Register for the 17th Annual James River Writers Conference!
The James River Writers Conference is an annual gathering in Richmond, Virginia, that attracts prize-winning authors and highly regarded editors and literary agents from around the country to share their wisdom about writing and publishing. Since 2003, this multi-day event of 350 to 400 writers, has been known for its inspiring, collegial atmosphere and Southern hospitality.
This year’s conference will be held Saturday and Saturday, October 12, and 13, 2019, with pre-conference Master Classes on Friday, October 11, 2019.
Learn more about our 2019 line-up of speakers, editors, and literary agents.
Early-bird registration is active now through July 31, 2019.
Register early for your choice of Master Classes and to secure one-on-one meetings with a literary agent and a writing coach.
Emyl Jenkins Award nominations are open through July 31, 2019
To honor the memory of Emyl Jenkins, who passed away in 2010, James River Writers presents an award to an outstanding individual who, as Emyl did, inspires a love of writing and writing education in Virginia.
An advocate for writers and their readers, Emyl had a knack for connecting both people and organizations. She shared her time and expertise with everyone she encountered. She encouraged writers at all levels, especially fledglings trying to get those first words down on the page. Her generous spirit and enthusiasm rubbed off on everyone she touched, and, like ripples in a pond, her actions widened the circle of writing encouragement.
A winner of the 2019 award will be someone who best matches Emyl Jenkins’ efforts to make Virginia a better place for writers, whether by connecting people and/or organizations around the written word, sharing time and expertise about writing, or simply encouraging writers to do what they do.
Nominations accepted May 1 through July 31, 2019
Any Virginia individual is eligible, except for members of the JRW board of directors, the advisory board, or staff.
July Shoptalk
Whether you’re a completely new writer confused about the difference between an editor and an agent or a published author wondering how to go indie, everyone has questions. Shoptalk is an opportunity for writers of all levels to gather, get answers to their burning literary questions, and share knowledge they’ve picked up along the way. Unlike many of JRW’s other programs, we will not be deciding topics beforehand, since the participants’ questions will drive the discussion. Free and open to the public, these sessions are a great entry point into writing. Come get the answers you need, and leave ready to start something new!
Date: Monday, July 22, 2019
Time: 11:30 am to 1 pm
Location: Libbie Mill Library, 2100 Libbie Lake E St, Richmond, VA 23230
Price: Free
July 2019 Writing Show: Defining and Finding Your Audience
Teens or tweens? Book clubbers or occasional readers? Gen X or Gen Z? We can help you figure out who your audience is — and understand why that knowledge matters when you’re trying to sell and market your work.
Date: Wednesday, June 26, 2019
Time: 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm (Doors open at 6:00; meet & greet 6:00-6:45; program starts at 6:45)
Location: Firehouse Theatre 1609 West Broad Street, Richmond, VA, 23220
Price: $12 – Members; $15 Non-members ($5 for students)
SPEAKERS
Franklin jin Rho
Born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, Franklin jin Rho is currently a writer on Pachinko, an Apple TV+ limited series based on the bestselling novel by Min Jin Lee. The child of Catholic Korean immigrants, Franklin found refuge from all of that guilt in a steady diet of the X-Men, auteur-driven arthouse films, and Ultimate Frisbee. A graduate of William and Mary and the American Film Institute, Franklin’s previous writing credits include The Exorcist and Swamp Thing. Twitter: @franklinrho
Pam Webber
Pam Webber is author of the bestselling debut Southern novel, The Wiregrass, a Historical Novels Review Editors’ Choice, and Read of the Month at Southern Literary Review. Her second novel, Moon Water, is being released August 20th. An invited panelist for Virginia Festival of the Book, Pam has also published extensively in nursing and is an award-winning educator and family nurse practitioner. She and her husband, Jeff, live in the Northern Shenandoah Valley. Twitter: @pamwebber1
MODERATOR
What is your favorite James River Writers event?
