Roanoke Regional Writers Conference

Welcome back! It’s my extreme honor to invite you to the 14th Annual Roanoke Regional Writers Conference! This is the perfect event to learn, grow, and connect with other writers in the area. RRWC23 takes place on January 20-21, 2023, at Hollins University in Roanoke. The snow date is January 27-28. The cost of the conference is $70 ($25 for students and faculty), including brunch in the dining hall on Saturday.

When we asked what you wanted to experience at RRWC23, the overwhelming response was not, as you might think, about writing skills or marketing tips—it was about COMMUNITY. As writers, we’re often siloed at our respective desks (or recliner, in my case!), and while this is sometimes necessary to get the work done, it’s also important to remember we’re not alone—especially after two years of a pandemic! This region alone has SO many incredible writers willing to share their knowledge, and RRWC23 is the ideal place to do it.

That’s why we’re doing things a little differently for our Friday night kickoff, and encouraging you to connect with fellow writers, learn a lot, and most importantly have FUN together! I am so pleased to welcome Kris Spisak as our premier guest at this year’s conference. She’s not only an incredible writer, but she’s also an editing queen, and she’s going to stir things up with her incredible “Grammartopia” workshop. Grammartopia is a game-show style event, where contestants (that’s you!) playfully battle it out for grammar prowess. What was the punctuation mark first found in the graffiti of ancient Pompeii? A member of what boy band once left the stage mid-concert to correct an apostrophe on a fan’s sign? Should we “flesh out” or “flush out” an idea? Do you want to take your writing “further” or “farther”? Prizes for winners and audience members include free books, free online writing class admission, and more!

The conference begins on Friday night at 7 p.m. with introductions, our scholarship presentation, and the interactive Grammartopia workshop. Saturday registration opens at 8:30 a.m., with classes starting at 9 a.m. Make sure to bring a pen and paper, or laptop, as well as any writing samples you might want to share in particular classes.

Class topics vary from fiction and nonfiction, journalism, editing, publishing (traditional and self-publishing), poetry, and more. In addition, we’re proud to promote our writing community. I highly encourage our writers to connect with others! Writing is a yearlong process, and we’d love for you to join our Facebook group to promote discussion, critiques, and more. We look forward to sharing our processes, learning from each other, and strengthening our friendships with such talented, hardworking writers!

In keeping with Hollins University Culture of Care Guidelines, all attendees and presenters must show proof of Full COVID-19 vaccinations, including one booster (the registration form will have upload options for vaccine cards). In addition, masks are required for all gatherings of 50 or more, unless actively eating or drinking.

To register or for more information.