Last Monday’s roundup of literary festivals was intended primarily for readers (including readers who are writers). Today’s is full of craft for writers, although I often think serious readers can benefit from knowing how writers do their job. Writers of science fiction and fantasy should note that because the 2013 World Science Fiction Society’s convention (Worldcon) meets in San Antonio this summer, nearby Austin will not hold its summer ArmadilloCon this year. ArmadilloCon will return in 2014. FenCon in Dallas is scheduled later than usual as well, to avoid conflict with Worldcon.
March 29-30 -- Dreamin’ in Dallas, convention of the Dallas Area Romance Authors. Doubletree Hotel in Richardson, 1981 N. Central Expressway. I have not attended, but the cost ($149 for early registration by non-DARA members) looks reasonable and includes an appointment with an agent or editor. For registration, list of participants, and additional information, see www.dallasromanceauthors.com/conferences/.
April 5-6 -- Houston Writers Guild Conference (spring). Sugar Land Marriott Town Square Hotel, 16090 City Walk, Sugar Land. I attended this in 2012 and found the workshops and speakers worthwhile. Appointments with limited number of agents are available for additional charge. The Guild also sponsors short story anthologies. For information, including costs, see www.houstonwritersguild.org/.
April 26-28 -- Poetry at Round Top, 248 Jaster Road, Round Top. Workshops and critique groups. Limited number of private consultations with a publisher available. I have not attended, and am afraid I tend to slight poets, but this is a well-respected conference. See http://poetryatroundtop.org/.
May 4-5 -- DFW Writers Conference, Hurst Conference Center, 1601 Campus Dr., Hurst. Cost ($259 for early registration through February 4) includes one agent consultation. Conference sponsor DFW Writers’ Workshop is considering adding additional agent consultations for an added fee. I attended this the last two years and found it informative and helpful. For registration and additional information see
http://dfwcon.org/.
June 21-23 -- Writers League of Texas Conference, Hyatt Regency Austin, 208 Barton Springs, in Austin. The big one in Texas. Early bird reduced registration through tomorrow, January 15. Agent consultations may be added for additional fee. I have attended this and found it helpful. Also sponsors a manuscript contest. See www.writersleague.org/.
July 12-14 -- LexiCon Writers Conference, Hilton Garden Inn, 3110 Colorado Blvd., Denton. This conference began in 2012. Although I did not attend, the workshops on topics related to mystery and crime writing looked appealing, and I hope to attend this year. Includes panel of agents and publishing representatives. See www.lexi-conwritersconference.com/.
July 19-21 -- The Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference. As the name implies, this conference sponsored by the North School of Journalism is aimed at nonfiction writers. At this point, information on the 2013 conference is limited. For updates, see
http://journalism.unt.edu/maybornconference/.
October 4-8 -- FenCon, Crowne Plaza Hotel Dallas, 14315 Midway Road (actually in the Dallas suburb of Addison). A science fiction and fantasy convention with a writing workshop and short story contest. This year‘s writing workshop leaders, Patrick and Teresa Nielsen Hayden, are editors for the publisher Tor. Con membership ($30 early registration for adults) is required. I have attended this several times and found it helpful. Last year’s additional charge for the workshop was $25, but 2013 additional is yet to be determined. For additional information as it becomes available, see www.fencon.org/.
Showing posts with label Mayborn Literary Nonfiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mayborn Literary Nonfiction. Show all posts
Monday, January 14, 2013
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Wordcraft -- Writing conferences in heart of Texas
Don’t we sometimes get tired of having our friends and family inch away when our contribution to the latest movie discussion includes terms such as “thematic midpoint ”? Or when we mention the interesting POV (point of view) in a popular novel? And wouldn’t we like to know, you know, how writers we see published actually get that way? That’s what writing conferences are for -- chances to hang out with other writers, even published ones, sometimes hobnob with agents, editors and, (gasp!) publishers.
There are a number of sources for conferences and other writerly events, such as Poets & Writers magazine, www.pw.org/: Writer’s Digest magazine, including the blog FeedBlitz, available through www.WritersDigest.com/: and the online New Pages, www.NewPages.com/. So in this post I’ll only mention conferences I have attended fairly recently, or those attended by people I know.
This list, in chronological order for 2012, is for Texas conferences.
February 17-19. ConDFW XI, Dallas. A literary science fiction/fantasy convention featuring writing and publishing-oriented programming. This year it also has a short story contest. At $35 for a three-day membership ($40 at the door), it’s an inexpensive way to dip your toes in the convention world. See www.condfw.org/ for information. Story contest closes January 22.
May 19-20. DFW Writers Conference, Hurst. Here’s where you’ll start to see agents and editors in attendance. Admission through March 19 -- $295, which includes parking, meals and an agent appointment. See www.dfwwritersconference.org/ for details.
June 22-24. The Writers’ League of Texas 2012 Agents Conference, Austin. Lots of agents and editors. Cost -- $399, or $299 for the new YA A to Z ticket, with additional charges for private consultations with agents and editors. See www.writersleague.org/
July 20-22. The Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference. Details TBA, but affiliated with the Mayborn School of Journalism at University of North Texas in Denton. Nonfiction only, but lots of agents, publishers and cash awards. Check http://journalism.unt.edu/maybornconference/ for updates.
July 27-29. ArmadilloCon34, Austin. A science fiction/fantasy convention with a writing workshop. I last attended in 2009 and found that the small-group critiques helped me make my first story sell. Details TBA. Best source of information I’ve found so far is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ArmadilloCon/
September 21-23. FenCon IX, Addison. Science fiction/fantasy convention with writing workshop and short story contest. Although not yet stated on the site,
www.fencon.org/, an email from the workshop director indicates Canadian sci-fi writer (and Hugo award nominee) Karl Schroeder will be the writing instructor. Cost for convention -- $25 plus additional charge for workshop and/or contest entry fee.
That’s it for now, but I’ll post more state and local conference information as it becomes available. And I appreciate any information you can share.
There are a number of sources for conferences and other writerly events, such as Poets & Writers magazine, www.pw.org/: Writer’s Digest magazine, including the blog FeedBlitz, available through www.WritersDigest.com/: and the online New Pages, www.NewPages.com/. So in this post I’ll only mention conferences I have attended fairly recently, or those attended by people I know.
This list, in chronological order for 2012, is for Texas conferences.
February 17-19. ConDFW XI, Dallas. A literary science fiction/fantasy convention featuring writing and publishing-oriented programming. This year it also has a short story contest. At $35 for a three-day membership ($40 at the door), it’s an inexpensive way to dip your toes in the convention world. See www.condfw.org/ for information. Story contest closes January 22.
May 19-20. DFW Writers Conference, Hurst. Here’s where you’ll start to see agents and editors in attendance. Admission through March 19 -- $295, which includes parking, meals and an agent appointment. See www.dfwwritersconference.org/ for details.
June 22-24. The Writers’ League of Texas 2012 Agents Conference, Austin. Lots of agents and editors. Cost -- $399, or $299 for the new YA A to Z ticket, with additional charges for private consultations with agents and editors. See www.writersleague.org/
July 20-22. The Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference. Details TBA, but affiliated with the Mayborn School of Journalism at University of North Texas in Denton. Nonfiction only, but lots of agents, publishers and cash awards. Check http://journalism.unt.edu/maybornconference/ for updates.
July 27-29. ArmadilloCon34, Austin. A science fiction/fantasy convention with a writing workshop. I last attended in 2009 and found that the small-group critiques helped me make my first story sell. Details TBA. Best source of information I’ve found so far is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ArmadilloCon/
September 21-23. FenCon IX, Addison. Science fiction/fantasy convention with writing workshop and short story contest. Although not yet stated on the site,
www.fencon.org/, an email from the workshop director indicates Canadian sci-fi writer (and Hugo award nominee) Karl Schroeder will be the writing instructor. Cost for convention -- $25 plus additional charge for workshop and/or contest entry fee.
That’s it for now, but I’ll post more state and local conference information as it becomes available. And I appreciate any information you can share.
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