64 I WRITER’S DIGEST I October 2019CONFERENCESCENE
Events to advance your craft, connections and career. BY DON VAUGHANSan Francisco
Writing for Change
Learn how your writing can create
change in the world at this long-
running conference in the City by
the Bay.
WHEN: Sept. 14, 2019. WHERE: First
Unitarian Universalist Church &
Center, San Francisco. PRICE: $199.
WHAT MAKES THE CONFERENCE
UNIQUE: It’s the only conference
of its kind in the U.S. aimed at
activists and authors who want to
make a positive change through
their writing, Conference Director
Laurie McLean says. Sessions will
cover business, spirituality, politics,
technology, social issues, the envi-
ronment, culture, and much more.
HOW MANY ATTEND: 100. FACULTY:
Novelists Gina L. Mulligan (From
Across the Room); Mary Rakow (Th is
Is Why I Came); human rights advo-
cate Brooke Axtell; Rev. Harry Louis
Williams II (When the Struggle
Is Real); poet Michael Warr (Of
Poetry and Protest); middle-grade
writer Melissa Hart (Avenging the
Owl); writing coach Nina Amir;
agent Peter Beren (Th e Peter Beren
Agency); book doctor Meghan
Stevenson (Meghan Stevenson
Books); Smashwords marketing
manager Jim Azevedo; nonfi ction
writer Brenda Knight (Be a Good in
the World: 365 Days of Good Deeds,
Inspired Ideas and Acts of Kindness);
and many others.HIGHLIGHTS: Brooke Axtell will pres-
ent the keynote address, with the
other speakers covering topics rang-
ing from how women writers today
are evoking change to how to build
a fan base of change. All sessions
will be followed by an Ask A Pro
Q&A with the presenters. Agents
and independent editors will also be
off ering free fi ve-minute consulta-
tions throughout the day, McLean
says. IF YOU GO: A stroll through
Golden Gate Park will calm your
mind aft er a long day of sessions.
Established in 1871, the 1,017-acre
park off ers miles of pristine lawns,
lakes, bridle paths, and more than
7,000 types of plants. Admission is
free. FOR MORE INFORMATION:
SFWritingForChange.org.2019 Writers
Conference of Dallas
Soak up a week’s worth of writing
instruction in a single day at this
Dallas-based boutique conference.WHEN: Oct. 26, 2019. WHERE: Dallas
Marriott City Center, Dallas. PRICE:
$189. Agent pitches are an additional
$29, manuscript critiques $89, and
query critiques $69. See website for
details. WHAT MAKES THE CONFERENCE
UNIQUE: It off ers instruction spe-
cifi cally designed to help writers
at all stages get their stories and
manuscripts published. “No mat-
ter what you’re writing—fi ction or
nonfi ction—the day’s classes will
help point you in the right direc-
tion,” Conference Coordinator
Kimiko Nakamura says. HOW MANY
ATTEND: 150-175. FACULTY: Presenters
include numerous agents and local
authors speaking on the business