2019 Writing Conferences Requiring Early Registration

Whether a one day session, one week conference, or a month-long writing workshop writing related events are a good way to commune with other writers. They offer opportunities to network and get your name out there. In some instances, you can meet and mingle with editors and agents. Some offer critiques or pitching sessions. Nowhere will you find a higher concentration of introverts enjoying each other's company.

Local conferences are a good place to meet potential critique groups or recruit members.

Some are free. Some require a fee. Some are more social than others. Many are for new writers, but a few dig deep into craft. You should choose an event that speaks to your needs and desires.

The following is a list of conferences that require early registration or application.

Realm Makers Conference is Thursday afternoon through Saturday, July 18-20, 2019, at the Sheraton Westport Chalet, St. Louis Missouri. Registration begins February 2019.  http://realmmakers.net/conference

Pikes Peak Writers Conference is May 3 - 5, 2019 at the Colorado Springs Marriott, Colorado Springs, Colorado.  Registration begins November 2018.

https://www.pikespeakwriters.com/ppwc/

VCFA Novel Retreat is May 13 - 19, 2019 at the Vermont College of Fine Arts, Montpelier, Vermont. Registration begins November 2018.
https://vcfa.edu/programs-faculty/postgraduate-non-degree/novel-retreat

Chicago Writers Association Conference is March 16–17, 2019, in Chicago, Illinois. Must register before February for housing at the hotel.

http://www.chicagowrites.org/writers-conference/conference-schedule

Longleaf Writers' Conference is May 11-19, 2019 in Seaside, Florida. Application due by April 28, 2019.
https://www.awpwriter.org/wcc/wcc_entry_view/1249/longleaf_writers_conference_seaside_florida_formerly_seaside_wc

Bear River Writers' Conference is May 30- June 3, 2019 in Boyne City, Michigan. Registration begins February 2019.  https://lsa.umich.edu/bearriver

Odyssey Fantasy Writing Workshop is June 3 through July 12, 2019 at Saint Anselm College, Manchester, New Hampshire. Early action application deadline is January 31, 2019. Regular application deadline is April 1, 2019.

http://www.odysseyworkshop.org

Colgate Writers’ Conference is in June 2019 in Hamilton, New York. Registration deadline is March 2019. https://www.colgate.edu/community/conference-services-and-summer-programs/adult-programs/colgate-writers-conference

Minnesota Northwoods Writers Conference is in June 17-23, 2019 at Bemidji State University, Minnesota. Registration begins January 2019.

http://www.northwoodswriters.org

The 27th Jackson Hole Writers Conference is June 26 - 29, 2019 in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Registration begins November 29, 2018.
http://jacksonholewritersconference.com

New York State Summer Writers Institute is in July 2019 at Skidmore College, New York. Registration begins May 1, 2019.

https://www.skidmore.edu/summerwriters  

Writers Week at Idyllwild Arts Summer Program is in July in Idyllwild, California. Adult Registration Opens February 1, 2019.
https://www.idyllwildarts.org/summer/adultarts/writersweek

Squaw Valley Writer's Conference is July 8-13, 2019 in  Squaw Valley, California. Application deadline March 2019.
https://communityofwriters.org/workshops/writers-workshops

Juniper Institute for Young Writers is July 21 - 28, 2019 in Amherst, Massachusetts. It is for high school students finishing grades 9, 10, or 11. Registration begins January 1 and ends May 15, 2019.

https://www.umass.edu/juniperyoungwriters

Mendocino Coast Publishing Boot Camp is August 1 - 3, 2019 in Mendocino, California. Registration begins March 1, 2019. http://mcwc.org

GenCon Gaming Convention is August 1 - 4, 2019 at the Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis, Indiana. Registration begins January 1, 2019, housing registration begins February 1, 2019. https://www.gencon.com

Postgraduate Writers' Conference is August 13 - 19, 2019 at the Vermont College of Fine Arts, Montpelier, Vermont. Registration Begins 1/16/2019.
http://vcfa.edu/writing/pwc

Bread Loaf Writers' Conference is August 14 - 24, 2019 in Middlebury, Vermont. Registration begins January 1, 2019.

http://www.middlebury.edu/bread-loaf-conferences

Killer Nashville is August 22 - 25, 2019 in Franklin, Tennessee. Registration starts January 1, 2019. https://killernashville.com

Boucheron World Mystery Convention is October 31 through November 3, 2019 in Dallas, Texas. Registration begins January 1, 2019.

https://www.bouchercon2019.com

Surry International Writers Conference is in October 2019 in Surry, British Columbia, Canada. Registration begins June 1, 2019. https://www.siwc.ca

Kauai Writers Conference is November 4-10, 2019 in Kauai. Registration begins January 1, 2019. http://www.kauaiwritersconference.com

  

Deadly Ink in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey was in August in 2018. No date has been set for 2019. https://deadly-ink.com

California Dreamin' Writers' Conference is April 5-7, 2019 in Brea, California. Registration opens October 2018.

https://caldreaminwriters.com

  

Historical Novel Society Conference is June 20-22, 2019 in Oxon Hill, Maryland. Proposal submissions are due by November 18, 2018. Registration opens December 2018.

http://hns-conference.org

Further reading on finding the right conference and why you should attend:

An Ambivert Walks Into a Writing Workshop

Five Unique Marketing Opportunities

Readers and Writers Pressing Flesh

Agents and Conferences

Ten Ways To Get The Most From Writers Conferences

Diana Hurwitz is the author of Story Building Blocks: The Four Layers of Conflict, Story Building Blocks II: Crafting Believable Conflict, Story Building Blocks III: The Revision Layers, and the YA adventure series Mythikas Island. Her weekly blog, Game On: Crafting Believable Conflict explores how characters behave and misbehave. Visit DianaHurwitz.com for more information and free writing tools. You can follow her on Facebook and Twitter.