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2026 Symposium
Living Your Writing Life: Ink and Inspiration
Sixteenth Annual VWC Symposium
August 1, 2026
This year's Symposium will be in-person at the Copley Science Center at Randolph-Macon College. The Copley Science Center is located at the corner of Calhoun and Caroline Streets in Ashland, Virginia.
We are happy to have Kris Spisak as the keynote speaker for this year’s event. She is well-known for her expertise in the writing field. Check out her bio page at
Bio for Bookish Events - Kris Spisak.
SYMPOSIUM SCHEDULE
Begins at 9:00 AM
Gather and mingle & Welcome in auditorium classroom (all attendees)
Session 1 (choose 1)
- Loralee Clark: Putting Your Best Poems Forward: How to Successfully Compile Published Poems into a Cohesive Manuscript
- Melody A. Kramer: Writing Credibly About Lawyers and Court Cases
- Deidra Whitt Lovegren: The Architecture of Greatness: Learning from Literary Legends
- Dr. Darnell E. Patton: Inspiration and Overcoming Writer’s Block
- Henry Rausch: Cost-effective Marketing Strategies for Self-Published Authors
Session 2 (choose 1)
- Tracie Adams: True-ish: Rethinking Nonfiction Through Speculation
- Dr. Kathleen P. Decker: The Poetry Society of Virginia-Opportunities for Cross-Fertilization of Writers, Poets, and Artists
- Joanne Liggan: Overcoming Fear, Procrastination, and Writer's Block
- Marilynn Deane Mendell: Public Relations 101: How to get in front of a wider audience
- David Wessel: Pro Tips for Author Tables at Festivals and Fairs
LUNCH
Keynote Speaker, Kris Spisak
Session 3 (choose 1)
- Betsy Ashton: You Finished Your Book. Now what?
- Kat Caldwell: Finding the Story for the Character that Haunts You
- Heather S. Cole and James Blakey: Selling Your Books in Person
- Pamela Brothers Denyes: Organizing Your Poetry and Short Stories So Submitting Doesn’t Make You Crazy!
- Diane Fanning: Grab Your Machete: Hacking through the jungle to get an agent or publisher
Session 4 (choose 1)
- Ken Conklin: A Nerd's Guide to Self-Publishing
- Sean Kery MS PE FSNAME: Ships and the Ocean/Introduction to Shipwreck Science for Fiction Writers
- Sharon Pajka, Ph.D.: Write Like Thoreau (Without the Cabin): Building a Writing Retreat on Any Budget
- Cecilia (“Celie”) B. Thomas, M.Ed, M.Ht: So You Think You’re Not a Poet?
- Leslie Truex: Getting Discovered: How to Find Readers
BOOK SIGNINGS WILL TAKE PLACE FROM 4:10 - 4:30.
BOOKS ARE ON SALE ALL DAY.
Registration begins June 1.
Lifetime members may attend at no charge.
Registration includes access to all workshops (one from each session), the symposium booklet (available online), plus lunch. The printed schedule with locations for each session will be included in your swag bag that you will receive upon arrival.
Lunch Menu:
Lunch includes a sandwich of your choice, chips, cookie, piece of fruit,
and your choice of drink from those provided at the venue.
Sandwich choices (on the registration form) are:
Bavarian Blast (ham & cheese)
Chicken Salad
Turkey Wrap
Veggie Wrap
Lunch cannot be guaranteed for registrations received after July 27.
REGISTRATION WILL OPEN ON MONDAY, JUNE 1, 2026.
NOTE: ALL GUESTS MUST REGISTER SEPARATELY.
CLICK HERE FOR REGISTRATION
WANT TO SPONSOR OR ADVERTISE? CLICK THE FOLLOWING LINK:
https://virginiawritersclub.org/Symposium-Sponsorship-&-Advertising/
A HUGE THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!
Sponsors TBA