After successful past writers conferences across the country, including Dallas in 2019, Writing Day Workshops is excited to announce The 2024 Writers Conference of Dallas — a full-day in-person “How to Get Published” writing conference in Dallas, TX on Saturday, November 23, 2024.

This writing event is a wonderful opportunity to get intense instruction over the course of one day, pitch a literary agent or editor (optional), get your questions answered, and more. Note that there are limited seats at the event (150 total). All questions about the event regarding schedule, details and registration are answered below. Thank you for your interest in the 2024 Writers Conference of Dallas! We are very proud of our many success stories where attendees sign with agents following events — see our growing list of success stories here.

(Please note that this is an in-person event. We at Writing Day Workshops plan both online/virtual as well as in-person events. This next WCD is an in-person event happening on November 23, 2024. See you there.)

WHAT IS IT?

This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop on Saturday, November 23, 2024, at the Sheraton DFW Airport. In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome.

This event is designed to squeeze as much into one day of learning as possible. You can ask any questions you like during the classes, and get your specific concerns addressed. We will have literary agents onsite to give feedback and take pitches from writers, as well. This year’s agent and editor faculty so far includes:

• literary agent Aiden Siobhan (Laura Dail Literary)
• literary agent Gwyn Jordan (Gold Dust Literary)
• literary agent Patrice Caldwell (New Leaf Literary)

By the end of the day, you will have all the tools you need to move forward on your writing journey. This independent event is organized by coordinator Anna Hawkins of Writing Day Workshops. E-mail Anna to register for the event at WDWFaculty@gmail.com, and say you’re interested in the Dallas event specifically.

EVENT LOCATION & DETAILS:

9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday, November 23, 2024 — at the Sheraton DFW Airport, 4440 W. John Carpenter Fwy Irving, TX 75063.

(Please note that this is an in-person event. We at Writing Day Workshops plan both online/virtual as well as in-person events. This next WCD is an in-person event happening on November 23, 2024. See you there.)

THIS YEAR’S SESSIONS & WORKSHOPS (NOVEMBER 23, 2024):

8:30 – 9:30: Check-in and registration at the event location.

9:30 – 10:30: Understanding the Publishing Industry in 2024 — From Hybrid Publishing to Artificial Intelligence and Everything in Between, taught by Chuck Sambuchino. Writers today have lots of choices and options, but that doesn’t mean your publishing journey is an easy path to navigate. How are traditional publishing and self-publishing changing? What kind of writer is attractive to an agent currently? What is hybrid publishing? How will A.I. (artificial intelligence) help or hurt writers in the years to come? Which social media sites and publishing resources are worth the time and effort in 2024? All these questions, and more, will be addressed during the speech.

10:45 – 11:50: Everything You Need to Know About Literary Agents and Writing an Awesome Query Letter, taught by Chuck Sambuchino. This workshop is a thorough crash course in dealing with literary agents. After quickly going over what an agent is and what they do for writers, we will discuss resources for finding agents, how to ID the best agents for you, query letter writing, as well as the most important things to do and not to do when dealing with representatives.

11:50 – 1:15: Lunch is on your own during these 85 minutes.

1:15 – 2:30: “Writers Got Talent”—a Page 1 Critique Fest, with participating literary agents and editors. In the vein of “American Idol” or “America’s Got Talent,” this is a chance to get your first page read (anonymously — no bylines given) with attending agents commenting on what was liked or not liked about the submission. Get expert feedback on your incredibly important first page, and know if your writing has what it needs to keep readers’ attention. All attendees are welcome to bring pages to the event for this session, and we will choose pages at random for the workshop for as long as time lasts. All submissions should be fiction or memoir—no prescriptive nonfiction or picture books, please. Do not send your pages in advance. You will bring printed copies with you, and instructions will be sent out approximately one week before the event.

2:45 – 3:45: Build an Irresistible Author Platform for Long-Term Success, taught by Rosie Pova. Learn the key strategies to create a powerful author brand that not only captivates your target readers but also appeals to agents and publishers. In this workshop, you’ll discover how to market yourself authentically, establish lasting connections with your audience, and develop a sustainable promotion plan that starts well before your book launch. Whether you’re just starting or already published, this session will equip you with tools for long-term visibility and success in the competitive world of publishing.

4:00 – 5:00: The Art of Being an Author and Crafting Your Story, taught by Ali Kominsky. In this class, we will cover the importance of cultivating your own craft as an author and storyteller. An author needs to hone in their craft for vision, to self edit and to get clarity on story. We will discuss the importance setting yourself up as a subject matter expert and cultivating a community that will support you and your books. The better you understand your craft, the better you convey your story on the page for a reader(and potential agent and editor!) and the more enjoyable your book will be. (This class is applicable to nonfiction and fiction writers.)

At 5 p.m., the day is done. Speakers may make themselves available for a short while to sign any books for attendees.

Agent & Editor Pitching: All throughout the day.

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PITCH AN AGENT OR EDITOR:

Patrice Caldwell is a senior literary agent at New Leaf Literary & Media. She seeks commercial, character-driven fiction for middle grade, young adult, and adult readers as well as platform-driven nonfiction. Across the board, she is especially looking for science fiction & fantasy, mythology retellings and reimaginings, romance novels (including contemporary, paranormal, and romantasy), and anything that can be categorized as horror and/or gothic literature. Patrice also loves to champion stories from writers & illustrators from marginalized backgrounds. She does not represent picture books. Learn more about Patrice here.

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Aiden Siobhan (they/them) is a literary agent with Laura Dail Literary Agency. Aiden loves any story that is diverse, heartfelt, beautifully written, and makes them stay up reading until 3 A.M. Aiden is seeking virtually all genres of both middle grade and young adult (including fantasy). They like adult horror and adult romance. Graphic novels are welcome across all age levels and genres (including nonfiction) as long as the author is also the illustrator. Learn more about Aiden here.

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Gwyn Jordan is a literary agent and the founder of Gold Dust Literary. “I accept mystery, thriller, suspense, and all heat levels of romance in the following subgenres: historical, contemporary, suspense, comedy, fantasy, and western. (I do not accept: Paranormal, sci-fi, YA, religious/inspirational, or erotica [where there is no real plot]). I especially like unique characters (ex. a professor who dresses like a rock star, a librarian who loves extreme sports), characters with quirks and flaws, and stories with rarely used occupations (acupuncturist, meteorologist, animator). I’d love to get some mysteries (murder, thefts – you name it!), fast-paced thrillers, and large-scale schemes and scams (think Ocean’s 11 and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels). Put me on the edge of my seat or make me fall in the floor laughing. Dark and gritty and courtroom dramas are also welcome. Bring ’em on!” Learn more about Gwyn here.

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ADDED ONLINE PITCHING: To ensure that writers have a robust and diverse lineup of agents & editors to pitch, 2024 Writers Conference of Dallas attendees will have the ability to also pitch literary agents at the Writing Day Workshops *online* event that follows the 2024 WCD on our calendar.

That event is the 2024 Online Writing Workshop of Chicago, December 6-7, 2024, which will have 30-40 agents taking one-on-one Zoom virtual pitches.

This means that 2024 WCD attendees can have access to pitching all those online Chicago agents — pitches still at $29 each — without being a formal registrant for the online December 2024 WWOC. (That said, if you want to formally register for the December 6-7 WWOC and have access to all classes and panels, let us know, as there is a discount for confirmed Dallas attendees.)

If you are interested in this added pitching opportunity, the first step is to get formally registered for Dallas. Following the WCD conferences on November 23, 2024, we will be in touch with all Dallas attendees and ask them if they want to partake in pitching online agents at the 2024 WWOC (Dec. 6-7). At that time, you can communicate your pitch requests and purchase meeting time.

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        More 2024 agents to be announced as they are confirmed. You can sign up for pitches at any time, or switch pitches at any time, so long as the agent in question still has appointments open.

These one-on-one meetings are an amazing chance to pitch your book face-to-face with an agent, and get personal, individual feedback on your pitch/concept. If the agent likes your pitch, they’ll request to see part/all of your book — sending you straight past the slush pile. It also gives you an intimate chance to meet with an agent and pick their brain with any questions on your mind.

(Please note that Agent/Editor Pitching is an add-on, separate aspect of the day, for only those who sign up. Spaces are limited for these premium meetings, and pricing/detail is explained below.)

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PRICING:

$149 — EARLY BIRD base price for registration to the 2024 WCD and access to all workshops, all day. As of summer 2024, registration is now OPEN.

Add $29 — to secure a 10-minute one-on-one meeting with any of our literary agents or editors in attendance. Use this special meeting as a chance to pitch your work and get professional feedback on your pitch. (Spaces limited.) If they wish, attendees are free to sign up for multiple 10-minute pitch sessions at $29/session — pitching multiple individuals, or securing 20 minutes to pitch one person rather than the usual 10. Here are four quick testimonials regarding writers who have signed with literary agents after pitching them at prior Writing Day Workshops events. (Our bigger, growing list of success stories an be seen here.)

“I met my client, Alison Hammer, at the Writing
Workshop of Chicago and just sold her book.”
– literary agent Joanna Mackenzie of Nelson Literary

“Good news! I signed a client [novelist Aliza Mann]
from the Michigan Writing Workshop!”
– literary agent Sara Mebigow of KT Literary

“I signed author Stephanie Wright from
the Seattle Writing Workshop.”
– literary agent Kathleen Ortiz of New Leaf Literary

“I signed an author [Kate Thompson] that I
met at the Philadelphia Writing Workshop.”
– literary agent Kimberly Brower of Brower Literary

“I signed novelist Kathleen McInnis after meeting her
at the Chesapeake Writing Workshop.”
– literary agent Adriann Ranta of Foundry Literary + Media

Add $69 — for an in-depth, personal critique of your one-page query letter from Chuck Sambuchino, one of the day’s coordinators. (This rate is a special event value for Writers Conference of Dallas attendees only.) Registrants are encouraged to take advantage of the specially-priced critique, so they can send out their query letter with confidence following the workshop. Also, if you are meeting with an agent at the event, you’re essentially speaking your query letter aloud to them. Wouldn’t it be wise to give that query letter (i.e., your pitch) one great edit before that meeting?

Add $89 — for an in-depth personal critique of the first 10 pages of your novel. Spaces with faculty for these critiques are very limited, and participating attendees will either 1) get an in-person meeting at the workshop, if the faculty member is attending the live event, or 2) get a 10-minute phone call with the faculty member, and have notes passed along via email, if the critiquer is not attending the live event. Options:

• Middle grade, young adult; adult fiction in the areas of low fantasy, literary fiction, romance, contemporary fiction, women’s fiction, historical fiction, and mainstream fiction (virtual critiques): Faculty member Joel Brigham, a writing coach and author, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, meet with you online (Zoom, etc.) or by phone for 15 minutes sometime around the workshop to discuss his thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting.
• Women’s, mainstream, science fiction, fantasy, romance, crime, thriller, mystery (virtual critiques): Faculty member Michelle McGill-Vargas, a writing coach and author, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, meet with you online (Zoom, etc.) or by phone for 15 minutes sometime around the workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting.
• Romance, women’s fiction, domestic suspense, and young adult fiction (virtual critiques): Faculty member Swati Hegde, an author and freelance editor, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, meet with you online (Zoom, etc.) or by phone for 15 minutes sometime around the workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting.
• Children’s picture books, middle grade, young adult, memoir, historical fiction, general fiction of almost any kind (virtual critiques): Faculty member Eve Porinchak, a former agent turned publishing coach, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, meet with you online (Zoom, etc.) or by phone for 15 minutes sometime around the workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting. Children’s picture books should be 1,000 words maximum, and can or cannot have illustrations.
• More critique options possibly forthcoming

How to pay/register — Registration is now open. Reach out to workshop organizer Anna Hawkins via email: WDWFaculty@gmail.com, and she will provide specific instructions for payment and registration to get you a reserved seat at the event. Payment is by credit card, PayPal, or check. Because Anna plans different workshops, make sure you note that you’re inquiring about the Dallas workshop specifically.

REGISTRATION:

Because of limited space at the venue (Embassy Suites by Hilton Dallas DFW Airport South), the workshop can only allow 150 registrants, unless spacing issues change. For this reason, we encourage you to book sooner rather than later.

(Please note that this is an in-person event. We at Writing Day Workshops plan both online/virtual as well as in-person events. This next WCD is an in-person event happening on November 23, 2024. See you there.)

Are spaces still available? Yes, we still have spaces available. We will announce RIGHT HERE, at this point on this web page, when all spaces are taken. If you do not see a note right here saying how all spaces are booked, then yes, we still have room, and you are encouraged to register.

How to Register: The easy first step is simply to reach out to workshop organizer Anna Hawkins via email: WDWFaculty@gmail.com. Anna will pass along registration information to you, and give instructions on how to pay by credit card, PayPal, or check. Once payment is complete, you will have a reserved seat at the event. The WCD will send out periodic e-mail updates to all registered attendees with any & all news about the event. Because Anna plans different workshops, make sure you note that you’re inquiring about the Dallas workshop specifically.

Refunds: If you sign up for the event and have to cancel for any reason at any time, you will receive 50% of your total payment back [sent by check or PayPal]. The other 50% is nonrefundable and will not be returned, and helps the workshop ensure that only those truly interested in the limited spacing sign up for the event. (Please note that query editing payments and manuscript editing payments are completely non-refundable if the instructor has already edited your work.)

Thank you for your interest in the 2024 Writers Conference of Dallas.