2026 Washington Writers Conference Panels & Workshops

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PANELS

Debut Authors: How They Did It
This popular panel gives debut authors a chance to share their publication stories. The first novel by NYT-bestselling ghostwriter Samuel Ashworth, The Life and Death of August Sweeney, is about a legendary chef who controls the story of his life by manipulating the doctor conducting his autopsy. Lacey N. Dunham’s debut novel, The Belles, explores the dark dynamics of an outsider trying to break into the elite clique of an exclusive college in 1951. And Marisa Kashino’s satiric thriller Best Offer Wins — about the competitive DC real-estate market — is a Good Morning America Book Club pick and is in development as a TV series for Hulu. The panel will be moderated by Amy Freeman, development director at the Writer’s Center and a longtime freelance writer.

The Business of Poetry
Learn how successful poets have built and sustained their careers. Social-justice activist Sunu P. Chandy is a poet and a civil rights attorney whose award-winning collection, My Dear Comrades, was published by Regal House in 2023. Dwayne Lawson-Brown, aka the Crochet Kingpin, works for the DC Arts Commission and is the author of four poetry collections, the latest of which is Biscuit Box. Peacocks on the Streets is Michele Wolf’s most recent book; the prize-winning poet also teaches at the Writer’s Center. Moderating the panel is Jona Colson, co-president of Washington Writers’ Publishing House and a poet, translator, editor, publisher, and professor. He has authored Said Through Glass and translated Aguas/Waters by Miguel Avero.

Plot Secrets from the Pros
These prolific writers describe how they plot their stories. Moderating the discussion is E.A. Aymar, whose latest Anthony Award-nominated novel is When She Left. He is a former member of the national board of the International Thriller Writers and is an active member of Crime Writers of Color and Sisters in Crime. With a career of over 30 years in intelligence work, Alma Katsu has won numerous awards for her many historical horror and spy novels; in her most recent work, Fiend, a thousand-year-old demon terrorizes the modern world. The author of 14 books, including Van Boyle, A Fly in the Ointment, Sibs, and The Tall Tale of Tommy Twice, Nathan Leslie is also the series editor for Best Small Fictions and editor of the Maryland Literary Review. And Eliza Nellums is the author of two novels, The Bone Cay and All That’s Bright and Gone, which was praised in the Washington Post and Real Simple magazine.

Writing for Young Readers (Children, MG, & YA)
DC native and nonprofit executive Antoine Lunsford draws inspiration from his 16 years of classroom experience to create the children’s books in his Little Andy’s World series. Brandt Ricca’s Louisiana heritage provides the setting for his two middle-grade series, including three books about young Barris Hart. His third and latest Bernice story, Bernice and the Broken Dream, was just released. Among Bethany C. Morrow’s many other honors, her novel So Many Beginnings, a Little Women remix, was showcased at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Her latest fiction is an adult horror story, The Body. Moderating the panel is Anna Bright, who, in addition to her work at an independent bookstore, has published four YA novels, the most recent of which is The Hedgewitch of Foxhall.

What Booksellers Know
We often hear from editors, agents, and publishers, but who better than booksellers to talk to us about placement, marketing, and even genre decisions? After nearly three decades as an award-winning journalist at the Washington Post, Amy Joyce co-founded Wonderland Books, an independent bookstore in Bethesda, Maryland. A former elementary school teacher and reading coach, Megan Bormet is the owner of community-oriented People’s Book in Takoma Park, Maryland. Susan Coll has worked at Politics and Prose for 10 years and currently serves as its events advisor. She is the author of Bookish People, The Literati, Real Life and Other Fictions, and multiple other novels. Patricia Coral moderates this discussion. Her memoir, Women Surrounded by Water, was longlisted for the 2024 National Book Critics Circle Award in Autobiography, and she previously served as events director for Politics and Prose Bookstore.

Your Story, Your Way
You have a story to tell, your own or one that’s been in your family for years, but how should you tell it: via memoir, fiction, nonfiction, or a hybrid? Moderator Laura J. Oliver is an award-winning writer, developmental story editor, workshop facilitator, writing mentor, and author of The Story Within, New Insights and Inspiration for Writers. A’Lelia Bundles has authored the first major biography of her great-grandmother, Joy Goddess: A’Lelia Walker and the Harlem Renaissance, as well as On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C.J. Walker, about her entrepreneurial great-great-grandmother. Jeannie Vanasco has written three acclaimed memoirs, A Silent Treatment, Things We Didn’t Talk About When I Was a Girl, and The Glass Eye; her new book is forthcoming from Tin House. Jennifer Bort Yacovissi, president of the Independent, is the author of Up the Hill to Home, a fictionalized account of her mother’s family in Washington, DC, between the Civil War and the Great Depression.

Writing in Washington
Celebrating the positive aspects of being a writer in the DMV, our panelists look at the region’s unique opportunities and resources. Leading this discussion is moderator Stefan Fatsis, a journalist and sports commentator, as well as the author of Unabridged: The Thrill of (and Threat to) the Modern Dictionary and three other books. Richard Peabody is founding editor of Gargoyle Magazine/Paycock Press, a teacher, and the author of a novella, three short-story collections, a volume of poetry, and other works. A Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist now retired from the Miami Herald, Leonard Pitts Jr., has published multiple novels, the most recent of which are 54 Miles and The Last Thing You Surrender. Among other distinguished appointments, Dr. Colleen J. Shogan, a member of the Independent’s board of directors, served as the 11th Archivist of the United States and, “in her spare time,” has penned eight mystery novels in her award-winning Washington Whodunit series, which features amateur sleuth Kit Marshall. 

How to Organize a Collection of Short Fiction or Poetry
Writer and teacher Chloe Yelena Miller, whose second volume of poetry, Perforated, was just released, moderates this panel of experts as they share insights and practical tips for arranging separate components into a creative whole. The author of a more perfect Union and Haint, Teri Ellen Cross Davis curated the poetry series at the Folger Shakespeare Library for almost 20 years. Hiram Larew’s seventh collection of poems, This Much Very, was published by Alien Buddha Press in 2025, and the prize-winning poet also founded Poetry X Hunger, an initiative that supports the anti-hunger cause. Zach Powers is executive and artistic director for the Writer’s Center and Poet Lore magazine. In addition to his story collection, Gravity Changes, he has published two novels, most recently The Migraine Diaries.

Beyond the Big Houses: Self-Publishing and Independent Press Publishing
Self-publishing and placing your book with an independent press are increasingly popular ways to make your voice heard. Moderating this panel is Independent columnist Ellen Prentiss Campbell, author of the acclaimed historical novels Frieda’s Song, The Bowl with Gold Seams, and the just-published Vanishing Point, as well as two short-story collections. Following a radio career that included a stint as co-programmer of Sirius XM Book Radio, Kim Alexander turned to writing fantasy romance. Her first novel, The Sand Prince, launched a series called The Demon Door. As owner of POP Editorial Services, LLC, Katherine Pickett offers coaching and editing services and has won awards for her Perfect Bound: How to Navigate the Book Publishing Process Like a Pro. She self-published her 2025 novel, Debra Lee Won’t Break. An expert on maritime history, Ken Rossignol travels worldwide to speak on a variety of related topics and has self-published numerous books on subjects ranging from the Chesapeake Bay to the Panama Canal to the heroes of the Titanic.

From Journalist to Author
Learn how these writers built on their journalistic talents to publish nonfiction books. Moderator Cathy Alter, a member of the Independent’s board of directors, has written articles and essays for O, the Oprah Magazine, the Cut, WIRED, and the Washington Post, among others. She is the author of Virgin Territory, the memoir Up for Renewal, and CRUSH. Melanie D.G. Kaplan is a longtime independent journalist with a focus on travel and science writing; her first book, Lab Dog, was released by Seal Press in October. Journalist, author, and climate activist Mike Tidwell has published seven books, the most recent of which is The Lost Trees of Willow Avenue: A Story of Climate and Hope on One American Street, an exploration of global warming’s impact. Vicki Valosik has written for such national publications as the Atlantic, Smithsonian, Slate, U.S. News & World Report, the Huffington Post, the Washington Post Magazine, and the Philadelphia Inquirer. Her book Swimming Pretty: The Untold Story of Women in Water was published by Liveright, a W.W. Norton imprint.

WORKSHOPS

Book Marketing on a Budget
In this workshop, Rob Jolles will offer practical, budget-friendly book-marketing strategies, from building a book launch to leveraging social media, blogs, podcasts, Amazon tools, press releases, and more. By the end of the program, he promises you’ll walk away with a personalized, actionable marketing plan and the confidence to promote your book like a pro. A five-time bestselling author and 40-year professional speaker, Rob has delivered workshops and publicized his books all over the world. He trains authors to promote their books and speaks for some of the largest publishers in the country.

Get Noticed: An Agent and Editor Shares Tricks of the Trade
Literary agent Barbara Jones addresses the two manuscript obstacles to having your work picked up by an agent and by an acquiring editor — and how to remove them. At Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency, she represents literary and upmarket fiction, as well as nonfiction. For many years, she worked as an editor at such magazines as Real Simple and Vogue before moving into books. She was also a onetime editorial director at Hyperion and an executive editor at Henry Holt.