12 Writing Conferences for the Literary Wanderer
Posted by David Duhr in 
A common request we get here at WBN is to offer a list of writing conferences and festivals from around the country, and since we are nothing if not helpful, today we’re presenting here an even dozen 2014 events for you to explore. Some of these we have attended ourselves and can vouch for. Others we’ve never been to–we just think they look cool, full of potential for all of you aspiring and/or published writers.
Before you buy your plane tickets and admission badges, be sure to revisit a couple of helpful posts from the past, like “5 Must-Haves For a Successful Writers Conference Experience” and “Critical Components to an Elevator Pitch.” And don’t forget to reread Sarah Rodriguez Pratt’s post on bad writing advice.
Here now, twelve 2014 writing conferences and festivals for the literary wanderer:
1) AWP Conference and Bookfair
February 26-March 1, Seattle, WA
https://www.awpwriter.org/awp_
2) New York Pitch Conference
March 27-30, New York, NY
http://newyorkpitchconference.
3) Sirenland Writers Conference
April 6-12, Amalfi Coast, Italy
4) Get Lit! Festival
April 7-13, Spokane, WA
http://outreach.ewu.edu/
5) The Loft Children’s and Young Adult Literature Conference
April 26 & 27, Minneapolis, MN
https://www.loft.org/programs__awards/educational_programs/writing_conferences/
6) The Muse & the Marketplace*
Dates TBD, Boston, MA
http://www.grubstreet.org/
*conference info not yet posted, check the above URL for updates
7) Book Expo America (BEA)
May 29-31, New York, NY
http://www.bookexpoamerica.
8) The Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference
July 18-20, Denton, TX
http://www.themayborn.com/
9) Writer’s Digest Conference*
August 1-3, New York, NY
http://www.
*conference info not yet posted, check the above URL for updates
10) Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference
August 13-23, Middlebury, VT
http://www.middlebury.edu/blwc
11) Texas Book Festival*
October, Austin, TX
http://www.texasbookfestival.
*conference info not yet posted, check the above URL for updates
12) Litquake
October 10-18, San Francisco, CA
If you run a (or have a favorite) writing conference, book festival or similar event, let our readers know about it in the comments below.
This is really really helpful. Thanks for putting it together!
You’re very welcome, Leah. We’re glad you like it!
Hi Justine — we miss you in Austin! You might want to add the Writers League of Texas Editors and Agents Conference. I think it’s June 27-29, in Austin, but you’ll want to double check that. Warm regards, Janice
You just added it, Janice. Thank you!
We miss you right back.
I’m a little confused by the list. I have attended AWP, the Mayborn and the Tx Book Festival; I am very familiar with Breadloaf. AWP and the Tx Book Festival don’t meet the traditional definition of a Writing Conference. They are both places where published writers read or present and other writers can listen or perhaps ask questions, depending on the format. Breadloaf, on the other hand, is where any writer, published or not, can present their material for review and critique using the workshop model. Although Breadloaf is by invitation only, based on a writing sample, this is the… Read more »
While you quibble over semantics, I’ll go explore some of these writing conferences and festivals, in which writers get together in some form or another.