Jackson Hole, WY: © Brian Evans/Getty Image This October there are more than three dozen writing conferences and workshops. Some conferences and workshops will be held online, but most will be held in person or use a hybrid format.These writing events offer everything a writer might want: intensive workshops, pitch sessions with agents, how to market your books, discussions - there is something for everyone.

I have included conferences with deadlines that have already passed on this list to give you advance notice. If you miss an application deadline, put it on your calendar for next year. Quite a few conferences offer scholarships, so apply early. Plan ahead!
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For a full list of conferences held throughout the year see Writing Conferences.
Be sure to check out Highlights list of workshops. They offer many throughout the year. 

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The 2025 Online Florida Writing Workshop. October  3 - 4, 2025: Online. This is a special two-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop. In other words, it’s two days 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. And even though this is the “Florida” Writing Workshop, make no mistake — writers from everywhere are welcome to attend virtually. Our WDW writers conferences have helped dozens of writers find literary agent representation.

TLA Power of Words Conference. October 3 - 5, 2025: Unity Village, MO. "Network with writers, storytellers, performers, musicians, health professionals, educators, and change-makers to connect with those who share your passion of making a difference with words. Discover diversity and experience visionary voices at keynote sessions. Get inspired with workshops in five areas:  Social Transformation, Right Livelihood, Engaged Spirituality, Narrative Healing and Ecological TLA.

James River Writers Conference. October 3 - 5, 2025: Richmond, Virginia. James River Writers is excited to offer both in-person and online elements for our conference this year. Join us for Master Classes online, on Friday, October 4. Then, join us at the Greater Richmond Convention Center (in Richmond, Virginia) for a full slate of programs focusing on the craft and business of writing. Look forward to lively panel discussions, live critique sessions with literary agents, fun and engaging plenary sessions, and agent one-on-one meetings (standard with your ticket). In addition, we’ve included opportunities for networking and socializing, because community is at the heart of everything we do. Since 2003, this multi-day event  has been known for its inspiring, collegial atmosphere and hospitality. Whether you’re just starting out on your writing journey, or a seasoned professional, there’s something for everyone. 

State Writing Conference & Convention, sponsored by The Kansas Authors Club, Oct 3 - 5, 2025: Junction City, KS. Theme: Words Take Flight: Choose Your Own Adventure. Writing workshops, panels, and presentations. 

Write on the Sound Writers' Conference and Pre-Conference. Oct 3 - 5, 2025: Edmonds, WA. Founded in 1985, Write on the Sound writers’ conference (WOTS) is a small, affordable conference focused on the craft of writing. A variety of sessions, workshops and panel discussions are available for all levels and interests, including valuable information regarding today’s writing and publishing industry. 

The Creativity Workshop in New York. October 3 - 6, 2025: New York, New York. "The Creativity Workshops take away the fear of writing and open the way to new ideas. They are especially helpful for writers in fiction, poetry, memoir, theatre and film to get over writing blocks. In our Creativity Workshop Retreats you will generate both new work and ideas for the work you are in the midst of creating. We use many different techniques to help you find your way through the novel, essay, poem, memoir, or script you are writing or hope to write. In The Creativity Workshop you will be doing free writing, writing from guided visualizations, collaborative writing, journaling and memoir work and even some rudimentary drawing, collage and photography."

Picture Book Summit. Oct 4, 2025: Online. A one day live event for picture book writers including author keynotes, interviews, workshops and agent & editor panels. Recordings provided for attendees for four months post-conference.

Retreat for Survival and Healing. October 4-5, 2025: Knoxville, TN. This two-day retreat for sexual assault survivors will be held at The Birdhouse in Knoxville, TN and will be a safe space for creativity, generative writing exercises, discussions on ways to write trauma, advice on publishing, and more. Come join us in mutual support for a weekend of writing time for healing, safety, and comfort. The event will be open to writers of all backgrounds and experiences and provide an opportunity to work with many talented poets and writers from around the country including Jezmina Von Thiele, LySaundra Campbell, Bell McEntire, Dena Igusti, and Michelle Guerrero Henry.

Flathead River Writers Conference. October 4 - 5, 2025: Kalispell, MT. Writers help writers in this two day conference packed with energizing speakers and workshops. Features: Workshops, MS preparation & submission, working with agents, movie deals, media use, & children's book publishing.

DFW Writers Conference. October 4 - 5, 2025: Hurst, TX. Featuring pitch sessions with literary agents, advanced classes, engaging panels, interactive workshops.

The Gotham Writers Fiction Conference. October 4 - 5, 2025: NY, NY. On Day 1, there are four panels and presentations, each designed to give you a peek behind the publishing curtain. You’ll hear from agents, editors, and writers, all offering their insight into the process of getting a novel out to the world. On Day 2, there are Pitching Roundtables where writers spend the day at a table with two literary agents. You’ll be pitching your book project to the agents, but rather than sweating through a very quick pitch (as done at most conferences), you’ll spend four hours with the two agents, presenting your query letter and the first two pages of your manuscript, listening to others do the same, and getting in-depth feedback from the agents about your work and the publishing process. If you don’t quite have a book ready for publication, but want to prep for the day you do, you may sign up for just the Panels and Presentations.

Intro to Writing Nonfiction: History, Biography, STEAM, and Much More! October 7 - 23, 2025: Online. Are you ready to write nonfiction for teens and children, but don’t know where to start? Join award-winning authors Jennifer Swanson and Christine Taylor-Butler for an in-depth exploration of the craft of nonfiction writing for young readers. With their guidance, you’ll build a strong foundation in key aspects of the genre, from research and structure to voice and engagement. You’ll also have the opportunity to participate in a Q&A with editor Eileen Robinson, gaining insights into the acquisition and editing process for nonfiction projects. Plus, connect with fellow writers who share your passion and start building a supportive network within the nonfiction community.
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Diving Into Picture Books: Format, Structure, and Practice. October 7 - 28, 2025: Online. Ready to write your own picture book? Join author Nikki Shannon Smith to learn the process from start to finish. This workshop covers everything from brainstorming to polishing your final draft.


Editing for Impact: Revising Your MG or YA Novel (Fall). October 8  - November 12, 2025. Online.  Join novelists Jennifer Gennari and Lisa Moore Ramée for a six-week online deep dive into revision, where you’ll learn to enhance emotion, sharpen action, and refine your novel’s impact. Through live sessions, structured assignments, community support, and personalized feedback, you’ll build the skills needed to enrich your novel.

Just Do It! Your Collaborative Support Group for Finishing Your Draft (Fall). October 8 - December 3, 2025: Online. This supportive program takes all creatives (nonfiction or fiction, picture books, novels, essays, and more) from goal-stating to finished drafts. Together, we’ll move through live sessions, writing prompts, studio dates, daily inspirations, check-ins, feedback, and more. 50 participants max.

Whole Novel Genre: An Online Course for Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Horror, & Beyond. October 8 - December 10, 2025. Online. Apply for this transformative opportunity to have your entire draft (up to 80,000 words) of a novel read by faculty, with detailed written feedback and a private consultation provided. This online program in particular is for writers of science fiction, fantasy, horror, and similar genre-specific novels. Apply by August 27, 2025.

Desert Nights, Rising Stars Writers Conference. October 9 - 11, 2025: Tempe, AZ. "The Desert Nights, Rising Stars Writers Conference creates a unique and intimate creative writing experience where writers of all backgrounds, genres, and skill levels gather together and connect through the celebration and study of literary craft, culture, and community. Featuring over 25 faculty members teaching more than 50 sessions, we seek to create a warm and welcoming environment that meets people wherever they are, where writers can learn from and support each other as they work toward their goals. Beyond regular programming, we also feature advanced pre-conference workshops, an exhibitor fair, scholarships, and fellowships. We also offer opportunities to advertise with or sponsor the conference as well."

Ozark Creative Writers Conference. October 9 - 11, 2025: Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Workshops by published authors, editors and agents; Publishers Row, independent publishers available to hear about your next project.

Vermillion Writing and Literature Conference. October 9  - 11, 2025: Vermillion, South Dakota. How does your creative work and/or scholarship engage with boundaries? Which boundaries mark its edges? How extensive are its stakes? What limits—aesthetic, geographical, social, political, ethical—does your work challenge, secure, or redraw? What spaces do you seek to preserve? What spaces need creating—and for whom? And how porous will their boundaries be? Join us 9-11 October 2025 for the second biennial Vermillion Writing and Literature Conference at University of South Dakota (Vermillion, SD). The 2025 theme: "Boundaries: Preserving and Creating Space," encourages creative and/or scholarly submissions that engage with questions like those above (by no means exhaustive) from a variety of perspectives (a few listed below).We look forward to readings, presentations, and discussions that test boundaries while also remaining open to what boundaries might be necessary—even if they haven’t yet been drawn. We invite proposals for creative and/or scholarly panels, roundtables, or workshops as well as individual submissions engaging with the exploration of our conference theme. Biennial conference.

New York Comicon. October 9 - 12, 2025. "New York Comic Con is your event. Where you can feel unafraid to geek out. Where you’re accepted and embraced for being yourself. Where you can experience the best in pop culture because no matter what fandom you’re passionate about, we have it waiting here for you. Be inspired by award-winning comic artists and Japanese anime creators. Get star struck over your favorite TV and film idols. Treat yourself to exclusive fandom gear and unique artwork. But most importantly, create all of those memories with the people you care about the most. Because this event is for you. To embrace your inner hero or root for the villain. To geek out as a family. To celebrate a weekend together you’ll never forget."

Colrain Classic. October 10 - 13, 2025: Online. "The Colrain Manuscript Classic is a highly focused, 3.5 day conference designed for poets with manuscripts in progress. The Classic features in-depth pre-conference work and candid, realistic evaluation and feedback from nationally-known poets, editors and publishers. In preparation, participants work at home on pre-conference assignments and then, in the workshop, review, arrange, and winnow their work based on the pre-conference work. In addition to the manuscript preparation workshop and editor sessions, there will be an editorial Q&A, and an after-conference strategy session." Will be conducted online.

Annual Maryland Writer’s Conference. October 11 - 12, 2025: Baltimore, MD. The Brain to Bookshelf Annual Conference offers over 20 workshops and agent panels. Agent pitches and critiques are available, but agent slots are limited, so register early. Keynote each day from Reed Farrel Coleman.

Publishing Trends, Market Shifts & Opportunities: A Two-Night Mini. October 14 - 16, 2025: Online. In this comprehensive but digestible workshop, Editor Harold Underdown will guide you through the different kinds of change in the publishing world, and help you best position yourself to respond to them.


Women Writing the West Conference. October 16 – 18, 2025: Online. Twelve Workshops and Panels will be presented during the conference. Our guest Editors and Agents will present a panel on the state of the publishing industry, and be available for Pitch Appointments. 

Youngstown Fall Literary Festival. October 16 - 18, 2025: Youngstown, Ohio. This year's festival will feature 145 accomplished presenters from California to Maryland and Rhode Island to Florida, presenting on understanding, writing, teaching, translating, editing and publishing literature. Discover your new favorite writer; peruse the dozens of bookfair tables; get a jump on a new piece of writing; join a discussion on writing programs in the community college, publishing as a small press, nature and eco writing, coming to writing late in life, and so much more.

Steamboat Springs Writers Conference. October 17 - 18, 2025: Steamboat Springs, CO. Two instructors, seminar-type workshops for all levels, beginning to professional. Topics change each year. Limited enrollment. 

Annual Florida Writers Conference. October 17 - 19, 2025: Altamonte Springs, Florida. Over 75 workshops, major speakers, agent interviews, professional manuscript critiques, lively social events, and much more.

Ossabaw Weekend Writer’s Retreat. October 17 - 20, 2025: Ossabaw Island, GA. Ossabaw Writers’ Retreat offers a variety of programs to address the needs of writers hoping to expand their craft and improve their work-in-progress. We hope you will join us in this great literary tradition by taking part in one or more of the various programs offered by the Ossabaw Writers’ Retreat. Where loggerhead sea turtles and endangered wood storks nest, and photographers, writers, painters, and musicians listen, watch, reflect, and create. Application deadline: September 15.

WriteAngles. October 18, 2025: Greenfield, Massachusetts. Panels and workshops, a limited number of agent meetings. Continental breakfast, and buffet lunch included. 

Craft of Writing Conference. October 18, 2025: Tulsa, Oklahoma. "Are you a detective at heart? If so, the Tulsa NightWriters need your help! We’ve heard rumors that one of our board members may be in mortal danger*, and it’ll be up to you to solve the case! Collect clues, interview suspects, and put the pieces together for a chance to win fabulous prizes at this year’s Craft of Writing Conference, THE THRILL OF WRITING!"

The Rochester Writers Fall Conference. October 18, 2025: Rochester, MI. Lectures, Workshops, and Panel Discussions. Open to new writers, working journalists, and published authors. Professional development to move writers to the next level. 

Letters & Lines Children's Book Writers and Illustrators Conference. October 18 - 19, 2025: Arvada, CO. This conference offers you opportunities to learn your craft, boost your career, and get feedback on your work. The schedule includes keynotes; a industry professionals panel; breakout sessions on writing, illustrating and professional development; intensives on picture books, novels and illustration; as well as critiques, portfolio reviews and showcase, a virtual bookstore of faculty titles, and more. 

Viable Paradise Science Fiction Writers' Workshop. Oct 19 - 24, 2025: Martha’s Vineyard, MA. Viable Paradise is a unique one-week residential workshop in writing and selling commercial science fiction and fantasy. The workshop is intimate, intense, and features extensive time spent with best-selling and award-winning authors and professional editors currently working in the field. VP concentrates on the art of writing fiction people want to read, and this concentration is reflected in post-workshop professional sales by our alumni. Application deadline May 15. 

WRITING THE MORE THAN HUMAN WORLD with Pam Houston - Part 2. October 20 - November 10, 2025: Online.This offering is open to anyone who took the 4-week More Than Human World Class in the spring and felt, as I did, that we ran out of time and there was so much more to talk about. We barely scratched the surface of trees and rocks and rivers and oceans and underworlds and overworlds and of course there will always be more to say about animals. This is also open to anyone signing up for The More Than Human World Part One in the Fall. If you would like to go on an 8 week journey rather than a 4-week journey. There will be additional reading, additional writing and additional conversation, exercises and opportunities to read your work aloud and possibly even a special guest. I hope to see some of you back for more.

Thrills, Chills, & Mystery: A Two-Part Mini on Genre Tales for MG Readers. October 21 - 23, 2025: Online. Learn how to tap into young readers' curiosities in this thrilling short course on writing horror, sci-fi, mystery, and other types of genre fiction with Edgar Award winner Adrianna Cuevas.


Kwame Alexander Writers’ Lab & Conference. October 23 - 25, 2025: Washington, DC. In addition to opportunities to take two Master Classes with well-known faculty writers in a selected genre track, attendees can also experience an opening and closing keynote address, featured speaker events, mix and mingle events with publishers and agents, and panel conversations. All these features are included in the cost of Standard Registration. 

Jackson Hole Writers Conference. October 23 - 25, 2025: Jackson Hole, WY. You will have ample opportunity to share your work with a distinguished faculty as well as writers from Massachusetts to Florida, from Texas to Washington. Serious writers pour into Jackson Hole each year looking for a fresh, but critical eye on their work. This event usually has at least 4 agents to pitch. 

From Story to Script: An Introduction to Writing Graphic Novels. October 23 - November 13, 2025: Online. Turn your story into a compelling graphic novel—whether you're an author, an illustrator, or both! In this four-week course, you'll learn how to shape your story ideas into a dynamic visual narrative alongside award-winning graphic novelists.

Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference. October 24 - 25, 2025: Dallas, Texas. The Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference is a forum for journalists, writers, readers, students, educators and the general public to listen to, be inspired by and practice their craft at the highest possible level. Every year, the Mayborn Conference gathers some of the most talented storytellers in the country to share their stories, life-changing experiences and expertise with aspiring writers through three days of lectures, panels, one-on-one sessions, and student classes. In addition, the conference includes a variety of writing contests for anyone from high school students to Pulitzer prize winning professionals, who receive hand-made trophies, more than $26,000 in cash awards and have their work published in Mayborn's journal, Ten Spurs, or anthology, Best American Newspaper Narratives.

Atlanta Writers Conference. October 24 - 25, 2025: Atlanta, Georgia. The goals of this conference are to give you access to eighteen top publishing acquisitions editors and literary agents actively seeking new clients (see their profiles on our Editors and Agents page), help you get your work ready for them, and educate you with a workshop and talks by experienced authors and other industry professionals. The Conference Activities page details each activity you can register for: select them all, only one, or some number in between–it’s entirely up to you, so you can craft the conference experience that will be best for your growth, interests, and budget. Virtual option for critique and pitch meetings with the agents and editors.

Clockwork Alchemy. October 24 - 26, 2025: Redwood City, California. Our theme for 2025 takes advantage of the upcoming Halloween season. Gaslight Fantasy is Steampunk’s more magically-inclined cousin. It’s a subgenre of Historical Fantasy with a setting that is clearly recognizable as the real-world 19th or very early 20th century. It may be a full-on Alternate History where magic exists openly and has affected the course of events or combined with traditional steampunk alternate developments in technology. Gaslight Fantasy often draws on gothic horror tropes, so grab your cape, fangs, occult symbols, fae wings, and dancing shoes!

Whole Novel Workshop: An In-Person Retreat for Novelists (October). October 26 - 31, 2025: Boyds Mills, PA. This intensive, transformative Whole Novel Workshop offers writers the rare opportunity to have the entire draft (up to 80,000 words) of a novel read by faculty, with detailed written feedback and two private consultations provided. Attention in an intimate setting makes this program one that guarantees significant progress in preparation for submission. Application deadline August 6, 2025. 

Successful School Visits for Authors and Illustrators: An Online Course. October 28, 2025 - February 6, 2026: Online. Join George Jreije and guests to develop your virtual school visit, and put your plan into action with a scheduled school visit! You’ll blend who you are as a storyteller with engaging content and materials to create genuine connections with kids or teens, educators, administrators, and librarians. School Visits will take place during World Read Aloud Week! The course includes presentations, generative peer-to-peer discussions, 30-minute school visits with students, and post-course 1:1 consultations.

Writing By Writers Manuscript Boot Camp. October 30 - November 2, 2025: Sundance Mountain Resort, Utah. The Writing By Writers Manuscript Boot Camp is for the writer who has a full, book-length manuscript (novel, memoir, short story or essay collection) and would like to engage with a small group for a serious and productive response. The extended weekend will include an intimate manuscript workshop, craft panels, readings, and individual meetings – the perfect pre-publication boot camp for any manuscript. Classes are limited to 5 participants.

EVENTS WITH DEADLINES IN OCTOBER

All Write, Columbia – Writers Conference. November 6 - 9, 2025: Spencertown, NY. A five day intensive writing conference focused on nonfiction and memoir. The conference is open to all levels of writers, from beginners to more advanced writers with a manuscript or publications. Open to writers who are at least 18 years old. Just 20 writers will be accepted. Application deadline October 2, 2025.