Call for Speakers: 2026 VWC Symposium

The Virginia Writers Club is now accepting applications for presenters for the 2026 VWC Symposium, scheduled for Saturday, August 1, 2026. We invite writers, educators, and publishing professionals to submit proposals for engaging and informative presentations relevant to the writing community.

Application Deadline: April 22, 2026

How to Apply: Please download and complete the application form, then submit it via email to Harry Heckel at harry.heckel@gmail.com. 

If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Chuck Tabb.

We encourage you to share this opportunity with others who may be interested in presenting.

Wednesday, April 29, 2026

Celebrate National Poetry Month with us by attending this special Poetry Open Mic. Sign up for a 3-5 minute time slot to guarantee your chance to read. There will be a very limited amount of drop-in sign up slots.

We are pleased to host a one-day writing conference, entitled Write Now!, each spring at the McKimmon Conference and Training Center (1101 Gorman Street) on the campus of NC State University in Raleigh. The conference traditionally offers two tracks of programming that provide both novice and established writers access to editors, nationally published writers, and other industry professionals.

Follow live tweets leading up to and from the event - #TAFWriteNow2026.

2026 details:*Early* registration runs Feb. 1 through Apr. 15 for $109. Students & senior citizens can register for just $99 with a valid ID.*Late* registration runs Apr. 16 through May 14 at 5:00 p.m. for $119.*Walk-in* registration will be available on conference day for $125.

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 

In 2026, the Gloucester Arts Festival will be hosting its second Festival Book Fair on June 20th. The book fair will be located at the Fine Arts Museum of Gloucester on Main Street. This fair will be an all-day opportunity for authors to meet readers, discuss, and sell their books. The fair will be limited to twenty-five (25) local authors. Snacks and refreshments will be provided for the authors chosen to participate. Food trucks will be available for patrons and authors in front of the museum.

Fair Date: Saturday, June 20, 2026

Start Time: 1:00 PM

End Time: 5:00 PM (break down not before)

Setup Time: 12:00 PM

Break Down Time: 5:15 PM

Table Rental: $30

Please contact Mary Shipko for more information. maryshipko@gmail.com  757-570-2478

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.

Facebook Groups that post Open Submission

Romance

https://www.facebook.com/groups/OpenSubmissionCallsForRomanceWriters

Crime, Thriller, Mystery Markets

https://www.facebook.com/groups/493431704005291

speculative Markets – Horror, Science Fiction, and Fantasy

https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1AjNJ5P4JZ/ 

Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Pulp

https://www.facebook.com/groups/440107622678110/

Horror Markets

https://www.facebook.com/groups/384615034930975/

This is a wesbiste that is all about learning to write.  However, they do hold contests. 

Contests are a great way to sharpen your submission skills, stretch your imagination, and get your work out in the world. That’s why the Institute runs adult and kidlit writing contests throughout the year. 

Each children’s book writing contest culminates in a Winners Webinars where we announce the winners and critique the winning entries to help all entrants improve their skills. Plus, each contest has cash prizes for the top five entries.

(Image from IFW website) 

NOTE: Please read all submission guidelines.  This webiste link is provided for you to help you find avenues for writing. 

Erica Verrillo has written seven books and published five. She doesn't know why anyone with an ounce of self-preservation would ever want to publish. But, if you insist on selling your soul to the devil, learn how to do it right: marketing, literary agents, book promotion, editing, pitching your book, how to get reviews, and ... most important of all ... everything she did wrong.