Squam Lake by Chuck Taylor
This June there are more than five 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, so apply early. Popular conferences also tend to close early.
I've included conferences that have early application dates on my list. So, if you have missed one that is ideal for you, put the application deadline on your calendar for next year. (Many conferences are annual events.)
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Application for the Whole Novel Workshop: An In-Person Retreat for Novelists. Apply by June 1. August 17 - 22, 2023: Boyds Mills, PA. OVERVIEW: In-person 6-Day/5-Night Workshop and Retreat with a Full Novel Critique Included 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.
Tennessee Writing Day Workshop. June 2 -3, 2023. Online. This “How to Get Published” 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. Note that there are limited online “seats” at the event (200 total). Will be conducted online.
Writing The Rainbow: An Online Intensive For Picture BookStorytellers. June 2 -5, 2023: Honesdale, PA. This workshop is designed to bring LGBTQIA+ creators and allies together to craft picture books with clear LGBTQIA+ themes. You will learn to create books that celebrate joy, respect, and appreciation for children in today’s world, showing beauty and strength in our rainbow of experiences. Will be conducted online.
Sundress Academy: Summer Poetry Writing Retreat. June 2nd-4th, 2023: Firefly Farms, Knoxville, TN. The three-day, two-night camping retreat will be held at SAFTA’s own Firefly Farms in Knoxville, Tennessee. All SAFTA retreats focus on generative poetry writing, and this year’s poetry retreat will also include the following break-out sessions: “The Cascade and the Overflow: The Use and Uselessness of Punctuating Your Poetry” and “Singing the Body Electric: Writing our Embodied Experiences.” A weekend pass includes one-on-one and group instruction, writing supplies, food, drinks, and all on-site amenities for $250. Tents, sleeping bags, and other camping equipment are available to rent for $25. Payment plans are available if you reserve by March 31, 2023.
Wyoming Writers Conference. June 2 - 4, 2023: Cheyenne, WY. The conference features workshops in craft, marketing, and productivity for poets, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers, as well as publisher pitch sessions, roundtable critiques, and open mics. Participating writers include fiction writer Nina McConigley. Poet Matt Mason will give the keynote address. Participating publishing professionals include publisher Bernadette Soehner (5 Prince Publishing) and director of literary development Angie Hodapp (Nelson Literary Agency). The cost of the conference is $235 until May 15 and $275 thereafter. Single-day registration is available for $150. Lodging is available through the Historic Plains Hotel.
Bread Loaf Environmental Writers' Conference. June 2 - 8, 2023: Ripton, VT. The Bread Loaf Orion Environmental Writers' Conference is a week-long writers’ conference designed to hone the skills of people interested in producing literary writing about the environment and the natural world. The conference is co-sponsored by the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, Orion magazine, and Middlebury College’s Environmental Studies Program. Application Deadline: March 1, 2023.
Bread Loaf Translators' Conference. June 2 - 8, 2023: Ripton, VT. The Bread Loaf Translators’ Conference includes workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as lectures, craft classes, meetings with editors and agents, and readings by faculty and guests.
IWWG Summer Writers Conference. June 2 - 22, 2023: Virtual. The 2023 Virtual Conference includes an opening panel on spiritual memoir, 9 workshops, an IWWG anthology launch from our work with women writers in Afghanistan, and a closing open mic. Will be held online.
Yale Writers' Conference. June 3 - 10, 2023, on campus, June 11 - 17, virtual: New Haven, CT. The Yale Writers’ Workshop brings together the experience and expertise of leading teachers, authors, editors, agents and publishers in a series of panels and workshops, for the benefit of writers the world over. We are offering three sessions (one on campus and two remote) that will enhance the writing skills of any serious writer. Our faculty provides unique, tailored, and transformative experiences to all participants. Will be conducted online and in person. Application deadline: April 3, 2023.
An Intersectional Lens: Awareness + Action For Representation In Kids’ Books, Libraries & Classrooms. June 4 - 7, 2023: Boyds Mills, PA. Professional & Personal Development for Educators, Librarians, Storytellers, & Publishing Professionals. Build the skills you need to analyze children’s books for meaningful representation, reader engagement, visual literacy, and more.
Lit Camp. June 4 - 9, 2023: Bell Valley Retreat Center and the Boonville Hotel in Mendocino County, California. The conference features workshops, panels, and craft talks for fiction writers and creative nonfiction writers. The faculty includes writers Ingrid Rojas Contreras, Janis Cooke Newman, Susan Straight and Daniel Torday. The cost of the conference, including lodging and meals, ranges from $995 to $2,395, depending on lodging. Registration is limited to 25 participants. Application Deadline: March 18, 2023.
Interlochen Writer’s Retreat. June 4 - 9, 2023: Interlochen, Michigan. Nestled deep in the woods between two lakes, Interlochen College of Creative Arts' five-day Writers Retreat is a true writer's dream. Spend your days writing new material, attending presentations by award-winning faculty, and enjoying lakeside lunches and evening readings while making friends and connections in the literary world. Select your concentration from four unique courses, each grounded in different craft concepts with an emphasis on generating new work—appealing to both advanced and beginning writers alike.
Fine Arts Work Center Summer Workshops (poetry, fiction, art, and creative nonfiction). June 4 - August 19, 2023: Provincetown, Massachusetts. The faculty includes poets Oliver Baez Bendorf, Tina Chang, Chen Chen, Vievee Francis, Kimiko Hahn, Marie Howe, Jessica Jacobs, Gail Mazur, Eileen Myles, Porsha Olayiwola, Matthew Olzmann, Rowan Ricardo Phillips, and Monica Youn; fiction writers Alexander Chee, Andrea Lawlor, Celeste Lecesne, Carmen Maria Machado, Victoria Redel, and Alexandra Teague; and nonfiction writers Garrard Conley, Melissa Febos, Nick Flynn, Paul Lisicky, Seema Reza, Sarah Schulman, Deborah Taffa, and Joan Wickersham. Tuition is $800 for one workshop/week. Housing is available at nearby guesthouses and inns; limited campus housing is available on a first-come, first-served basis for $1,000 for six nights. See individual workshops for dates.
VCFA Novel Retreat. June 5 - 11, 2023: Montpelier, Vermont. "Whether you seek the reflective solitude of a retreat or writing time combined with consultations, group discussions, and more, the VCFA Novel Retreat enables you to craft an experience best suited to your individual needs. No matter what stage your project is at—beginning, drafting, middle, or final edit—the retreat is designed to accommodate all aspects of the writing process. Retreat participants gain the added benefit of working with our renowned faculty. Our 2023 faculty includes Connie May Fowler, Adam McOmber, Laura Warrell, and literary agent Jeff Kleinman, founding partner at Folio Literary Management in New York City. While participants and faculty write each morning, afternoons and evenings offer a variety of optional sessions, including craft and process discussions, generative writing classes, manuscript clinics, and agent advice."
The Writers Hotel. June 5 - 11, 2023: Boothbay Harbor, Maine. Following the pre-conference Team Reading process, writers meet in Maine for the TWH immersive, intense program. Writers workshop their writing in intimate Major Workshops with some of the industry’s top authors, and they attend generative Craft Lab workshops. We are keeping the price the same, at $3500. This is a semi-hybrid event; our Agent Pitching Sessions and Agent Pitching Practice Session for prose writers will take place virtually on Zoom on June 29th, 2024, following the in-person conference. All other events will be held on-site at the Inn.
Odyssey Writing Workshop. June 5 and August 14, 2023. (6 weeks and 12 weeks) Since its inception in 1996, Odyssey has become one of the most highly respected workshops for writers of fantasy, science fiction, and horror. Will be held online. Deadline March 15.
From Pencil Or Paint To Pixel: A Two-Night Mini ForBeginning Illustrators. June 6 - 8, 2023: Honesdale, PA. Beginning illustrators can join children’s book author/illustrator Courtney Pippin-Mathur to talk about approaches to using different media (traditional and/or digital) in your illustrations, and special guest Aram Kim for ten tips about submitting work to an art director (tradition and/or digital). This program is a great fit if you’re looking for a short course of two, 75-minute sessions offering limited interaction with the community, but loads of information. Will be conducted online.
In-Company: A Retreat For Experienced Authors AndIllustrators. June 7 - 11, 2023: Boyds Mills, PA. Join us in company to share, grow, and cultivate creativity when you’ve been working in the industry for a long time. Talk with your peers about your career, challenges, deadlines, and upcoming projects. Offer your wishes for pushing boundaries of your work, and the industry! 22 participants max.
The Loft's Wordplay Conference. July 8, 2023, Minneapolis MN. "The Loft’s Wordplay aims to be Minnesota's largest celebration of readers, writers, and great books. Imagine a weekend full of famous authors and celebrated books; a weekend of readings, conversations, workshops, kids’ activities, demonstrations, and one-of-a-kind happenings with outdoor stages, cooking stages, book signings, quiet reading corners, boisterous parties, food trucks, beer tents, and books, books, books."
Clarksville Writers Conference. June 8 - 9, 2023: Clarksville, TN. Two days of writing workshops and presentations, a keynote banquet with the authors, and manuscript consultations.
Historical Novel Society North American Conference. June 8 - 10, 2023: San Antonio, TX. The biennial Historical Novel Society (HNS) North America Conference will be held from June 8 to June 10 at the Marriott Rivercenter hotel in San Antonio, Texas, as well as online. The conference features presentations, panels, pitch sessions with agents and editors, query critiques, a Readers Festival, and social events for historical fiction writers. The theme for this year’s conference is “The Working Writer.” Participating writers include fiction writers James Scott Bell, Jamie Ford, Libbie Grant, and Lisa Wingate. Participating publishing professionals include editors Amy Durant (Sapere Books), Amelia Hester (Dragonblade Publishing), and Verena Rose and Harriette Sackler (Level Best Books); and agents Danielle Egan-Miller (Browne & Miller Literary Associates), Cate Hart (Harvey Klinger), Shannon Hassan (Marsal Lyon Literary Agency), Viola Hayden (Curtis Brown), Imogen Pelham (Marjacq), Marcy Posner (Folio Literary Management), Rayhané Sanders (Massie & McQuilkin), Mitchell Waters (Brandt & Hochman), and Paige Wheeler (Creative Media Agency). The cost to attend the conference in person is $639 ($589 for HNS members), or $350 for students, not including lodging. The cost to stay at the San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter is $195 a night. The cost for virtual participants is $299. Registration is rolling through May 15 for in-person participants, and June 4 for virtual participants. The cost of master classes ranges from $50 to $75. The cost of pitch sessions and query critiques is $25 per session. Hybrid event.
New York Pitch Conference. June 8 - 11, 2023: NY, NY. The New York Pitch Conference and writers workshop is held four times a year and features publishing house editors from major houses such as Penguin, Random House, St. Martins, Harper Collins, Tor and Del Rey, Kensington Books and many more who are looking for new novels in a variety of genres, as well as narrative non-fiction. 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.
Squam Writes Retreat. June 8 - 11, 2023: Squam Lake, New Hampshire. The Squam Writes Retreat is a small group retreat for experienced fiction writers. We focus on craft with an eye toward publication. We offer opportunities for feedback and plenty of time to write, make new friends, and recharge creative batteries in a beautiful New Hampshire lakeside setting. Every participant receives a one-on-one critique with an agent or editor.
The 2023 Writers' Police Academy. June 8 – 11, 2023: Raleigh, NC. "MurderCon is a rare opportunity for writers to participate in hands-on “for law enforcement eyes only” training, using modern testing and evidence collection tools and equipment, in workshops taught by some of the world’s leading homicide investigation experts. This incredibly detailed, cutting-edge instruction has never before been available to writers, anywhere."
Indiana University Writers’ Conference. June 8 - 11, 2023, Indiana University in Bloomington. The conference features workshops in poetry and fiction, as well as craft classes, readings, and panels for poets, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers. The cost of the conference is $375, or $800 with a workshop. Lodging and meals are not included; lodging is available in campus dormitories and in the campus hotel. The registration fee is $25; general registration is first come, first served. To attend a workshop, submit 8 to 10 pages of poetry or 15 to 25 pages of prose; admissions are made on a rolling basis.
Sundress Academy: Trans/Nonbinary Writing Retreat. June 9th-10th, 2023: Via Zoom. All SAFTA retreats focus on generative writing, and this year’s retreat will also include the following craft talk sessions: “Queering the Lens: Trans Ekphrastic” and “The Poetics of Addiction: Imagery, Symbolism, and Juxtaposition in Writing Alcoholism.” The event will be open to trans and nonbinary writers of all backgrounds and experience levels and provide an opportunity to work with many talented authors and poets from around the country, including workshop leaders jason b. crawford and Remi Recchia and keynote speaker Ina Cariño. Cost $75.
West Chester University Poetry Conference. June 9 - 11, 2023: West Chester, PA. The conference offers poetry workshops and features a keynote speaker, critical seminars, panel discussions, faculty readings, and an opportunity for participants to have conferences with workshop leaders and resident poets.
Mountain Heritage Literary Festival. June 9 - 11, 2023: Cumberland Gap, TN. "Every year writers gather at the ancient and beloved Cumberland Gap to celebrate writing, music, and Appalachian heritage. Events include workshops, panels, readings, concerts, lectures, open mic, and more."
West Virginia Writers Conference. June 9 - 11, 2023: Ripley, West Virginia. Author readings, contests and sharing your love of writing with others.
The Creativity Workshop in New York. June 9 - 12, 2023: New York, New York. "The Creativity Workshops take away the fear of writing and open the way to new ideas. They are especially helpful for writers in fiction, poetry, memoir, theatre and film to get over writing blocks. In our Creativity Workshop Retreats you will generate both new work and ideas for the work you are in the midst of creating. We use many different techniques to help you find your way through the novel, essay, poem, memoir, or script you are writing or hope to write. In The Creativity Workshop you will be doing free writing, writing from guided visualizations, collaborative writing, journaling and memoir work and even some rudimentary drawing, collage and photography."
Get Published Conference. June 10, 2023: Bozeman, Montana. This conference is devoted to book writing, marketing and getting published. Faculty includes experienced writers who share their methods for planning, writing and finishing their books, along with practical marketing and promotional information
California Crime Writers Conference. June 10 - 11, 2023: Culver City, California. "Sisters in Crime/Los Angeles and SoCal Mystery Writers of America invite emerging and established mystery writers for a weekend of invaluable guidance, insight, and community at the California Crime Writers Conference. Whether your novel is brewing in your imagination, ready to publish, or you already have several published books under your belt, our workshops, presented by agents, editors, award-winning authors, and crime investigation professionals, are geared to elevate your mystery writing skills and foster relationships on your path to publication and beyond."
Tinker Mountain Writers’ Workshop. June 11 - 15, 2023: Roanoke, Virginia. The conference features workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as craft seminars, individual conferences with faculty members, and readings.
Juniper Summer Writing Institute. June 11 - 17, 2023: Amherst, MA. 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. Application deadline February 15.
Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers. June 12 - 16, 2023: Sandy, Utah. A week-long conference filled with hands-on workshops where the faculty work WITH you on your manuscript. As a participant of a five-day workshop, you get free feedback from an agent or editor on your writing, opportunities to network with like-minded writers, and five days of afternoon breakout sessions filled with dozens of craft-specific topics designed especially for kidlit authors.
Naropa Summer Writing Program. June 12 - July 1, 2023: Boulder, CO. Summer Writing Program of the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics at Naropa University. (See site for individual classes)
Responsible Representation in Children's Books. June 13, 2023. Online. Whether you’re drawing from your own experiences or outside of them, writing demands research, empathy, attention to detail, and an interrogation of one’s own place in this world. Join literary agents and writers D. Ann Williams and Linda Epstein to begin your own personal interrogation, and build understanding of crafting respectful and responsible representation in your writing. Webinar style program.
ASJA (American Society of Journalists and Authors) Writers Conference, June 13 - 15, 2023: Online. "As freelance journalists and authors, we collaborate with editors, agents, publishers, designers, and multimedia experts. At the 2022 conference, we will explore the ways collaboration helps us succeed. We have three tracks of interactive, dynamic programming focused on journalism, content marketing, and books. Sessions will benefit freelancers at all phases in their careers. Also available are members-only mastermind programs for small groups led by freelance experts."
Pacific University Master of Fine Arts in Writing Residency Writers Conference. June 15 - 25, 2023: Forest Grove, Oregon. Writers seeking to deepen their craft and expand their professional community are invited to attend the Residency Writers Conference together with MFA students, faculty and guest speakers. Join us for 10 full days of craft talks, workshops, panels, classes, readings and more featuring some of the best minds of the literary world. This residency is a rare opportunity to engage in sustained and meaningful conversation with others who share your passion for the art of writing.
Whole Novel Historical: A Virtual Course for Historical Novelists. June 15 - August 11, 2023. The Highlights Foundation 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. This online program in particular is for writers of Historical Fiction novels. Multi-Month Online Course, $2199. This program is full, but will be offered again next year. If you would like to be notified when it is available, please add your name to the waitlist.
Orion Environmental Writers’ Workshop. June 18 - June 23, 2023: The Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York. This program is for writers who want to learn how to write an Orion essay, short story, or poem; for writers who seek to become better advocates for the environment through their writing; for poets who are drawn to writing about nature and culture; for teachers and scholars who wish to write for a more general readership; and for environmental professionals who want to bring better writing skills to bear on their work. The program will feature small writing workshops dedicated to poetry, fiction, and nonfiction, as well as faculty readings and lectures, student readings, and presentations on publishing.
The Santa Barbara Writers Conference. June 18 – 23, 2023: Santa Barbara, Calif. "Every summer, writers in many genres from around the world gather to participate in a magical week of intensive work focused on story, voice, craft, marketing, and networking with fellow writers and publishing professionals."
Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshops. June 18 – 23, 2023: Gambier, Ohio. At Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshops, talented high school students from around the world join a dynamic and supportive literary community to stretch their talents, discover new strengths, and challenge themselves in the company of peers who are also passionate about writing. Online.
Aspen Summer Words. June 18 - June 23, 2023: Aspen, Colorado. Workshops, panels, and readings in fiction and creative nonfiction, as well as opportunities to meet with agents and editors. "Aspen Summer Words is the Rocky Mountain gateway to the literary world. Recognized as one of the country’s pre-eminent literary conferences, Summer Words welcomes visitors and locals alike to celebrate writing and writers in Aspen for a week each June. The exceptional faculty and awe-inspiring mountain scenery combine to make this a writing retreat like no other."
Kenyon Review Writers Workshops. June 18 - 24, 2023: 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. Online. Applications are open March 15 – April 16, 2023.
Speculative Fiction NIP Bookcamp & Writing Retreat Work Week. June 18 - 24, 2023: West Bend, Wisconsin. Six days of personal writing time with opportunities to discuss writing issues with the Retreat Mentor (an award-winning novelist and editor), opportunities to attend certain Bookcamp presentations, all social activities, critiques, and chat with fellow writers and publishing professionals in a relaxed environment.
The All-Genre Novel-In-Progress Bookcamp & Writing Retreat. June 18 - 24, 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.
Chesapeake Writers' Conference at St. Mary's College of Maryland. June 18 - 24, 2023: St. Mary's City, Maryland. "Join us on Maryland’s Western Shore-for the 8th Annual Chesapeake Writers’ Conference for a week of craft talks, lectures, panel discussions, and readings, as well as daily workshops in fiction, poetry, screenwriting, translation, songwriting, or creative nonfiction.
Christopher McKitterick Speculative Fiction Writing Workshop. June 18 - 30, 2023: Online. Learn how to write SF that sells. Using the short-story form, we help you master the elements that create great stories. Since 1985. This annual two-week residential writing workshop helps established writers grow their skills while helping those who have just begun to publish or who need the final bit of insight or skill to master the elements that create great stories readers love and editors want to buy. Become part of a writing community: Award-winning author, SF scholar, long-time director of James Gunn's original SF research center, and Ad Astra SF Institute Director Christopher McKitterick has led this workshop since 2010, and served as guest author in James Gunn's SF Writers Workshop starting in 1995. Apply by May 19.
Community of Writers at Squaw Valley: Poetry Workshop. June 19 - June 25, 2023: Olympic Valley, California. "We work together to create an atmosphere in which everyone might feel free to try anything. In the mornings we meet in workshops to read to each other the work of the previous twenty-four hours; each participant also has an opportunity to work with each staff poet. In the late afternoons we gather for a conversation about some aspect of craft. On several afternoons staff poets hold brief individual conferences." Registration deadline: March 28, 2023.
Stonecoast Writers’ Conference. June 20 - 25, 2023, Portland, ME. "Your conference experience centers around the workshop. In these classes, your work (and the work of your peers) serves as the primary text. Faculty focus on providing constructive criticism that can help you unlock your writing. Class discussions provide opportunities to discuss theories and practical application of writing craft. Each instructor adapts their class to reflect the interest and abilities of the students. Generative writing exercises ensure that you’ll have threads of new work to follow after the conference ends. This summer we are offering two distinct workshop classes: Fiction and CNF/Memoir. Each workshop is limited to ten students.
Minnesota Northwoods Writers Conference. June 20 - 25, 2023: Bemidji, Minnesota. We offer six intensive four-day writing classes and affordable auditor options. We’re proud to announce our 2023 MNWC faculty: Aimee Nezhukumatathil (Hybrid Poetry & Prose) Ross Gay (Poetry), Keetje Kuipers (Poetry), Lia Purpura (Creative Nonfiction), Will Weaver (Fiction) and Diane Wilson (Memoir to Fiction). And we’re thrilled to have Heid E. Erdrich and Sun Yung Shin be our two visiting writers. Waitlisted.
Chautauqua Writers’ Festival. June 21 - 24, 2023: Chautauqua, New York. In addition to the Festival’s tradition of intensive workshops and optional à la carte one-on-one conferences with award-winning contemporary authors, attendees can also experience panel conversations, and a keynote address. The 2023 theme is “Hope & its Entanglements” and these various conversations will draw fruitful and urgent connections between the personal, the political, and the craft of writing. All of these features are included in the cost of Standard Registration and available as an option to any workshop participant.
Western Writers of America Convention. June 21 - 24, 2023: Great Falls, Montana. Children's, Fiction, Marketing, Non-fiction, Publishing, Young Adult. History presentations at the convention include Cats in the Old West, Border Wars/Law and Order, Mark Twain Literary Contributions, and more. Other sessions will take place related to the craft of writing, book marketing, and research sources and techniques.
Writing For The Educational Market. June 21 - 25, 2023: Boyds Mills, PA. If the words “educational market” make you think only of workbooks and textbooks, it’s time to think again! Today’s educational publishers are eager to see lively nonfiction, fast-paced fiction, poetry, video scripts, and more.
Fordham University Retreat. June 21 - 25, 2023: New York City. "In order to help mentor the next generation of Asian American writers, Kundiman sponsors an annual Retreat in partnership with Fordham University. During the Retreat, nationally renowned Asian American poets and writers conduct Master Classes and manuscript consultations with fellows. Readings, writing circles and informal social gatherings are also scheduled. Through this Retreat, Kundiman hopes to provide a safe and instructive environment that identifies and addresses the unique challenges faced by emerging Asian American writers."
Jackson Hole Writers Conference, June 22 - 24, 2023: Jackson Hole, WY. You will have ample opportunity to share your work with a distinguished faculty as well as writers from Massachusetts to Florida, from Texas to Washington. Serious writers pour into Jackson Hole each June looking for a fresh, but critical eye on their work. This event usually has at least 4 agents to pitch.
David R Collins Conference Faculty & Workshops. June 22 - 24, 2023: Rock Island, IL. Daily workshops, critiques, pitches, evening events, keynote. Will be held in person.
In Your Write Mind Workshop. June 22 - 25, 2023: Greensburg, Pennsylvania. No up-to-date details. The following is from last year: Special Guest: L. Marie Wood. Agents: Eva Scalzo (Speilburg Literary Agency) and Erin Clyburn (Howland Literary). Editors: Miranda Hill (Berkley-Penguin Publishing Group) and John Edward Lawson (Raw Dog Screaming Press). Artist: Greg Chapman. Business and Craft Tracks. Pitch Sessions. Book Signing. Networking. Author Readings. Writing Sprints. Critique Groups. And more! Will be held online and in person.
Bookstock Literary Festival. June 23 - 25, 2023: Woodstock, Vermont. From Poets & Writers: "The festival features workshops, readings, discussions, and a book fair for poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers. Participating writers have included poets Benjamin Aleshire, Laura Foley, Pamela Harrison, April Ossmann, and Elizabeth Powell; fiction writers Jean Hanff Korenlitz and Roland Merullo; and nonfiction writers Jabari Asim, Bruce Coffin, and Sarah Prager. All events and workshops are free and open to the public."
The 2023 Writing Workshop of Chicago. June 24, 2023: Chicago, IL. This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop on Saturday, June 24, 2023, at the Congress Plaza Hotel. 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.
Frost Place Conference on Poetry and Teaching. June 24 - 28, 2023 | Writing Intensive June 28 - June 29, 2023: Franconia, NH. Held each year in June, the Conference on Poetry and Teaching (CPT) is a unique opportunity for teachers to work closely with both their peers and a team of illustrious poets who have particular expertise in working with teachers at all levels: K–12, graduate and undergraduate, and nontraditional and community-based instructors.
Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshops. June 25 - July 8, 2023: Gambier, Ohio. At Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshops, talented high school students from around the world join a dynamic and supportive literary community to stretch their talents, discover new strengths, and challenge themselves in the company of peers who are also passionate about writing. In person.
New York State Summer Writers Institute at Skidmore College. June 25 - July 22, 2023: Saratoga Springs, NY. Since 1987, the Institute has been offering students the opportunity to learn from an extraordinary faculty of distinguished writers led by director Robert Boyers. The program is an offshoot of the New York State Writers Institute created by Albany native and Pulitzer Prize-winning author William Kennedy. The curriculum is designed for college-aged students and adults, and the new virtual format will retain many of the Institute’s hallmark features:
Clarion West Summer Writers Workshop. June 25 - August 5, 2023: Seattle, Washington. "The six-week workshop can give you time away from everyday distractions and encourage you to experiment and take artistic risks. The critique sessions are the heart of the workshop: you learn not only by receiving critiques, but by reading others’ work and constructing your own critiques. Instructors work directly with attendees to present group critiques of newly written stories, participate in discussions about writing techniques or professional concerns, and hold individual or small-group conferences. Throughout the entire experience, the Clarion West Workshop staff is present to help guide participants and facilitate an inclusive environment." Closed.
Hurston/Wright Summer Writers Week. June 26 - July 21, 2023: Rutgers. 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. See website for individual workshops.
Haiku North America Conference. June 28 - July 2, 2023. Cincinnati, Ohio. "Haiku North America is designed for, and open to, everyone—beginners and seasoned specialists alike. Haiku North America (HNA) is a biennial conference in celebration of haiku poetry. Every two years we offer five stimulating days of papers, panels, workshops, readings, performances, book sales, cultural outings, and much socialization with fellow poets, translators, scholars, editors, and publishers. Our first conference was in 1991 and subsequent conferences have taken place in the United States and Canada, focusing on North American poets, their haiku, and related arts. Everyone is welcome to attend HNA, the largest and oldest gathering of haiku poets outside Japan."
For a full list of conferences held throughout the year see Writing Conferences. Quite a few offer scholarships, so apply early. Popular conferences also tend to close early.
I've included conferences that have early application dates on my list. So, if you have missed one that is ideal for you, put the application deadline on your calendar for next year. (Many conferences are annual events.)
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Application for the Whole Novel Workshop: An In-Person Retreat for Novelists. Apply by June 1. August 17 - 22, 2023: Boyds Mills, PA. OVERVIEW: In-person 6-Day/5-Night Workshop and Retreat with a Full Novel Critique Included 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.
Tennessee Writing Day Workshop. June 2 -3, 2023. Online. This “How to Get Published” 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. Note that there are limited online “seats” at the event (200 total). Will be conducted online.
Writing The Rainbow: An Online Intensive For Picture BookStorytellers. June 2 -5, 2023: Honesdale, PA. This workshop is designed to bring LGBTQIA+ creators and allies together to craft picture books with clear LGBTQIA+ themes. You will learn to create books that celebrate joy, respect, and appreciation for children in today’s world, showing beauty and strength in our rainbow of experiences. Will be conducted online.
Sundress Academy: Summer Poetry Writing Retreat. June 2nd-4th, 2023: Firefly Farms, Knoxville, TN. The three-day, two-night camping retreat will be held at SAFTA’s own Firefly Farms in Knoxville, Tennessee. All SAFTA retreats focus on generative poetry writing, and this year’s poetry retreat will also include the following break-out sessions: “The Cascade and the Overflow: The Use and Uselessness of Punctuating Your Poetry” and “Singing the Body Electric: Writing our Embodied Experiences.” A weekend pass includes one-on-one and group instruction, writing supplies, food, drinks, and all on-site amenities for $250. Tents, sleeping bags, and other camping equipment are available to rent for $25. Payment plans are available if you reserve by March 31, 2023.
Wyoming Writers Conference. June 2 - 4, 2023: Cheyenne, WY. The conference features workshops in craft, marketing, and productivity for poets, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers, as well as publisher pitch sessions, roundtable critiques, and open mics. Participating writers include fiction writer Nina McConigley. Poet Matt Mason will give the keynote address. Participating publishing professionals include publisher Bernadette Soehner (5 Prince Publishing) and director of literary development Angie Hodapp (Nelson Literary Agency). The cost of the conference is $235 until May 15 and $275 thereafter. Single-day registration is available for $150. Lodging is available through the Historic Plains Hotel.
Bread Loaf Environmental Writers' Conference. June 2 - 8, 2023: Ripton, VT. The Bread Loaf Orion Environmental Writers' Conference is a week-long writers’ conference designed to hone the skills of people interested in producing literary writing about the environment and the natural world. The conference is co-sponsored by the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, Orion magazine, and Middlebury College’s Environmental Studies Program. Application Deadline: March 1, 2023.
Bread Loaf Translators' Conference. June 2 - 8, 2023: Ripton, VT. The Bread Loaf Translators’ Conference includes workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as lectures, craft classes, meetings with editors and agents, and readings by faculty and guests.
IWWG Summer Writers Conference. June 2 - 22, 2023: Virtual. The 2023 Virtual Conference includes an opening panel on spiritual memoir, 9 workshops, an IWWG anthology launch from our work with women writers in Afghanistan, and a closing open mic. Will be held online.
Yale Writers' Conference. June 3 - 10, 2023, on campus, June 11 - 17, virtual: New Haven, CT. The Yale Writers’ Workshop brings together the experience and expertise of leading teachers, authors, editors, agents and publishers in a series of panels and workshops, for the benefit of writers the world over. We are offering three sessions (one on campus and two remote) that will enhance the writing skills of any serious writer. Our faculty provides unique, tailored, and transformative experiences to all participants. Will be conducted online and in person. Application deadline: April 3, 2023.
An Intersectional Lens: Awareness + Action For Representation In Kids’ Books, Libraries & Classrooms. June 4 - 7, 2023: Boyds Mills, PA. Professional & Personal Development for Educators, Librarians, Storytellers, & Publishing Professionals. Build the skills you need to analyze children’s books for meaningful representation, reader engagement, visual literacy, and more.
Lit Camp. June 4 - 9, 2023: Bell Valley Retreat Center and the Boonville Hotel in Mendocino County, California. The conference features workshops, panels, and craft talks for fiction writers and creative nonfiction writers. The faculty includes writers Ingrid Rojas Contreras, Janis Cooke Newman, Susan Straight and Daniel Torday. The cost of the conference, including lodging and meals, ranges from $995 to $2,395, depending on lodging. Registration is limited to 25 participants. Application Deadline: March 18, 2023.
Interlochen Writer’s Retreat. June 4 - 9, 2023: Interlochen, Michigan. Nestled deep in the woods between two lakes, Interlochen College of Creative Arts' five-day Writers Retreat is a true writer's dream. Spend your days writing new material, attending presentations by award-winning faculty, and enjoying lakeside lunches and evening readings while making friends and connections in the literary world. Select your concentration from four unique courses, each grounded in different craft concepts with an emphasis on generating new work—appealing to both advanced and beginning writers alike.
Fine Arts Work Center Summer Workshops (poetry, fiction, art, and creative nonfiction). June 4 - August 19, 2023: Provincetown, Massachusetts. The faculty includes poets Oliver Baez Bendorf, Tina Chang, Chen Chen, Vievee Francis, Kimiko Hahn, Marie Howe, Jessica Jacobs, Gail Mazur, Eileen Myles, Porsha Olayiwola, Matthew Olzmann, Rowan Ricardo Phillips, and Monica Youn; fiction writers Alexander Chee, Andrea Lawlor, Celeste Lecesne, Carmen Maria Machado, Victoria Redel, and Alexandra Teague; and nonfiction writers Garrard Conley, Melissa Febos, Nick Flynn, Paul Lisicky, Seema Reza, Sarah Schulman, Deborah Taffa, and Joan Wickersham. Tuition is $800 for one workshop/week. Housing is available at nearby guesthouses and inns; limited campus housing is available on a first-come, first-served basis for $1,000 for six nights. See individual workshops for dates.
VCFA Novel Retreat. June 5 - 11, 2023: Montpelier, Vermont. "Whether you seek the reflective solitude of a retreat or writing time combined with consultations, group discussions, and more, the VCFA Novel Retreat enables you to craft an experience best suited to your individual needs. No matter what stage your project is at—beginning, drafting, middle, or final edit—the retreat is designed to accommodate all aspects of the writing process. Retreat participants gain the added benefit of working with our renowned faculty. Our 2023 faculty includes Connie May Fowler, Adam McOmber, Laura Warrell, and literary agent Jeff Kleinman, founding partner at Folio Literary Management in New York City. While participants and faculty write each morning, afternoons and evenings offer a variety of optional sessions, including craft and process discussions, generative writing classes, manuscript clinics, and agent advice."
The Writers Hotel. June 5 - 11, 2023: Boothbay Harbor, Maine. Following the pre-conference Team Reading process, writers meet in Maine for the TWH immersive, intense program. Writers workshop their writing in intimate Major Workshops with some of the industry’s top authors, and they attend generative Craft Lab workshops. We are keeping the price the same, at $3500. This is a semi-hybrid event; our Agent Pitching Sessions and Agent Pitching Practice Session for prose writers will take place virtually on Zoom on June 29th, 2024, following the in-person conference. All other events will be held on-site at the Inn.
Odyssey Writing Workshop. June 5 and August 14, 2023. (6 weeks and 12 weeks) Since its inception in 1996, Odyssey has become one of the most highly respected workshops for writers of fantasy, science fiction, and horror. Will be held online. Deadline March 15.
From Pencil Or Paint To Pixel: A Two-Night Mini ForBeginning Illustrators. June 6 - 8, 2023: Honesdale, PA. Beginning illustrators can join children’s book author/illustrator Courtney Pippin-Mathur to talk about approaches to using different media (traditional and/or digital) in your illustrations, and special guest Aram Kim for ten tips about submitting work to an art director (tradition and/or digital). This program is a great fit if you’re looking for a short course of two, 75-minute sessions offering limited interaction with the community, but loads of information. Will be conducted online.
In-Company: A Retreat For Experienced Authors AndIllustrators. June 7 - 11, 2023: Boyds Mills, PA. Join us in company to share, grow, and cultivate creativity when you’ve been working in the industry for a long time. Talk with your peers about your career, challenges, deadlines, and upcoming projects. Offer your wishes for pushing boundaries of your work, and the industry! 22 participants max.
The Loft's Wordplay Conference. July 8, 2023, Minneapolis MN. "The Loft’s Wordplay aims to be Minnesota's largest celebration of readers, writers, and great books. Imagine a weekend full of famous authors and celebrated books; a weekend of readings, conversations, workshops, kids’ activities, demonstrations, and one-of-a-kind happenings with outdoor stages, cooking stages, book signings, quiet reading corners, boisterous parties, food trucks, beer tents, and books, books, books."
Clarksville Writers Conference. June 8 - 9, 2023: Clarksville, TN. Two days of writing workshops and presentations, a keynote banquet with the authors, and manuscript consultations.
Historical Novel Society North American Conference. June 8 - 10, 2023: San Antonio, TX. The biennial Historical Novel Society (HNS) North America Conference will be held from June 8 to June 10 at the Marriott Rivercenter hotel in San Antonio, Texas, as well as online. The conference features presentations, panels, pitch sessions with agents and editors, query critiques, a Readers Festival, and social events for historical fiction writers. The theme for this year’s conference is “The Working Writer.” Participating writers include fiction writers James Scott Bell, Jamie Ford, Libbie Grant, and Lisa Wingate. Participating publishing professionals include editors Amy Durant (Sapere Books), Amelia Hester (Dragonblade Publishing), and Verena Rose and Harriette Sackler (Level Best Books); and agents Danielle Egan-Miller (Browne & Miller Literary Associates), Cate Hart (Harvey Klinger), Shannon Hassan (Marsal Lyon Literary Agency), Viola Hayden (Curtis Brown), Imogen Pelham (Marjacq), Marcy Posner (Folio Literary Management), Rayhané Sanders (Massie & McQuilkin), Mitchell Waters (Brandt & Hochman), and Paige Wheeler (Creative Media Agency). The cost to attend the conference in person is $639 ($589 for HNS members), or $350 for students, not including lodging. The cost to stay at the San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter is $195 a night. The cost for virtual participants is $299. Registration is rolling through May 15 for in-person participants, and June 4 for virtual participants. The cost of master classes ranges from $50 to $75. The cost of pitch sessions and query critiques is $25 per session. Hybrid event.
New York Pitch Conference. June 8 - 11, 2023: NY, NY. The New York Pitch Conference and writers workshop is held four times a year and features publishing house editors from major houses such as Penguin, Random House, St. Martins, Harper Collins, Tor and Del Rey, Kensington Books and many more who are looking for new novels in a variety of genres, as well as narrative non-fiction. 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.
Squam Writes Retreat. June 8 - 11, 2023: Squam Lake, New Hampshire. The Squam Writes Retreat is a small group retreat for experienced fiction writers. We focus on craft with an eye toward publication. We offer opportunities for feedback and plenty of time to write, make new friends, and recharge creative batteries in a beautiful New Hampshire lakeside setting. Every participant receives a one-on-one critique with an agent or editor.
The 2023 Writers' Police Academy. June 8 – 11, 2023: Raleigh, NC. "MurderCon is a rare opportunity for writers to participate in hands-on “for law enforcement eyes only” training, using modern testing and evidence collection tools and equipment, in workshops taught by some of the world’s leading homicide investigation experts. This incredibly detailed, cutting-edge instruction has never before been available to writers, anywhere."
Indiana University Writers’ Conference. June 8 - 11, 2023, Indiana University in Bloomington. The conference features workshops in poetry and fiction, as well as craft classes, readings, and panels for poets, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers. The cost of the conference is $375, or $800 with a workshop. Lodging and meals are not included; lodging is available in campus dormitories and in the campus hotel. The registration fee is $25; general registration is first come, first served. To attend a workshop, submit 8 to 10 pages of poetry or 15 to 25 pages of prose; admissions are made on a rolling basis.
Sundress Academy: Trans/Nonbinary Writing Retreat. June 9th-10th, 2023: Via Zoom. All SAFTA retreats focus on generative writing, and this year’s retreat will also include the following craft talk sessions: “Queering the Lens: Trans Ekphrastic” and “The Poetics of Addiction: Imagery, Symbolism, and Juxtaposition in Writing Alcoholism.” The event will be open to trans and nonbinary writers of all backgrounds and experience levels and provide an opportunity to work with many talented authors and poets from around the country, including workshop leaders jason b. crawford and Remi Recchia and keynote speaker Ina Cariño. Cost $75.
West Chester University Poetry Conference. June 9 - 11, 2023: West Chester, PA. The conference offers poetry workshops and features a keynote speaker, critical seminars, panel discussions, faculty readings, and an opportunity for participants to have conferences with workshop leaders and resident poets.
Mountain Heritage Literary Festival. June 9 - 11, 2023: Cumberland Gap, TN. "Every year writers gather at the ancient and beloved Cumberland Gap to celebrate writing, music, and Appalachian heritage. Events include workshops, panels, readings, concerts, lectures, open mic, and more."
West Virginia Writers Conference. June 9 - 11, 2023: Ripley, West Virginia. Author readings, contests and sharing your love of writing with others.
The Creativity Workshop in New York. June 9 - 12, 2023: New York, New York. "The Creativity Workshops take away the fear of writing and open the way to new ideas. They are especially helpful for writers in fiction, poetry, memoir, theatre and film to get over writing blocks. In our Creativity Workshop Retreats you will generate both new work and ideas for the work you are in the midst of creating. We use many different techniques to help you find your way through the novel, essay, poem, memoir, or script you are writing or hope to write. In The Creativity Workshop you will be doing free writing, writing from guided visualizations, collaborative writing, journaling and memoir work and even some rudimentary drawing, collage and photography."
Get Published Conference. June 10, 2023: Bozeman, Montana. This conference is devoted to book writing, marketing and getting published. Faculty includes experienced writers who share their methods for planning, writing and finishing their books, along with practical marketing and promotional information
California Crime Writers Conference. June 10 - 11, 2023: Culver City, California. "Sisters in Crime/Los Angeles and SoCal Mystery Writers of America invite emerging and established mystery writers for a weekend of invaluable guidance, insight, and community at the California Crime Writers Conference. Whether your novel is brewing in your imagination, ready to publish, or you already have several published books under your belt, our workshops, presented by agents, editors, award-winning authors, and crime investigation professionals, are geared to elevate your mystery writing skills and foster relationships on your path to publication and beyond."
Tinker Mountain Writers’ Workshop. June 11 - 15, 2023: Roanoke, Virginia. The conference features workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as craft seminars, individual conferences with faculty members, and readings.
Juniper Summer Writing Institute. June 11 - 17, 2023: Amherst, MA. 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. Application deadline February 15.
Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers. June 12 - 16, 2023: Sandy, Utah. A week-long conference filled with hands-on workshops where the faculty work WITH you on your manuscript. As a participant of a five-day workshop, you get free feedback from an agent or editor on your writing, opportunities to network with like-minded writers, and five days of afternoon breakout sessions filled with dozens of craft-specific topics designed especially for kidlit authors.
Naropa Summer Writing Program. June 12 - July 1, 2023: Boulder, CO. Summer Writing Program of the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics at Naropa University. (See site for individual classes)
Responsible Representation in Children's Books. June 13, 2023. Online. Whether you’re drawing from your own experiences or outside of them, writing demands research, empathy, attention to detail, and an interrogation of one’s own place in this world. Join literary agents and writers D. Ann Williams and Linda Epstein to begin your own personal interrogation, and build understanding of crafting respectful and responsible representation in your writing. Webinar style program.
ASJA (American Society of Journalists and Authors) Writers Conference, June 13 - 15, 2023: Online. "As freelance journalists and authors, we collaborate with editors, agents, publishers, designers, and multimedia experts. At the 2022 conference, we will explore the ways collaboration helps us succeed. We have three tracks of interactive, dynamic programming focused on journalism, content marketing, and books. Sessions will benefit freelancers at all phases in their careers. Also available are members-only mastermind programs for small groups led by freelance experts."
Pacific University Master of Fine Arts in Writing Residency Writers Conference. June 15 - 25, 2023: Forest Grove, Oregon. Writers seeking to deepen their craft and expand their professional community are invited to attend the Residency Writers Conference together with MFA students, faculty and guest speakers. Join us for 10 full days of craft talks, workshops, panels, classes, readings and more featuring some of the best minds of the literary world. This residency is a rare opportunity to engage in sustained and meaningful conversation with others who share your passion for the art of writing.
Whole Novel Historical: A Virtual Course for Historical Novelists. June 15 - August 11, 2023. The Highlights Foundation 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. This online program in particular is for writers of Historical Fiction novels. Multi-Month Online Course, $2199. This program is full, but will be offered again next year. If you would like to be notified when it is available, please add your name to the waitlist.
Orion Environmental Writers’ Workshop. June 18 - June 23, 2023: The Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York. This program is for writers who want to learn how to write an Orion essay, short story, or poem; for writers who seek to become better advocates for the environment through their writing; for poets who are drawn to writing about nature and culture; for teachers and scholars who wish to write for a more general readership; and for environmental professionals who want to bring better writing skills to bear on their work. The program will feature small writing workshops dedicated to poetry, fiction, and nonfiction, as well as faculty readings and lectures, student readings, and presentations on publishing.
The Santa Barbara Writers Conference. June 18 – 23, 2023: Santa Barbara, Calif. "Every summer, writers in many genres from around the world gather to participate in a magical week of intensive work focused on story, voice, craft, marketing, and networking with fellow writers and publishing professionals."
Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshops. June 18 – 23, 2023: Gambier, Ohio. At Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshops, talented high school students from around the world join a dynamic and supportive literary community to stretch their talents, discover new strengths, and challenge themselves in the company of peers who are also passionate about writing. Online.
Aspen Summer Words. June 18 - June 23, 2023: Aspen, Colorado. Workshops, panels, and readings in fiction and creative nonfiction, as well as opportunities to meet with agents and editors. "Aspen Summer Words is the Rocky Mountain gateway to the literary world. Recognized as one of the country’s pre-eminent literary conferences, Summer Words welcomes visitors and locals alike to celebrate writing and writers in Aspen for a week each June. The exceptional faculty and awe-inspiring mountain scenery combine to make this a writing retreat like no other."
Kenyon Review Writers Workshops. June 18 - 24, 2023: 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. Online. Applications are open March 15 – April 16, 2023.
Speculative Fiction NIP Bookcamp & Writing Retreat Work Week. June 18 - 24, 2023: West Bend, Wisconsin. Six days of personal writing time with opportunities to discuss writing issues with the Retreat Mentor (an award-winning novelist and editor), opportunities to attend certain Bookcamp presentations, all social activities, critiques, and chat with fellow writers and publishing professionals in a relaxed environment.
The All-Genre Novel-In-Progress Bookcamp & Writing Retreat. June 18 - 24, 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.
Chesapeake Writers' Conference at St. Mary's College of Maryland. June 18 - 24, 2023: St. Mary's City, Maryland. "Join us on Maryland’s Western Shore-for the 8th Annual Chesapeake Writers’ Conference for a week of craft talks, lectures, panel discussions, and readings, as well as daily workshops in fiction, poetry, screenwriting, translation, songwriting, or creative nonfiction.
Christopher McKitterick Speculative Fiction Writing Workshop. June 18 - 30, 2023: Online. Learn how to write SF that sells. Using the short-story form, we help you master the elements that create great stories. Since 1985. This annual two-week residential writing workshop helps established writers grow their skills while helping those who have just begun to publish or who need the final bit of insight or skill to master the elements that create great stories readers love and editors want to buy. Become part of a writing community: Award-winning author, SF scholar, long-time director of James Gunn's original SF research center, and Ad Astra SF Institute Director Christopher McKitterick has led this workshop since 2010, and served as guest author in James Gunn's SF Writers Workshop starting in 1995. Apply by May 19.
Community of Writers at Squaw Valley: Poetry Workshop. June 19 - June 25, 2023: Olympic Valley, California. "We work together to create an atmosphere in which everyone might feel free to try anything. In the mornings we meet in workshops to read to each other the work of the previous twenty-four hours; each participant also has an opportunity to work with each staff poet. In the late afternoons we gather for a conversation about some aspect of craft. On several afternoons staff poets hold brief individual conferences." Registration deadline: March 28, 2023.
Stonecoast Writers’ Conference. June 20 - 25, 2023, Portland, ME. "Your conference experience centers around the workshop. In these classes, your work (and the work of your peers) serves as the primary text. Faculty focus on providing constructive criticism that can help you unlock your writing. Class discussions provide opportunities to discuss theories and practical application of writing craft. Each instructor adapts their class to reflect the interest and abilities of the students. Generative writing exercises ensure that you’ll have threads of new work to follow after the conference ends. This summer we are offering two distinct workshop classes: Fiction and CNF/Memoir. Each workshop is limited to ten students.
Minnesota Northwoods Writers Conference. June 20 - 25, 2023: Bemidji, Minnesota. We offer six intensive four-day writing classes and affordable auditor options. We’re proud to announce our 2023 MNWC faculty: Aimee Nezhukumatathil (Hybrid Poetry & Prose) Ross Gay (Poetry), Keetje Kuipers (Poetry), Lia Purpura (Creative Nonfiction), Will Weaver (Fiction) and Diane Wilson (Memoir to Fiction). And we’re thrilled to have Heid E. Erdrich and Sun Yung Shin be our two visiting writers. Waitlisted.
Chautauqua Writers’ Festival. June 21 - 24, 2023: Chautauqua, New York. In addition to the Festival’s tradition of intensive workshops and optional à la carte one-on-one conferences with award-winning contemporary authors, attendees can also experience panel conversations, and a keynote address. The 2023 theme is “Hope & its Entanglements” and these various conversations will draw fruitful and urgent connections between the personal, the political, and the craft of writing. All of these features are included in the cost of Standard Registration and available as an option to any workshop participant.
Western Writers of America Convention. June 21 - 24, 2023: Great Falls, Montana. Children's, Fiction, Marketing, Non-fiction, Publishing, Young Adult. History presentations at the convention include Cats in the Old West, Border Wars/Law and Order, Mark Twain Literary Contributions, and more. Other sessions will take place related to the craft of writing, book marketing, and research sources and techniques.
Writing For The Educational Market. June 21 - 25, 2023: Boyds Mills, PA. If the words “educational market” make you think only of workbooks and textbooks, it’s time to think again! Today’s educational publishers are eager to see lively nonfiction, fast-paced fiction, poetry, video scripts, and more.
Fordham University Retreat. June 21 - 25, 2023: New York City. "In order to help mentor the next generation of Asian American writers, Kundiman sponsors an annual Retreat in partnership with Fordham University. During the Retreat, nationally renowned Asian American poets and writers conduct Master Classes and manuscript consultations with fellows. Readings, writing circles and informal social gatherings are also scheduled. Through this Retreat, Kundiman hopes to provide a safe and instructive environment that identifies and addresses the unique challenges faced by emerging Asian American writers."
Jackson Hole Writers Conference, June 22 - 24, 2023: Jackson Hole, WY. You will have ample opportunity to share your work with a distinguished faculty as well as writers from Massachusetts to Florida, from Texas to Washington. Serious writers pour into Jackson Hole each June looking for a fresh, but critical eye on their work. This event usually has at least 4 agents to pitch.
David R Collins Conference Faculty & Workshops. June 22 - 24, 2023: Rock Island, IL. Daily workshops, critiques, pitches, evening events, keynote. Will be held in person.
In Your Write Mind Workshop. June 22 - 25, 2023: Greensburg, Pennsylvania. No up-to-date details. The following is from last year: Special Guest: L. Marie Wood. Agents: Eva Scalzo (Speilburg Literary Agency) and Erin Clyburn (Howland Literary). Editors: Miranda Hill (Berkley-Penguin Publishing Group) and John Edward Lawson (Raw Dog Screaming Press). Artist: Greg Chapman. Business and Craft Tracks. Pitch Sessions. Book Signing. Networking. Author Readings. Writing Sprints. Critique Groups. And more! Will be held online and in person.
Bookstock Literary Festival. June 23 - 25, 2023: Woodstock, Vermont. From Poets & Writers: "The festival features workshops, readings, discussions, and a book fair for poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers. Participating writers have included poets Benjamin Aleshire, Laura Foley, Pamela Harrison, April Ossmann, and Elizabeth Powell; fiction writers Jean Hanff Korenlitz and Roland Merullo; and nonfiction writers Jabari Asim, Bruce Coffin, and Sarah Prager. All events and workshops are free and open to the public."
The 2023 Writing Workshop of Chicago. June 24, 2023: Chicago, IL. This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop on Saturday, June 24, 2023, at the Congress Plaza Hotel. 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.
Frost Place Conference on Poetry and Teaching. June 24 - 28, 2023 | Writing Intensive June 28 - June 29, 2023: Franconia, NH. Held each year in June, the Conference on Poetry and Teaching (CPT) is a unique opportunity for teachers to work closely with both their peers and a team of illustrious poets who have particular expertise in working with teachers at all levels: K–12, graduate and undergraduate, and nontraditional and community-based instructors.
Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshops. June 25 - July 8, 2023: Gambier, Ohio. At Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshops, talented high school students from around the world join a dynamic and supportive literary community to stretch their talents, discover new strengths, and challenge themselves in the company of peers who are also passionate about writing. In person.
New York State Summer Writers Institute at Skidmore College. June 25 - July 22, 2023: Saratoga Springs, NY. Since 1987, the Institute has been offering students the opportunity to learn from an extraordinary faculty of distinguished writers led by director Robert Boyers. The program is an offshoot of the New York State Writers Institute created by Albany native and Pulitzer Prize-winning author William Kennedy. The curriculum is designed for college-aged students and adults, and the new virtual format will retain many of the Institute’s hallmark features:
- Creative writing workshops in poetry, fiction and non-fiction
- Small classes that offer individualized attention and workshop student writings
- Public readings and afternoon Q & A sessions with world-renowned guest writers
- Private tutorial sessions for student fiction manuscripts, book-length poetry, or non-fiction (available for an additional fee)
- Option to enroll for one-week, two-week, or four-week sessions
- Optional undergraduate credit for eligible students enrolled in one genre for four weeks
- Merit Scholarships for tuition
Clarion West Summer Writers Workshop. June 25 - August 5, 2023: Seattle, Washington. "The six-week workshop can give you time away from everyday distractions and encourage you to experiment and take artistic risks. The critique sessions are the heart of the workshop: you learn not only by receiving critiques, but by reading others’ work and constructing your own critiques. Instructors work directly with attendees to present group critiques of newly written stories, participate in discussions about writing techniques or professional concerns, and hold individual or small-group conferences. Throughout the entire experience, the Clarion West Workshop staff is present to help guide participants and facilitate an inclusive environment." Closed.
Hurston/Wright Summer Writers Week. June 26 - July 21, 2023: Rutgers. 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. See website for individual workshops.
Haiku North America Conference. June 28 - July 2, 2023. Cincinnati, Ohio. "Haiku North America is designed for, and open to, everyone—beginners and seasoned specialists alike. Haiku North America (HNA) is a biennial conference in celebration of haiku poetry. Every two years we offer five stimulating days of papers, panels, workshops, readings, performances, book sales, cultural outings, and much socialization with fellow poets, translators, scholars, editors, and publishers. Our first conference was in 1991 and subsequent conferences have taken place in the United States and Canada, focusing on North American poets, their haiku, and related arts. Everyone is welcome to attend HNA, the largest and oldest gathering of haiku poets outside Japan."
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