2025 Conferences, Workshops, and Literary Festivals

This list started out mostly focus on Texas (where I am) and Louisiana. However, there are some others listed here for you. Also, keep in mind, many are virtual now, so your own location may not matter. Please let me know if you would like to recommend any others to be added to the list. The list below is what I know of as of today.

First, please let me recommend MASTERCLASS. This is an online set of instructional and motivational videos given by some of the industry's top professionals and gathered together in one location. These are very reasonably priced, and you can read about my personal experiences with it by clicking on the link in the labels below. There are other genres besides just writing that are extremely beneficial and interesting as well. They just added quite a few more options this past month. 

There is also a similar site called SKILLSHARE, but I have no personal experience with it. Let us know in the comments if you have, and what you think of them.

Any Time: More than a dozen authors - https://www.masterclass.com/homepage

Any Time: Skill Share

1/22 - 24 - Writer's Digest University Novel Writing Virtual Conference

1/31 - 2/2 - SCBWI (Children's literature) In-Person Conference in New York - https://www.scbwi.org/events

2/6 - 9 San Francisco Writers Conference

2/21 - 22 - SCBWI (Children's literature) Virtual Conference - https://www.scbwi.org/events

2/21 - 23 - Writer's Digest Romance Writing Virtual Conference

February 23 - 26 - American Booksellers Association Winter Institute in Denver, Colorado.

3/7 - 15 - SXSW Film and writers festival in Austin - http://www.sxsw.com/

3/13 - 16 - Left Coast Crime in Denver, Colorado - https://leftcoastcrime.org/

3/21 - 23 - Writer's Digest Virtual Mystery and Thriller Convention

3/26 - 30 - New Orleans Literary Festival - http://www.tennesseewilliams.net/

3/27 - 29 - New Orleans Book Festival - New Orleans Book Festival

3/29 - The Pre-Quill Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah - The Pre-Quill Conference | League of Utah Writers

March 30 - April 1 - Social Media Marketing Conference in San Diego, California.

5/3 - 4 - TENTATIVE - Austin Writer's and Illustrators Conference - https://www.scbwi.org/events/texas-writers-and-illustrators-conference

6/7 - 8 - Lone Star Book Festival - https://www.lonestarfestival.fun/

6/7 - 14 - The Gutsy Great Novelist Retreat, Bar Harbor, Maine 

6/7 - 20 - Virtual Inkerscon

6/12 - 14 - Children's Institute in Portland, Oregon.

6/18 - 21 - Reader Author Get Together

6/18 - 22 - Florida - Space Coast Book Lovers and here.

6/26 - 28 - Historical Novel Society in Las Vegas, Nevada - https://hns-conference.com/

8/7 - 10 - Quills Conference in Utah - https://www.leagueofutahwriters.com/quills-conference-preview

8/15 - 16 - Love N Book in Seattle - Lovenbooks

9/3 - 7 - World Mystery Convention - New Orleans, Louisiana - http://www.bouchercon.com/

9/17 - 21 - NINC Conference - Novelists Inc.

9/26 - 27 - in Florida - Once Upon a Book Author Signing

10/4 - 5 - Dallas Writer's Conference in Hurst, Texas - http://dfwcon.org/

10/15 - 18 - TENTATIVE In-Person - Houston, Texas - https://romanceauthormastermind.com/

10/23 - 30 - Austin Film Festival -  https://austinfilmfestival.com/

11/3 - 7 - (Tentative) - https://20booksvegas.com/about/

11/6 - 8 - (Tentative) - https://hamptonroadswriters.org/

11/8 - 9 - Austin Book Festival - https://www.texasbookfestival.org/

11/12 - 15 - TENTATIVE - Virtual - Romance Author Mastermind

Year Round - Interested in a more expansive list of national and international options? Checkout this list: Insecure Writer's Support Group: Conferences, Workshops, etc. / Publications (insecurewriterssupportgroup.com)

OR: Writer's Conferences 2025

Please feel free to comment with any you would like to see added to this list even if it's not happening in the USA.  You never know when an opportunity will arise. Right? :-)

Also, if you are looking for a writer's group in Texas, check out: Writers' Groups | Lone Star Literary Life

HAPPY WRITING!