Are you writing a book?
Join us for a month of online workshops, cohorts, and discussions. If you’ve been working on a draft, and need some help, we are here for you. If you’re doubling down and trying to complete your project start to finish throughout November, we will also get you the support and motivation you need to make it happen. These cohorts and workshops are open to all genres and skill levels, so register now to join us this fall, and take your writing to the next level.
Register here!
Celebrating our Writing Community
Congrats, Willamette Writers!
#WilWriteWins
2020 Conference Feedback
Wow! What an amazing online conference!
We had the best time at the 51st annual Willamette writers conference. From our keynotes, to our workshops, to our networking and community events, it was a weekend we will never forget. And it was all online! Thank you to all of our volunteers, faculty, and industry professionals who made the weekend possible.
Catch up with us on Twitter: @Wilwrite
One of the best conferences in the world…
“This is truly one of the best conferences in the world. The fact that Willamette Writers pulled this off during Covid is remarkable.” —April Eberhardt, agent
Awesome, fun, inspiring…
…it was awesome, fun, inspiring and looking forward to seeing each and every one of you again. You are a wonderful group and this was a fantastic intro to the Willamette Writers. See you next time! —Cheers, Rosemary (writing as RD Fiori)
Resonant with the warmth of community…
Thank you! The conference was a great experience, resonant with the warmth of community. Terrific speakers, master classes, and workshops! WW did a fantastic job of creating safe, inviting virtual spaces. Looking forward to upcoming offerings and future volunteering. —Cheers, Greta
Classy, well run conference…
As always, thank you all for putting on a classy, well run conference with excellent speakers!! It has definitely been worth my time!! —Karen, Ashland, Oregon
Another knockout conference…
I just wanted to thank everybody at Willamette Writers for another knockout conference. I’ve been going for 20+ years, and it’s always interesting, entertaining, and enlightening. Thanks especially to the folks who had to deal with Zoom’s… everything. I caught a bit of behind-the-scenes Zoom wrangling Sunday morning, and I’m very glad it was you…
Beyond grateful…
Amidst the pandemic, bright spots can be few and far between. When we find those moments of connection and grace, we hold them close. I am beyond grateful to attend the 51st Willamette Writers Conference this weekend from my home in Austin. Three days with fellow writers, all of us sharing our stories and struggling…
Excellent job all around
Thank you for everything! I couldn’t believe it was the first time you’ve done it all virtually because everything was so smooth. Excellent job all around. Couldn’t have been better! Scott
Great, great conference…
Excellent conference! You guys are the best! …Thanks again for a wonderful job and a great, great conference. —Paul
Member News
Member News: Christine Sandgren Debuts with The Solomon Stone
Author Christine Sandgren debuts with The Solomon Stone, a magical Middle Grade mystery for the modern kid. Ms. Sandgren’s publisher, Fawkes Press, will be hosting a virtual launch party on November 17th from 6-8pm central. The evening will include virtual activities for all ages and the opportunity to win a prize basket containing a signed…
Member News: We Are Akan, Published!
Announcing the November publication of We Are Akan: Our People and Our Kingdom in the Rainforest — Ghana, 1807 by Dorothy Brown Soper. This is a richly illustrated work of middle grade historical fiction appropriate for readers in grades 5 to 8. Oregon artist, James Cloutier, is the illustrator. The story introduces Akan culture and…
Member News: Jennifer Greer Author Event!
Join Jennifer Greer as she talks about her new debut novel, A Desperate Place. She will share the personal war story that inspired her McKenna character, other titillating aspects of her novel and her long, crazy road to publication. Jackson County Library Author Event Sunday November 15th, 4 p.m. Find out more
Member News: Debut Novel from Grant Rosenberg
Dr. Kelly Harper lives the good life. She has a dream job working alongside her father at their urgent care clinic in San Francisco and a longtime boyfriend who is a Homicide Inspector with the SFPD. But everything suddenly and drastically changes when her father, a highly respected physician, is murdered. As Kelly tries to…
Member News: Release of Marlena Fiol’s New Memoir
Nothing Bad Between Us: A Mennonite Missionary’s Daughter Finds Healing in Her Brokenness is a heartwarming and often shocking tale of a religious father and his sinful daughter that will transform your perception of what it means to simultaneously rebel against and yearn for a father’s love. Marlena is four months old when her parents…
Member News: Alex and The Shaming Monster Released
You know what is scarier than Halloween? Shame! Shaming another person, is a behavior that has become more accepted in society. It is different than feeling ashamed for an action that you decide is wrong. Shaming may occur with malice or by accident but each has equally devastating effects. The fourth book in the “Alex…
Member News: When Heroes Flew — MWSA Gold Medal winner
When Heroes Flew, a novel by H. W. “Buzz” Bernard, has been awarded a Gold Medal in historical fiction by the Military Writers Society of America. The novel is a tale of extraordinary bravery in WWII, based on the true story of one of the most historic air raids ever flown. With perspectives from American—including…
Member News: Book Launch and Reading by Sarina Dorie
Member News: Poem Recently Published
Member News: Ted Ficken’s Book Published
I am excited to announce the publication of my book, Music of Hate, Music for Healing: Paired Stories from the Hate Music Industry and the Profession of Music Therapy. The book includes 14 paired stories which illustrate the contrasts, relationships, similarities, differences, and juxtapositions between two uses of music. Each pair teaches readers about hate…
Join a Meeting or a Workshop Near You
All Writers Welcome! Members & Full-Time Students Attend for Free!
Corvallis/Coastal Chapters Online: Submitting to Literary Journals
Online: Coffee at your Kitchen Table
The Write Place: An Online Meeting for Productivity
Online: Coffee at your Kitchen Table
Publishing for Introverts with Amy Mason Doan
Month of Mastery Online: What’s Next? Time To Edit with Karen Karbo
Young Willamette Writers: The Power of Point of View (POV)
Close the Book on 2020
Writing Resources from Willamette Writers
Ten Tips for Writing an Effective Pitch
By Alyssa Schaffer and Joanna Szabo Pitching your manuscript can be one of the more intimidating aspects of the writing process, so we’ve collected a few essential tips to help you prepare your next pitch. Start with a hook. This…
What Agents Want – Tips from Meeting with Literary Agent Laura Bradford
At the April 4 Willamette Writers meeting, attendees got to hear from Laura Bradford, founder of Bradford Literary Agency, about what agents look for in writers. Here are some key takeaways from the presentation. Are You Someone Agents Want to…
Turn Bad Writing Days into Good Ones
The November 7th meeting of Willamette Writers brought William Kenower, teacher of the Fearless Writing Series, to the Old Church to share his perspectives for building up a strong writing life while keeping the topics that interest and engage us…
C. Lill Ahrens’ Tighty Writey Game
by C. Lill Ahrens The old saying, “Can’t see the forest for the trees” can be a metaphor for wordy writing. Too many extra words obscure the view of your story. In contrast to “cutting,” (the deletion of an entire…
Author Marketing – Notes from WW Portland Meeting with Tex Thompson
The June 6th Willamette Writers meeting was a wonderful time to be in community with one of my very favorite presenters from last year’s conference, Tex Thompson. The presentation focused on how writers can promote and market themselves, a topic…
Why Characters Do What They Do – Notes from WW Portland Meeting with Jessica Morrell
This contributed piece brings notes from Willamette Writers Portland’s April 4th, 2017 Meeting with author and editor Jessica Morrell by member Amy Foster Myer. Enjoy! Having seen Jessica Morell present at the 2016 Willamette Writers Conference, I can tell you she…
WW News
Writing Advice from Zoraida Córdova
by Mari Hotchkiss An unusual career path. As a young child in Ecuador, Zoraida Córdova grew up listening to her grandmother’s stories that were filled with magic and wonder. At six years old, she immigrated to the United States with her mom and grandma, causing her to abandon her love of stories. “I stopped reading.…
Literary Agents at the 2020 Willamette Writers Conference Register now for our 2020 Conference, and meet these agents, along with other top notch industry professionals. You can register for a pitch or critique, and share your work with these pros. They are excited to hear from you. At the conference, you can join them in…
C.C. Humphreys, Best-Selling Author of Historical Fiction, Joins the Willamette Writers Conference
TV Development and Production with Grant Rosenberg
Willamette Writers Authors at the Portland Book Festival
We are proud to be supporting these Willamette Writers member authors at this year’s Portland Book Festival on November 9th! 9AM-9:30AM Dede Montgomery Sue Fagalde Lick Sharleen Nelson Tasche Laine 9:30AM-10AM Kerry Blaisdell Kay Jennings Phillip Kenney Deni Starr 10AM-11AM Paula Butterfield Charley Descoteaux Marilyn McDonald Holly Manno 11AM-12PM Mazarine Treyz Marilynne Eichinger Rick George Jo Sparkes 12PM-1PM Ruby Lee Cornelius Holly Manno Bob Ferguson Kim Hester 1PM-2PM Anne Hendren Jeff Stookey R. Gregory Noakes Heather Ames 2PM-3PM Dawn Prochovnic Julie Dawn…
FiLMLaBtv 2019 Writer’s Room The 2019 winning script is “Stripes,” written by Alexandra Keister. Keister, an executive assistant and screenwriter, has written two feature-length screenplays, both romantic comedies, and a handful of short screenplays that range from dark sci-fi to the classically uplifting my-dog-is-dead story. She graduated from Oregon State University in 2012 with a BA…
Willamette Writers Authors Sign Books at The Portland Book Festival
by Ari Mathae Willamette Writers, the Portland literary community, and book lovers near and far will meet again Saturday 10, 2018, for the largest celebration of books in the Pacific Northwest: The Portland Book Festival. The event starts at 9 A.M. at the Portland Art Museum and continues there and at other neighboring venues in the…
Member News: Mary Andonian & David Poulshock launch ISA Third Thursdays
Mary Andonian & David Poulshock launch ISA Third Thursdays Members Mary and David are launching the local chapter of the International Screenwriters Association(ISA). It’s a monthly mixer for screenwriters on Third Thursdays, where you can mingle with fellow screenwriters, meet film and television industry professionals, and win door prizes — including a free Willamette Writer’s…
How To Happily Write A Query Letter
We’re excited that Bill Kenower is a member of the faculty at the upcoming Willamette Writers Conference. Bill is the author of Fearless Writing: How to Create Boldly and Write With Confidence and Write Within Yourself: An Author’s Companion. In a blog he posted this past June, he shares his perspective on how he learned…
Wilwrite20 — The Willamette Writers Conference
Writing Advice from Zoraida Córdova
by Mari Hotchkiss An unusual career path. As a young child in Ecuador, Zoraida Córdova grew up listening to her grandmother’s stories that were filled with magic and wonder. At six years old, she immigrated to the United States with her mom and grandma, causing her to abandon her love of stories. “I stopped reading.…
Literary Agents at the 2020 Willamette Writers Conference Register now for our 2020 Conference, and meet these agents, along with other top notch industry professionals. You can register for a pitch or critique, and share your work with these pros. They are excited to hear from you. At the conference, you can join them in…
2019 Willamette Writers Conference Pitch Professionals We are proud to announce the industry professionals accepting pitches this year at our 50th annual Willamette Writers Conference. You will find a list of all our current industry professionals here. We are welcoming a fantastic group of agents, editors, manager, and producers, and the list will continue to…
Julie Whipple Book Signing at Powells
Julie Whipple will be reading and signing copies of her new book, Crash Course Join Julie Whipple at Powell’s downtown flagship store on West Burnside on Monday, August 20 at 7:30 (http://www.powells.com/book/-9780692070406#product_details) and award-winning audiobook narrator Heather Henderson for a special performance of excerpts from the book. Long-time Portland residents vividly recall the crash of…
HOW TO WIN THE SUBMISSION WAITING GAME
We’re excited that Erick Mertz is a member of the faculty at the upcoming Willamette Writers Conference. Erick is a Portland-based ghostwriter and fiction/memoir manuscript consultant. Over the last five years as a full-time freelancer he has written manuscripts for a variety of clients. In a blog he posted this past December, he shares advice…
The 7 Things Writers Need to Make a Living by Sonia Simone
Written by SONIA SIMONE Reprinted with permission from Copyblogger. If you’re a writer, you might have heard this most of your life: People don’t make a living writing. You should find something practical to do with your life. Smart, capable writers grimly pass around war stories on Facebook. Penny-a-word assignments, clients who don’t pay, disdain for our…
Open Mic Night at the Willamette Writers Conference
Open Mic night started at the Willamette Writers Conference in 2013, when I mentioned to the conference chair that I attended a really fun Open Mic Night at another writing conference. This launched us into a talk about how we could make one for Willamette Writers and how we could make it even better than…
What’s New at the Willamette Writers Conference
Welcome to our 2018 Conference! This year, our theme for The Best Three Days in Writing is “Celebrating Diverse Voices in Writing.” The whole team is really looking forward to what we’ve got in store for you all this August 3rd -5th. As you know, the conference has grown and changed much over its 49-year…
Experiences at The Willamette Writers Conference
“A writers conference can be an empowering and uplifting experience,” according to Scott Myers, a producer, writer, and assistant director. Myers presented at the Willamette Writers Conference this year, and said it was a “special experience.” He explains on his website about his conference experience that he met so many writers and old friends, and his classes were packed. His…