Go Teen Writers – This is the blog I contribute to along with authors Stephanie Morrill and Shannon Dittemore. We blog for teen writers. We offer contests. We have lots of giveaways. We have a lot of fun. Come check us out.
How to Find a Writers Conference
There are all kinds of writers conferences. Google is the best way of finding them. Be sure to look for conferences that are right for your book. Don’t sign up for the Romance Writers of America conference if you’re writing a middle grade historical novel.
If you’ve never been to a writers conference, pick a small, local one for your first time, even if the right editors or agents won’t be attending. You’ll learn a lot. But if you’re ready to pitch your book, look for conferences that have the right editors and agents there. The conference website will list the editors and agents under faculty and staff. You can often find small conference by Googling the name of your city or state and the words “writers conference.”
You can also look for writing organizations that you’re part of to see if they’re having a conference. Organizations like RWA (Romance Writers of America), ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers), and SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) have their own conferences and so do many other organizations.
About Professional Organizations
A great way to meet other writers is to join a professional organization for writers. There are hundreds, and you don’t have to join them all. I’m a member of three: two national and one state. Here’s a short list of national organizations that I recommend, but be sure and look for ones in your state as well, since that will help you find other writers that live near you.
Academy of American Poets: www.poets.org
American Christian Fiction Writers: www.acfw.com
American Crime Writers League: www.acwl.org
American Society of Journalists and Authors: http://asja.org
Association of Christian Writers in the UK: www.christianwriters.org.uk
Australian Society of Authors: www.asauthors.org
The Author’s Guild: https://www.authorsguild.org
British Crime Writers’ Association: www.thecwa.co.uk
Canadian Authors Association: www.canauthors.org
Canadian Society of Children’s Authors, Illustrators, and Performers: www.canscaip.org
Christian Writers Guild: www.christianwritersguild.com
Crime Writers of Canada: www.crimewriterscanada.com
Fellowship of Australian Writers: www.writers.asn.au
Fiction Writers Connection: www.fictionwriters.com
Historical Novel Society: historicalnovelsociety.org
Horror Writers Association: www.horror.org
Military Writers Society of America: www.mwsadispatches.com
Mystery Writers of America: www.mysterywriters.org
Poets & Writers: www.pw.org
Poetry Society of America: www.poetrysociety.org
Romance Writers of America: www.rwa.org
Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America: www.sfwa.org
Sisters in Crime: www.sistersincrime.org
Society of Children’s Writers and Illustrators: www.scbwi.org
Western Writers of America: westernwriters.org
Willamette Writers: http://willamettewriters.org (Near Portland, Oregon)
The Writer’s Guild of America: http://www.wga.org