If you are a poet and children's book author, this is one you should consider.  

This does cost money, though. 

New York Times bestselling author Nikki Grimes was inducted into the Black Authors Hall of Fame in 2023. Her honors include the CSK Virginia Hamilton Lifetime Achievement Award, the ALAN Award for significant contributions to young adult literature, the Children’s Literature Legacy Medal, and the NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children. Author of the Coretta Scott King Award-winner Bronx Masquerade, and five Coretta Scott King Author Honors, she won the Printz Honor and Sibert Honor for her memoir Ordinary Hazards. Her latest titles include Garvey’s Choice:The Graphic Novel, a School Library Journal 2023 Best Book; Lullaby for the King, one of Book Riot’s 25 Best Christmas Books of All Time; and A Walk in the Woods, recipient of 8 starred reviews, and 11 Best Book listings for 2023, including the New York Times, NPR, and Smithsonian Magazine. Ms. Grimes lives in Corona, California.

February 27 to March 1, 2026

The Mid-Atlantic Romance Writers Conference is an event focused on the craft of writing romance fiction, taking place in Richmond, VA from February 27 to March 1, 2026. The conference offers workshops, deep dive sessions, pitch appointments, networking, and an author book signing. It is hosted by local chapters like Virginia Romance Writers and Washington Romance Writers.

Key Information:

• Dates: February 27 - March 1, 2026.

• Location: Richmond, VA.

• Focus: Crafting romance fiction, with sessions for writers of all levels.

• Activities:
  Workshops on writing craft.
  Pitch appointments with agents and editors.
  Networking events.
  Author book signing.
  Award ceremonies.Social events, including the Scavenger Hunt.
  

At the Williamsburg Book Festival, our mission is to celebrate and support the art of literary composition while connecting authors with the reading public.

Our annual, family-friendly event showcases a diverse range of authors, poets, speakers, illustrators, and publishers from Virginia and beyond. The 2026 festival will take place on March 7th. Enjoy a day filled with literary engagement and immerse yourself in a community that promotes reading.

The 12th Annual Suffolk Virginia Authors Festival will take place at the Suffolk Conference Center at the Hilton Garden Inn Suffolk Riverfront (100 E Constance Road, Suffolk, Virginia, 23434) ​
​Saturday, March 14, 2026! Stay tuned for more festival details and information.

Mark your calendar for March 23-29, 2026, when you can enjoy a full week of totally bonkers, fully free and accessible video workshops.

Since this is just the teaser and I can't gush (yet) about the awesome, incredible, amazing stuff we have planned, here's a taste of what we're looking forward to:

step-by-step guides

how your life helps you write

what even is it

all the genre stuff

cobbling your ideas into a thing

sharing that thing

selling that thing

how, when, where, and why

...and MULTIPLE PANELS!

Look for the 2026 presenter + presentation information in November and join us March 23-29, 2026 on our YouTube channel. You might even catch some presenters in Discord!

Massive thanks to S.E. Reed, who, as usual, did most of the work reaching out to these delightful volunteers.

https://www.aup.edu/admissions/summer/courses/creative-writing

Stipends Available

COURSES STARTING IN JULY

Click on the course you would like to take, to view the individual dates and times under the header "schedule."  Pick from any of the courses below.

3-week classes:

• The Poetic Experience: A Writing Workshop

• Fiction Writing Workshop

• Creative Nonfiction: Crafting Personal Narratives

Have a question? Contact us at admissions@aup.edu

• Apply Now

This exciting event brings together 25 talented local authors who will meet readers, sign books, and showcase their literary works. The Book Fair is expected to draw book lovers, families, and community members of all ages, celebrating the vibrant literary scene in Gloucester and its surrounding areas.

The event will feature a diverse group of writers representing various genres, from contemporary fiction and memoirs to children’s literature and poetry. Each author will have the opportunity to interact with readers, answer questions, and provide insights into their creative processes. This promises to be an exceptional opportunity for attendees to discover new voices, support local talent, and even purchase signed copies of books directly from the authors.

The thirteenth annual Chesapeake Writers’ Conference will be held from June 21 to June 27 on the St. Mary’s College campus in St. Mary’s City, Maryland. The Conference features daily Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, and Youth Workshops (the latter for high school-age writers) and a dynamic schedule of lectures, craft talks, readings, and panel discussions. Recent workshop faculty include Heather Green, Phillis Levin, Patricia Henley, Jerry Gabriel, Matt Burgess, Angela Pelster, Eva Freeman, Robin McCullough, Melissa Scholes-Young and Nadeem Zaman. There is no application fee. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis; registration is ongoing on a first-come, first-served basis until we reach capacity. See the Fees & Registration page for more information.