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! 

2024 Conferences, Workshops, and Literary Festivals

UPDATED: 1/20/24

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 not 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

2/9-11 - Austin SCBWI In-Person Conference in New York - https://www.scbwi.org/events/scbwi-in-person-winter-conference-2024

February 11-14 - American Booksellers Association Winter Institute

February 15-18 San Francisco Writers Conference

February 18-20 - Social Media Marketing Conference

2/23-24 - Austin SCBWI Virtual Conference - https://www.scbwi.org/events/scbwi-virtual-winter-conference

3/8-16 - SXSW Film and writers festival in Austin - http://www.sxsw.com/

3/14-16 - New Orleans Book Festival - New Orleans Book Festival

3/22-24 -Writer's Digest 10th Virtual Mystery and Thriller Convention - https://www.writersonlineworkshops.com/courses/wdu-mystery-and-thriller-virtual-conference

3/20-24 - New Orleans Literary Festival - http://www.tennesseewilliams.net/

4/11-14 - Left Coast Crime in Seattle Washington - https://leftcoastcrime.org/

4/20 - The Pre-Quill Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah - The Pre-Quill Conference | League of Utah Writers

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

6/1 - Lone Star Book Festival - https://www.lonestarfestival.fun/

6/1 - The Gutsy Great Novelist Retreat, Bar Harbor, Maine 

6/5-8 - Reader Author Get Together

6/7-9 - in Dallas, Texas - Inkerscon

6/19-23 - Florida - Space Coast Book Lovers

6/26-28 - Historical Novel Society - https://hns-conference.com/

8/8-11 - Quills Conference in Utah - https://www.leagueofutahwriters.com/quills-conference-preview

8/28 - 9/1 - World Mystery Convention - Nashville - http://www.bouchercon.com/

9/18-22 - NINC Conference

9/27-28 - in Florida - Once Upon a Book Author Signing

10/5-6 - Dallas Writer's Conference - http://dfwcon.org/

10/16-19 - In-Person - Houston, Texas - https://romanceauthormastermind.com/

10/25-26 - Las Vegas - https://lovenbooks.com/lovenvegas

10/24-31 - Austin Film Festival -  https://austinfilmfestival.com/

11/4-8 - (Tentative) - https://20booksvegas.com/about/

11/7-9 - (Tentative) - https://hamptonroadswriters.org/

11/13-16 - Virtual - Romance Author Mastermind

11/16-17 - Austin Book Festival - https://www.texasbookfestival.org/

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: Writing Conferences 2024

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! 

16 More Conferences and Literary Festivals

February 16 - 19 San Francisco Writers Conference

February 20 - 23 - American Book Sellers Association

March 13 - 15 - Social Media Marketing Conference

March 16 - 19 - Left Coast Crime

April 29 - The Pre-Quill Conference

June 7 - 10 - Reader Author Get Together

June 9 - 11 - Inkerscon

June 22-25 - Space Coast Book Lovers

July 14 and 15 -  Once Upon a Book Author Signing 

August 30 - September 3 - Bouchercon

September 20 - 24 - NINC Conference

October 7 - 9 - InD'Scribe Conference/

October 27 - 29 - LoveNVegas

November 6 - 10  20booksvegas

Other to check back with:

Romance Author Mastermind

Hampton Roads Writers

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? :-)

HAPPY WRITING!

2023 Conferences, Workshops, and Literary Festivals

This list mostly focuses on Texas and Louisiana (where I am). 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.

Since the pandemic, many events have either been cancelled, or moved to virtual. 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.

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

2/25 - Houston Writer's Guild Conference - Virtual NY- Virtual Winter Conference 2023

3/9-11 - New Orleans Book Festival - New Orleans Book Festival

3/10-19 - SXSW Film and writers festival in Austin - http://www.sxsw.com/

3/22-26 - New Orleans Literary Festival -  http://www.tennesseewilliams.net/

4/29-30 (Tentative) - Austin Writer's and Illustrators Conference - https://austin.scbwi.org/events/austin-2022-writers-illustrators-working-conference/

5/13-14 - Lone Star Book Festival of Seguin, Texas - Lone Star Festival

6/8-10 - Historical Novel Society - HNS Conference 2023

8/30 - 9/3 - Murder at the Marina - San Diego, Ca. - http://www.bouchercon.com/

10/21-22 - Unconfirmed, so check back: Dallas Writer's Conference - http://dfwcon.org/

10/26- 11/2 - Austin Film Festival -  https://austinfilmfestival.com/

11/4-5 - Unconfirmed, so check back: Austin Book Festival - https://www.texasbookfestival.org/

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)

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!

2022 Conferences, Workshops, and Literary Festivals

This list mostly focuses on Texas and Louisiana (where I am). 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.

Since the pandemic, many events have either been cancelled, or moved to virtual. 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.

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

2/11-13 - Houston Writer's Guild Conference - SCBWI | Winter Conference 2022

3/11-20 - SXSW Film and writers festival in Austin - http://www.sxsw.com/

3/23-27 - New Orleans Literary Festival -  http://www.tennesseewilliams.net/

4/9 - Wimberley Book Festival - http://bookfestival.network/

4/30 - 5/1 - Austin Writer's and Illustrators Conference - https://austin.scbwi.org/events/austin-2022-writers-illustrators-working-conference/

5/28 - Lone Star Book Festival of Seguin, Texas - http://bookfestival.network/

6/24-26 - Austin Agents and Editors Conference - https://writersleague.org/programs/a-e-conference/

9/8-11 - World Mystery Convention will be held in Minneapolis - http://www.bouchercon.com/

10/22-23 - Unconfirmed, so check back: Dallas Writer's Conference - http://dfwcon.org/

10/27- 11/3 - Austin Film Festival -  https://austinfilmfestival.com/

11/5-6 - Austin Book Festival - https://www.texasbookfestival.org/

11/12 - Unconfirmed, so check back: Galveston Island Book Festival - http://galveston.bookfestival.network/index.php/component/users/?view=remind&Itemid=101

11/12-13 - Unconfirmed, so check back: New Orleans Book Festival - https://www.everfest.com/e/new-orleans-book-festival-new-orleans-la

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? :-)

IWSG: Industry Changes

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs. You can also join us on twitter using the hashtag #IWSG, or on the Facebook page.

Now, IWSG hosts have changed up the format in an effort to make it more fun and interactive.Every month, they will announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG Day post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say. 

Don’t forget to visit others that day to see their answers. Want to join, or learn more? Visit our - Sign-up List.

JULY QUESTION -  There have been many industry changes in the last decade, so what are some changes you would like to see happen in the next decade?

MY ANSWER - I feel that as a result of the pandemic, we are seeing an increase in the return to people reading large amounts for entertainment. As a result, I would subsequently love to see an increase in the number of publishing houses, and the material they are willing to print. I would also love to see the publishing houses taking a risk on newer authors as well.

What industry changes would you like to see?

22 Pet Publications Open for Submission

To the left is a picture of the baby I lost a year ago in May. This dachshund was named Dulcinea - Dulci for short. Bonus points if you get the literary reference.

We recently adopted a new Dachshund baby (below) and my girls decided to name her Bella. You don't get as many Bonus points if you get the literary reference for this one.







Curious what type of pets writers prefer? I did a little research and found many of them have loved cats, dogs, and other usual household pets. However, just as many of them have preferred unusual, or endangered, ones including ravens and peacocks.

To find out what pets make the best partners for writers, or to peruse photographs of famous duos, try one of the six articles below :

The Best Pet for a Writers Health and Well-being
Adorable Pictures of Famous Writers and Their Pets

Literary Pets

Writers and Their Pets

Literary Figures and Their Wild Pets

Authors and Their Pets - Pinterest Photos

Do you want to write about your pets? Check out these 22 opportunities:


Dog Writers Association of America - http://www.wideopenpets.com/contributors/ 

Life Lessons from your Cat or Dog - http://www.chickensoup.com/story-submissions/possible-book-topics 

Simply Pets Lifestyle - https://www.simplypetslifestyle.com/submission-guidelines

Wide Open - https://www.wideopenmediagroup.com/careers/

18 more pet publications - https://thewritelife.com/pet-publications/

What type of pets do you have? What name did you pick and why? Did you figure out the literary references for my dogs names?

IWSG: Reading Others

This Month:

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs. You can also join us on twitter using the hashtag #IWSG, or on the Facebook page.

Now, IWSG hosts have changed up the format in an effort to make it more fun and interactive.Every month, they will announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG Day post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say. 

Don’t forget to visit others that day to see their answers. Want to join, or learn more? Visit our - Sign-up List.

OCTOBER QUESTION: It's been said that the benefits of becoming a writer who does not read is that all your ideas are new and original. Everything you do is an extension of yourself, instead of a mixture of you and another author. On the other hand, how can you expect other people to want your writing, if you don't enjoy reading? What are your thoughts?

MY ANSWER: I firmly believe reading is a MUST! Many believe you'll end up copying other writers, and lose your own voice. This may happen to some degree for a time, especially when first beginning or fighting the dreaded writers block. However, reading widely is essential to expanding your skills. Studying the craft in a multitude of formats and styles actually aids in honing your skills and finding your TRUE voice. 

You can read more of my thoughts on this in 5 Myths About Published Authors.

How about you? Do you believe reading is essential?