(ONLINE: Writing Day Workshops plans both in-person and virtual/online conferences. This Winter 2026 WWOC is an Online Conference, December 4-5, 2026. Online events are easy and awesome, and the virtual events we’ve done thus far have received wonderful feedback. You do not have to be tech-savvy to do this, and understand we are keeping all aspects of a traditional in-person event, including one-on-one agent & editor pitching, which will now be done by Zoom or phone. Learn all details about what it means to have a writers conference online.)
The schedule below is on Central time.
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THIS YEAR’S SESSIONS & WORKSHOPS:
Friday, December 4, 2026:
9:30 – 10:30: The Author/Agent Relationship. It’s hard to tell the difference between a skilled, legit agent and someone you’d rather avoid. How do you know what questions to ask? How can you tell what practices aren’t the norm? In this session, literary agent Kaitlyn Johnson goes through the “need to know” details from when you get THE CALL all the way to when your agent sends you to editors. Learn how to research agents, target agents, talk with them, and more.
10:45 – 11:45: Navigating the Road to Publication and a Book Deal. The world of publishing can be confusing, and the fact that you receive that long-awaited book contract doesn’t seem to clear up any mysteries! This workshop will explain the entire process between the time you submit a query to an agent and the time your book is published. You’ll learn what the editorial, marketing, sales and art departments are doing about your book along the way—and most importantly, what will be expected of you. Includes the basics about contracts, deadlines, book covers, and marketing expectations. This workshop will shed light on the vast shadowy halls of the publishing house and help you navigate your way through your first experience as a published author.
11:45 – 1:15: Break
1:15 – 2:30: Editing for the Eye, the Ear, and the Hand. After your first draft is complete, the REAL work begins! With a completed manuscript, it’s time to delve deeper into the elements of a story, while considering editing in the written stage, the visual stage, and the audible stage. While some editing tips are effortless, some require more butt in chair and sweat and tears and work. Editing/self-editing can seem challenging, but writing is rewriting and writing and rewriting equals editing. Adding a word, rephrasing a sentence, it’s editing in its simplest form. With an accompanying handout (and writing exercises, if time allows or to do at home), this breakout session will highlight different editing tips, while providing tips on how elements of a story can fall short.
2:45 – 3:45: Query Like a Pro. This class, taught by a literary agent, examines how to write an awesome query letter that gets agent attention and requests to see more of your writing. We will examine how to construct a query, what goes into an effective pitch, and the differences between a query letter for fiction vs. a query letter for nonfiction.
4:00 – 5:00: Using Screenplay Techniques to Write Your Novel. It’s no secret that people are consuming more shows and movies than books nowadays, but both mediums require great storytelling to keep the modern consumer engaged. This session will cover the fundamental elements of screenplay writing and how novelists can use them to build exciting plots, quicken the pace, and craft moments that stick with your readers long after they set the book aside. We’ll discuss the important ways in which novels and screenplays differ, but we’ll primarily focus on where they overlap.
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Saturday, December 5, 2026:
9:30 – 10:30: Revise Like the Pros — How to Use Beta Readers in Your Life and Make Your Writing Better. When you complete your novel or book, you’ll need to revise and self edit — this much you know. But how do you get talented people around you to look at your work and offer constructive intelligent feedback? The sad fact is that writers are publishing too soon to disastrous results because they are skipping this step entirely or getting it wrong. Beta readers identify undeveloped writing and help you prepare your manuscript for launch. In this class, attendees will understand how to use beta readers to compose a better novel or book, seek out 5-star reviews online, and attract loyal readers.
10:45 – 11:45: Fine-Tune Your Submission Package to Get to Yes. If your manuscript is solid and you know how to write a query, but you’re not quite getting the responses you’d like to see, there might be small things in your initial pitch holding you back. Literary Agent Sarah N. Fisk will discuss the small tweaks that often need to be made in query letters and first pages to get to that yes.
11:45 – 1:15: Break
1:15 – 2:30: “Writers Got Talent”—a Page 1 Critique Fest, with participating literary agents and editors. In the vein of “American Idol” or “America’s Got Talent,” this is a chance to get your first page read (anonymously — no bylines given) with attending agents commenting on what was liked or not liked about the submission. Get expert feedback on your incredibly important first page, and know if your writing has what it needs to keep readers’ attention. (All attendees are welcome to bring pages to the event for this session, and we will choose pages at random for the workshop for as long as time lasts. All submissions should be novels or memoir—no prescriptive nonfiction or picture books, please. Do not send your pages in advance. You will bring printed copies with you, and instructions will be sent out approximately one week before the event.)
2:45 – 3:45: Open Agent Q&A Panel. Several attending literary agents will open themselves up to open Q&A from MWW attendees. Bring your questions and get them answered in this popular session.
4:00 – 5:00: Create an Engaging Social Media Platform. This class will cover the most essential social medias to use to create a well performing platform. Topics addressed include how to anchor your platform with an author website, how to creating a Facebook author page and get followers, how to create a Twitter page and get followers, and the growing value of Instagram.
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FREE ADDITIONAL RECORDED CLASSES:
We will actually send attendees extra FREE pre-recorded classes as part of their attendance. In addition to getting the weekend’s classes to enjoy live and in person, we will also send you 10 more free recorded classes on the side, from amazing instructors. In the week leading up to your in-person conference, we will send all confirmed attendees these classes below, some of which will aid in your pitching efforts:
- “How Do I Decide: Traditional vs. Indie Publishing,” taught previously at the Pittsburgh Writing Workshop
- “Common First Pages Mistakes and How to Fix Them,” taught previously at the San Diego Writing Workshop
- “6 Pillars of Well-Developed Characters,” taught previously at the Texas Writing Workshop
- “How to Make Money as a Writer,” taught previously at the Pittsburgh Writing Workshop
- “How an Acquisitions Editor Reads and Examines Your Manuscript,” taught previously at the California Writing Workshop
- “How to Fix It: The Art and Craft of Revision,” taught previously at the Writing Workshop of Chicago
- “Build an Irresistible Author Platform for Long-Term Success,” taught previously at the Ohio Writing Workshop
- “Demystifying Science Fiction and Fantasy,” taught previously at the San Diego Writing Workshop
- “How to Write Engaging Books for Children: Tips for Writing Picture Books,” taught previously at the Texas Writing Workshop
- “Writing and Editing Young Adult and Middle Grade,” taught previously at the Ohio Writing Workshop
- “Writers Got Talent—a Page 1 Critique Fest,” taught previously at the Pittsburgh Writing Workshop
- “Ask an Agent Anything: Open Q&A Panel with Literary Agents,” taught previously at the California Writing Workshop