Conferences

Writing Conferences
 

Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Writers Conference of the Southwest

The 2007 Conference is passed.

This conference is typically held in July of each year. This year's conference was held in Grapevine, Texas. The keynote speaker was Joyce Carol Oates. The conference is in part sponsored by the University of North Texas.
Visit the Mayborn Graduate Institute of Journalism site »

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ArmadilloCon

29 Friday through Sunday
Aug. 10-12, 2007
Doubletree Hotel
North 6505 N. IH-35

ArmadilloCon is a literary science fiction convention held annually in Austin, with several hundred attendees. The primary focus of ArmadilloCon is literary science fiction, but that's not all we do -- we also pay attention to art, animation, science, media, and gaming. Every year, dozens of professional writers, artists and editors attend the convention. Sometimes they come to make deals, but more often they come to have fun! Three-day pass is $30 in advance and $40 for at the door.
Visit the ArmadilloCon site »

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2007 Maui Writers Conference

Labor Day Weekend
Friday, Aug. 31-Sept. 3, 2007
P.O. Box 1118
Kihei, Maui HI 96753
(888)974-8373
(808)879-0061
Fax: (808)879-6233
E-mail: writers@mauiwriters.com

The Maui Writers Conference offers something for every writer. While the Conference highlights the fields of fiction, nonfiction, and screen writing, we are also proud to present insightful specialty workshops on the business of writing, journalism, food and cookbook writing, YA and Children's, travel writing, and poetry, as well as the ever popular one-on-one consultations with top agents, editors and film execs.

The Conference is four full days of speakers, workshops, and professional consultations starting. The cost is $695 A la Carte Conference and $1,095 for Gold Member. Once again we will be offering opportunities to sit down one-on-one with publishing professionals. Consultation sign-ups will begin Thursday afternoon at 4 p.m. by lottery only, (no first come first served sign-ups are available for the initial sales of the one-on-one consultations.) The fee for consultations is $40 for each 10-minute session. Detailed information about consultations is available in our Conference Handbook, which will be mailed to you after you register for the Conference. Consultations are available to registered Conference attendees only.
Visit the Maui Writers Conference site »

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Wizards of Words Conference

Sept. 14-15, 2007
The Quorum Hotel
700 N Westshore Drive
Tampa, Florida
Early Bird: $99 before Aug. 31

The conference features two full days of workshops with over 20 presenters and speakers, featuring a workshop for young writers and also a children's story time. Keynote speakers for the Saturday banquet will be Tim Dorsey, renowned author with numerous published works, and Heather Howard, author of "Chore Whore," which is being made into a movie. Other headliners include international best selling author John Strelecky, author of "The Why Cafe," Marilyn Meredith, author of more than 16 books, and Linnea Sinclair, winner of the national book award, the RITA, and published by Dell and Spectra books.

There will also be an opportunity for one-on-one agent/publisher interviews.

List of headliners: Tim Dorsey, Heather H. Howard, Bob Sanders, John Strelecky, Linnea Sinclair, Rita Milios, Marilyn Meredith, and Mallori McNeal.

Other presenters: David Rosenberg, Mark Wirtz, E. Don Harpe, Caryn Bruer, Claudette Milner, E. Robert Orn, Virgil Dickson, Susan Haley, Ivor Page, Harvey R. Forester, A.J. Rodriguez, D'Maria Scaglione, Betty Fasig, and Rebecca Buckley.
Visit the Wizards of Words Conference site »

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Austin Film Festival Screenwriters Conference

Oct. 11-14, 2006
Driskill (604 Brazos) and the Stephen F. Austin (701 Congress Avenue) Hotels, Austin
Phone: (512)478-4795
E-mail: info@austinfilmfestival.com

The 14th annual Austin Film Festival will focus on the writer’s unique creative contribution to the film and television industries.

When the Austin Film Festival & Conference launched in 1993, we were the first Conference to celebrate the importance of narrative storytelling in film and the screenwriters contributions to film & television. Thirteen years later, you can't throw a stick without hitting a film festival or writers conference. So, what makes the AFF & Conference different from all the rest? Unparalleled access to the right people and the tools needed to get your filmmaking/screen writing career off the ground.

The conference offers registrants incredible personal access to professional screenwriters, filmmakers and high-level industry executives. In past years, the Austin Film Festival and Conference has welcomed such notable guests as Owen and Luke Wilson, Joel and Ethan Coen, Wes Anderson, Sandra Bullock, Oliver Stone, Russell Crowe, Bryan Singer, Robert Altman, Barry Levinson, Garry Shandling, Buck Henry, Judd Apatow, Harold Ramis, Mike Judge, Robert Duvall, James Franco, Claire Danes, Jason Schwartzman, Matthew McConaughey, Jeff Daniels, Ernie Hudson, Mary Stuart Masterson, Donal Logue, Eric Stoltz, Sam Elliott, and Gina Gershon, to name a few.

We produce over 80 interactive panels over the course of our four-day Conference including: Meet & Greets in a casual and intimate setting; Roundtables where you'll meet at least 8 agents, filmmakers, or producers; and the general Panels, some of which we limit to as few as a 30-person audience. And when the panels conclude in the evening, panelists and registrants alike hang out together at the parties and hotel bars. As our regular registrants know, it's not uncommon to strike up a conversation with Bob Fisher and Steve Faber (Wedding Crashers) while standing in line for a premiere screening. To talk about writing and directing with Shane Black or John Lee Hancock over drinks at the Driskill Hotel bar. To discuss industry obstacles to watch out for with Barry Josephson or Harold Ramis at the Texas Film Commission BBQ. Austin is a casual and laid-back city and the AFF and Conference follow suit. No velvet ropes or VIP rooms. Just a bunch of filmmakers and writers - of all levels - gathered to talk about the art and business of storytelling through film.
Visit the Austin Film Festival site »

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Abilene Writers Guild 2007 Annual Workshop

Saturday, Oct. 27, 2007

Abilene Writers Guild 2007 Annual Workshop will feature Amy D. Shojai. Her focus will be on writing non-fiction/creative non-fiction/short articles and marketing, marketing, marketing to build a platform for your writing (develop a niche) for your writing. Executive Vice President Nancy Robinson Masters says, "The past couple of years we've tended to focus on writing books, and members have expressed to me a desire to have something that focuses on writing for anthologies, the web and magazines. I believe Amy will be just the right person for this and we definitely all need to familiarize ourselves with her website and start promoting this event to folks with those pet-lover interests!"
Visit the Abilene Writers Guild site »

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Texas Book Festival

Nov. 2-4, 2007
State Capitol, Austin, TX
Benefiting Texas Public Libraries
(512)472-3808
E-mail: bookfest@texasbookfestival.org

The Texas Book Festival celebrates authors and their contributions to the culture of literacy, ideas and imagination. Over the last 11 years, the Texas Book Festival has become one of the best literary events in the country and has contributed more than $2 million to 669 public libraries throughout the state. In 2006, more than 45,000 visitors participated in a weekend of author readings and presentations, panel discussions, book signings, and musical entertainment at the State Capitol in Austin.

The Story Behind Texas Book Festival
In late 1995, under the guidance of then-Texas First Lady Laura Bush, a former librarian and an ardent advocate of literacy, a task force convened to plan a book festival to honor the state’s long-standing literary tradition. In addition to celebrating books and Texas authors, the Texas Book Festival would promote the joys of reading and serve to benefit the state’s public libraries. The first Festival took place at the Capitol in November 1996; the event has quickly evolved into one of the premier literary events in the Southwest. Almost half a million people have attended the Book Festival over the past eight years.

Mission Statement
The Texas Book Festival is a statewide program that promotes reading and literacy highlighted by a two-day festival featuring authors from Texas and across the country. Money raised from the Festival is distributed as grants to public libraries throughout the state.

Grants to Libraries
The Festival has contributed $1.52 million to public libraries throughout the state, enabling them to expand their book collections and reading programs. 516 of the state’s 561 libraries have received grants from the Festival. A $2,500 TBF grant typically doubles the annual materials budget of a public library.

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The Texas Book Festival is currently the largest private funding source for Texas libraries. Texas ranks 43rd in the nation in funding for libraries. Approximately 3.5 million Texans read on a fourth grade level (or less).

Authors
More than 800 authors, primarily from Texas, have participated in literary programs free to the public in the historic state Capitol.

Participation
The Texas Book Festival typically presents between 125-150 authors, with approximately two-thirds coming from Texas and the remainder from the United States and abroad. Authors may participate in the festival as a reader, a panelist or a panel moderator. Some may be asked to do all three. Of course, authors may also serve as a festival volunteers if they wish to help with the organization and administration of the event. The 2002 Festival drew more than 30,000 visitors to Austin, so anyone participating in the festival must be comfortable with crowds and mingling with the public and media.

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How To Be Considered
To be considered for the Festival, please send or have your publicist send us:

  • One or two copies of a finished book/galley/arc/manuscript
  • A press kit with clippings and reviews
  • Author biography and bibliography
  • Information about your ability/willingness to travel to Austin for the event

When should you submit a book?
We accept submissions of books throughout the year, but preference is given to books submitted prior to July 15 in the same year as the Festival. To be considered a book must be published within 18 months of the Festival.

Where do I send submissions?
Book Submissions
Texas Book Festival
610 Brazos, Suite 200
Austin, Texas 78701

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Who Decides Which Authors To Invite?
An author selection committee comprised of publishing and book professionals considers the submissions and chooses who will be invited. The bulk of invitations go out between the beginning March and end of July.

What Types Of Books Do We Consider?

  • Fiction including all genres
  • Mysteries, westerns and romance novels
  • Narrative nonfiction -- history, biography, memoir, and essays
  • Cookbooks and food related titles
  • Poetry
  • Children’s literature
  • Art and Architecture

What Types Of Books Do We NOT Consider?
The Texas Book Festival focuses on the promotion of literature and Texas literary culture, as such, books on the topics of self-improvement, how-to, or books strictly of academic or religious interest will not be considered.

Should A Self-published/printed Author Submit?
No. Because Barnes & Noble is selling books at the festival, it is a requirement that one's book be available through a major wholesale company that allows returns, such as Ingram or Baker & Taylor. This means that self-published authors must be excluded from participating. Please consider this before submitting your work to the Festival. Self-published authors are encouraged to participate in the festival as exhibitors.
Visit the Texas Book Festival site »

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North Texas Romance Writers of America Annual Writers' Workshop

Usually held in early November at the Holiday Inn Select in Irving, Texas, the NTRWA mini conference has been an annual tradition since 2000. That first year, the membership hosted the fabulous duo, Robin Perini and Laura Baker with their workshop, Discovering Story Magic. In 2001, the chapter was proud to have Harlequin author Jo Leigh and her hard hitting, Story Structure 101. In 2002, USA Today best selling author, Rachel Gibson came to Texas for our third annual conference and local author, Vickie Taylor, delivered her extremely popular Plotting Blob workshop. Deb Dixon packed the house in 2003 with her Book-In-A-Day workshop. In 2004, author Tami Cowden joined us for a full day of Heroic Archetypes and Their Interactions. This past November, Shirley Jump showed how to turn your book from Gold to Sold. Holiday Inn Select DFW Airport North 4441 W. Hwy. 114 @ Esters Blvd. Irving, Texas 75063 972-929-8181
Visit the NTRWA Annual Fall Writers' Workshop page »

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2008 Agents & Editors Conference in Austin

Probable date: June, 2008
15th annual Agents & Editors Conference

The Writers' League of Texas, formerly the Austin Writers' League, hosts an excellent authors, editors, agents conference during the summer. The 13th annual Agents Conference was held June 23-25, 2006, in Austin.

The conference will give writers the chance to meet as many as 20 agents and editors at the three-day conference. They also heard the latest in current market trends, attended breakout sessions and panel discussions led by published authors, and met one-on-one with agents and editors in a 10-minute private consultation.

Other topics expected include genre writing, young adult and children's books, marketing, and book proposals.
Visit the Writers' League of Texas site »

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Disclaimer
Various writing and author promotion opportunities come to attention of the San Antonio Writers Guild. These opportunities are NOT researched, thoroughly or otherwise. So if you pursue any of these opportunities, please check them out carefully. In your research if you find out anything about these opportunities -- good or bad -- please email us and tell us what you find out so we may pass that information along. The guild is about people in and interested in the writing profession helping each other.