Writer’s conferences, conventions and workshops can be a wonderful tool for indie authors. They provide a platform for authors to network with fellow writers and literary professionals, and they offer valuable insights from experts in the field. Additionally, book fairs and festivals give indie authors excellent opportunities to connect with readers while marketing their book to new audiences. No matter what genre you write or where you are in your journey as an author, you can find benefit from some of the writer’s conferences, book fairs and festivals listed below. Our list of over 250 popular author events is arguably the most comprehensive list available, and it is searchable and sortable by name, location, and month to help you find the best options for your particular needs. The specific dates, locations, and details may change at any time, so be sure to check out the official websites for the most current information about these annual literary events.
LIST OF WRITERS CONFERENCES, BOOK FAIRS AND FESTIVALS
| NAME | CITY | STATE / COUNTRY | DATE | TYPE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama Writers Conference | Auburn | Alabama | 08 August | Conference |
| Kachemak Bay Writers Conference | Homer | Alaska | 05 May | Conference |
| Alaska Writers Conference | Anchorage | Alaska | 09 September | Conference |
| National Association for Poetry Therapy Conference | Scottsdale | Arizona | 04 April | Conference |
| White Mountains Festival of Books | Show Low | Arizona | 08 August | Conference + Fair / Festival |
| ASU Writers Conference | Tempe | Arizona | 02 February | Conference |
| Payson Book Festival | Payson | Arizona | 07 July | Fair / Festival |
| Tuscon Festival of Books | Tuscon | Arizona | 03 March | Fair / Festival |
| ANWA Writers Conference | Mesa | Arizona | 09 September | Conference |
| Six Bridges Book Festival | Little Rock | Arkansas | 04 April | Fair / Festival |
| White County Creative Writers Annual Conference | Searcy | Arkansas | 09 September | Conference |
| Sydney Writers Festival | Sydney | Australia | 05 May | Fair / Festival |
| Vienna International Book Fair | Vienna | Austria | 11 November | Fair / Festival |
| Baku International Book Fair | Baku | Azerbaijan | 10 October | Fair / Festival |
| Brussels Book Fair | Brussels | Belgium | 03 March | Fair / Festival |
| Bienal Internacional do Livro | Sao Paulo | Brazil | 07 July | Fair / Festival |
| Los Angeles Times Festival of Books | Los Angeles | California | 04 April | Fair / Festival |
| Black Writers on Tour | Los Angeles | California | 04 April | Fair / Festival |
| Yallwest Santa Monica Book Festival | Santa Monica | California | 04 April | Fair / Festival |
| Mendocino Coast Writers Conference | Mendocino County | California | 08 August | Conference |
| Sonoma Valley Authors Festival | Sonoma | California | 08 August | Fair / Festival |
| Southern California Writers Conference | San Diego | California | 02 February | Conference |
| San Francisco Writers Conference | San Francisco | California | 02 February | Conference |
| Napa Valley Writers Conference | Napa County | California | 07 July | Conference |
| Guernsey Literary Festival | Guernsey | California | 06 June | Fair / Festival |
| Literary Women Festival of Authors | Long Beach | California | 03 March | Fair / Festival |
| Bay Area Book Festival | Berkeley | California | 05 May | Fair / Festival |
| Nonfiction Writers Conference | Gold River | California | 05 May | Conference |
| Men of Mystery Writers Conference | Irvine | California | 11 November | Conference |
| Digital Author and Indie Publishing Conference | Los Angeles | California | 11 November | Conference |
| Bay Area Kids Book Festival | Dublin | California | 10 October | Fair / Festival |
| Orange County Children's Book Festival | Orange County | California | 10 October | Fair / Festival |
| Southern California Writers Conference | varies | California | 09 September | Conference |
| Quebec National Book Fair | Quebec City, Quebec | Canada | 04 April | Fair / Festival |
| When Worlds Collide | Calgary, Alberta | Canada | 08 August | Fair / Festival |
| The Festival of Literary Diversity | Ontario, Quebec | Canada | 05 May | Fair / Festival |
| Surrey International Writers Conference | Surrey, British Columbia | Canada | 10 October | Conference |
| Beijing International Book Fair | Beijing | China | 08 August | Fair / Festival |
| Hong Kong Book Fair | Hong Kong | China | 07 July | Fair / Festival |
| Pikes Peak Writers Conference | Colorado Springs | Colorado | 04 April | Conference |
| Romance Writers of America Conference | Denver | Colorado | 07 July | Conference |
| Colorado Gold Writers Conference | Aurora | Colorado | 10 October | Conference |
| Fort Collins Book Fest | Fort Collins | Colorado | 10 October | Fair / Festival |
| Bogota International Book Fair | Bogota | Columbia | 04 April | Fair / Festival |
| Interliber | Zagreb | Croatia | 11 November | Fair / Festival |
| Havana Book Fair | Havana | Cuba | 02 February | Fair / Festival |
| Prague International Book Fair | Prague | Czech Republic | 06 June | Fair / Festival |
| London Book Fair | London | England | 04 April | Fair / Festival |
| Chelsea Rare Book Fair | London | England | 04 April | Fair / Festival |
| Oxford Indie Book Fair | Oxford | England | 04 April | Fair / Festival |
| Newark Book Festival | Nottinghamshire | England | 07 July | Fair / Festival |
| Essex Book Festival | Essex | England | 06 June | Fair / Festival |
| Hexham Book Festival | Hexham | England | 06 June | Fair / Festival |
| Books by the Beach | Scarborough | England | 06 June | Fair / Festival |
| Derby Book Festival | Derby | England | 05 May | Fair / Festival |
| Appledore Book Festival | Appledore | England | 09 September | Fair / Festival |
| York Book National Fair | Yorkshire | England | 09 September | Fair / Festival |
| Provincial Booksellers | varies | England | 13 varies | Fair / Festival |
| Helsinki Book Fair | Helsinki | Finland | 10 October | Fair / Festival |
| Sunshine State Book Festival | Gainsville | Florida | 04 April | Fair / Festival |
| Emerald Coast Christian Writers Conference | Niceville | Florida | 04 April | Conference |
| OE Book Fair | Tampa | Florida | 04 April | Fair / Festival |
| Amelia Island Book Festival | Amelia Island | Florida | 02 February | Fair / Festival |
| F.R.E.S.H. Book Festival | Daytona Beach | Florida | 01 January | Fair / Festival |
| Eckerd College Writers Conference | St. Petersburg | Florida | 01 January | Conference |
| SleuthFest | Boca Raton | Florida | 07 July | Conference |
| Palm Beach Book Festival | Boca Raton | Florida | 03 March | Fair / Festival |
| Southwest Florida Reading Festival | Fort Myers | Florida | 03 March | Fair / Festival |
| Venice Book Fair and Writer's Festival | Venice | Florida | 03 March | Fair / Festival |
| Miami Book Fair | Miami | Florida | 11 November | Fair / Festival |
| Sanibel Island Writers Conference | Sanibel Island | Florida | 11 November | Conference |
| Florida Writers Conference | Orlando | Florida | 10 October | Conference |
| Author 101 University Confernece | Orlando | Florida | 13 varies | Conference |
| Festival du Livre | Paris | France | 04 April | Fair / Festival |
| Angouleme International Comic Books Festival | Angouleme | France | 01 January | Fair / Festival |
| Blue Ridge Writers Conference | Blue Ridge | Georgia | 04 April | Conference |
| Savannah Book Festival | Savannah | Georgia | 02 February | Fair / Festival |
| Southeastern Writers Conference | St. Simons Island | Georgia | 06 June | Conference |
| Dahlonega Literary Festival | Dahlonega | Georgia | 03 March | Fair / Festival |
| Broadleaf Writers Conference | Dunwoody | Georgia | 10 October | Conference |
| Decatur Book Festival | Decatur | Georgia | 09 September | Fair / Festival |
| Atlanta Writers Conference | Atlanta | Georgia | 13 varies | Conference |
| Buchmesse im Ried | Bavaria | Germany | 04 April | Fair / Festival |
| Berlin Art Book Festival | Berlin | Germany | 04 April | Fair / Festival |
| Lepzig Book Fair | Lepzig | Germany | 04 April | Fair / Festival |
| Antiquaria | Ludwigsburg | Germany | 02 February | Fair / Festival |
| Stuttgart Antiquarian Book Fair | Stuttgart | Germany | 02 February | Fair / Festival |
| BuchPassion | Bremen | Germany | 05 May | Fair / Festival |
| Frankfurt Book Fair | Frankfurt | Germany | 10 October | Fair / Festival |
| Ghana International Book Fair | Accra | Ghana | 08 August | Fair / Festival |
| Oahu Indie Book Festival | Oahu | Hawaii | 02 February | Fair / Festival |
| Kauai Writers Conference | Kauai | Hawaii | 11 November | Conference |
| Sun Valley Writers Conference | Ketchum | Idaho | 07 July | Conference |
| GCLS Literary Conference | Chicago | Illinois | 07 July | Conference |
| Write to Publish Confernce | Wheaton | Illinois | 06 June | Conference |
| And It Is Always 1895 | Chicago (suburb) | Illinois | 10 October | Conference |
| Printers Row Lit Fest | Chicago | Illinois | 09 September | Fair / Festival |
| International Kolkata Book Fair | Kolkata | India | 02 February | Fair / Festival |
| Jaipur Literature Festival | Jaipur | India | 01 January | Fair / Festival |
| PSWA Annual Conference | Indianapolis | Indiana | 07 July | Conference |
| Indiana University Writers Conference | Bloomington | Indiana | 06 June | Conference |
| Publishers Congress | Jakarta | Indonesia | 11 November | Fair / Festival |
| DSM Book Festival | Des Moines | Iowa | 03 March | Fair / Festival |
| International Dublin Writers Festival | Dublin | Ireland | 08 August | Fair / Festival |
| Ennis Book Club Festival | Ennis | Ireland | 03 March | Fair / Festival |
| Bologna Children's Book Fair | Bologna | Italy | 03 March | Fair / Festival |
| Calabash International Literary Festival | Treasure Beach | Jamaica | 05 May | Fair / Festival |
| Kansas Book Festival | Topeka | Kansas | 09 September | Fair / Festival |
| Eurasian International Book Fair | Nur-Sultan | Kazakhstan | 04 April | Fair / Festival |
| Bluegrass Writers Coalition Conference of Writers | Frankfort | Kentucky | 04 April | Conference |
| Kentucky Christian Writers Conference | Elizabethtown | Kentucky | 06 June | Conference |
| Kentucky Book Festival | Lexington | Kentucky | 11 November | Fair / Festival |
| Seoul International Book Fair | Seoul | Korea | 06 June | Fair / Festival |
| Vilnius Book Fair | Vilnius | Lithuania | 02 February | Fair / Festival |
| Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival | New Orleans | Louisiana | 03 March | Fair / Festival |
| Louisiana Book Festival | Baton Rouge | Louisiana | 11 November | Fair / Festival |
| The New Orleans Book Festival at Tulane | New Orleans | Louisiana | 10 October | Fair / Festival |
| Annapolis Book Festival | Annapolis | Maryland | 04 April | Fair / Festival |
| Chesapeake Writers Conference | St. Mary's City | Maryland | 06 June | Conference |
| Bay to Ocean Writers Conference | Wye Mills | Maryland | 03 March | Conference |
| Gaithersburg Book Festival | Gaithersburg | Maryland | 05 May | Fair / Festival |
| Newburyport Literary Festival | Newburyport | Massachusetts | 04 April | Fair / Festival |
| Cape Cod Writers Center Conference | Hyannis | Massachusetts | 08 August | Conference |
| Nantucket Book Festival | Nantucket | Massachusetts | 06 June | Fair / Festival |
| Boston Book Festival | Boston | Massachusetts | 10 October | Fair / Festival |
| Todos Santos Writer's Workshop | Baja California Sur | Mexico | 02 February | Conference |
| San Miguel de Allende Writers Conference | San Miguel de Allende | Mexico | 02 February | Conference |
| Guadalajara International Book Fair | Guadalajara | Mexico | 11 November | Fair / Festival |
| Midwest Literary Walk | Chelsea | Michigan | 04 April | Fair / Festival |
| Bear River Writers Conference | Boyne City | Michigan | 05 May | Conference |
| Rochester Writers Conference | Rochester Hills | Michigan | 10 October | Conference |
| Harbor Springs Festival of the Book | Harbor Springs | Michigan | 09 September | Fair / Festival |
| Northwoods Writers Conference | Bemidji | Minnesota | 06 June | Conference |
| Mississippi Writers Guild Conference | Jackson | Mississippi | 07 July | Conference |
| Oxford Conference for the Book | Oxford | Mississippi | 03 March | Conference |
| Unbound Book Festival | Columbia | Missouri | 04 April | Fair / Festival |
| St. Louis Book Fair | St. Louis | Missouri | 07 July | Fair / Festival |
| Flathead River Writers Conference | Kalispell | Montana | 09 September | Conference |
| Read My World Festival | Amsterdam | Netherlands | 09 September | Fair / Festival |
| Las Vegas Writers Conference | Las Vegas | Nevada | 04 April | Conference |
| Montclair Literary Festival | Montclair | New Jersey | 03 March | Fair / Festival |
| Liberty States Fiction Writers Conference | Woodbridge | New Jersey | 11 November | Conference |
| Morristown Book Festival | Morristown | New Jersey | 10 October | Fair / Festival |
| Colrain Poetry Manuscript Conference | Truchas | New Mexico | 08 August | Conference |
| Write + Inspiration Buffalo | Blasdell | New York | 04 April | Conference + Fair / Festival |
| Kickass Writers Festival | Serenac Lake | New York | 08 August | Fair / Festival |
| Bronx Book Festival | Bronx | New York | 06 June | Fair / Festival |
| Colgate Writers Conference | Hamilton | New York | 06 June | Conference |
| BookCon | Manhattan | New York | 06 June | Conference |
| The Writer's Hotel Conference | New York City | New York | 06 June | Conference |
| National Black Writers Conference | Brooklyn | New York | 03 March | Conference |
| Indie Lit Fair | New York City | New York | 05 May | Fair / Festival |
| ThrillerFest | New York City | New York | 05 May | Conference |
| Mosaic Literary Conference | Bronx | New York | 11 November | Conference |
| Rochester Children's Book Festival | Rochester | New York | 11 November | Fair / Festival |
| Chappaqua Children's Book Festival | Chappaqua | New York | 10 October | Fair / Festival |
| Communication Central Conference | Rochester | New York | 10 October | Conference |
| Saratoga Book Festival | Saratoga | New York | 10 October | Fair / Festival |
| Brooklyn Book Festival | Brooklyn | New York | 09 September | Fair / Festival |
| Nigeria International Book Fair | Lagos | Nigeria | 05 May | Fair / Festival |
| North Carolina Writers Network Conference | varies | North Carolina | 04 April | Conference |
| The Ashville Christian Writers Conference | Asheville | North Carolina | 02 February | Conference |
| Greensboro Bound Literary Festival | Greensboro | North Carolina | 05 May | Fair / Festival |
| UND Writers Conference | Grand Forks | North Dakota | 03 March | Conference |
| CSCC Writers Conference | Columbus | Ohio | 04 April | Conference |
| Ohioana Book Festival | Columbus | Ohio | 04 April | Fair / Festival |
| Columbus Book Festival | Columbus | Ohio | 07 July | Fair / Festival |
| Reader & Author Get Together | Cincinnatti | Ohio | 06 June | Fair / Festival |
| Buckeye Book Fair | Wooster | Ohio | 11 November | Fair / Festival |
| Books by the Banks | Cincinnatti | Ohio | 10 October | Fair / Festival |
| Canal Town Book Festival | Dover | Ohio | 10 October | Fair / Festival |
| Inkubator | Cleveland | Ohio | 09 September | Conference |
| OWFI Writers Conference | Norman | Oklahoma | 05 May | Conference |
| Portland Book Festival | Portland | Oregon | 11 November | Fair / Festival |
| Northwest Travel Writers Conference | Salem | Oregon | 10 October | Conference |
| Pacific University Residency Writers Conference | varies | Oregon | 13 varies | Conference |
| LiteracyNation Indie Authors Book Fair | Philidelphia | Pennsylvania | 08 August | Fair / Festival |
| African-American Children's Book Fair | Philidelphia | Pennsylvania | 02 February | Fair / Festival |
| Moravian College Writers Conference | Bethlehem | Pennsylvania | 03 March | Conference |
| Write His Answer Christian Writers Conference | Langhorne | Pennsylvania | 05 May | Conference |
| Poznan Book Fair | Poznan | Poland | 03 March | Fair / Festival |
| Lisbon Book Fair | Lisbon | Portugal | 08 August | Fair / Festival |
| International Nonfiction Book Fair | Moscow | Russia | 04 April | Fair / Festival |
| Edinburgh International Book Festival | Edinburgh | Scotland | 08 August | Fair / Festival |
| Paisley Book Festival | Paisley | Scotland | 02 February | Fair / Festival |
| Borders Book Festival | Melrose | Scotland | 06 June | Fair / Festival |
| Bloody Scotland | Edinburgh | Scotland | 09 September | Fair / Festival |
| International Belgrade Book Fair | Belgrade | Serbia | 10 October | Fair / Festival |
| Singapore Art Book Fair | Singapore | Singapore | 04 April | Fair / Festival |
| Franschhoek Literary Festival | Cape Town | South Africa | 05 May | Fair / Festival |
| Kingsmead College Book Fair | Johannesburg | South Africa | 05 May | Fair / Festival |
| Charleston Literary Festival | Charleston | South Carolina | 11 November | Fair / Festival |
| SCWW Writers Conference | Myrtle Beach | South Carolina | 10 October | Conference |
| Madrid Book Fair | Madrid | Spain | 05 May | Fair / Festival |
| Liber, Feria Internacional del Libro | Barcelona | Spain | 10 October | Fair / Festival |
| Gothenburg Book Fair | Gothenburg | Sweden | 09 September | Fair / Festival |
| Geneva Book Fair | Geneva | Switzerland | 05 May | Fair / Festival |
| Taipei International Book Exhibition | Taipei | Taiwan | 06 June | Fair / Festival |
| Killer Nashville | Nashville | Tennessee | 08 August | Conference |
| Clarksville Writers Conference | Clarksville | Tennessee | 05 May | Conference |
| NETWO Conference | Mt. Pleasant | Texas | 04 April | Conference |
| San Antonio Book Festival | San Antonio | Texas | 04 April | Fair / Festival |
| Writers League Conference | Austin | Texas | 06 June | Conference |
| North Texas Teen Book Festival | Irving | Texas | 03 March | Fair / Festival |
| Texas Book Festival | Austin | Texas | 10 October | Fair / Festival |
| DFW Writers Conference | Fort Worth | Texas | 10 October | Conference |
| Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference | Grapevine | Texas | 10 October | Conference |
| National Black Book Festival | Houston | Texas | 10 October | Fair / Festival |
| The Borcas Lit Fest | Port of Spain | Trinidad & Tobago | 04 April | Fair / Festival |
| Istanbul Book Fair | Istanbul | Turkey | 12 December | Fair / Festival |
| Istanbul International Literature Festival | Istanbul | Turkey | 06 June | Fair / Festival |
| Istanbul CNR Book Fair | Istanbul | Turkey | 03 March | Fair / Festival |
| Sharjah International Book Fair | Sharjah | United Arab Emirates | 11 November | Fair / Festival |
| National Undergraduate Literature Conference | Ogden | Utah | 03 March | Conference |
| LDS Storymakers Writers Conference | Provo | Utah | 05 May | Conference |
| SCBWI Summer Conference | varies | varies | 08 August | Conference |
| Haiku North America Conference | varies | varies | 06 June | Conference |
| Western Writers of America Convention | varies | varies | 06 June | Conference |
| Pen America World Voices Festival | varies | varies | 05 May | Fair / Festival |
| AMWA Conference | varies | varies | 11 November | Conference |
| ATA Conference | varies | varies | 10 October | Conference |
| Writer's Digest Novel Writing Conference | varies | varies | 10 October | Conference |
| Bouchercon World Mystery Convention | varies | varies | 09 September | Fair / Festival |
| Creativity Workshop | varies | varies | 13 varies | Conference |
| Historical Novel Society North America Conference | varies | varies | 13 varies | Conference |
| NFPW Conference | varies | varies | 13 varies | Conference |
| Outdoor Writers Association of America Conference | varies | varies | 13 varies | Conference |
| Tropicon Book Expo | varies | varies | 13 varies | Conference + Fair / Festival |
| Northern Woodlands Conference | Corinth | Vermont | 08 August | Conference |
| Vermont College Postgraduate Writers Conference | Montpelier | Vermont | 08 August | Conference |
| Brattleboro Literary Festival | Brattleboro | Vermont | 10 October | Fair / Festival |
| TLA Power of Words Confernce | Plainfield | Vermont | 10 October | Conference |
| Bread Loaf Writers Conference | Ripton | Vermont | 13 varies | Conference |
| Virginia Festival of Books | Charlottesville | Virginia | 03 March | Fair / Festival |
| Virginia Children's Book Festival | Farmville | Virginia | 10 October | Fair / Festival |
| James River Writers Conference | Richmond | Virginia | 10 October | Conference |
| Williamsburg Book Festival | Williamsburg | Virginia | 10 October | Fair / Festival |
| Richmond Walking & Book Festival | Richmond | Virginia | 09 September | Fair / Festival |
| Chanticleer Authors Conference | Bellingham | Washington | 04 April | Conference |
| Orcas Island Lit Fest | Eastsound | Washington | 04 April | Fair / Festival |
| Centrum's Port Townsend Writers Conference | Port Townsend | Washington | 07 July | Conference |
| Seattle Antiquarian Book Fair | Seattle | Washington | 10 October | Fair / Festival |
| Rivers of Ink Writers Conference | Richland | Washington | 09 September | Conference |
| PNWA Writers Conference | Seattle | Washington | 09 September | Conference |
| Emerald City Writers Conference | Seattle (suburb) | Washington | 13 varies | Conference |
| National Book Festival | District of Columbia | Washington D.C. | 09 September | Fair / Festival |
| West Virginia Writers Conference | Ripley | West Virginia | 06 June | Conference |
| West Virginia Book Festival | Charleston | West Virginia | 10 October | Fair / Festival |
| Lakefly Writers Conference | Oshkosh | Wisconsin | 05 May | Conference |
| Wisconsin Book Festival | Madison | Wisconsin | 10 October | Fair / Festival |
| Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets Conference | Racine | Wisconsin | 10 October | Conference |
| Jackson Hole Writers Conference | Jackson Hole | Wyoming | 06 June | Conference |
Dates and locations subject to change. Visit individual website for current details.
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