James River Writers Conference

The 24th annual James River Writers Conference was held online and in person from September 25 to September 27 at the Greater Richmond Convention Center in Richmond. The conference started with online master classes on September 25; the following two days of programming included in-person pitch sessions with literary agents, first page and query letter critiques, workshops, panels, a poetry showcase, and networking opportunities for poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers. Participating writers included poets Rosa Castellano, Martheaus Perkins, and Sullivan Summer; fiction writers Denny S. Bryce, P. Djèlí Clark, Margot Douaihy, and Courtney Milan; and creative nonfiction writers Shonda Buchanan, Wilbert L. Cooper, Isabel Klee, and Jon Sealy. Publishing professionals include agents Natalie Edwards (Trellis Literary Management), Clare Mao (Sanford J. Greenburger Associates), Eric Smith (Neighborhood Literary), Saba Sulaiman (Talcott Notch), Marin Takikawa (The Friedrich Agency), and Hannah Teachout (Folio Literary Management) and editor Rachel Kahan (William Morrow). The cost of the in-person conference, which includes breakfast and lunch as well as a one-on-one meeting with an agent, is $135 for students, $390 for James River Writers members, and $480 for nonmembers. Single-day tickets are also available starting at $195 for members and $239 for nonmembers. The cost of a master class is $50 for members and $75 for nonmembers. The deadline for registration was September 22; applications for query letter and first page critique sessions were submitted by September 4. Visit the website for more information.

Accessibility accommodations include elevator access to all multilevel event spaces; accessible sidewalks, pathways, and doorways; accessible bathrooms; accessible parking; closed captioning for online programming; and signage in Braille. Contact the program director via phone or e-mail for additional accessibility details.