(Please note that these are in-person events. We at Writing Day Workshops plan both online/virtual as well as in-person events. This next FWW conferences are in-person events happening in Orlando on Friday, April 17, 2026; and Tampa on Saturday, April 18, 2026. See you there.)
The schedule below is on Eastern time.
ORLANDO CLASSES (FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2026):
The topics below are subject to change. There will be 1-3 classes/workshops going at all times during the day, so sometimes you may have your choice of what class you attend.
8:30 – 9:30: Check-in and registration at the event location.
BLOCK ONE: 9:30 – 10:30
1. How to Write a Query Letter That Gets Agent Attention (Salon A), taught by Andie Smith. If you want an agent to represent your work, it all starts with a compelling query letter. How much information about the plot should you give away? Does the bio matter? How do you make your characters and plot stand out? All these questions (and more) will be addressed to help writers find an agent who can take their career to the next level.
2. What the Heck is Agency? (Salon B) taught by Lorin Oberweger. You’ve likely heard the term used by agents, editors, or critique group members, but what—exactly—is character agency? Why is it critical, and how do you make sure your protagonist and other characters demonstrate it? If your character starts out as a reluctant figure, one to whom events are happening, how can you find ways to signal that character’s strength and motivation to the reader? We’ll explore ways to create dynamic protagonists who fuel your narrative, rather than being driven by it.
BLOCK TWO: 10:45 – 11:50
1. Traditional Publishing vs. Self Publishing: The Pros & Cons of Each (Salon A), taught by Chuck Sambuchino. Writers today have lots of choices and options, but that doesn’t mean your publishing journey is an easy path to navigate. How are traditional publishing and self-publishing changing? What kind of writer is attractive to an agent currently? What is hybrid publishing? Which social media sites and publishing resources are worth the time and effort in 2025? All these questions, and more, will be addressed during the speech.
2. How to Master Dialogue (Salon B), taught by Erik Deckers.
LUNCH ON YOUR OWN: 11:50 – 1:15
Lunch is on your own during these 85 minutes.
BLOCK THREE: 1:15 – 2:30
1. “Writers Got Talent”—a Page 1 Critique Fest (Salon A), 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 fiction 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. How to Sell a Nonfiction Book Proposal (Salon B), taught by Chuck Sambuchino. This session focuses on effective strategies for writing a nonfiction book proposal on any subject. Topics include industry standards, building your expertise, and how to prepare a winning proposal that demonstrates your understanding of the marketplace.
BLOCK FOUR: 2:45 – 3:45
1. Open Agent Q&A Panel (Salon A). Several attending literary agents will open themselves up to open Q&A from FWW attendees. Bring your questions and get them answered in this popular session.
2. Why Agents Are Passing on Your First Page (Salon B), taught by Sarah Fisk. If you’re not quite getting the query responses you’d like to see, there might be writing issues in your first page holding you back. Literary agent Sarah N. Fisk will discuss the big changes and small tweaks that often need to be made in first pages to get to that yes.
BLOCK FIVE: 4:00 – 5:00
1. Strengthening Your Character’s Voice (Salon A), taught by Laurie Dennison. Agents often say they look for manuscripts with a strong voice, but what exactly does that mean? Learn what voice is and take a deep dive into how character development affects the voice of a manuscript, from the drafting stage to revisions.
2. How to Market Yourself and Your Books: Talking Author Social Media and Platform (Salon B), taught by Chuck Sambuchino. Whether you’re traditionally published or self-published, everyone could use some helpful guidance on how to effectively market themselves and sell more books. This session includes easy-to-understand advice on social media (Twitter, Facebook, more), newsletters, and other simple ways you can market your work online cheaply and easily.
SESSIONS END: 5:00
Agent & Editor Pitching: All throughout the day.
TAMPA CLASSES (SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 2026):
The topics below are subject to change. There will be 1-3 classes/workshops going at all times during the day, so sometimes you may have your choice of what class you attend.
8:30 – 9:30: Check-in and registration at the event location.
BLOCK ONE: 9:30 – 10:30
1. How to Write an Amazing Query Letter (Skyway 1), taught by Erica Bauman. What goes into a great query letter, and how can you be expected to pitch yourself (and your book) in one page? In this workshop we’ll go through all the parts of a query letter, what key information agents look for, and how to make your project pop.
2. Understanding Scene Structure (Skyway 2), taught by Laurie Dennison. Scenes are the building blocks of long fiction. Learn how to structure scenes that engage your readers and keep them turning pages, with practical techniques that apply to any genre. Explore how character goals and motivations intersect with plot elements, the art of balancing action with exposition, and ways to increase the stakes and build tension.
BLOCK TWO: 10:45 – 11:50
1. 15 Evergreen Publishing Tips — How to Control Your Writing Journey (Skyway 1), taught by Chuck Sambuchino. If you want to have more say over a journey that seems out of your control, then you need to understand elements of the publishing path that are within your control, and how to harness them. This speech discusses a variety of different things any writer can do to help their chances — whether you’re published or aspiring.
2. Developing Compelling Characters (Skyway 2), taught by Ritu Anand. This sessions teaches how acting out a role helps in developing the character from the inside out. Flesh out your characters with character analysis, backstory, empathizing with the character, and using both improvisation and exercises to show how a character would react in different ways.
LUNCH ON YOUR OWN: 11:50 – 1:15
Lunch is on your own during these 85 minutes.
BLOCK THREE: 1:15 – 2:30
1. “Writers Got Talent”—a Page 1 Critique Fest (Skyway 1), 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 fiction 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. Nonfiction Intense: Book Proposal Tips (Skyway 2), taught by Chuck Sambuchino. This session is completely devoted to nonfiction that is not memoir. So if you are trying to create an awesome nonfiction book proposal, this presentation is for you. With both a writer and agent to instruct and answers questions, the session will talk about platform, identifying your book’s place in the market, effective pitching, and more.
BLOCK FOUR: 2:45 – 3:45
1. Open Agent Q&A Panel (Skyway 1). Several attending literary agents (and editors) will open themselves up to open Q&A from FWW attendees. Bring your questions and get them answered in this popular session.
2. How to Market Yourself and Your Books: Talking Author Social Media and Platform (Skyway 2), taught by Chuck Sambuchino. Whether you’re traditionally published or self-published, everyone could use some helpful guidance on how to effectively market themselves and sell more books. This session includes easy-to-understand advice on social media (Twitter, Facebook, more), newsletters, and other simple ways you can market your work online cheaply and easily.
BLOCK FIVE: 4:00 – 5:00:
1. Why Agents Are Passing on Your First Page (Skyway 1), taught by Sarah Fisk.
2. Worldbuilding as a Character: Putting Your World to Work (Skyway 2), taught by Lorin Oberweger. The world of your story is not only a container for drama and character growth but a potent—and often underutilized––source of story movement, personal and public stakes, conflict, character history, and more. In other words, your story world is more than where your story takes place. It can be the reason your story happens at all. In this hands-on workshop, we’ll explore all our possible story worlds, from macro to micro, for inspiration to make our stories richer and more expansive than we imagine.
SESSIONS END: 5:00
Agent & Editor Pitching: All throughout the day.
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 5 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:
- “Tips on Pitching Literary Agents & Editors at an In-Person Event,” taught by literary agent Carlie Webber
- “Tips on Pitching Literary Agents & Editors at an Online Event,” taught by literary agent Carlie Webber
- “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 Fix It: The Art and Craft of Revision,” taught previously at the Writing Workshop of Chicago