Wallowa Lake, Oregon: Raw Pixel
This July there are more than three 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 a conference that is ideal for you, put the application deadline on your calendar for next year. (Many conferences are annual events.)
_________________
Idyllwild Arts Summer Program for Children & Teens. July 2 - 29, 2023: Idyllwild, California. The 2023 Summer Program will offer workshops for all ages and abilities on our picturesque mountain campus. The tradition of gathering an impassioned community of artists during the summer months in Idyllwild dates back over seven decades and has served generations of musicians, painters, writers and performers in a variety of disciplines including dance and theatre. Join us in discovering the magic of an Idyllwild Arts summer, and explore your creativity in an inspiring setting with an enthusiastic community of students, faculty and staff. Residential options exist for adults and students aged 10 and up.
Orion Nonfiction Workshop with Moeko Fujii. July 5 - August 9, 2023. The course: Stranger Natures. "How do we see nature? When does the environment come to life—or into something stranger—in films and in nonfiction? In this workshop, we will learn how to write alongside visual media that makes us re-think our notion of “nature.” We will proceed from the infinitesimally small to the impossibly large, from looking carefully at still frames to analyzing grand narratives about the climate. In this class, we will watch slowly and with detailed attention, also looking at films that may not, at first glance, seem to be “about” the environment. We will experiment together, considering what techniques of film can be integrated into our own writing. The reading list will include essays from writers such as Susan Sontag, Rob Nixon, Anna Tsing, Annie Dillard, and Mel Chen. Each class will be separated into two parts. For the first section, we will discuss the reading/watching assignment. The second half of the class will be devoted to critiquing student work. Additionally, you will complete a small (300-500 words) writing assignment every week, in which you will respond to a prompt. Students will be asked to write a short essay inspired by the readings and viewings." Apply by May 15.
Sleuthfest. July 6 - 9, 2023: Boca Raton, FL. Sponsored by the Florida Chapter of Mystery Writers of America a conference for writers and fans. Features writing workshops, social events, and pitch sessions, including:
* Agent Appointments to pitch your finished work
* Critiques of your 10 page manuscript submission
* Forensic track with current forensic techniques & hands-on workshops
* Social events to mingle with agents, editors and your favorite authors
* Auction to purchase critiques of your work by bestselling authors
* Sessions on the craft of writing
* Sessions on marketing and promoting your work
* Practice your Pitch sessions with experienced authors
North Carolina Writing Day Workshop. July 7 - 8, 2023. Online. This is a special two-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop on July 7-8, 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 “Carolina” Writing Workshop, make no mistake — writers from everywhere are welcome to attend virtually.
Summer Camp In Fiction: Explore, Play, And Inspire. July 7 - 11, 2023: Boyds Mills, PA. "Our summer camp is a time to find the kind of encouragement for your writing that only a generous mentor can provide. To find inspiration and support. To be with a community that understands the long process of creating. To work 1:1 and fine-tune your words and pitches while you have some fun."
Tin House Summer Workshop. July 8 - 16, 2023: Portland, Oregon. The 20th annual Tin House Summer Workshop will be held from July 8 to July 16 at Reed College in Portland, Oregon. The program features workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction (limited to 8 to 10 members per class), as well as one-on-one meetings with faculty and industry guests, craft lectures, author conversations, generative exercises, readings, and karaoke. Participating writers include poets Megan Fernandes, Solmaz Sharif, and Jake Skeets; fiction writers Dantiel W. Moniz, Deesha Philyaw, and Matthew Salesses; and nonfiction writers Jaquira Díaz, Melissa Febos, and Meredith Talusan. Tuition is $1,500; the fee for meals and lodging in the Reed College dormitories is $700. Scholarships, payment plans, and application fee waivers are available. Using only the online application system, writers submitted a writing sample of up to four poems totaling no more than eight pages or up to 4,000 words of prose with a $25 application fee from January 9 to January 29. Closed.
ASLE Biennial Conference. July 9 - 12, 2023: Portland, OR. "ASLE seeks to inspire and promote intellectual work in the environmental humanities and arts. Our vision is an inclusive community whose members are committed to environmental research, education, literature, art and service, environmental justice, and ecological sustainability."
Young Writers Workshop. July 9 - 29, 2023: Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Restrictions: For students completing grades 9, 10, 11. Three 90-minute workshop sessions daily, including imaginative writing activities and discussion of readings. Weekly individual meetings with workshop instructor. Focus is on using various forms of creative writing to develop language and thinking skills.
Victorian Chautauqua Writers Workshop. July 10 - 14, 2023: Mountain Lake Park, Maryland. The Victorian Chautauqua 2023 Writers’ Workshop series will include four courses that include adult and children's literature. Children can register for one of two creative writing workshops for grades 3-5 and grades 6-8. The week-long workshops offer diverse instruction for creative writing disciplines by experienced and notable instructors. At the end of the week, each workshop participant will have an opportunity to be part of a public showcase of their work.
Summer Fishtrap Gathering of Writers. July 10 - 16, 2023: Wallowa Lake, Oregon. Take a weeklong writing workshop in your favorite genre: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, memoir, or short story. Each workshop is limited to no more than 13 participants, giving you the opportunity to build connections with a world-class instructor and your fellow writers. Throughout the week, we’ll bring the best of Summer Fishtrap to you through craft talks, discussions, open mics, readings, and a special 35th Anniversary Celebration.
Community of Writers Workshop in Fiction. July 10 - 17, 2023: Olympic Valley, California. These workshops assist serious writers by exploring the art and craft as well as the business of writing. The week offers daily morning workshops, craft lectures, panel discussions on editing and publishing, staff readings, as well as brief individual conferences. The morning workshops are led by staff writer-teachers, editors, or agents. There are separate morning workshops for Fiction and Narrative Nonfiction/ Memoir. In addition to their workshop manuscript, participants may have a second manuscript read by a staff member who meets with them in an individual conference. During the week, a portion of our workshops is devoted exclusively to nonfiction. Memoir, narrative nonfiction, and essays are invited. Literary criticism and scholarly work will not be considered. Nonfiction applicants can use the same general form for submission. Application deadline March 5.
The Summer Writers Institute. July 10 - 30, 2023: St. Louis, Missouri. The Washington University Summer Writers Institute is an intensive, two-week program featuring workshops in fiction, micro fiction, modern humor, personal narrative, playwriting, and poetry, as well as reading and individual conferences with instructors. Adult writers of all levels of experience work together with published authors and exceptional teachers in a supportive, non-competitive format that allows for personalized attention and constructive feedback.
Summer Camp in Illustration: Intensive Artistic Inspiration. July 12 - 15, 2023: Boyds Mills, PA. "In-person 4-Day/3-Night Workshop and Retreat Get away for four days at our Summer Camp in Illustration for inspiration, guidance, support, community, fun, creativity, and growth."
Southampton Writers Conference. July 12 - 16, 2023: Long Island, NY. The conference features workshops in poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and publishing, as well as readings, lectures, and a master class series. Creative writing workshops are the heart and soul of the summer experience, meeting four afternoons or mornings throughout the session. Enrollment is limited to 13 lucky writers who have applied with writing samples. Those accepted have the privilege of sharing their work in an intimate, rigorous and friendly setting.
Saskatchewan Festival of Words. July 13 - 15, 2023: Moose Jaw, Canada. Workshops for all ages, reading sessions, concerts, film, panel discussions, interviews, music, theatre, a slam poetry competition as well as workshops and author readings.
Imaginarium. July 14 - 16, 2023: Louisville KY. A three day annual event held in Louisville, Kentucky centered entirely around creative writing, including the worlds of books, movies, gaming, music, and comics/graphic novels. Imaginarium Convention features extensive programming content, with panels and workshops presented by over 150 professional guests covering everything from the craft of writing to various genres, industry-specific topics, publishing, and social media/publicity. The convention features a film festival with a full array of awards, a masquerade/costume contest, live music, gaming, an expo open to the general public, an awards banquet, a series of literary awards called the Imadjinns, and many more activities, creating a welcoming, inclusive atmosphere that is content-rich and ideal for networking, promotion and personal development.
Colrain Classic. June 16 - 19, 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." On Zoom.
Summer Camp in Nonfiction: Explore, Engage, and Inspire. July 16 - 20, 2023: Boyds Mills, PA. "In-person 5-Day/4-Night Workshop and Retreat Get away for five days at our Summer Camp in Nonfiction for inspiration, guidance, mentorship, community, fun, creativity, and growth."
Port Townsend Writers’ Conference. July 16 - 22, 2023: Port Townsend, Washington. workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as craft lectures, readings, open mics, and time to write. "The Port Townsend Writers’ Conference has been since 1974 at the wild heart of the thriving Pacific Northwest literary scene. With a focus on community and rigorous attention to craft, the Conference offers morning workshops, afternoon workshops, residencies, guided freewrites, and a vibrant readings and lectures series presented by vital, contemporary writers."
Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshops. July 16 - 29, 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.
Writer’s Digest Conference. July 17 - 20, 2023: New York City. Annual Writer's Digest Conference featuring: Pitch Slam, with more than fifty agents and editors in attendance, educational tracks devoted to publishing and self-publishing, platform and promotion, and the craft of writing, speakers and instructors.
Sewanee Writers’ Conference. July 18 - 30, 2023: Sewanee, TN. Faculty will give readings and provide instruction and criticism through workshops and craft lectures, as well as meet individually with participants to discuss their manuscripts. The Conference will offer five fiction workshops, four poetry workshops, and a playwriting workshop supported by two professional actors. In addition, a substantial number of literary agents will attend.
Midwest Writers Workshop. July 19 - 22, 2023: Muncie, Indiana. July 20 -22, 2023 Virtual. Craft and business sessions, agent pitches, manuscript evaluations. MWW includes quality instruction by a faculty of authors, agents, editors, and specialists. Will be held online and in person.
Romance Writers of America. July 19 - 22, 2023: Anaheim, California. Opening Session Speaker: Mel Walker. Workshop leaders: Jen Graybeal, Peggy Jaeger, Thien-Kim Lam, Mia P. Manansala, and many more.
The Cambridge Writers’ Workshop Summer Writing Retreat. July 19 - 25, 2023: Paris, France. The retreat offers participating writers of all genres and levels to work alongside award-winning authors and editors. Participating writers will hone their craft and expand their writing skills, while working on new or existing projects. Tuition is $3,875, which includes lodging in central Paris, creative writing workshops and writing seminars with our supportive and award-winning faculty of writers and editors, and daily breakfast. Register by June 1, 2023.
Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Retreat. July 20 - 23, 2023, Colorado Springs, CO. An intensive 3-day writing retreat. Sold out.
North Carolina Writers' Network Squire Summer Writing Residency. July 20 - 23, 2023: Davidson, North Carolina. This workshop will explore how to write about places and spaces, while remaining mindful of the interconnections between the natural and cultural, the built and non-built, the human and animal. We will investigate how notions of home and belonging are created and maintained as well as how they can be disrupted by alterations to the cultural traditions and physical environments that surround us and inform our sense of place. During the workshop, we will read and write about the places that have made us who we are today. We will also consider our responsibilities to those places and how to preserve them both in reality and on the page.
IWWG Summer Writers Conference: Writing for Equity and Inclusion. July 20 - 24, 2023: Chestnut Hill College, Philadelphia, PA. The conferene will feature over 70 workshops, critiques, open mics, performances, and awards.
Northwestern University Summer Writers’ Conference. July 21 - 22, 2023: Chicago, Illinois. "This year’s schedule offers presentations for writers of all genres and backgrounds. Learn how to write your life in 750 words or less, structure your chapbook, and infuse your writing with revolution. Hear from award-winning authors on how to generate dramatically rich scenes, evoke memories through metaphors, and layer your writing with suspense. Get some pro tips for interviewing and advice on how and when to submit to literary journals, agents, and contests." Will be held online.
Cascade Three-day Critique Workshop. July 21 – 23, 2023: Bremerton, WA. "Our Three-Day Critique Workshop is an opportunity for you to submit the first 4000 words of your novel, short story, or whatever project you are working on, for critique in a group of up to 8 peers led by an industry professional. This is a great way to polish up those first pages and first chapter. Submissions are due six weeks before the event via our Discord Channel. Registrants will receive login information a few weeks before submissions are due. There will also be one-hour workshops and panel presentations on craft, querying, the publishing industry, and more. Optional casual gatherings provide opportunities to get to know other writers as well as authors, editors, and agents." Proof of vaccination required.
Confluence-SFF. July 21 - 23, 2023: Pittsburgh, PA. Located at the birthplace of the Ohio River, Confluence is Pittsburgh’s longest-running literary conference with a strong focus on science fiction, fantasy and horror. Award-winning authors, editors, artists and song-writers gather for three full days.
The Greater Los Angeles Writers Conference, July 21-23 Virtual; July 28-30 In-Person, Los Angeles, CA. West Coast Writers Conferences presents a full weekend of panels, workshops and presentations by educators, noted speakers, and industry professionals focused on the craft and business of writing.
Mystery Writers Conference. July 21 - 23, 2023: Corte Madera, CA. In this conference, mystery writers learn the clues to a successful writing career. Editors, agents, and publishers tell participants what they need to know to get published. Authors offer classes on setting, dialogue, suspense, point of view, and openings. They tell how to write about private eyes, amateur sleuths, and police protagonists, and how to create thrillers and historical mysteries. Panels of detectives, forensic experts, police, and other crime-fighting professionals provide information that allows crime fiction writers to put realism in their work.
Grub Street Muse and the Marketplace Conference. July 27 - 30, 2023, Boston, Massachusetts. The Muse and the Marketplace is a three-day literary conference designed to give aspiring writers a better understanding about the craft of writing fiction and non-fiction, to prepare them for the changing world of publishing and promotion, and to create opportunities for meaningful networking. On all three days, prominent and nationally-recognized established and emerging authors lead sessions on the craft of writing—the "muse" side of things—while editors, literary agents, publicists and other industry professionals lead sessions on the business side—the "marketplace." Will be held virtually.
Taylor's Professional Writers Conference. July 28 - 29, 2023: Upland, Indiana. Advanced and Teen Tracks starting July 27, 2023. 35 seminars covering General & First-timers, Fiction, Nonfiction, Platform & Marketing and Specialty Writing.
Steamboat Springs Writers Conference. July 28 - 29, 2023: Steamboat Springs, CO. Two instructors, seminar-type workshops for all levels, beginning to professional. Topics change each year. Limited enrollment.
The Creativity Workshop in New York. July 28 - 31, 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."
Catamaran Writing Conference: Poetry. July 30 - August 3, 2023: Pebble Beach, CA. The workshop meets four mornings and each participant will receive focused feedback from the group on their poems. You'll be invited to submit a writing sample for group feedback. Optional participant readings will be held. During registration you will be invited to indicate your poetry workshop instructor preference.
Napa Valley Writers’ Conference. July 30 - August 4, 2023: Napa, California. The conference features workshops in poetry, fiction, and translation, as well as craft talks and evening readings. The faculty includes poets Jane Hirshfield and Major Jackson, fiction writers Lan Samantha Chang and ZZ Packer, and translator Forrest Gander. The cost of the conference is $1,100, which includes tuition, daily breakfast and lunch, two dinners, and wine tastings. Closed.
Frost Place Poetry Seminar. July 30 - August 4, 2023. The Seminar schedule features a daily presentation/discussion exploring aspects of craft and technique, an afternoon workshop of participants’ poems or individual, virtual meetings with faculty, and an evening reading, some by faculty poets and others featuring participants. The application deadline is July 1, 2023. Will be held online.
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 a conference that is ideal for you, put the application deadline on your calendar for next year. (Many conferences are annual events.)
_________________
Idyllwild Arts Summer Program for Children & Teens. July 2 - 29, 2023: Idyllwild, California. The 2023 Summer Program will offer workshops for all ages and abilities on our picturesque mountain campus. The tradition of gathering an impassioned community of artists during the summer months in Idyllwild dates back over seven decades and has served generations of musicians, painters, writers and performers in a variety of disciplines including dance and theatre. Join us in discovering the magic of an Idyllwild Arts summer, and explore your creativity in an inspiring setting with an enthusiastic community of students, faculty and staff. Residential options exist for adults and students aged 10 and up.
Orion Nonfiction Workshop with Moeko Fujii. July 5 - August 9, 2023. The course: Stranger Natures. "How do we see nature? When does the environment come to life—or into something stranger—in films and in nonfiction? In this workshop, we will learn how to write alongside visual media that makes us re-think our notion of “nature.” We will proceed from the infinitesimally small to the impossibly large, from looking carefully at still frames to analyzing grand narratives about the climate. In this class, we will watch slowly and with detailed attention, also looking at films that may not, at first glance, seem to be “about” the environment. We will experiment together, considering what techniques of film can be integrated into our own writing. The reading list will include essays from writers such as Susan Sontag, Rob Nixon, Anna Tsing, Annie Dillard, and Mel Chen. Each class will be separated into two parts. For the first section, we will discuss the reading/watching assignment. The second half of the class will be devoted to critiquing student work. Additionally, you will complete a small (300-500 words) writing assignment every week, in which you will respond to a prompt. Students will be asked to write a short essay inspired by the readings and viewings." Apply by May 15.
Sleuthfest. July 6 - 9, 2023: Boca Raton, FL. Sponsored by the Florida Chapter of Mystery Writers of America a conference for writers and fans. Features writing workshops, social events, and pitch sessions, including:
* Agent Appointments to pitch your finished work
* Critiques of your 10 page manuscript submission
* Forensic track with current forensic techniques & hands-on workshops
* Social events to mingle with agents, editors and your favorite authors
* Auction to purchase critiques of your work by bestselling authors
* Sessions on the craft of writing
* Sessions on marketing and promoting your work
* Practice your Pitch sessions with experienced authors
North Carolina Writing Day Workshop. July 7 - 8, 2023. Online. This is a special two-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop on July 7-8, 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 “Carolina” Writing Workshop, make no mistake — writers from everywhere are welcome to attend virtually.
Summer Camp In Fiction: Explore, Play, And Inspire. July 7 - 11, 2023: Boyds Mills, PA. "Our summer camp is a time to find the kind of encouragement for your writing that only a generous mentor can provide. To find inspiration and support. To be with a community that understands the long process of creating. To work 1:1 and fine-tune your words and pitches while you have some fun."
Tin House Summer Workshop. July 8 - 16, 2023: Portland, Oregon. The 20th annual Tin House Summer Workshop will be held from July 8 to July 16 at Reed College in Portland, Oregon. The program features workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction (limited to 8 to 10 members per class), as well as one-on-one meetings with faculty and industry guests, craft lectures, author conversations, generative exercises, readings, and karaoke. Participating writers include poets Megan Fernandes, Solmaz Sharif, and Jake Skeets; fiction writers Dantiel W. Moniz, Deesha Philyaw, and Matthew Salesses; and nonfiction writers Jaquira Díaz, Melissa Febos, and Meredith Talusan. Tuition is $1,500; the fee for meals and lodging in the Reed College dormitories is $700. Scholarships, payment plans, and application fee waivers are available. Using only the online application system, writers submitted a writing sample of up to four poems totaling no more than eight pages or up to 4,000 words of prose with a $25 application fee from January 9 to January 29. Closed.
ASLE Biennial Conference. July 9 - 12, 2023: Portland, OR. "ASLE seeks to inspire and promote intellectual work in the environmental humanities and arts. Our vision is an inclusive community whose members are committed to environmental research, education, literature, art and service, environmental justice, and ecological sustainability."
Young Writers Workshop. July 9 - 29, 2023: Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Restrictions: For students completing grades 9, 10, 11. Three 90-minute workshop sessions daily, including imaginative writing activities and discussion of readings. Weekly individual meetings with workshop instructor. Focus is on using various forms of creative writing to develop language and thinking skills.
Victorian Chautauqua Writers Workshop. July 10 - 14, 2023: Mountain Lake Park, Maryland. The Victorian Chautauqua 2023 Writers’ Workshop series will include four courses that include adult and children's literature. Children can register for one of two creative writing workshops for grades 3-5 and grades 6-8. The week-long workshops offer diverse instruction for creative writing disciplines by experienced and notable instructors. At the end of the week, each workshop participant will have an opportunity to be part of a public showcase of their work.
Summer Fishtrap Gathering of Writers. July 10 - 16, 2023: Wallowa Lake, Oregon. Take a weeklong writing workshop in your favorite genre: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, memoir, or short story. Each workshop is limited to no more than 13 participants, giving you the opportunity to build connections with a world-class instructor and your fellow writers. Throughout the week, we’ll bring the best of Summer Fishtrap to you through craft talks, discussions, open mics, readings, and a special 35th Anniversary Celebration.
Community of Writers Workshop in Fiction. July 10 - 17, 2023: Olympic Valley, California. These workshops assist serious writers by exploring the art and craft as well as the business of writing. The week offers daily morning workshops, craft lectures, panel discussions on editing and publishing, staff readings, as well as brief individual conferences. The morning workshops are led by staff writer-teachers, editors, or agents. There are separate morning workshops for Fiction and Narrative Nonfiction/ Memoir. In addition to their workshop manuscript, participants may have a second manuscript read by a staff member who meets with them in an individual conference. During the week, a portion of our workshops is devoted exclusively to nonfiction. Memoir, narrative nonfiction, and essays are invited. Literary criticism and scholarly work will not be considered. Nonfiction applicants can use the same general form for submission. Application deadline March 5.
The Summer Writers Institute. July 10 - 30, 2023: St. Louis, Missouri. The Washington University Summer Writers Institute is an intensive, two-week program featuring workshops in fiction, micro fiction, modern humor, personal narrative, playwriting, and poetry, as well as reading and individual conferences with instructors. Adult writers of all levels of experience work together with published authors and exceptional teachers in a supportive, non-competitive format that allows for personalized attention and constructive feedback.
Summer Camp in Illustration: Intensive Artistic Inspiration. July 12 - 15, 2023: Boyds Mills, PA. "In-person 4-Day/3-Night Workshop and Retreat Get away for four days at our Summer Camp in Illustration for inspiration, guidance, support, community, fun, creativity, and growth."
Southampton Writers Conference. July 12 - 16, 2023: Long Island, NY. The conference features workshops in poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and publishing, as well as readings, lectures, and a master class series. Creative writing workshops are the heart and soul of the summer experience, meeting four afternoons or mornings throughout the session. Enrollment is limited to 13 lucky writers who have applied with writing samples. Those accepted have the privilege of sharing their work in an intimate, rigorous and friendly setting.
Saskatchewan Festival of Words. July 13 - 15, 2023: Moose Jaw, Canada. Workshops for all ages, reading sessions, concerts, film, panel discussions, interviews, music, theatre, a slam poetry competition as well as workshops and author readings.
Imaginarium. July 14 - 16, 2023: Louisville KY. A three day annual event held in Louisville, Kentucky centered entirely around creative writing, including the worlds of books, movies, gaming, music, and comics/graphic novels. Imaginarium Convention features extensive programming content, with panels and workshops presented by over 150 professional guests covering everything from the craft of writing to various genres, industry-specific topics, publishing, and social media/publicity. The convention features a film festival with a full array of awards, a masquerade/costume contest, live music, gaming, an expo open to the general public, an awards banquet, a series of literary awards called the Imadjinns, and many more activities, creating a welcoming, inclusive atmosphere that is content-rich and ideal for networking, promotion and personal development.
Colrain Classic. June 16 - 19, 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." On Zoom.
Summer Camp in Nonfiction: Explore, Engage, and Inspire. July 16 - 20, 2023: Boyds Mills, PA. "In-person 5-Day/4-Night Workshop and Retreat Get away for five days at our Summer Camp in Nonfiction for inspiration, guidance, mentorship, community, fun, creativity, and growth."
Port Townsend Writers’ Conference. July 16 - 22, 2023: Port Townsend, Washington. workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as craft lectures, readings, open mics, and time to write. "The Port Townsend Writers’ Conference has been since 1974 at the wild heart of the thriving Pacific Northwest literary scene. With a focus on community and rigorous attention to craft, the Conference offers morning workshops, afternoon workshops, residencies, guided freewrites, and a vibrant readings and lectures series presented by vital, contemporary writers."
Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshops. July 16 - 29, 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.
Writer’s Digest Conference. July 17 - 20, 2023: New York City. Annual Writer's Digest Conference featuring: Pitch Slam, with more than fifty agents and editors in attendance, educational tracks devoted to publishing and self-publishing, platform and promotion, and the craft of writing, speakers and instructors.
Sewanee Writers’ Conference. July 18 - 30, 2023: Sewanee, TN. Faculty will give readings and provide instruction and criticism through workshops and craft lectures, as well as meet individually with participants to discuss their manuscripts. The Conference will offer five fiction workshops, four poetry workshops, and a playwriting workshop supported by two professional actors. In addition, a substantial number of literary agents will attend.
Midwest Writers Workshop. July 19 - 22, 2023: Muncie, Indiana. July 20 -22, 2023 Virtual. Craft and business sessions, agent pitches, manuscript evaluations. MWW includes quality instruction by a faculty of authors, agents, editors, and specialists. Will be held online and in person.
Romance Writers of America. July 19 - 22, 2023: Anaheim, California. Opening Session Speaker: Mel Walker. Workshop leaders: Jen Graybeal, Peggy Jaeger, Thien-Kim Lam, Mia P. Manansala, and many more.
The Cambridge Writers’ Workshop Summer Writing Retreat. July 19 - 25, 2023: Paris, France. The retreat offers participating writers of all genres and levels to work alongside award-winning authors and editors. Participating writers will hone their craft and expand their writing skills, while working on new or existing projects. Tuition is $3,875, which includes lodging in central Paris, creative writing workshops and writing seminars with our supportive and award-winning faculty of writers and editors, and daily breakfast. Register by June 1, 2023.
Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Retreat. July 20 - 23, 2023, Colorado Springs, CO. An intensive 3-day writing retreat. Sold out.
North Carolina Writers' Network Squire Summer Writing Residency. July 20 - 23, 2023: Davidson, North Carolina. This workshop will explore how to write about places and spaces, while remaining mindful of the interconnections between the natural and cultural, the built and non-built, the human and animal. We will investigate how notions of home and belonging are created and maintained as well as how they can be disrupted by alterations to the cultural traditions and physical environments that surround us and inform our sense of place. During the workshop, we will read and write about the places that have made us who we are today. We will also consider our responsibilities to those places and how to preserve them both in reality and on the page.
IWWG Summer Writers Conference: Writing for Equity and Inclusion. July 20 - 24, 2023: Chestnut Hill College, Philadelphia, PA. The conferene will feature over 70 workshops, critiques, open mics, performances, and awards.
Northwestern University Summer Writers’ Conference. July 21 - 22, 2023: Chicago, Illinois. "This year’s schedule offers presentations for writers of all genres and backgrounds. Learn how to write your life in 750 words or less, structure your chapbook, and infuse your writing with revolution. Hear from award-winning authors on how to generate dramatically rich scenes, evoke memories through metaphors, and layer your writing with suspense. Get some pro tips for interviewing and advice on how and when to submit to literary journals, agents, and contests." Will be held online.
Cascade Three-day Critique Workshop. July 21 – 23, 2023: Bremerton, WA. "Our Three-Day Critique Workshop is an opportunity for you to submit the first 4000 words of your novel, short story, or whatever project you are working on, for critique in a group of up to 8 peers led by an industry professional. This is a great way to polish up those first pages and first chapter. Submissions are due six weeks before the event via our Discord Channel. Registrants will receive login information a few weeks before submissions are due. There will also be one-hour workshops and panel presentations on craft, querying, the publishing industry, and more. Optional casual gatherings provide opportunities to get to know other writers as well as authors, editors, and agents." Proof of vaccination required.
Confluence-SFF. July 21 - 23, 2023: Pittsburgh, PA. Located at the birthplace of the Ohio River, Confluence is Pittsburgh’s longest-running literary conference with a strong focus on science fiction, fantasy and horror. Award-winning authors, editors, artists and song-writers gather for three full days.
The Greater Los Angeles Writers Conference, July 21-23 Virtual; July 28-30 In-Person, Los Angeles, CA. West Coast Writers Conferences presents a full weekend of panels, workshops and presentations by educators, noted speakers, and industry professionals focused on the craft and business of writing.
Mystery Writers Conference. July 21 - 23, 2023: Corte Madera, CA. In this conference, mystery writers learn the clues to a successful writing career. Editors, agents, and publishers tell participants what they need to know to get published. Authors offer classes on setting, dialogue, suspense, point of view, and openings. They tell how to write about private eyes, amateur sleuths, and police protagonists, and how to create thrillers and historical mysteries. Panels of detectives, forensic experts, police, and other crime-fighting professionals provide information that allows crime fiction writers to put realism in their work.
Grub Street Muse and the Marketplace Conference. July 27 - 30, 2023, Boston, Massachusetts. The Muse and the Marketplace is a three-day literary conference designed to give aspiring writers a better understanding about the craft of writing fiction and non-fiction, to prepare them for the changing world of publishing and promotion, and to create opportunities for meaningful networking. On all three days, prominent and nationally-recognized established and emerging authors lead sessions on the craft of writing—the "muse" side of things—while editors, literary agents, publicists and other industry professionals lead sessions on the business side—the "marketplace." Will be held virtually.
Taylor's Professional Writers Conference. July 28 - 29, 2023: Upland, Indiana. Advanced and Teen Tracks starting July 27, 2023. 35 seminars covering General & First-timers, Fiction, Nonfiction, Platform & Marketing and Specialty Writing.
Steamboat Springs Writers Conference. July 28 - 29, 2023: Steamboat Springs, CO. Two instructors, seminar-type workshops for all levels, beginning to professional. Topics change each year. Limited enrollment.
The Creativity Workshop in New York. July 28 - 31, 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."
Catamaran Writing Conference: Poetry. July 30 - August 3, 2023: Pebble Beach, CA. The workshop meets four mornings and each participant will receive focused feedback from the group on their poems. You'll be invited to submit a writing sample for group feedback. Optional participant readings will be held. During registration you will be invited to indicate your poetry workshop instructor preference.
Napa Valley Writers’ Conference. July 30 - August 4, 2023: Napa, California. The conference features workshops in poetry, fiction, and translation, as well as craft talks and evening readings. The faculty includes poets Jane Hirshfield and Major Jackson, fiction writers Lan Samantha Chang and ZZ Packer, and translator Forrest Gander. The cost of the conference is $1,100, which includes tuition, daily breakfast and lunch, two dinners, and wine tastings. Closed.
Frost Place Poetry Seminar. July 30 - August 4, 2023. The Seminar schedule features a daily presentation/discussion exploring aspects of craft and technique, an afternoon workshop of participants’ poems or individual, virtual meetings with faculty, and an evening reading, some by faculty poets and others featuring participants. The application deadline is July 1, 2023. Will be held online.
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