Loading…
Saturday, October 24
 

8:00am EDT

Coffee and Check In
Saturday October 24, 2026 8:00am - 8:30am EDT
Join us before Essie Chambers' Keynote to grab a cup of coffee and a light snack, check in the with conference and chat with your peers!

Slate Roof Press and Rootstock Press will be available to talk about local publishing options.

Conference Check-In will be available throughout the day, but muffins are limited!
Saturday October 24, 2026 8:00am - 8:30am EDT

8:45am EDT

Conference Welcome, and Keynote by Essie Chambers
Saturday October 24, 2026 8:45am - 9:30am EDT
Join us in the dining commons for a quick welcome by conference organizers followed by a Keynote Address by author and producer, Essie Chambers.Essie will be available after the keynote to sign books.Essie Chambers is an award-winning author and producer. Her bestselling debut novel, Swift River—a Today Show “Read with Jenna” Book Club pick—won the 2024 Barnes & Noble Discover Prize and...
See More →
Saturday October 24, 2026 8:45am - 9:30am EDT

9:45am EDT

Mastering the Three-Act Structure for Novels
Saturday October 24, 2026 9:45am - 11:00am EDT
Write a novel that grips readers from the first page and never lets go. In this workshop, you’ll master the classic three-act structure—a time-tested framework that underpins some of the most compelling stories across genres. We’ll explore the essential components of each act, from inciting incidents to climactic resolutions, and we'll analyze a few bestselling novels that have used this...
See More →
Speakers
avatar for Megan Tady

Megan Tady

Workshop Leader
Megan Tady is the author of Bluebird Day, a Washington Post Noteworthy Book, and Super Bloom, which was awarded an IPPY Gold medal for Best Regional Fiction in the Northeast. She runs the freelance writing and editing company Word-Lift and offers book coaching and ghostwriting... Read More →
Saturday October 24, 2026 9:45am - 11:00am EDT

9:45am EDT

Pathways to Publishing
Saturday October 24, 2026 9:45am - 11:00am EDT
Pathways to Publishing - Moderator: Julie Schlack. Panelists: Becky HillikerSamantha KolberRandy Zucco 
Speakers
avatar for Julie Schlack

Julie Schlack

Moderator
Julie is the author of "This All-at-Onceness" a linked essay collection named one of Kirkus Review’s 100 Best Indie Books of 2019, and of the novel "Burning and Dodging.” Her newest novel, “Whistlebrook,” will be released in late 2026. She is a regular contributor to Cogn... Read More →
avatar for Samantha Kolber

Samantha Kolber

Publishing Panelist, Rootstock Publishing
Samantha Kolber is the owner and publisher of Rootstock Publishing, a curated hybrid and traditional press in Montpelier, Vermont. She is the author of Birth of a Daughter (Kelsay Books, 2020), a 5-Star Readers’ Favorite and Poetry Winner in the 2023 San Francisco Book Festival... Read More →
avatar for Becky Hilliker

Becky Hilliker

Koehler Books, Publishing Panelist
Becky is the Vice President and Executive Editor at Koehler Books. She learned the power of words at the age of six, when she slid a note under her sister's door that said “I don’t love you—I don’t even like you.” That declaration moved her sister, who never tattled again... Read More →
avatar for Randy Zucco

Randy Zucco

Publishing Panelist
Randy has been a worker/owner at Collective Copies for 28 years. In that time they launched Levellers Press and several imprints. Randy has overseen the development of E-book conversion and distribution and is also a Senior Account Executive with several titles out including one of... Read More →
Saturday October 24, 2026 9:45am - 11:00am EDT
Dining Commons - Blake Student Commons 588 Longmeadow St, Longmeadow, MA 01106

9:45am EDT

Publishing Your Poetry
Saturday October 24, 2026 9:45am - 11:00am EDT
Whether you want to submit individual poems to journals or publish a complete manuscript, this workshop will give practical advice for presenting your best work. We'll explore how to find journals and presses that best fit your writing style, the importance of formatting, titles, and cover letters, poetry contests and the option of self-publishing. Publication involves risk-taking, so we'll also...
See More →
Speakers
avatar for Gail Thomas

Gail Thomas

Workshop Leader
Gail Thomas has published seven books, most recently This World. Her poems have been widely published in journals and anthologies. Among her awards are the A.V Christie award from Seven Kitchens Press for Trail of Roots, the Charlotte Mew Prize from Headmistress Press for Odd Mercy... Read More →
Saturday October 24, 2026 9:45am - 11:00am EDT

9:45am EDT

The Art of Memoir
Saturday October 24, 2026 9:45am - 11:00am EDT
We each have a story. How do we get our story on the page? This workshop will offer techniques to awaken personal stories through writing exercises, readings, and discussion.  Open to writers who are beginning their story as well as those who are already 'on the page.' 
Speakers
avatar for Celia Jeffries

Celia Jeffries

Workshop Leader
Celia Jeffries is the author of the award-winning novel BLUE DESERT. Her work has appeared in numerous newspapers and literary magazines including Westview, Solstice Literary Magazine, and Puerto del Sol, as well as the anthology Beyond the Yellow Wallpaper. Jeffries holds an... Read More →
Saturday October 24, 2026 9:45am - 11:00am EDT

9:45am EDT

The Stories We Carry
Saturday October 24, 2026 9:45am - 11:00am EDT
"The Stories We Carry" is a workshop that explores identity and how it shapes voice, memory, and storytelling.  Participants will first embrace some of the stories they have been told, and then with guided prompts, reflection and creative writing, they will reclaim their narrative, and share the stories they want to tell. This workshop is ideal for poets, memoirists, and emerging writers...
See More →
Speakers
DE

Darlene Elias/Gri

Workshop Leader
Saturday October 24, 2026 9:45am - 11:00am EDT

9:45am EDT

Writing the Future: Thrutopian Fictions for a Better World
Saturday October 24, 2026 9:45am - 11:00am EDT
Imagination is essential to creating a better future. If all we see when we look into the future is dystopia, that’s what we will inevitably create. This session will demonstrate the process of writing “thrutopia”—a vision of the world we desire, and a road map for how to get there. 
Speakers
avatar for Jennifer Browdy

Jennifer Browdy

Workshop Leader
Jennifer Browdy, PhD, has taught literature, writing and leadership for social and environmental justice at Bard College/Simon’s Rock for many years. She coined the term “purposeful memoir” and has shared her own life story and the techniques of purposeful memoir in severa... Read More →
Saturday October 24, 2026 9:45am - 11:00am EDT

11:15am EDT

Generate Wildly! Then Find Your 'Container' Later!
Saturday October 24, 2026 11:15am - 12:30pm EDT
When we joyfully accept that the boundaries between genres are porous, then we are able to generate wildly. In this dynamic workshop, writers will be invited to respond to María Luisa’s timed writing prompts. Reading the drafts aloud will enable us to identify one or more possible “containers”. 


Speakers
avatar for María Luisa Arroyo Cruzado

María Luisa Arroyo Cruzado

Workshop Leader
Multilingual Boricua poet of color María Luisa Arroyo Cruzado has been joyfully facilitating poetry workshops and giving readings for 20+ years at numerous venues including Amherst College, Mass Poetry Festival, and The Tell It Slant Poetry Festival. Her collections include Thought... Read More →
Saturday October 24, 2026 11:15am - 12:30pm EDT

11:15am EDT

Self-Publishing 101
Saturday October 24, 2026 11:15am - 12:30pm EDT
You’ve written a book you want others to read, but your querying attempts have failed to attract a publisher. Yes, self-publishing is a legitimate option. As a hybrid author who has self-published 15 books, I will share what I’ve learned, including the possibilities, realities, and processes of publishing this way. 

Speakers
avatar for Joan Livingston

Joan Livingston

Workshop Leader
Joan Livingston is a former longtime journalist, who led newspapers in Taos, New Mexico and Western Massachusetts. So far, she has published 19 novels for adult and young readers. Most are set in the fictional hill towns of Western Mass., including the Isabel Long Mystery Series... Read More →
Saturday October 24, 2026 11:15am - 12:30pm EDT

11:15am EDT

Setting: More than Meets the Eye
Saturday October 24, 2026 11:15am - 12:30pm EDT
Characters who strum ukuleles and bake fudge cakes need a setting in which those activities take place. But what else does a good story need? This workshop considers how setting grounds readers, establishes mood, heightens tension, reveals the psychology of a character, and creates a powerful narrative.  
Speakers
avatar for Jennifer Jacobson

Jennifer Jacobson

Workshop Leader
Jennifer Jacobson’s writing appears in the Master's Review, Chronogram, Linea, Switch, jubilat, (and elsewhere) with honorable mentions from Glimmer Train, Hunger Mountain, Symphony Space, and the Tennessee Williams Festival. The recipient of a Massachusetts Cultural Council... Read More →
Saturday October 24, 2026 11:15am - 12:30pm EDT

11:15am EDT

The Fact of the Matter: Weaving Research into Personal Narrative for Social Change
Saturday October 24, 2026 11:15am - 12:30pm EDT
Transform your personal narratives into powerful tools for advocacy. This interactive workshop teaches writers how to braid lived experience with evidence-based research and data. By grounding the “I” in historical and social contexts, you’ll learn to elevate your work, broaden your reach, and write effectively toward lasting social change. 
Speakers
avatar for Amy Mackin

Amy Mackin

Workshop Leader
Amy Mackin is a writer, researcher, and advocate specializing in the intersections of neurodiversity, education, social equity, and cultural history. She is the author of Henry’s Classroom: A Special Education in American Motherhood (2025), a hybrid memoir exploring the complexities... Read More →
Saturday October 24, 2026 11:15am - 12:30pm EDT

11:15am EDT

The News Only You Can Bring: Some Nuts and Bolts of Poetry
Saturday October 24, 2026 11:15am - 12:30pm EDT
Participants will bring one of their own poems that might benefit from a new approach. As we explore poetic forms, titles, line and stanza breaks, mood vs. tone, images, personal narrator, epigraphs, and the music of poetry, some new possibilities for their poem may emerge. Writing exercises will be offered. 
Speakers
avatar for Pamela Wax

Pamela Wax

Workshop Leader
Pamela Wax is the author of Walking the Labyrinth (Main Street Rag, 2022), Starter Mothers (Finishing Line Press, 2023), and Every Single Beast of My Heart (Sheila-Na-Gig, 2026). Her poems have been published in over 60 literary journals and have received several awards and... Read More →
Saturday October 24, 2026 11:15am - 12:30pm EDT

12:30pm EDT

Lunch!
Saturday October 24, 2026 12:30pm - 2:00pm EDT
Join us for lunch and networking. 

Slate Roof Press and Rootstock Press will be available to talk with you about publishing options. 
Saturday October 24, 2026 12:30pm - 2:00pm EDT
Dining Commons - Blake Student Commons 588 Longmeadow St, Longmeadow, MA 01106

2:00pm EDT

Agents in Conversation – Moderator - Jacqueline Sheehan, Agents - Lauren Scovel and Jeff Herman
Saturday October 24, 2026 2:00pm - 3:15pm EDT
Agents in Conversation – Moderator: Jacqueline SheehanAgents: Lauren Scovel and Jeff Herman

This is not a formal panel, but rather, a quasi-workshop in which people could come with their questions and engage in informal conversation.
Speakers
avatar for Lauren Scovel

Lauren Scovel

In-Person Agent, Laura Gross Literary
Lauren Scovel has been with Laura Gross Literary Agency since 2017, where she is proud to represent a diverse list of clients across fiction, nonfiction, and children’s books. Before agenting, she worked for several years as an independent bookseller.

Lauren holds degrees in Wr... Read More →
avatar for Jeff Herman

Jeff Herman

In-Person Agent, The Jeff Herman Agency
Jeff Herman opened his literary agency (The Jeff Herman Agency, LLC) in the mid-1980s while in his mid-20s. Since then he has made over one-thousand book deals, including many bestsellers. His own books include JEFF HERMAN’S GUIDE TO PUBLISHERS, EDITORS & LITERARY AGENTS (more than 500,000 copies sold), and WRITE THE PERFECT BOOK PROPOSAL (coauthored... Read More →
Saturday October 24, 2026 2:00pm - 3:15pm EDT
TBA

2:00pm EDT

Entering the Image: Ekphrastic
Saturday October 24, 2026 2:00pm - 3:15pm EDT
This generative workshop invites writers to explore the art of ekphrasis—writing that responds to or transforms a visual artwork. Participants will learn to use images as catalysts for fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Using the Amherst Writers & Artists approach to writing, participants will have the opportunity to share their work with the group and receive feedback.Elizabeth Levine, M.A.,...
See More →
Speakers
avatar for Elizabeth Levine

Elizabeth Levine

Workshop Leader
Elizabeth Levine, M.A., M.P.H., M.F.A., is a trilingual author, editor, poet, and Adjunct Professor of English. Finishing Line Press published her two poetry chapbooks, “The Ribbon Around the Bomb” and “God Doesn’t Live at Our House Anymore”, under her pseudonym Charlotte... Read More →
Saturday October 24, 2026 2:00pm - 3:15pm EDT
TBA

2:00pm EDT

How to Find The Story Beneath the Story: A Revision Workshop
Saturday October 24, 2026 2:00pm - 3:15pm EDT
Have you been writing your book for a long time, but still suspect there is a vital story buried underneath, one that you can't quite grasp? Using metaphor as a compass, generative revision as excavation, and form as possibility, we'll uncover the hidden architecture of your material - the deeper story that's been trying to emerge all along. 


Speakers
avatar for Arya Samuelson

Arya Samuelson

Workshop Leader
Arya Samuelson is a writer, editor, and somatic practitioner. She is the winner of New Ohio Review’s Nonfiction Prize, Lascaux Review’s Nonfiction Prize, and CutBank’s Montana Prize in Nonfiction awarded by Cheryl Strayed. Her essay, “I Am No Beekeeper” was selected as... Read More →
Saturday October 24, 2026 2:00pm - 3:15pm EDT
TBA

2:00pm EDT

Let's Not Speculate: Avoiding Over Explaining and Infodumps in Speculative Fiction
Saturday October 24, 2026 2:00pm - 3:15pm EDT
Even in speculative fiction, some things are best left to the imagination. One of the easiest ways to kill a reader’s enjoyment of the plot is by excessively telling the reader what will happen next. This session will focus on how to avoid infodumping in fantasy, sci-fi, and horror, how to integrate worldbuilding and important details with the plot, and how to identify when and where to give...
See More →
Speakers
JG

Jackie Gamanche

Workshop Leader
 Jacqueline Gamache (“Jacqui”) is a "Jacq" of all trades when it comes to writing,
doing everything but mostly working in speculative fiction. She is based in Western Massachusetts and creates stories that will remind you to stand up to monsters. She serves as the Literary Team Leader of Common Folk Artist Collective, based in North Adams, MA, and also as Editor... Read More →
Saturday October 24, 2026 2:00pm - 3:15pm EDT
TBA

2:00pm EDT

What Haunts You?: Writing Ghost Stories in the 21st Century
Saturday October 24, 2026 2:00pm - 3:15pm EDT
Ghosts and hauntings are the most common tropes in the horror genre. From Casper the Friendly Ghost to The Bent Kneck Lady from the Netflix series The Haunting of Hill House, inspired by Shirley Jackson’s novel of the same title, ghosts help us imagine and understand Life after Death. Ghosts are metaphors for grief, loss, guilt, and the past as well. In Toni Morrison’s 1987 novel, Beloved, the...
See More →
Speakers
avatar for Marisa Williams

Marisa Williams

Workshop Leader
Marisa Williams is a PhD student in Afro-American Studies at UMass Amherst. Marisa grew up in Texas and Louisiana. They received an undergraduate education at Ball State University, as well as earned a Master of Arts in English from Oregon State University. Their academic interests... Read More →
Saturday October 24, 2026 2:00pm - 3:15pm EDT
TBA

2:00pm EDT

You Wrote the Book: Now What?
Saturday October 24, 2026 2:00pm - 3:15pm EDT
This practical, myth-busting workshop shows writers how to get their books out of their laptops and into the hands of the readers who are waiting for them. We’ll cut through publishing confusion, compare real-world options, and map the next smart steps toward publication. 
Speakers
avatar for Susanne Dunlap

Susanne Dunlap

Workshop Leader
Susanne Dunlap is an award-winning author of historical fiction and historical romance with experience across traditional, hybrid, and self-publishing. Her novels bring the past vividly to life through compelling characters, emotional depth, and richly imagined settings. As a longtime... Read More →
Saturday October 24, 2026 2:00pm - 3:15pm EDT
TBA

3:30pm EDT

Book Promotion Boot Camp - Moderator: Ellen Meeropol. Panelists: Suzanne Strempek Shea, Jendi Reiter, and Randy Susan Meyers
Saturday October 24, 2026 3:30pm - 3:45pm EDT
With over 4 million new books published yearly and the shrinking of the traditional book marketplace, book marketing is increasingly done by authors. So how can you maximize your new book finding its way to your readers? Four well-published authors share their experiences and best practices. We’ll discuss hiring publicists, DIY resources, timelines, where and how to pitch for reviews, podcasts,...
See More →
Speakers
avatar for Ellen Meeropol

Ellen Meeropol

Moderator
Ellen Meeropol is the author of six novels, including Sometimes an Island, a mosaic novel featuring a group of older women facing rebuilding after a climate disaster that changes everything, and guest editor for the anthology Dreams for a Broken World. Her work has been a finalist... Read More →
avatar for Randy Susan Meyers

Randy Susan Meyers

Promotion Panelist
Randy Susan Meyers is the internationally bestselling author of seven novels, including The Many Mothers of Ivy Puddingstone (October 2024), which explores the lasting impact of a family’s immersion in 1960s idealism. Her novels have been named Massachusetts Center for the Book... Read More →
avatar for Jendi Reiter

Jendi Reiter

Promotion Panelist, Winning Writers
Jendi Reiter is the author of six poetry books and chapbooks, most recently Introvert Pervert (The Word Works); the novels Two Natures and Origin Story, both from Saddle Road Press; and the story collection An Incomplete List of My Wishes (Sunshot Press). Awards include two... Read More →
avatar for Suzanne Strempek Shea

Suzanne Strempek Shea

Book Promotion Panelist
Suzanne Strempek Shea is the author of 12 novels and nonfiction books including the forthcoming Compositions: A memoir in 42 essays by one kid on her 8 years in Catholic school, handed in 60 years late. Her journalism and fiction have appeared in newspapers and magazines throughout... Read More →
Saturday October 24, 2026 3:30pm - 3:45pm EDT
Dining Commons - Blake Student Commons 588 Longmeadow St, Longmeadow, MA 01106

3:30pm EDT

How Comics Work
Saturday October 24, 2026 3:30pm - 3:45pm EDT
This presentation explains how the storytelling devices unique to the comics medium function, serve the narrative, and aid the reader's experience. The areas of focus are the symbolic language of comics, how time and movement through space are communicated, how text functions within the visual narrative, and how the page is designed to guide the reader's eye through the placement of text and...
See More →
Speakers
Saturday October 24, 2026 3:30pm - 3:45pm EDT
TBA

3:30pm EDT

Say it on the Page: How to Craft Lively, Authentic Dialog
Saturday October 24, 2026 3:30pm - 3:45pm EDT
A craft-based workshop on writing authentic and reader-engaging dialog in your fiction and non-fiction narratives. 
Speakers
avatar for Aine Greaney

Aine Greaney

Workshop Leader
Áine Greaney is an Irish-born writer who lives in Newburyport, Massachusetts. Her work has appeared in various publications, including Creative Nonfiction, Salon, The New York Times, Books Ireland and others. Her fifth book has just been published by Sea Crow Press. She teaches... Read More →
Saturday October 24, 2026 3:30pm - 3:45pm EDT
TBA

3:30pm EDT

Singing from the Deep End: A Generative Poetry Workshop
Saturday October 24, 2026 3:30pm - 3:45pm EDT
In this workshop, poet and teacher Rebecca Hart Olander will provide generative writing exercises based on poems from her new collection, Singing from the Deep End. Participants will gain ideas for creating their own prompts, and start to sing their own songs through hearing model poems and using example prompts. 
Speakers
avatar for Rebecca Olander

Rebecca Olander

Workshop Leader
Rebecca Hart Olander is a Women's National Book Association Poetry Award winner and the author of three poetry collections: Dressing the Wounds (a dancing girl press chapbook, 2019), Uncertain Acrobats (CavanKerry Press, 2021), a finalist for the Eric Hoffer Book Award and the Massachusetts... Read More →
Saturday October 24, 2026 3:30pm - 3:45pm EDT
TBA

3:30pm EDT

Where Ideas Come From
Saturday October 24, 2026 3:30pm - 3:45pm EDT
Writers are tasked with constant invention, whether starting fresh or developing an existing project. If you’ve ever felt stuck, you may have wondered, how DO we come up with great ideas? We’re going to learn to trigger our internal geniuses––the powerful mechanism of invention that resides within each of us. 
Speakers
avatar for Sarah Jane Cody

Sarah Jane Cody

Workshop Leader
Sarah Jane Cody is a writer of surreal and magical fiction and nonfiction and author of the webcomic Bathrobe Gal. Her writing has appeared in The Common, Joyland, The New York Times, Electric Literature, Gulf Coast, The Cincinnati Review, and elsewhere, and has been nominated for... Read More →
Saturday October 24, 2026 3:30pm - 3:45pm EDT
TBA

3:30pm EDT

Why Me? Memoir and Transforming Memory into Meaning
Saturday October 24, 2026 3:30pm - 4:45pm EDT
Each of us has a story – many stories – that help define who we are and how we see the world. In this workshop, we’ll explore various techniques to craft our own experiences and memories into compelling narratives. Through a number of writing exercises and discussion, we’ll unleash our own truth on the page. 
Speakers
avatar for Helen Fremont

Helen Fremont

Workshop Leader
Helen Fremont is the author of three memoirs, including the acclaimed national bestseller After Long Silence, and the award-winning memoirs, The Escape Artist, and Outside the Lines. Her works of fiction and nonfiction have appeared in numerous publications, including, Prize... Read More →
Saturday October 24, 2026 3:30pm - 4:45pm EDT
TBA

3:30pm EDT

Writing Your Controversial Views
Saturday October 24, 2026 3:30pm - 4:45pm EDT
We will explore tiptoeing towards the topics you are scared to write about, for fear of being ostracized. Using fiction, abstraction, poetry and/or direct narrative to express your most taboo viewpoints, we will liberate your worst shadows (or the ones you choose to bring). 
Speakers
avatar for Chaya Grossberg

Chaya Grossberg

Workshop Leader
Lifelong poet, fiction and non fiction writer. Chaya has been writing and sharing poetry for 3 decades, participating in and hosting open mics from coast to coast, NYC to San Francisco, Portland, OR, Olympia WA, and here in the Valley the most. She recently published poetry books... Read More →
Saturday October 24, 2026 3:30pm - 4:45pm EDT
TBA

5:00pm EDT

Wrap up and Open Mic!
Saturday October 24, 2026 5:00pm - 6:00pm EDT
Join us for a quick conference wrap-up and an open mic!

Bring 3 minutes of something to read! We will draw names from a hat and run the open mic until we have to walk out the door. 
Saturday October 24, 2026 5:00pm - 6:00pm EDT
Dining Commons - Blake Student Commons 588 Longmeadow St, Longmeadow, MA 01106
 
WriteAngles Conference
From $169.12
Share Modal

Share this link via

Or copy link

Filter sessions
Apply filters to sessions.