Nancy Zafris at the Porches, a Writing Retreat in Rural Virginia

This is a splendid opportunity for anyone with a literary manuscript that needs a critical eye. Nancy Zafris, novelist, short story writer, series editor for the Flannery O'Connor Award (and for nine years fiction editor at the Kenyon Review) is leading a 3 day retreat at the Porches in rural Virginia this September. More anon.

Writers Conferences: A Short List of Recommendations

Last Saturday, when I gave my "flash fiction" workshop via Dancing Chiva in Mexico City, one of the many and, it seemed, most burning questions was, how can I find a good writers conference? They're popping up all over like Starbucks, judging from the ads in Poets & Writers magazine, so I would not pretend to be able to comment on the merits of each and every one. I can recommend several I've attended myself; several where I have and will serve on the faculty, and also a few I have no personal experience with but I do know and highly respect some of the faculty--- so I'd say they're a good bet. If you visit the websites, you'll get an idea of the variety of focus, cost, length, and character. Which is the best? The answer depends on what you want--- and your budget, both in terms of time and money.

In the U.S.
Bread Loaf Writers Conference, Middlebury, Vermont
The most distinguished literary writers conference in the United States, no question. In rural Vermont.
Sewanee Writers Conference, Sewanee, Tennessee
A close second to Bread Loaf. Very similar format.
New York State Summer Writers Institute, Saratoga Springs, NY
At Skimore College, just up the road from Yaddo.
Squaw Valley Writers, Squaw Valley, California
Washington Independent Writers
A wide variety of writing--- more than just literary--- and they always have a good agents panel and pitch session.
Writers at the Beach, Delaware
F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Conference, Rockville MD
Writers At Work, Salt Lake City, Utah
Hassayampa Institute for Creative Writing, Prescott, Arizona
Kenyon Review Writers Workshop, Gambier, Ohio
Writing It Real, Port Townsend, Washington (State)
With Sheila Bender

In Mexico
San Miguel Writers Conference, San Miguel de Allende
Under the Volcano, Tepoztlan, Morelos (near Cuernavaca; about an hour from Mexico City)

Anywhere with a telephone
The Writers Telesummit
A new concept--- I'm giving the session on travel writing.

P.S. Dancing Chiva maintains a links page with more resources for writers. My next Dancing Chiva workshop, Techniques of Fiction, is scheduled for October 18. More workshops and events here. And more anon.

Kenyon Review Today at the Writers Center

Today at 7:30 pm Kenyon Review Editor David Lynn will be at the Bethesda MD Writers Center to talk about "Dizzying Change on the Literary Scene." The talk will be followed by a question/answer session and a reception. Free admission. (The summer 2004 issue has my short story, "The Building of Quality". There's an online Kenyon Review interview about my work here.) This is sure to be a fascinating lecture. If you're interested in publishing literary fiction and poetry and you are anywhere in the Washington DC metropolitan area, you'd find it well worth your while to attend. More anon.