When Writing Conferences Are Worth It

Updated for June 2025.

I was recently updating my website with a list of the writing conferences, panels, workshops, and MFA visits I’ve participated in as an agent. I think I’m still forgetting about a few. But every year I attend or participate in a handful of these types of events. Some are paid, some are favors. Some charge a fee for writers to attend, some are closed (MFA program visits, for example.) I’ve gone to events in-person and I’ve participated virtually.

The two types of events I’ve participated in that I thought it would be worth writing about — as explainers, and about whether I think they’re worth the time and money for aspiring authors — are conferences and pitch sessions. A conference (or “workshop,” “festival”) might include a pitch session as part of the package or for an additional fee, but primarily involves panels, keynote speakers, and ideally networking opportunities as well. Pitch sessions, or pitch fests, are opportunities for writers to sit in front of an agent and pitch their book. I’ve also added a brief note about writing residencies.

I’m not going to evaluate individual conferences and pitch sessions, but this is what I think makes it worthwhile to attend.

If subscribers want to highlight conferences or pitch sessions they felt were particularly useful and well-run, comments are open! First send got a great endorsement for Breadloaf.