & agents. Workshops, breakout sessions, manuscript and portfolio consultations, panels, discussions. Will be held online.
An Introduction to Engaging Kids with Podcasts. August 6 - 13, 2023. Online. Faculty: Matthew Winner OVERVIEW: A Short Intensive Online Course Thinking about starting a podcast for kids, but don’t know where to start? Join librarian, writer, and podcast innovator Matthew Winner to find the heart of your podcast for kids. This online intensive workshop will include presentations, small group discussions, a Q & A gathering, and more!
Vermont College of Fine Arts Postgraduate Writers’ Conference. August 7 - 13, 2023: Montpelier, Vermont. The conference is designed for writers with graduate degrees or equivalent experience. Workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as readings, craft classes, and individual consultations with faculty members. "At the heart of the Postgraduate Writers' Conference's unique model is the small workshop size, with groups led by acclaimed faculty limited to five or six writers. The intimate format allows for an extraordinarily in-depth, far-reaching discussion of participants’ work. Beyond the daily group sessions, each member has an individual consultation with the workshop instructor. The schedule also features a rich menu of readings by faculty and participants, craft talks, generative writing sessions and social events that galvanize our vibrant, inclusive community."
Travel Writers & Photographers Conference. August 10 – 13, 2023: Corte Madera, Calif. Writing and photography workshops in the morning, a full afternoon of panels and discussions, and evening faculty presentations. There are optional, working field trips to explore the resources of the Bay Area. The faculty includes publishers, magazine editors, photographers, travel essayists, food writers, restaurateurs, guidebook writers, and more.
Writing and Illustrating Science & Nature for Kids and Teens. August 12 - 16, 2023: Boyds Mills, PA. Mentorship, hands-on activities, presentations, and ample time for retreating will help you on your path to energizing readers through science and nature-themed fiction or nonfiction.
Elk River Writers Workshop. August 13 - 18, 2023: Chico Hot Springs, MT. The Elk River Writers Workshop embodies the idea that deep, communal experiences with the wild open the door to creativity. We bring together some of the most celebrated nature writers in the United States with students who are serious about fostering a connection with the environment in their writing. It all happens at Chico Hot Springs, a historic retreat just north of Yellowstone National Park.
Murphy Writing of Stockton University: Live Free and Write. August 13 - 18, 2023: Sunapee, NH. "Combine an extended writing retreat with a relaxing summer vacation in the picturesque mountains of New Hampshire. This getaway blends our trademark challenging and supportive workshop experience with plenty of free time for you to write and bask in the refreshing New England summer."
The Speculative Fiction Bookcamp & Writing Retreat. August 13 - 19, 2023: West Bend, Wisconsin. The Bookcamp offers morning instruction, an afternoon editing clinic, group critique sessions, discussions on the current publishing industry, one-on-one consultations with our staff, pitch sessions with literary agents and acquisition editors, and presentations on writing or publishing topics.
From Idea & Sketch to Dummy & Submission: An Author/Illustrator Online Course. August 15 - September 19, 2023: Online. If you are illustrating AND writing your own book, and wondering how to prepare your dummy for submission, this is the course for you. You will focus on the craft of writing and illustrating a picture book with an intense level of feedback. Participants who complete all assignments should be able to finish or revise a working dummy in its entirety during the course, preparing for submission to editors, agents, or art directors.
Bread Loaf Writers' Conference. August 16 - 26, 2023: Ripton, VT. Workshops in fiction, poetry, and nonfiction are at the core of the conference. Each faculty member conducts a workshop that meets for five two-hour sessions over the course of the 10 days. Groups are kept small to facilitate discussion, and all participants meet individually with their faculty leaders to elaborate on workshop comments. Faculty members also offer lectures on issues around literary writing and one-hour classes on specific aspects of the craft. Readings by the faculty, conference participants, and guests take place throughout the day and into the night. Participants meet with visiting editors, literary agents, and publishers who provide information and answer questions, individually or in small groups.
Killer Nashville Writers’ Conference. August 17 - 20, 2023: Nashville, TN. The Killer Nashville International Writers’ Conference was created in 2006 by author/filmmaker Clay Stafford in an effort to bring together forensic experts, writers, and fans of crime and thriller literature. "At the conference, we try diligently to ensure that the weekend has something for every writer and lover of literature, and our sessions are structured to assist writers on multiple career levels. Our learning tracks tackle the craft of writing, business of writing, marketing, and forensics. Killer Nashville features nine breakout sessions for intense smaller group interaction, an authors’ bar (free for hotel guests), a moonshine and wine tasting, free agent/editor roundtable pitch sessions, a mock crime scene designed by special agents and other law enforcement professionals, cocktail receptions, the Guest of Honor Dinner and Awards Banquet, film previews, live music performances and—of course—all the great activities one can enjoy in downtown Nashville."
The Whole Novel Workshop. August 17 - 22, 2023: Honesdale, PA. This intensive Whole Novel Workshop offers writers the rare opportunity to have the entire draft (up to 80,000 words) of a novel read by faculty, with detailed written feedback and two private consultations provided. Attention in an intimate setting makes this program one that guarantees significant progress in preparation for submission. This Whole Novel Workshop is specifically designed for writers of novels for children and teens. Application Deadline: June 1, 2023.
Poetry at the Frost Farm. August 18 - 20, 2023: Derry, New Hampshire. The retreat offers workshops, readings, and one-on-one consultations for formalist poets. "Join a small community of people at the historic Robert Frost Farm learning, reading and writing formal poetry with contemporary award-winning poets. Choose your focus from a series of offerings designed to provide tools for beginning poets as well as perfect the mastery of published poets."
Shape Your Story: A 6-Week Novel Intensive with Author & Agent Linda Epstein (Fall) August 24 - September 28, 2023 Faculty: Linda Epstein OVERVIEW: A Six-Week Online Course with Pre-recorded Lectures, and Live Discussion/Q & A/Writing Exercises Mold your middle grade or young adult novel into the story only you can tell, with senior literary agent and writer Linda Epstein. Pre-recorded lectures released on Fridays (August 11, 25; September 1, 8, 15, 22) Live sessions via Zoom. 18 participants max.
Colrain Classic. August 25 - 28, 2023. "The Colrain Manuscript Classic is a highly focused, 3-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, manuscript workshop and editorial sessions, there will be an editorial Q&A, and an after-conference strategy session."
PJ Library Retreat: Picture Book Summer Camp for Emerging Writers. August 27 - 31, 2023: 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." Closed.
Bear River Writers’ Conference. August 31 - September 1, 2023: Camp Michigania on Walloon Lake, near Petoskey, Michigan. Workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as readings, discussions, nature walks, and time to write.
DragonCon. August 31 - September 4, 2023: Atlanta, Ga. HUGE sci-fi event, with parade, autograph sessions, live performances, readings, wrestling (!), workshops on belly dancing, writing (yes, there's even some writing), art show. (This conference sounds really wild.)
For a full list of conferences held throughout the year see Writing Conferences. Quite a few offer scholarships.
I've included conferences that have early application dates on my list. So, if you have missed a conference that is ideal for you, put the application deadline on your calendar for next year. (Many conferences are annual events.)
_________________________
Writing As a Pathway Through Grief, Loss, Uncertainty and Change. August 1 - 7, 2023: Watsonville, CA. "The tool we’ll use for transformation is writing and sharing from the heart. Writing and being witnessed in community is a powerful catalyst on your journey of self-discovery. We'll teach you everything you need to know to experience the power of true stories shared and received."
Willamette Writers Conference. August 2 - 6, 2023: Portland, Oregon. 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.
Mendocino Coast Writers Conference. August 3 - August 5, 2023: Mendocino, California. The conference features workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as craft seminars, panels, one-on-one manuscript consultations, and open mics. The faculty includes poet Claudia Castro Luna, fiction writers Jean Chen Ho and Lydia Kiesling, creative nonfiction writer Faith Adiele, and cross-genre writer Anastacia-Reneé. Fiction writer Karen Tei Yamashita will give the keynote address. Participating publishing professionals include agent Jonah Straus (Straus Literary). The registration fee is $675 and includes morning workshops, all afternoon events, and breakfast and lunch each day. One-on-one manuscript consultations are available for an additional $60. Lodging is available at a wide range of accommodations on the Mendocino Coast, including oceanfront inns, campgrounds, and motels. The registration deadline is June 30.
Cape Cod Writers Center Conference. August 3 - 6, 2023: Hyannis, Massachusetts. Supporting published and aspiring writers. Featuring distinguished authors, editors and agents in workshops on fiction, nonfiction, screenwriting, poetry, mysteries and thrillers, social media, promotion and more!
Florida Authors and Publishers Association Annual Conference. August 4 - 5, 2023: Orlando, Florida. "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)."
The 2023 Pittsburgh Writing Workshop. August 4-5, 2023: Pittsburgh, PA. "This is a special two-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop on August 4-5, 2023. 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 “Pittsburgh” Writing Workshop, make no mistake — writers from everywhere are welcome to attend virtually. Our WDW writers conferences have helped dozens of writers find literary agent representation." In person and virtual.
Into the Springs Writers Workshop. August 4 - 6, 2023: Yellow Springs, OH. Faculty: Jane Friedman & Jason Sanford.
Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators Annual Conference. August 4 - 6, 2023: Via Zoom. More than 100 writers, editors, illustrators, & agents. Workshops, breakout sessions, manuscript and portfolio consultations, panels, discussions. Will be held online.
An Introduction to Engaging Kids with Podcasts. August 6 - 13, 2023. Online. Faculty: Matthew Winner OVERVIEW: A Short Intensive Online Course Thinking about starting a podcast for kids, but don’t know where to start? Join librarian, writer, and podcast innovator Matthew Winner to find the heart of your podcast for kids. This online intensive workshop will include presentations, small group discussions, a Q & A gathering, and more!
Vermont College of Fine Arts Postgraduate Writers’ Conference. August 7 - 13, 2023: Montpelier, Vermont. The conference is designed for writers with graduate degrees or equivalent experience. Workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as readings, craft classes, and individual consultations with faculty members. "At the heart of the Postgraduate Writers' Conference's unique model is the small workshop size, with groups led by acclaimed faculty limited to five or six writers. The intimate format allows for an extraordinarily in-depth, far-reaching discussion of participants’ work. Beyond the daily group sessions, each member has an individual consultation with the workshop instructor. The schedule also features a rich menu of readings by faculty and participants, craft talks, generative writing sessions and social events that galvanize our vibrant, inclusive community."
Travel Writers & Photographers Conference. August 10 – 13, 2023: Corte Madera, Calif. Writing and photography workshops in the morning, a full afternoon of panels and discussions, and evening faculty presentations. There are optional, working field trips to explore the resources of the Bay Area. The faculty includes publishers, magazine editors, photographers, travel essayists, food writers, restaurateurs, guidebook writers, and more.
Writing and Illustrating Science & Nature for Kids and Teens. August 12 - 16, 2023: Boyds Mills, PA. Mentorship, hands-on activities, presentations, and ample time for retreating will help you on your path to energizing readers through science and nature-themed fiction or nonfiction.
Elk River Writers Workshop. August 13 - 18, 2023: Chico Hot Springs, MT. The Elk River Writers Workshop embodies the idea that deep, communal experiences with the wild open the door to creativity. We bring together some of the most celebrated nature writers in the United States with students who are serious about fostering a connection with the environment in their writing. It all happens at Chico Hot Springs, a historic retreat just north of Yellowstone National Park.
Murphy Writing of Stockton University: Live Free and Write. August 13 - 18, 2023: Sunapee, NH. "Combine an extended writing retreat with a relaxing summer vacation in the picturesque mountains of New Hampshire. This getaway blends our trademark challenging and supportive workshop experience with plenty of free time for you to write and bask in the refreshing New England summer."
The Speculative Fiction Bookcamp & Writing Retreat. August 13 - 19, 2023: West Bend, Wisconsin. The Bookcamp offers morning instruction, an afternoon editing clinic, group critique sessions, discussions on the current publishing industry, one-on-one consultations with our staff, pitch sessions with literary agents and acquisition editors, and presentations on writing or publishing topics.
From Idea & Sketch to Dummy & Submission: An Author/Illustrator Online Course. August 15 - September 19, 2023: Online. If you are illustrating AND writing your own book, and wondering how to prepare your dummy for submission, this is the course for you. You will focus on the craft of writing and illustrating a picture book with an intense level of feedback. Participants who complete all assignments should be able to finish or revise a working dummy in its entirety during the course, preparing for submission to editors, agents, or art directors.
Bread Loaf Writers' Conference. August 16 - 26, 2023: Ripton, VT. Workshops in fiction, poetry, and nonfiction are at the core of the conference. Each faculty member conducts a workshop that meets for five two-hour sessions over the course of the 10 days. Groups are kept small to facilitate discussion, and all participants meet individually with their faculty leaders to elaborate on workshop comments. Faculty members also offer lectures on issues around literary writing and one-hour classes on specific aspects of the craft. Readings by the faculty, conference participants, and guests take place throughout the day and into the night. Participants meet with visiting editors, literary agents, and publishers who provide information and answer questions, individually or in small groups.
Killer Nashville Writers’ Conference. August 17 - 20, 2023: Nashville, TN. The Killer Nashville International Writers’ Conference was created in 2006 by author/filmmaker Clay Stafford in an effort to bring together forensic experts, writers, and fans of crime and thriller literature. "At the conference, we try diligently to ensure that the weekend has something for every writer and lover of literature, and our sessions are structured to assist writers on multiple career levels. Our learning tracks tackle the craft of writing, business of writing, marketing, and forensics. Killer Nashville features nine breakout sessions for intense smaller group interaction, an authors’ bar (free for hotel guests), a moonshine and wine tasting, free agent/editor roundtable pitch sessions, a mock crime scene designed by special agents and other law enforcement professionals, cocktail receptions, the Guest of Honor Dinner and Awards Banquet, film previews, live music performances and—of course—all the great activities one can enjoy in downtown Nashville."
The Whole Novel Workshop. August 17 - 22, 2023: Honesdale, PA. This intensive Whole Novel Workshop offers writers the rare opportunity to have the entire draft (up to 80,000 words) of a novel read by faculty, with detailed written feedback and two private consultations provided. Attention in an intimate setting makes this program one that guarantees significant progress in preparation for submission. This Whole Novel Workshop is specifically designed for writers of novels for children and teens. Application Deadline: June 1, 2023.
Poetry at the Frost Farm. August 18 - 20, 2023: Derry, New Hampshire. The retreat offers workshops, readings, and one-on-one consultations for formalist poets. "Join a small community of people at the historic Robert Frost Farm learning, reading and writing formal poetry with contemporary award-winning poets. Choose your focus from a series of offerings designed to provide tools for beginning poets as well as perfect the mastery of published poets."
Shape Your Story: A 6-Week Novel Intensive with Author & Agent Linda Epstein (Fall) August 24 - September 28, 2023 Faculty: Linda Epstein OVERVIEW: A Six-Week Online Course with Pre-recorded Lectures, and Live Discussion/Q & A/Writing Exercises Mold your middle grade or young adult novel into the story only you can tell, with senior literary agent and writer Linda Epstein. Pre-recorded lectures released on Fridays (August 11, 25; September 1, 8, 15, 22) Live sessions via Zoom. 18 participants max.
Colrain Classic. August 25 - 28, 2023. "The Colrain Manuscript Classic is a highly focused, 3-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, manuscript workshop and editorial sessions, there will be an editorial Q&A, and an after-conference strategy session."
PJ Library Retreat: Picture Book Summer Camp for Emerging Writers. August 27 - 31, 2023: 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." Closed.
Bear River Writers’ Conference. August 31 - September 1, 2023: Camp Michigania on Walloon Lake, near Petoskey, Michigan. Workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as readings, discussions, nature walks, and time to write.
DragonCon. August 31 - September 4, 2023: Atlanta, Ga. HUGE sci-fi event, with parade, autograph sessions, live performances, readings, wrestling (!), workshops on belly dancing, writing (yes, there's even some writing), art show. (This conference sounds really wild.)
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