by Scott Lorenz | Blog, Book Events, Book Fairs, Book Festivals, Book Marketing, Book Promotion, Book Publicity, Book Publishing, Marketing a Book, Promoting a Book, Writers Conferences
By Scott Lorenz
Westwind Communications
There are several good reasons why writers should invest the time and effort required to attend writers’ conferences.
Attending a writers’ conference only takes a few hours, or a couple days at the most, a small investment, and a little effort to register and arrange travel and lodging, but the payoff can be big.
Attending a writers’ conference gives you a great chance to pitch your book, learn about the major publishing houses, meet book editors, agents and book marketing specialists. If your book is six months or a year from being finished, you can meet people who will give you valuable ideas on shaping your book and provide other advice to help you wrap up your project when you return home.
Or maybe you have been working on your book for a few months and are feeling insecure or unsure whether you really can be a published author. Attending a conference is a good way to get a reality check from book editors to get a professional opinion on your plot and characters and to determine whether you are on the right track.
Most importantly, attending a writers’ conference provides you with an opportunity to learn about the publishing business from fellow authors. You will also get honest and helpful professional assessments from book editors that will be more than worth the cost and effort of attending the conference.
Of course, you will want to prepare for any writers’ conference you attend by having a plan of what you want to find out and what you will do while there. You will want to develop an ‘elevator pitch’ of your book that you can deliver in 30 seconds. Have a one pager available with your book cover, author headshot, short 50-word synopsis, short bio, website URL, Twitter handle and your contact information. You never know who’ll you’ll meet so be prepared for that moment.
Now that you are ready, here are some writers’ conferences that you should consider attending:
Here are some upcoming writers’ conferences in 2023 for your consideration.
February 3-4, 2023: Boston Writing Workshop (Online)
March 3-4, 2023: Chesapeake Writing Workshop (Online)
March 10, 2023: Alabama Writing Workshop (Birmingham, AL)
March 11, 2023: Atlanta Writing Workshop (Atlanta, GA)
March 11, 2023: Cincinnati Writing Workshop (Cincinnati, OH)
March 11, 2023: Writers Conference of St. Louis (St. Louis, MO)
March 25, 2023: Minnesota Writing Workshop (St. Paul, MN)
March 25,2023: Kentucky Writers Conference (Bowling Green, KY)
April 13-15, 2023: Las Vegas Writers Conference (Las Vegas, NV)
April 14-15, 2023: Writing Workshop of San Francisco (Online)
April 22, 2023: Philadelphia Writing Workshop (Philadelphia, PA)
April 29, 2023: Michigan Writing Workshop (Detroit, MI)
April 29, 2023: Washington Writers Conference (Rockville, MD)
May 12, 2023: Storymakers Conference (Provo, UT)
May 12-13, 2023: Florida Writing Workshop (Online)
May 13, 2023: Writing Conference of Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)
May 18, 2023: Pennwriters Conference SCBWI (Coraopolis, PA)
May 25-27, 2023: Writing Heights Writers Conference (Fort Collins, CO)
June 2-3, 2023: Tennessee Writing Workshop (Online)
June 18-23 2023: Santa Barbara Writers Conference (Santa Barbara, CA)
July 7-8, 2023: Carolina Writing Workshop (Online)
July 29-30, 2023: The Muse & the Marketplace Writers Conference (Boston, MA)
July 30 – August 4, 2023: Napa Valley Writers’ Conference (Napa, CA)
August 3-5, 2023: Mendocino Coast Writers’ Conference (Fort Bragg, CA)
August 17-20, 2023: Killer Nashville’s International Writers’ Conference (Franklin, TN)
August 17-20, 2023: Writer’s Digest Annual Conference (New York, NY)
September 1-4 , 2023: WriterCon 2023 (Choctaw, OK)
September 23, 2023: Missouri Writers Guild Annual Writers Conference (Columbia, MO)
October 6-8, 2023: James River Writers Conference (Richmond, VA)
October 13-14, 2023: Seattle Writing Workshop (Online)
December 8-9, 2023: Writing Workshop of Chicago (Online)
Select a writers’ conference of interest to you and be prepared to enjoy the benefits of meeting other writers, acquiring knowledge you can use immediately, learn about different genres, find a new market for your book, elevate your professional effectiveness, meet editors, agents and publishers, become inspired and return home energized.
The Bottom Line: Make a commitment to attend at least one writers’ conference this year. You’ll be glad you did!
Book publicist Scott Lorenz is President of Westwind Communications, a public relations and marketing firm that has a special knack for working with authors to help them get all the publicity they deserve and more. Lorenz works with bestselling authors and self-published authors promoting all types of books, whether it’s their first book or their 15th book. He’s handled publicity for books by CEOs, CIA Officers, Navy SEALS, Homemakers, Fitness Gurus, Doctors, Lawyers and Adventurers. His clients have been featured by Good Morning America, FOX & Friends, CNN, ABC News, New York Times, Nightline, TIME, PBS, LA Times, USA Today, Washington Post, Woman’s World, & Howard Stern to name a few.
Learn more about Westwind Communications’ book marketing approach at https://www.WestwindBookMarketing.com or contact Lorenz at [email protected] or 734-667-2090 or fill out the form below. Follow Lorenz on Twitter @aBookPublicist. Want help titling a book? Check out Scott Lorenz’s new award winning, bestselling book: Book Title Generator- A Proven System in Naming Your Book www.BookTitleGenerator.net.
Would you like help promoting your book?
If so, tell us a little about your book. What is the title? Do you have a publisher? What is the publish date? How many pages is your book? What is the cost? Do you have web site? What is your specific goal I.E., to make money, raise awareness, get the attention of an agent or publisher, sell the story to a movie or TV studio or something else?
Submit the form below with this information and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you!
by Scott Lorenz | Blog, Book Awards, Book Events, Book Fairs, Book Festivals, Book Marketing, Book Promotion, Book Publicity, Marketing a Book, Writers Conferences
By Scott Lorenz
Westwind Communications
Writers Love to Help Fellow Writers – What Better Way to Meet Them Than Writers’ Conferences?
There are several good reasons why writers should invest the time and effort required to attend writers’ conferences.
Attending a writers’ conference only takes a few hours or days at the most, a few bucks, and a little effort to register and arrange travel and lodging, but the payoff can be big.
If the book you are working on is almost finished, attending a writers’ conference gives you a great chance to network with other authors, pitch your book, learn about the major publishing houses, meet book editors and book marketing specialists. If your book is six months or a year from being finished, you can meet people who will give you ideas on shaping your book and give other advice to help you wrap up when you return home.
Or maybe you have been working on your book for a few months and are feeling unsure about whether you really can be a published author. Attending a conference is a good way to get a reality check from book editors or literary agents who can give you a professional opinion on your plot and characters and help you determine whether you are on the right track.
Most important, attending a writers’ conference provides you with a great opportunity to learn about the publishing business by purposeful interaction with insiders. Some conferences offer an opportunity to get honest and helpful professional assessments from book editors that will be more than worth the cost and effort of attending the conference.
Of course, you will want to prepare for any writers’ conference you attend by having a plan of what you want to find out and what you will do while there. You will want to develop an elevator speech pitch of your book that you can deliver in one minute. Have handouts available such as promotional bookmarks or book covers, or a one-page written pitch with website URL, email, and one paragraph book summary.
Now that you are ready, here are some writers’ conferences in the coming weeks and months you should consider attending:
Here are some upcoming writers’ conferences in 2024 for your consideration:
March 8, 2024: North Carolina Writers Workshop (Friday, March 8, 2024 — at Charlotte Marriott SouthPark, 2200 Rexford Road, Charlotte, NC, 28211.)
March 10-12, 2024: The Muse & the Marketplace Writers Conference (Hilton Boston Park Plaza, 50 Park Plaza, Boston, MA 02116. 617-426-2000)
March 15, 2024: The Alabama Writers Conference (9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Friday, March 15, 2024: Embassy Suites Birmingham, 2300 Woodcrest Place, Birmingham, AL 35206. 205-879-7400.)
March 16, 2024: Atlanta Writing Workshop (9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday, March 16, 2024 — at the Le Meridien Atlanta Perimeter by Marriott (north central suburbs), 111 Perimeter Center W, Atlanta, GA 30346.)
March 16, 2024: Kansas City Writing Workshop (9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday, March 16, 2024 — at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Kansas City Plaza, 220 W 43rd St, Kansas City, MO 64111.)
April 6, 2024: Writers Conference of Minnesota (9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday, April 6, 2024 — at the InterContinental Saint Paul Riverfront, an IHG Hotel, 11 E Kellogg Blvd, St Paul, MN 55101. (651)292-1900.)
April 19, 2024: Get Published in Kentucky Conference (9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Friday, April 19, 2024 — at the Kentucky International Convention Center, 221 S 4th St, Louisville, KY 40202.)
April 20, 2024: Tennessee Writers Workshop (9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday, April 20, 2024 — at Music City Center, 201 Rep. John Lewis Way South, Nashville, TN 37203.)
April 27, 2024: Philadelphia Writing Workshop (9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday, April 27, 2024 — at the DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel Philadelphia West, 640 Fountain Rd, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462.)
April 27, 2024: Kentucky Conference of Writers (Apr 27, 2024, 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM – Frankfort Country Club, 101 Duntreath St, Frankfort, KY 40601)
May 3-4, 2024: The 2024 Washington Writers Conference (May 3-4, 2024, Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center, 5701 Marinelli Road, Rockville, MD)
May 4, 2024: Michigan Writers Conference (9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday, May 4, 2024 — at the Embassy Suites Detroit – Livonia/Novi, 19525 Victor Parkway, Livonia, MI 48152.)
May 11, 2024: Seattle Writers Conference (9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday, May 11, 2024 — at the Seattle Marriott Bellevue, 200 110th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004.)
May 16-19, 2024: 37th Annual Pennwriters Conference (DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Lancaster, Doubletree Resort, 2400 Willow Street Pike, Lancaster, PA 17602, (717) 464-2711)
June 9-14, 2024: Santa Barbara Writers Conference (PO Box 30895, Santa Barbara, California 93130, (805) 568-1516)
June 22, 2024: The Writing Workshop of Chicago (9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday, June 22, 2024 — at the Congress Plaza Hotel, 520 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60605.)
July 19-20, 2024: Beyond Craft 2024 Writing Heights Conference (July 19-20, 2024, 415 N. Cleveland Ave., Loveland, CO 80537)
July 21-26, 2024: Napa Valley Writers Conference (Sunday, July 21 to Friday, July 26, 2024, Napa Valley College, Napa, CA)
August 1-3, 2024: Mendocino Coast Writers Conference (Daytime events will take place at the K8 School – 44261 Little Lake Road. Evening events will take place at Crown Hall – 45285 Ukiah Street, Mendocino, CA)
August 22-25, 2024: Killer Nashville Writers Conference (c/o American Blackguard, Inc., 314 Watercress Drive, Franklin, TN 37064-3234)
October 4-6, 2024: 22nd Annual James River Writers Conference (Greater Richmond Convention Center, 403 N 3rd St, Richmond, VA 23219, 804-783-7300)
October 17-20, 2024: Writer’s Digest Conference (Renaissance Cincinnati, 36 East Fourth Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202)
Select a writers’ conference of interest to you and be prepared to enjoy the benefits of meeting other writers, acquiring knowledge you can use immediately, learn about different genres, find a new market for your book, elevate your professional effectiveness, meet editors, agents and publishers, become inspired and return home energized.
The Bottom Line: Make a commitment to attend at least one writers’ conference this year. You’ll be glad you did!
Book publicist Scott Lorenz is President of Westwind Communications, a public relations and marketing firm that has a special knack for working with authors to help them get all the publicity they deserve and more. Lorenz works with bestselling authors and self-published authors promoting all types of books, whether it’s their first book or their 15th book. He’s handled publicity for books by CEOs, CIA Officers, Navy SEALS, Homemakers, Fitness Gurus, Doctors, Lawyers and Adventurers. His clients have been featured by Good Morning America, FOX & Friends, CNN, ABC News, New York Times, Nightline, TIME, PBS, LA Times, USA Today, Washington Post, Woman’s World, & Howard Stern to name a few.
Learn more about Westwind Communications’ book marketing approach at https://www.WestwindBookMarketing.com or contact Lorenz at [email protected] or 734-667-2090 or fill out the form below. Follow Lorenz on Twitter @aBookPublicist. Want help titling a book? Check out Scott Lorenz’s new award winning, bestselling book: Book Title Generator- A Proven System in Naming Your Book www.BookTitleGenerator.net.
Would you like help promoting your book?
If so, tell us a little about your book. What is the title? Do you have a publisher? What is the publish date? How many pages is your book? What is the cost? Do you have web site? What is your specific goal I.E., to make money, raise awareness, get the attention of an agent or publisher, sell the story to a movie or TV studio or something else?
Submit the form below with this information and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you!
by Scott Lorenz | Blog, Book Fairs, Book Festivals, Book Marketing, Book Promotion, Book Publicity, Jewish Book Festivals, Jewish Book Promotion, Marketing a Book, Promoting a Book
By Scott Lorenz
Westwind Communications
Book festivals and fairs are held year-round all over the world. As a book marketing specialist, I am the first to impress on authors the new and powerful marketing avenues open to all authors on the Internet – from websites and book trailers to social networks like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. While these are excellent tools when used properly, authors should never overlook opportunities to meet the reading public face-to-face.
If you are a Jewish author or specialize in writing about Jewish issues, you should consider visiting some of these Jewish book fairs in the Jewish community.
1. Jewish Community Center of Greater Ann Arbor. Contact Karen Freedland, Cultural Arts and Education Director, at 734-971-0990. You can also visit jccannarbor.org.
2. Jewish Book Council’s Jewish Book Month. Jewish Book Month is an annual event on the American Jewish calendar dedicated to the celebration of Jewish books. It is observed during the month proceeding Hanukkah, thus the exact date changes from year to year. Click here to learn more.
Jewish Book Fairs and Festivals for Jewish Authors
3. Valley of the Sun JCC in Scottsdale, AZ will be hosting the Arizona Authors Speaker Series monthly from October to April. The event will take place on the 3rd Monday of each month from 1:30pm. Arizona contributes much to the literary world with authors and as a story setting. The Valley of the Sun JCC will be treated to appearances by authors who are either from, reside, or use Arizona as a locale for their books. The authors will speak about their life and writings. You need to be a Brandies member to join this group. Guests and JCC Members are welcome for a $5 fee. RSVPs are required to Merrill Kalman: [email protected] or 480.296.3355
4. Valley of the Sun JCC in Scottsdale, AZ will also be hosting “Exceptional” Characters in Books & Film, which is co-sponsored by CJSN. The event will take place the 2nd Wednesday of each month from 1:00-2:30pm and will be featuring books with protagonists with disabling conditions; our discussions will focus on the way the disability impacts the characters and the plot. Click here to learn more.
5. JCC of Metro Detroit’s 61st Annual Jewish Book Fair. At this event, fabulous authors from all over the world will present their books. For further information, contact Dalia Keen at 248.432.5467 or email [email protected] or visit jccdet.org.
6. Shalom Austin’s Austin Jewish Book Fair. The schedule features lectures and discussions with acclaimed writers, the annual Book Lover’s Luncheon, and an onsite bookstore in partnership with Barnes & Noble. The total cost for the Book Fair Package is: $25 JCC Member /$30 Non-member. Each individual event is: $10 JCC Member /$15 Non-member.
7. St. Louis JCC’s 34th Annual St. Louis Jewish Book Festival presented by Maryville University – St. Louis. All author events take place at the Staenberg Family Complex unless otherwise noted. For more information, please call the St. Louis Jewish Book Festival Hotline: 314.442.3299 or visit their website.
8. Marcus JCC Atlanta’s 21st Edition of the Book Festival of the MJCCA. For 20 successful years, the Book Festival of the MJCCA has provided our community with a literary extravaganza featuring an exciting lineup of the year’s most exceptional authors, speakers, and celebrities. Please join thousands of your fellow book lovers to listen, meet, and interact with your favorite authors in a variety of forums, including author meet-and-greets, book signings, a community read, and panel discussions. Click here for more details.
9. Mandell JCC of Greater Hartford will host the 20th Annual Mandell JCC Jewish Book Festival – Celebrating Israel, Debuts, Dads & Dudes. Click here for complete details.
10. Columbus JCC is finalizing the fantastic line up for JCC Bookfair! For more information about sponsorship contact Bookfair Director Debbie Vinocur at [email protected] or 614.559.6214. Click here for updates as they become available.
11. Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center in Houston, TX will be holding their 40th Annual Jewish Book & Arts Fair. For a calendar of events and complete brochure, click here.
13. JCC of Greater Washington will host the 43rd Annual Book Festival. The festival will present an exciting line-up of best-selling authors as well as up and coming writers new to the literary scene. The nine-day Festival will be packed with engaging author events, children’s programs, book signings, and a bookstore brimming with Jewish must-reads. For details, to request a Book Festival brochure, or to join the Book Festival Committee, contact the Book Festival Director Lynn Gittleson at 301.348.3840 or [email protected] or click here.
14. San Diego Center for Jewish Culture will host the San Diego Jewish Book Fair. The San Diego Jewish Book Fair is the largest and most respected Jewish Book Fair in the nation and the largest literature-related event in San Diego County. For tickets and further information, click here.
15. Mandel JCC in Beachwood, Ohio will be celebrating the 13th Annual Festival of Jewish Books & Authors. Stay tuned for details and a full listing of authors, which will be announced this month! For information, please contact Julie Frayman at [email protected] or 216.831.0700 ext. 1316. Please check here for announcements.
16. The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee in Florida will host the Jewish Book Festival, with a lecture and Q&A with author Lloyd Constantine. For questions, contact Len Steinberg at 941.371.4546 ext. 106 or click here.
17. JCC Dallas will host the J Book Fair. For more information, please contact Rachelle Weiss Crane at [email protected] or 214.239.7128 or click here.
Book fairs typically seek out guest speakers. By volunteering to speak at a Jewish book fair, you will pique the interest of new readers and potentially gain a few new fans. Additionally, you can add the speaking appearance to your resume. Be sure to plan ahead because book fairs, speaking engagements and readings are all planned months in advance. For a complete list of book fairs and festivals visit book-marketing-expert.com
The Bottom Line: Reach out to the Jewish community and attend a book fair! You will be happy you did.
Book publicist Scott Lorenz is President of Westwind Communications, a public relations and marketing firm that has a special knack for working with authors to help them get all the publicity they deserve and more. Lorenz works with bestselling authors and self-published authors promoting all types of books, whether it’s their first book or their 15th book. He’s handled publicity for books by CEOs, CIA Officers, Navy SEALS, Homemakers, Fitness Gurus, Doctors, Lawyers and Adventurers. His clients have been featured by Good Morning America, FOX & Friends, CNN, ABC News, New York Times, Nightline, TIME, PBS, LA Times, USA Today, Washington Post, Woman’s World, & Howard Stern to name a few.
Learn more about Westwind Communications’ book marketing approach at https://www.WestwindBookMarketing.com or contact Lorenz at [email protected] or 734-667-2090 or fill out the form below. Follow Lorenz on Twitter @aBookPublicist. Want help titling a book? Check out Scott Lorenz’s new award winning, bestselling book: Book Title Generator- A Proven System in Naming Your Book www.BookTitleGenerator.net.
Would you like help promoting your book?
If so, tell us a little about your book. What is the title? Do you have a publisher? What is the publish date? How many pages is your book? What is the cost? Do you have web site? What is your specific goal I.E., to make money, raise awareness, get the attention of an agent or publisher, sell the story to a movie or TV studio or something else?
Submit the form below with this information and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you!
