WRITERCON
2026
Writers Conference
September 4th – September 7th, 2026
at the Historic Skirvin Hotel
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JOIN US FOR THE 19TH ANNUAL WRITERCON
Join us for the 19th annual WriterCon in 2026 for an immersive weekend of workshops, panels, and networking designed to help you achieve your publishing dreams.
Whether you’re an aspiring author, a seasoned writer, or a publishing professional, WriterCon is the place to connect, learn, and grow.
Mark your calendars and be part of this incredible community of storytellers
2026 packages
WHAT TO EXPECT
Speakers
SPECIAL GUESTS
MASTERCLASSES
Masterclasses take place on Monday, September 7th, and are optional, additional add-ons to your conference registration. There is a morning segment and afternoon segment so you can choose to attend one from each or just one. Special this year, William and Lara Bernhardt will be doing a 6-hr class on the Keys to Successful Fiction.
Monday Masterclasses | Morning
THE KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL FICTION | William Bernhardt and Lara Bernhardt | 6 hrs. | $199
(Note: This workshop is limited to 12 participants)
Bestselling author William Bernhardt and award-winning novelist Lara Bernhardt will take students through all the critical elements of fiction, bringing fresh insight to concepts such as character, plot, and viewpoint, and showing writers how to use these fundamental approaches to bring their story to life. Bernhardt will also address less familiar concepts–story structure, psychic distance, and pacing–that are critical to success in the highly competitive publishing world. The Bernhardts will also interact with participants about their own work to help develop characters, plots, work through story conflicts, editing issues, and other problems that often plague early manuscripts.
You will learn how to:
- Hook readers on the first page
- Make your novel impossible to resist
- Make readers care about your characters
- Sustain interest over the course of a novel
- Make dialogue distinctive
- Understand the importance of structure
- Understand the difference between showing and telling—and why it matters
- Edit for success
- Learning the hallmarks of modern publishable writing style
PITCHING & SHAPING YOUR STORY FOR THE SCREEN | Bob Saenz and Rene Gutteridge | 3 hrs | $99
Pitching a movie project is far more than memorizing a logline and hoping to impress a producer. A successful pitch communicates passion, builds excitement, and convinces the listener you not only have a great idea—you’re the writer who can bring it to life. In this class, you’ll learn how to craft and deliver pitches that land, from the quick “elevator pitch” to a longer sit-down. We’ll cover how to hook your audience, adjust your pitch for different settings, avoid common pitfalls, and show yourself as a collaborator worth investing in.
But pitching is only half the work. We’ll also analyze your story ideas to see what makes them truly cinematic. Can any idea become a great movie? What separates a strong premise from one that struggles on screen? Together, we’ll unpack the elements producers look for—stakes, conflict, visual storytelling—and help you shape your story into something ready for the big or small screen. By the end, you’ll walk away with sharper ideas, a stronger pitch, and the confidence to seize the moment when opportunity comes.
WRITING THAT STICKS: Using Fiction Strategies in Biography, Memoir, and Other Nonfiction Work | Jon Meyers | 3 hrs | $99
Telling enjoyable stories that resonate is great. Telling those stories in a way that makes them unshakable and unforgettable is even better. Think of a novel that you thought about for days, weeks, maybe months after you finished it. We call that “narrative afterglow” – and this three-hour interactive workshop will take you on a deep dive into how a few select fiction-writing techniques can be adapted to give your non- fiction an intensity that your readers will not be able to shake. I will dispel some limiting beliefs that stop non-fiction writers from using some of the basic building blocks of fiction that can move your readers to tears, to laughter, or even to action.
The WRITING THAT STICKS is divided into three segments:
- Make Your Readers Believe – Authenticity is the key to believability in non- fiction/memoir. We’ve all had things happen to us where we thought “No one is ever going to believe this…” The challenge is compounded because your audience didn’t witness the events. Ironically, we can lean into several fiction writing techniques to make our true stories even more believable just by telling them in a certain way.
- Make Your Readers Laugh – Humor Heals. You’ll learn some specific strategies on how to present some real-life moments in an uplifting humorous manner without making light of their importance. You will learn how to avoid some common mistakes writers make when I teach you the psychology behind a joke and storytelling in a specific order.
- Make Your Readers Think – When we write novels, we strive to write a book that the reader can’t put down. However, in non-fiction/memoir, we want them to take a thoughtful pause and meditate on the chapter they just finished before moving on to the next. You’ll learn how to write chapters that your readers will internalize and recall repeatedly. (Recurrent Involuntary Memories)
As a bonus, after the session, you will receive at no additional cost
- a free mini-workbook you can download to keep you on target with your objectives
- A marketing strategy handout, so you’ll be able to present a unified message when it becomes time to sell your book.
WRITING POPULAR FICTION | Lauren Smith | 3 hrs. | $99
Attendees will learn the history of storytelling and how it can engage readers page after page and result in work that sells.
- They will learn how to write like a reader and read like a writer.
- They will study the art of creating good characters, plot and pacing.
- And they will learn about the different popular genres and why they are
popular.
Lauren will offer a first chapter critiques of participants’ work after the class.
Monday Masterclasses | Afternoon
COAXING CHARACTER INTO CHARACTER | Lou Berney | 3 hrs | $99
It’s important for writers to create engaging, distinctive, complex characters. But for most writers that’s easier said than done. In this workshop we’ll discuss one of the most effective ways to reveal the character of our characters: by letting them show us. Let them acclaimed Edgar Award-winner and New Yorker short story writer teach you how to create characters that make a novel captivate a reader and provide a rewarding reading experience.
BOOTSTRAPS MARKETING - A Ground-Floor Introduction to Marketing Your Book Without Spending a Fortune | RJ Johnson | 3 hrs. | $99
Your book deserves to be a bestseller. Join award-winning author R.J. Johnson as he shares tips and tricks about the marketing systems he uses to launch and grow multiple series. Learn about categories, keywords, ads, email strategies, and create a thirty-day roadmap that will attract readers and build momentum that lasts.
POETRY: From Inspiration to the Final Expression on Paper (Interactive Workshop) | Bill McCloud | 3 hrs | $99
This nationally recognized poet, editor, and reviewer, will concentrate on the step-by-step process of developing a poem. Consideration will be given to the form, the title, the line-breaks, the punctuation, the look of the poem, its rhythm, and more. Time will also be spent on gaining the confidence necessary to read your poetry in public.
Attendees are encouraged to bring examples of their recent and current poetry for friendly discussion and feedback.
WRITING A SCREENPLAY SCENE | Rene Gutteridge and Bob Saenz | 3 hrs | $99
When you write a movie scene, are you just filling space on the page—or are you intentionally building a moment that earns its place in the story? This class will break down the elements that make a scene powerful, purposeful, and unforgettable. We’ll look at how each scene must move the story forward, deepen character, and create momentum for what comes next. You’ll learn how to craft scenes with clear conflict and emotional impact, how to use subtext and visual storytelling to say more with less, and how to shape scenes that both stand on their own and fit seamlessly into the whole. From pacing and rhythm to
theme and tone, we’ll explore how the best scenes do more than progress the plot—they hook the audience, raise the stakes, and leave a lasting impression.
FAQs
Base Package $499 – Early Bird $399
Admission to all sessions on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Pitching and consultations to authors, agents, editors, and publishers
Author Headshot by Professional Photographer
Premium Package $699 – Early Bird $599
Admission to all sessions on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Pitching and consultations to authors, agents, editors, and publishers
Registration Gift Package
Author Headshot by Professional Photographer
Unlimited Contest Entries
Private Consultation with the Participating Author of Your Choosing
Post-Conference Audio Recordings
Superstar Package $799 – Early Bird $699
Admission to all sessions on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Pitching and consultations with authors, agents, editors, and publishers.
Registration Gift Package
Author Headshot by Professional Photographer
Unlimited Contest Entries
Private Consultation with Participating Author of Your Choice
Manuscript Review by Participating Author of Your Choice
Post-Conference Audio Recordings
Exclusive VIP Agent/Publisher Reception
Scholarships Available
The Bernhardt Center for Arts & Literature is offering a full Superstar package registration to an aspiring writer age 21 or younger. To apply, send a one-page (double-spaced, Times New Roman 12, one-inch margins on all sides) essay explaining why you want the scholarship to: william@writercon.com. Make the Subject line: Bernhardt Scholarship.
Deadline is July 31, 2026
The Theta Juan Bernhardt scholarship offers a full Basic registration to an aspiring writer age 50 or older. To apply, send a one-page (double-spaced, Times New Roman 12, one-inch margins on all sides) essay explaining why you want the scholarship to: william@writercon.com. Make the Subject line: Theta Juan Bernhardt Scholarship
Deadline is July 31, 2026
Be sure to include your name and email address in the text of your application essays
We’d love to have you be a sponsor or vendor. VIEW OPPORTUNITIES!
DON'T MISS OUT!
Why you should Join WriterCon 2026
Sessions & Masterclasses
Pitching
One-on-one meetings with agents and editors at no additional cost!
