Writing conferences offer valuable opportunities to hone your craft and build your network. They are also a major investment, so it’s important to plan strategically. Some conferences focus on writing craft, while others are more about meeting authors, pitching agents, or competing for awards. Decide what’s most important to you, your goals, and your stage of writing.
As I gather information about upcoming conferences and workshops, I will update the information here in hopes that other writers might find it helpful. Please comment below if you’d like to share additional conferences I’ve missed. Because I write primarily mystery, most of the conferences focus on that genre, but I’ve sprinkled in a few additional opportunities.
January 31: Sunshine State Book Festival, Gainesville, FL
I wanted to include something for every month, so I decided to include the Sunshine State Book Festival in Gainesville, Florida. While the event’s main focus is selling and promoting books, they also offer a one-day writing workshop on January 31 for $80. The book festival on Saturday is free.
https://sunshinestatebookfestival.com/writers-workshop/
February 1: Murder in the Magic City, Birmingham, AL
Murder in the Magic City is a one-day, in-person conference in Birmingham, AL. If you are intimidated by enormous events, this intimate conference will be more your speed. It is held in the Homewood Library and features panel discussions and presentations by guests of honor Miranda James and Diane Kelly. Registration is $40.
http://www.mmcmysteryconference.com/
March 13-16, 2025: Left Coast Crime in Denver, Colorado
Left Coast Crime will be held in Denver, Colorado in 2025. A day-long writing workshop will be held on March 12 for an additional fee. (conference $379, workshop $100) This conference focuses on networking and meeting authors, with an award ceremony as the highlight. I’ve heard it described as a “mini Bouchercon.”
https://leftcoastcrime.org/2025/
April 25-27, 2025: Malice Domestic in Bethesda, Maryland
Malice Domestic is a fan-focused conference that provides a plethora of opportunities to network and meet authors. (Basic registration: $315, Comprehensive registration: $315)
https://www.malicedomestic.net/registration
May 14-18, 2025: Sleuthfest in St. Petersburg, Florida
Florida Mystery Writers of America will hold their 2025 conference in St. Petersburg, Florida on May 14-18, 2025. (MWA and Sisters in Crime members $400, Non-members $425)
https://sleuthfest.com/register/
June 17-21, 2025: Thrillerfest, New York City
Thrillerfest has multiple tracks, including Master Class, CraftFest, ThrillerFest, and QueryFest. Regular Registration for the basic ThrillerFest track is $525.
https://thrillerfest.com/conference-schedule/
July 26, 2025: DOUBLE VISION in Jacksonville, Florida
This is a shameless plug for my chapter of Sisters in Crime located in Northeast Florida. This year’s event will have two speakers. Author JD Allen will lead the writing craft portion of the workshop, and Tammy Euliano will lead a seminar on writing tech platforms, including Scrivener.
Details about this workshop are forthcoming, but for now, see http://www.nefloridasistersincrime.org
August 21-24, 2025: Killer Nashville
Killer Nashville offers an opportunity to develop your writing craft, gain valuable research for your mystery/thriller/suspense novels, and meet authors, agents, and editors. Registration is $469. I attended Killer Nashville in 2021 and found it to be informative and fun. I will add one caveat, and that is it’s not really in Nashville. It’s in a small town just south of the city, but I guess Killer Franklin didn’t have the same ring. One of the few writing awards for unpublished manuscripts, the Claymore, is awarded along with the Silver Falchion for published works at an award ceremony on the last night of the conference.
https://www.killernashville.com/register
September 3-7, 2025: Bouchercon New Orleans
Bouchercon is probably the biggest mystery writers’ convention in the US. This fan-focused event offers expert panels and author talks. The Anthony Awards are the key event. Cost is $250.
https://www.bouchercon2025.com/
October 17-19, 2025: Florida WritersCon, Altamonte Springs
Florida WritersCon is for writers of all genres, not just mystery. It features writing workshops, panels, and keynote speakers. The Royal Palm Literary Awards are open to published and unpublished works. All entries receive judges’ feedback as opposed to other contests where you have to pay an additional fee for critique notes. Registration fee is TBA.
https://www.floridawriters.org/florida-writerscon
November 7-9, 2025: New England Crime Bake
Crime Bake is presented by the New England chapter of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime. This year’s event will feature Guests of Honor Gabino Iglesias and Lori Rayder-Day.