WriteNOW! 2024

Desert Sleuths Annual Writers Conference

Craft ♦ Publish ♦ Market

September 20 & 21, 2024

“Best Writers Conference in Arizona.” — The  Writer magazine (2020)

please CONTACT US if you encounter any registration issues  

Arizona does not follow daylight saving time; all times below are MST
(EDT add 3 hrs., CDT add 2 hrs., MDT add 1 hr., PDT is the same as MST)

Already know which events you want to attend? Click the Register button.

This event has passed. Registration is closed.

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Need more information? Each agent, editor, and speaker listed below is linked to one of the WriteNOW! 2024 Faculty pages. There you will find bios, workshop descriptions, manuscript submission requirements, and more information. Links will open in a new browser tab so you don’t lose your place on this page.

Friday Pre-conference events
9/20/24 (each event priced separately)

Registration cut-off, midnight, Wednesday, September 18
PitchNOW! Price: $35 per session; 8 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

One-on-one 10-minute pitch sessions with an acquiring agent. You can purchase sessions with more than one agent. Remember, all times are MST.

EditNOW! Price: $60

Editors will accept and assess your first three chapters (up to 30 pages) and give you feedback. Manuscripts will be accepted via email beginning this day.

Email your submission between 9/20 and 9/28 (we’ll email you the address). It will be returned by 10/15/24.

CraftNOW! Workshop! Price: $35; 2:00 – 3:30 p.m

Award-winning author and chair of the Black Orchid Novella Award Committee Jane Cleland will help you with her take on Beat the Bots: A Writer’s Guide to Surviving and Thriving in the Age of AI.

About the workshop: In the age of artificial intelligence (AI) being applied to almost every part of our lives, authors worry about AI’s role in publishing … click to read the entire description.

 

Let’s Network! 6-7:30 p.m., Friday, 9/20/24, $15

conference logo with text and food/drink items
WN! 2024 Networking Social

Reservation Deadline: Noon, Friday 9/13/24 — Limited to 30

Location: We selected a restaurant in the Biltmore/Town & Country area in Phoenix. The name and address will be emailed to confirmed ticket holders only. Walk-ins are not permitted.

Details for your Reservation here.

For Friday Event descriptions please see

OUR FRIDAY FACULTY PAGE.

Saturday 9/21/24 MAIN CONFERENCE!

Member PRICE: $25*; Non-member price $35

*Current Desert Sleuths members receive a $10 discount

Registration for Saturday only available up to midnight, Friday, 9/20
Day-of-event registration will be available via Crowdcast. Link will be posted in September.

MarketNOW! Workshop:

Jaden Terrell presents Sell Your Books, Not Your Soul. Put two or more writers together and, sooner or later, one will say, “I love writing. I just wish someone else would handle all that selling stuff.” The good news? … click to read entire description

Saturday Presentations and Interview:

Mysteries with Staying Power: How to Create Books that Maximize Reader Engagement by Naomi Hirahara … click to read entire description

Forensics Faux Pas and How to Get Away with Murder. This interview with forensics specialist Jennifer Dornbush, who has a penchant for writing mysteries …  click to read entire description

Humor Hacks from a Sitcom Veteran with Ellen Byron. For some, writing is hard enough. But adding humor? … click to read entire description

Saturday Panels:

Truths, Lies, and Myths Debunked: Editors Tell All. Moderator Jay Hartman will lead the discussion with editors Michael Brackman, John Connor, and Barb Goffman. … click to see Saturday Faculty page.

A Sense of Place: Sensory Locations and the Characters We Create. Moderator Deborah J. Ledford will lead the discussion with authors Shane Hawk, Stephen Mack Jones, and Wanda Morris. … click to see Saturday Faculty page.

Listen and learn from authors who offer insights into writing, publishing, and marketing.

Saturday Schedule:

    • 8 a.m. Welcome from Host, Christina Estes
    • 8:10 a.m. — Mysteries with Staying Power: How to Create Books that Maximize Reader Engagement, presentation by Naomi Hirahara
    • 9:15 a.m. — Truths, Lies, and Myths Debunked: Editors Tell All, panel with  Jay Hartman (moderator) | Michael Bracken | John Connor | Barb Goffman
    • 10:20 a.m. — Sell Your Books, Not Your Soul, MarketNOW! workshop by Jaden Terrell
    • 11:50 a.m. — Recap, Break, then Book Giveaway, Christina Estes
    • 12:35 p.m. — Forensics Faux Pas and How to Get Away with Murder, interview with Jennifer Graeser Dornbush
    • 1:40 p.m. — A Sense of Place: Sensory  Locations and the Characters We Create, panel with Deborah J. Ledford (moderator)  | Shane Hawk | Stephen Mack Jones | Wanda Morris
    • 2:45 p.m. — Humor Hacks from a Sitcom Veteran, presentation by Ellen Byron
    • 3:45 p.m. — Closing Remarks, Christina Estes

These times are Mountain Standard (MST), as Arizona does not observe Daylight Saving Time.
(East Coast, add 3 hours; Central, add 2; MT, add 1; Pacific, subtract 0)

For Bios and descriptions please see

OUR Saturday FACULTY PAGE.