Northwestern University's 14th Annual Summer Writers' Conference
Northwestern University beckons writers of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry to gather for three days of workshops, panel discussions, keynotes, networking events, and readings at its 14th annual Summer Writers’ Conference. The conference will take place August 9th to the 11th in Wieboldt Hall on Northwestern’s downtown Chicago campus.
Participants will have the opportunity to learn how to structure a novel, write without fear, craft a scene, write a page turner, use research to inform and enrich one’s writing, and more. Attendees will hear from industry leaders, including publishers, agents, literary editors, and critics. The full conference schedule is available online.
The conference’s opening keynote on Thursday, August 9 is a reading and discussion entitled Embracing the Midwest: Five Writers Discuss the Nuance, Contradictions, and Beauty of the Region with writers Martha Bayne, Shannon Cason, Christine Rice, Jeremy T. Wilson, and Paul Durica. On Friday, August 10, award-winning poet Roger Reeves will give a presentation on The Uses of Memory. On Saturday, August 11, Anne-Marie Akin, Laura Jones, Simone Muench, Christine Pacyk, and Virginia Smith Rice will present a reading and discussion entitled From Singular to Shared: The Combined Mind of Collaborative Writing.
Nearly thirty new instructors and presenters have been added to this year’s lineup, which promises to be an exciting and inspiring event for writers with all levels of experience and backgrounds.
Each day, the conference will end with a networking reception and literary reading, highlighting local authors from Northwestern and throughout the greater Chicago area.
- August 9 – Northwestern University MA/MFA in Creative Writing Program Graduate & Faculty Reading
- August 10 - TriQuarterly Reading
- August 11 – Chicago Literary Hall of Fame Reading
Reduced tuition is available for students and Northwestern alumni. Advance online registration is required.
For more information about the conference or registration, visit the Summer Writers' Conference page.