Willamette Writers Conference

The 2023 Willamette Writers Conference was held online and in person at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Downtown Portland, Oregon, from August 2 to August 6. The conference featured workshops, keynotes, panels, pitch sessions, and critiques for poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers. The faculty included poets Christopher Luna and Armin Tolentino; fiction writers Emmeline Duncan, Hallie Ephron, Daniel Nieh, and Rosanne Parry; fiction and nonfiction writer Melissa Hart; and nonfiction writers Elizabeth Lyon and Keith A. Spencer. Fiction and nonfiction writer Cheryl Strayed delivered the keynote address. Participating publishing professionals included agents Brenna English-Loeb (Transatlantic Agency), Kat Kerr (Donald Maass Literary Agency), and Katie Reed (Andrea Hurst & Associates), and editors Jenna Lettice and Elizabeth Stranahan (Penguin Random House). The cost of the in-person conference, including breakfast, coffee, and snacks, was $599 ($524 for Willamette Writers members; membership is $57 and can be purchased with registration). Conference attendees could stay at the Crowne Plaza Hotel for a discounted rate of $205 per night. The cost to attend online was $349 ($279 for members). The cost of an optional five-hour master class was $269 ($199 for Willamette Writers members). Agent pitch sessions and on-the-spot critiques cost $26. Manuscript critiques cost $79. The registration deadline was August 1. Visit the website for more information.