North Carolina Writers’ Network Fall Conference

The 2023 North Carolina Writers’ Network Fall Conference was held from November 3 to November 5 at the Hilton Charlotte University Place hotel in Charlotte, North Carolina. The conference featured classes in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as conversations and panel discussions on the craft and business of writing, open mic sessions, faculty readings, one-on-one manuscript critiques with editors or agents, and a Saturday Night Literary Mystery. The faculty included poets Morri Creech, Julie Funderburk, Angelo Geter, A. E. Hines, and Junious “Jay” Ward; fiction writers John Amen, Amber Wheeler Bacon, Bryn Chancellor, Aaron Gwyn, Misha Lazzara, and Kelly Mustian; and creative nonfiction writers Patrice Gopo and Rebecca McClanahan. Participating publishing professionals included editors Brooke Shaffner (Freedom Tunnel Press) and Betsy Thorpe (Betsy Thorpe Literary) and agents Amy Bishop-Wycisk (Dystel, Goderich & Bourret), Jamie Chambliss (Folio Literary Management), Tracy Crow (Tracy Crow Literary Agency), and Kristina Sutton Lennon (Focused Artists). Memoirist Tommy Tomlinson delivered the keynote. The cost of the full conference was $495 ($345 for NCWN members). General registration was available through October 27. To apply for a one-on-one manuscript critique, writers submitted up to 20 pages of a prose or poetry manuscript with an additional $175 by October 20. Visit the website for more information. 

Accessibility accommodations included a single-level event space; accessible sidewalks, pathways, and doorways; accessible restrooms and event spaces; accessible parking; and closed captioning for online programming. ASL interpretation and conference materials in Braille or large print are available with conference registration and request by October 20. Contact the staff of the North Carolina Writers’ Network at mail@ncwriters.org with requests or accessibility questions.