And why you might want to attend one

This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending the Southwest Washington Writers Conference (SWWC) in Centralia, WA for the fourth time. I’ve been going to this conference since 2022 (it’s the first conference I ever attended) and it is by far my favorite. For context, I’ve also attended Write on the Sound (Edmonds), Write in the Harbor (Gig Harbor), Willamette Writers Conference (Portland), Storymakers Conference (Utah/Virtual), and Page Turner Publishing Conference (New York/Virtual).

Perhaps what I love most about SWWC is the camaraderie. Unlike the PNWA or Willamette Writers conferences, it’s not regularly attended by agents and editors looking to acquire work. Attendees are writers who range the spectrum from accomplished bestsellers to those just starting out, and the demographic seems to lean towards indie/self-publishing, though there are many traditionally published authors as well. The president of the SWWC, Julie McDonald Zander, is one of the kindest people I’ve met, and every year I leave the conference feeling encouraged and inspired.

This year I was especially excited because I had so many friends going! After four years, I think I’ve finally found a writing network and that feels really wonderful. I got to catch up with Kimberly Dunham, my good friend and critique partner who I first met at the SWWC conference in 2022. Her YA fantasy novel, Betwixt, was published in February this year. I also saw two ladies from my local writing group, Debbie Zessin and Sandi Gruberg. Debbie writes romance and her book, Captured in Belize, just came out as an audiobook this month! It’s narrated by Elizabeth Phillips who did a fantastic job capturing Tess’s post-breakup misadventures on her tropical vacation. Sandi writes historical fiction with a touch of magical realism, and her book The Rainmaker’s Child blends WWII history in the PNW with the magic and mystery of a traveling carnival. I also got to catch up with my good friend Pam Dvorak (historical fiction) who I met at the conference in 2023 (and discovered she lives right down the road from me!), hang with my old college roommate Mckenna Ownby (freelance nonfiction and children’s lit), and get to know a friend-of-a-friend, Carrie Gehring (urban and cozy fantasy).

Perhaps the best (and most surprising) part of this year’s conference was running into my high school English teacher, Robyn Fisher, who I hadn’t seen in many years. Not only did she push me to think critically about literature and refine my essay-writing abilities as a teenager, but her daughter was one of my best friends in school, so I saw “Mrs. Fisher” outside of the classroom a lot. It honestly brought me so much joy to see her again and to chat about writing and life (and see pictures of her grandkids!)

If you’re a writer, no matter what stage you’re at, I really encourage you to look into your local writing conferences. It’s an investment into yourself as a writer, and you may come away with more than just lessons, tools, and tips from the presenters…you might just find a friend! I know I have. You don’t need to attend the biggest or most well-regarded one. And in fact, unless you’re actively trying to network with industry professionals (i.e. pitch to agents/editors), those may not be the right ones to attend anyway. A friend told me once that their first conference was AWP (Association of Writers and Writer Programs), which is one of the biggest writing conferences in the US. Needless to say, they felt entirely overwhelmed, and I would, too. 

Conferences do require registration, and ticket cost can vary widely. I’ve attended conferences for as little as $100 and as much as $800 (that one still stings), and ultimately what matters most is what you’re looking to get out of it. For me, that looks like: connections with other writers, learning from established authors during workshops and panels, and doing some bare minimum networking. If you’re just starting out, I think it’s a great way to help you see yourself as a writer.