(Please note that this is an in-person event. We at Writing Day Workshops plan both online/virtual as well as in-person events. This next SWW is an in-person event happening in Seattle on May 9, 2026. See you there.)
THIS YEAR’S CLASSES (MAY 9, 2026):
Agent pitches and critique consultations overlap with the sessions below. The schedule of presentation topics below is subject to change and updates:
BLOCK ONE: 9:30 – 10:30
1. Are Your First Pages Helping or Hurting Your Submission? (Bellevue 2 room) taught by Sorche Fairbank. Do you suspect that even when agents request your material, they sometimes don’t read after the first few pages? You may be right. Join an eye-opening session about the importance of first pages. Learn if you are guilty of one or more of the cardinal first page sins, and leave with a better sense of how and where to begin your story.
2. Traditional Publishing vs. Self Publishing: The Pros & Cons of Each (Bellevue 1 room), taught by Chuck Sambuchino. Writers today have lots of choices and options, but that doesn’t mean your publishing journey is an easy path to navigate. How are traditional publishing and self-publishing changing? What kind of writer is attractive to an agent currently? What is hybrid publishing? Which social media sites and publishing resources are worth the time and effort in 2025? All these questions, and more, will be addressed during the speech.
BLOCK TWO: 10:45 – 11:50
1. 15 Evergreen Publishing Tips — Ways to Control Over Your Writing Journey (Bellevue 2 room), taught by Chuck Sambuchino. If you want to have more say over a journey that seems out of your control, then you need to understand elements of the publishing path that are within your control, and how to harness them. This speech discusses a variety of different things any writer can do to help their chances — whether you’re published or aspiring.
2. Identify Your Voice (Bellevue 1 room), taught by Kat Kerr. This session covers the age-old question “What do agents mean when they talk about Voice?” and all the different ways Voice is interpreted and how one can craft a unique perspective using it. Taught by a literary agent, this session will help you understand how to write in a way that’s distinctly you.
LUNCH ON YOUR OWN: 11:50 – 1:15
You have 85 minutes on your own to break and eat.
BLOCK THREE: 1:15 – 2:30
1. “Writers Got Talent”—a Page 1 Critique Fest (Bellevue 2 room), with participating literary agents and editors. In the vein of “American Idol” or “America’s Got Talent,” this is a chance to get your first page read (anonymously — no bylines given) with attending agents commenting on what was liked or not liked about the submission. Get expert feedback on your incredibly important first page, and know if your writing has what it needs to keep readers’ attention. (All attendees are welcome to bring pages to the event for this session, and we will choose pages at random for the workshop for as long as time lasts. All submissions should be novels or memoir—no prescriptive nonfiction or picture books, please. Do not send your pages in advance. You will bring printed copies with you, and instructions will be sent out approximately one week before the event.)
2. How to Sell a Nonfiction Book Proposal (Bellevue 1 room). This session focuses on effective strategies for writing a nonfiction book proposal on any subject. Topics include industry standards, building your expertise, and how to prepare a winning proposal that demonstrates your understanding of the marketplace.
BLOCK FOUR: 2:45 – 3:45
1. Open Agent Q&A Panel (Bellevue 2 room). Several attending literary agents will open themselves up to open Q&A from SWW attendees. Bring your questions and get them answered in this popular session.
2. How to Market Yourself and Your Books: Talking Author Social Media and Platform (Bellevue 1 room), taught by Chuck Sambuchino. Whether you’re traditionally published or self-published, everyone could use some helpful guidance on how to effectively market themselves and sell more books. This session includes easy-to-understand advice on social media (Twitter, Facebook, more), newsletters, and other simple ways you can market your work online cheaply and easily.
BLOCK FIVE: 4:00 – 5:00
1. Let’s Talk Structure and Craft (Bellevue 1 room), taught by Chuck Sambuchino. How do you edit your manuscript on a sentence by sentence level? What story beats do readers expect in the three-act structure? These questions, and more, will be examined in this class, taught by a professional freelance editor. Understand how to revise and overhaul your work from a macro (big picture) level all the way down to a micro (sentence) level.
2. Pitch Like a Pro: How to Write a Great Query (Bellevue 2 room), taught by AJ Van Belle. Learn to elevate your query pitch from “okay” to captivating. We’ll discuss examples of so-so pitches and then dive into the same stories pitched so they shine. Then we’ll practice creating query pitches for your story that leave the reader feeling they must know more about the main character. We’ll also explore how gaining expertise at pitching your book helps you become a better storyteller.
5:00: The Day is Over
FREE ADDITIONAL RECORDED CLASSES:
We will actually send attendees extra FREE pre-recorded classes as part of their attendance. In addition to getting the weekend’s classes to enjoy live and in person, we will also send you 5 more free recorded classes on the side, from amazing instructors. In the week leading up to your in-person conference, we will send all confirmed attendees these classes below, some of which will aid in your pitching efforts:
- “Tips on Pitching Literary Agents & Editors at an In-Person Event,” taught by literary agent Carlie Webber
- “Tips on Pitching Literary Agents & Editors at an Online Event,” taught by literary agent Carlie Webber
- “Common First Pages Mistakes and How to Fix Them,” taught previously at the San Diego Writing Workshop
- “6 Pillars of Well-Developed Characters,” taught previously at the Texas Writing Workshop
- “How to Fix It: The Art and Craft of Revision,” taught previously at the Writing Workshop of Chicago