The Writer’s Digest Annual Conference offers a balanced program covering the fundamentals of craft—delving into specific genres and techniques—along with the business of being a writer, from traditional and self-publishing paths, promotion and marketing strategies, and managing a sustainable career. We’re in the process of selecting speakers for what should be our best program yet so check back often, and be sure to sign up for our email newsletter to receive session and speaker updates as they’re announced!

Pre-Conference Workshop: ( MASTERING SUSPENSE, STRUCTURE AND PLOT: 13 TACTICS TO CREATE A PAGE-TURNER IN ANY GENRE - ) Jane K. Cleland

Pre-Conference Workshop: ( BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE WRITING CAREER: PRIORITIES, PLATFORMS, AND GETTING PAID - ) Jane Friedman

Jul 29

EST	Build Your Platform	Craft 1	Craft 2	Publishing Business	Screenwriting
9 a.m. - 10 a.m.	Pitch Perfect
10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.		Mastering Plot Twists Jane K. Cleland	Help Your Characters Sound Like Themselves (Instead of Sounding Like You) Katrina Kittle	Mastering Query Letters Eric Smith	Screenwriting Session - TBD
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.	Everything You Need to Know About Author Platforms and Branding Andrea DeWerd	Writing a Fight: From Practical to Tactical Carla Hoch	Weaving the Character Web David Corbett
12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.	LUNCH & EXIBITS
1:45 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.	Literary Citizenship: The Feel-Good Way to Market and Promote Jane Friedman	Plotting With an Unreliable Narrator Jane K. Cleland	Five Foolproof Steps to an Airtight Plot Tiffany Yates Martin	Making It Past the First Round: Tips for Submitting to Writing Contests Ran Walker
3 p.m. - 4 p.m.	Building Your Platform Through Podcasting Matty Dalrymple	As I/You/He/She/They See It: The Power of Point of View Sharon Short	Picking the Right Fight for Your Character Carla Hoch	Behind the Scenes: What Really Happens When You Sign With A Big Five Publisher Kimmery Martin
4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.	Opening Keynote - Beverly Jenkins Beverly Jenkins

Jul 30

EST	Craft 1	Indie Publishing	Inspiration	Nonfiction	Publishing Business
9 a.m. - 10 a.m.	Misguided Desires and Misbegotten Yearnings David Corbett	Self-Published Success Whitney Hill	Increase Productivity by Stopping Mindless Writing Mark Shatz	All About the Pitch—Getting Your Writing Noticed Estelle Erasmus	Estate Planning for Authors Michael La Ronn
10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.	Straight Talk: Secrets to Writing a Satisfying Setting Sadeqa Johnson		Learning to Love the Downside Jeff Somers	It's Tell Me Your Story: Profiles and the Art of the Interview Don Vaughan	Ask the Agent Barbara Poelle
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.	Perils and Payoffs: The Risky Business of Researching for Fiction Elizabeth Sims	Self-Publishing Panel: Your Questions Answered Michael La Ronn Ran Walker Whitney Hill Matty Dalrymple	Following Your Passion: How To Incorporate Your (Other) Career Into Your Fiction Writing Kimmery Martin	From Brain to Book: Package Your Expertise Into Book Form Gabriela Pereria	Get It Edited: How to Find, Vet, and Work with the Right Editor for You Tiffany Yates Martin
12:30 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.	Lunch & Exhibits
1:45 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.	You Might Not Be Funny, but You Can Still Write Humor Mark Shatz	Self-Publishing by Your Bootstraps: How to Start a Writing Career When You Have Nothing Michael La Ronn	Battling Burnout, the Blues, and the Dreaded Writer's Block Heather Webb	The Powerful Personal Essay Pivot Estelle Erasmus
3 p.m. - 4 p.m.	Revision: Approach It Like Triage Katrina Kittle	No Gatekeepers: Indie Publishing Your Short Fiction Matty Dalrymple	Debut Author Panel Melissa Croce Robert Jones, Jr.	10 Tips for a Winning Nonfiction Book Proposal Ryan Van Cleave	How to Sell Your Book—No Matter What Genre—Without Going Broke or Insane Susan Shapiro
4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.	Central Keynote - Marlon James Marlon James

Jul 31

EST	Build Your Platform	Craft 1	Craft 2	Publishing Business	Writer's Reserve
9 a.m. - 10 a.m.	Closing Keynote - Tiffany D. Jackson Tiffany D. Jackson
10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.	The Email Newsletter: Every Author's Best Sales Tool (Don't Delay) Jane Friedman	Writing Knockout Picture Books: 7 Secrets from The Picture Book Whisperer Ryan Van Cleave	Before Backstory: A Writing Hack in Two Questions Sharon Short	The Legal Side of Authorship: What You Need to Know About Copyright, Contracts, and Avoiding Claims Dana Newman	Find Your Creative FLOW Gabriela Pereria
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.		A Writer’s Guide to Heady Historical Fiction Sadeqa Johnson	Short Story Writing for Publication Elizabeth Sims	Editors & You: Making the Most of Your Professional Freelance Relationship Don Vaughan	Techniques for Writing 100-Word Stories Ran Walker