Conference
Welcome to the Las Vegas Writers Conference Homepage!
Sam's Town Hotel and Gambling Hall
Phone: 800-634-6371
Las Vegas, Nevada
April 24-26, 2014
Click here to register Now!
Register before March 15 for the opportunity to have five pages of your manuscript read and critiqued by an agent, editor, or publisher. For each faculty member receiving pitches, two lucky attendees will be selected for this personal attention! Be sure to register before the deadline.
Thanks to our Keynote Speaker for the 2013 Las Vegas Writers Conference
My Haley
While working on her doctorate in Communications and African American Studies at The Ohio State University, My was inspired by a speech author Alex Haley delivered on campus. After achieving her goal of a PhD, she set out on her next goal: to work with the renowned author.
Impressed by My’s drive and talent, Alex Haley gave her a major assignment—to assist him in writing the remaining two-thirds of a book that was long overdue to his publisher. Within a matter of months together they completed the work and that book, Roots, catapulted Alex Haley to international fame. My and Alex married in 1977, and over the years she collaborated on many of his projects, including the miniseries Roots: The Next Generation. After Alex’s death, My Haley immersed herself in writing pieces based upon her growing up with her grandmother and writing screenplays for feature film and TV.
Now, My has returned to her own roots as an author. The Treason of Mary Louvestre, coming in 2012, is just the first of numerous books and projects she’s readying for launch. It is an historical novel based on the little known but true story of a black woman spy during the Civil War, whose courageous actions led to a northern victory in the important naval battle at Hampton Roads in 1862.
"Treason" is scheduled for release by Koehler Books in Decmeber of 2012. The book will be available in pre-release for print and ebooks Summer of 2012.
www.myhaleyauthor.com
Join writing professionals, agents, publishers, industry experts and your colleagues for three days in exciting Las Vegas, Nevada as they share their knowledge of all aspects of the writers craft.
Take advantage of:
* Registration is limited to 150 attendess so sign up now
* Formal pitch sessions with agents and publishers
* Talk with faculty for informal discussions and advice
* Workshops, seminars and expert panels
* Q&A panels for you to ask the experts all your questions
* Meet & Greet Cocktail party with faculty and fellow writers
* Mingle and network with industry professionals
* "First Read" panel providing feedback on first pages
SPECIAL HOTEL RATES: Attendees wishing to stay at Sam's Town Hotel can use guestroom code (TBA) for a discounted rate during the conference or call 800-634-6371 if any additional questions.
One of the great charms of the Las Vegas Writers Conference is its intimacy. Registration is limited to 150 attendees so there's always plenty of one-on-one time with the faculty. There are formal pitch sessions, panels, workshops, and seminars. The faculty is also available throughout the conference for informal discussions and advice. Plus, you're bound to meet a few new friends.
Workshops, seminars, and expert panels will take you through writing in many genres including fiction, creative nonfiction, screenwriting, poetry, journalism, and business writing. There will be many Q&A panels for you to ask the experts all your questions.
The conference kickoff is a MEET & GREET COCKTAIL PARTY with faculty, agents, publishers, and fellow writers. This is an outstanding opportunity to mingle, network, and meet industry professionals. The meet & greet is for attendees only from 6:00 - 7:00pm on Thursday. After that, there is an open house for the general public from 7:00 - 9:00pm.
Also, another popular feature of the conference is our "First Read" panel where selected faculty members get an opportunity to hear the first pages of attendees works and provide immediate feedback on why they might continue or stop reading at that point.
Meals are included for both attendees and faculty. This provides a unique opportunity for attendees to talk to industry professionals in an informal setting for career guidance and networking.
Writers with completed works have the opportunity to pitch their projects to agents/publishers in a one-on-one setting.
The conference was well-organized, managed, helpful, and appealing in its planning and execution. I had a great time with the participants in sessions, in pitching, and in conversations as we all hung out. I especially liked your group at the sign-in tables. It was life-saving that they could print out my revised talks for the sessions, give me space to sit and edit a book I had to finish, and chat with me about living in Vegas, and about writing. They made me feel welcome, comfortable, and relaxed. I looked forward all spring to the conference and it was even better being there.
Annette Rogers
www.poisonedpenpress.com
When choosing a writer's conference, it pays to find one small enough so you're not just a face in the crowd and large enough to attract top-notch agents, editors and speakers. The Las Vegas Writers' Conference is the perfect choice and the reason why this writer is always honored to be asked back to speak. Well-organized by a terrific team of volunteers and held in a wonderful Las Vegas venue, this conference is a real treat and a bargain to boot for beginners and seasoned writers alike.
Randall Platt
www.plattbooks.com
As President of the Henderson Writers’ Group, I watch our attendees every year. Most come in as the proverbial deer looking into the headlights of confusion. The great majority leave with a clear determination to put what they have learned into making their work saleable. The more prepared attendees, those who come to our conference with a foundation from previous conference education, leave with contacts that have led to at least getting their foot in the door at an agency or publishing house. I have seen all the way from two (2) attendees signed by agents in 2005 to the seven (7) attendees that I know who were offered contracts last year in 2010. It has been satisfying to know that we lent a hand in helping our attendees make the connections to start their writing careers in earnest.
Jo A. Wilkins, Pres., HWG
This year will mark the fifth conference I have attended. Each year I come away with so much useful information. The panel talks, the workshops and the speeches have taught me so much about writing, publishing and marketing. The atmosphere of the conference leaves me with a “high” about my craft and a positive attitude about the field of writing in general. I wouldn’t miss it for anything.
Darlien C. Breeze
Author of MINI TALES, Ghosts & Gamblers of Las Vegas
I credit my first attendance at this conference in 2005 as the catalyst for my fiction writing. I learned so much my book, "A Corpse in the Soup" not only snagged a publisher, but was named "Best Mystery Audio Book of 2007 by USA Book News."
Morgan St. James
www.morganstjames-author.com
This is my third Las Vegas Writers Conference and I’m excited to continue my learning/writing journey. The warmth, generosity and sharing among both the participants and the faculty is infectious and spontaneous, and, you’re just as likely to sit with an agent at lunch (or at the bar) as you are when you pitch your story to her/him in the face-to-face ten minute pitch sessions.
Having joined the Henderson Writers Group in 2010 and having attended these conferences is surely why I’ve improved my writing and published four short stories in 2011-2012, and signed a book contract for my upcoming novel, too. I can’t thank you enough Las Vegas Writers Conference and all the hands and minds that support and create it!
Judy Shine
I attended the Las Vegas Writers Conference in 2006 and returned in 2009. The writing workshops were educational and helped my writing craftsmanship. Especially informative were James Rollins’ presentation on “Writing The International Blockbuster” and the screenwriting workshops. In addition, the various classes on the business of writing really opened my eyes. Peter Bowerman’s talk on freelance writing was particularly inspiring. I gained a lot from this conference. Time well spent!
Karl H.
Thanks to our keynote speaker for 2012,
Mary Wilson of the Supremes
Dream Girl: My Life as a Supreme, St. Martin's Press
Supreme Faith: Someday We'll Be Together, Harper Collins
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