Writers Conferences in Atlanta

Introduction

Writing tends to be a solitary career, which is why it is so important to find a community of authors to socialize with and relate to. I have found like-minded people online in book spaces such as Goodreads and BookTok and at local book clubs and writing groups. Another option is to take part in writers conferences. As a professional in the early stages of my career, I am always looking for ways to meet people in the same field. Along with many opportunities for building community, I have learned that conference attendance can benefit your writing career in multiple ways.

Informational panels and Q&A sessions led by professionals will expand your knowledge of writing and publishing. Taking classes and pitching to editors and agents can provide the chance for valuable feedback on your work. Even during meals and free time between scheduled activities, there is the opportunity for networking with colleagues. With so many benefits, why not try it?

Read on to learn about the process of visiting a conference, and discover several writers conferences in Atlanta, Georgia!

“Just know that everyone’s writing is terrible. Until it’s not. No one’s stuff is right immediately. You gotta work it. Refine it. Shape it.” – Ava DuVernay

Prerequisites

Before you go to a writers conference, there is a bit of planning you must do. First, what kind of conference should you attend? There are many options, with differences in the genres that attendees write, the region where the conference is held, and the age range of potential readers. Choose one that focuses on your type of writing, has events that excite you, and you can realistically afford and go to.

Most of these events require you to purchase a ticket just to attend, with some events (like a one-on-one meeting with an agent) costing extra. If you are a member of the group hosting the event, you may be eligible for a cheaper ticket. Look into this before you show up, and decide how much money you are willing to spend.

Make a plan for how you will get to the conference. Is there parking set aside at the venue for those who drive themselves? Would you prefer to call a transportation company to drive you? Is it far enough away that you would need to book a flight?

Decide where you want to stay while you’re there. Some conferences are only one day, but if you are there late, you may want to stay nearby and leave traveling for the next day. Most conferences are multi-day affairs, and many negotiate a discounted rate with a nearby hotel for their attendees.

Lastly, to maximize your time spent at the conference, you may want to create a schedule for yourself. Look at the planned events and choose what you absolutely want to go to. Pay attention to things like where each event is held, what you may need to have a separate ticket for, and how long it will take to travel from one place to another. Having a schedule ensures that you won’t miss crucial parts of the conference and lets you know when you have more time to relax.

Warm-Up 

As an author attending a writers conference, it’s a good idea to have a “pitch” ready beforehand. This should be a succinct explanation of your work that can be shared with interested parties. At a conference, it is likely that you will be pitching to literary agents and editors in your pursuit of a publishing deal. In preparation, watch this video and use Teresa Funke’s advice when creating your own pitch that will make you stand out amongst other attendees.

The key point of a pitch is that it should be short. As Ms. Funke points out, the goal is to give the other person just enough information to pique their interest and get them to say “tell me more.” Come up with one to two sentences that state what your book is about. Who is the protagonist, and what is the central conflict that they’re dealing with? You may also want to include a nod to potential marketing tactics with a sentence about why your book is different from others in the genre or a popular comparable title or two that could attract readers. 

Even if no one asks for more information on your manuscript after pitching, it was not a waste of time, because it gave you the opportunity to practice. Every time you say it is a chance to improve your pitch even more!

Source: https://atlantawritersclub.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Agent-QA-Panel-applause-768x512.jpg

“Don’t bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself.” – William Faulkner

Conferences in Atlanta

As the capital city and the publishing hub of Georgia, Atlanta is naturally a popular location for writers conferences. There are several well-known conferences based there that occur every year.

Atlanta Writers Conference

The Atlanta Writers Conference, run by the Atlanta Writers Club, has held more than thirty writers conferences since its creation. The conference occurs multiple times a year and includes two days of programming, with pricing dependent on which activities you’d like to participate in. Options include a pre-conference manuscript edit, a query letter critique, and a manuscript sample critique. Editors and literary agents in attendance are available for pitch meetings and Q&A panels with questions from attendees. There are also coaching sessions with authors and a book fair to sell your own work and support other local writers. While attending in-person is best for networking purposes, many of these activities are available virtually through Zoom as well.

Atlanta Writing Workshop

The Atlanta Writing Workshop was founded in 2016 and occurs annually. It is an in-person experience only, consisting of one day in a smaller, more focused environment of two hundred seats maximum. Registration gives you access to a day of classes—examples from 2025’s conference include “Writing an Awesome Query Letter” and “Fantasy Worldbuilding from the Ground Up”— along with literary agents contributing to a Q&A and a session giving feedback about several anonymous attendees’ first pages. Pay extra for the opportunity to have a one-on-one meeting with an agent or editor, a query letter critique, and a critique of your first ten pages.

Atlanta Self-Publishing Conference

The Atlanta Self-Publishing Conference has been held annually in the spring months since 2022. It is a day of networking opportunities and informative panels geared towards helping authors who would like to self-publish their work. Beyond just attendance, the price of registration (discounted for Atlanta Writers Club members) contains several free services. This includes pre-conference webinars on creating and selling a self-published book, a sample edit of your manuscript, ebooks on self-publishing topics, and one-on-ones with professionals about additional publishing services such as cover design and audiobook production.

ACES Conference

ACES, a reputable association of editors, is holding their upcoming 2026 conference in Atlanta. They have recently begun hosting two conferences per year, with one in-person and one virtual. ACES members and students get a discount on the registration cost. There are multiple days of sessions for new and more experienced editors alike in the categories Core Skills, Business of Editing, Words and Language, and Panel Discussions. There are also fun social events such as a First-Timers Reception and a Spelling Bee. Early bird registration opens this fall.

Moonlight & Magnolias

In Norcross, roughly a thirty minute drive from Atlanta, the organization Georgia Romance Writers has created Moonlight & Magnolias, a conference for romance authors. It is a multi-day experience with over forty workshops for writers of all experience levels. There are standard activities such as group lunches, appointments with editors and literary agents, and a book fair. But there are also more unique offerings, like morning and evening writing sprints, yoga classes, an awards banquet, and author headshots.

Red Clay Writers Conference

Marietta hosts the Red Clay Writers Conference, run by the Georgia Writers Association. This one-day conference has many author readings and classes on the craft of writing. Examples from the discussions and workshops at the 2025 conference include “Screenwriting is a Team Sport,” “Painting and Poetry,” “Creative Writing in the Age of Generative AI,” and “Writing Crime in the South.” To attend at a reduced price, apply for the Red Clay Scholarship ahead of time.

Broadleaf Writers Conference

Twenty minutes outside of Atlanta, Decatur has the Broadleaf Writers Conference, which recently celebrated its tenth year. It takes place over the course of a weekend and has a variety of panels and workshops running concurrently all day. You can eat lunch or attend a film screening with fellow attendees as well as conference speakers. Editors and agents are available for one-on-one pitch sessions, mentoring sessions, and a panel critiquing the first pages of audience members’ books.

“It’s such a confidence trick, writing a novel. The main person you have to trick into confidence is yourself. This is hard to do alone.” — Zadie Smith

Conclusion

Join me in planning a trip to Atlanta to take part in a writers conference! In a career that can feel isolating, attending just one can introduce you to potential friends and colleagues and build your writing community. Conference attendance can also develop your career by helping you learn, increasing your network, and opening yourself up to critiques from other professionals. Perhaps most importantly, it makes all of these things fun at the same time! 

If you have any questions about the content of this blog, feel free to email.

Resources 

Why a Writer’s Conference Is Important — W. Terry Whalin shares advice for those attending a writers conference for the first time.

Should You Attend a Writers’ Conference? — The NY Book Editors staff describes what kind of events can happen at a writers conference and lists nine benefits of taking part.

5 Reasons to Attend a Writers Conference — Jack Heffron provides five reasons why writers conferences can be helpful for an author’s career. 

Networking: The Writers’ Conference Edge — Ellen J. List explains the importance of networking and what that can look like at a writers conference.

Conferences and Residencies Database — The Poets & Writers staff presents a list of over two hundred events for writers, which can be categorized according to type of event and the state where it takes place.

Olivia Lamons is currently a student at Young Harris College, majoring in English with minors in Psychology and Legal Studies. Her editorial experience includes being a content editor for Bipper Media, editing team leader for the Young Harris College yearbook, and co-editor-in-chief for Artemas Literary Magazine. If you have any questions about this article, feel free reach out on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, or email our team!