SDSU Writers' Conference

Thank you for making the 2012 SDSU Writers' Conference an overwhelming success. Please plan to attend the 29th Annual SDSU Writers' Conference on January 25-27, 2013.

Have your manuscript read by editors and agents from this country's major publishing houses and meet with them in-person to review your work!

• Get published!
• Research with the experts
• Make valuable connections
• Get hands-on help editing your manuscript
• Learn from award-winning writing instructors

Consult one-on-one with editors and agents on: Fiction • Nonfiction • Screen-writing • Children's Books • and MORE.

This year we are happy to announce the addition of additional consultation and advanced reading appointments. We've expanded the total number of appointments from three (3) to five (5).

Whatever your level or skill and experience, the SDSU Writers' Conference will help you improve your writing and increase your publishing savvy. Meet top level editors, agents, and professional writers of fiction, nonfiction and screenwriting. The links on this page will provide the most current information about our 2012 conference. Updates will occur as new information becomes available. If you have questions, please call (619) 594-2517.

See what 2011 Conference attendees are blogging about the conference:
I Love, Love, Love the San Diego State University Writers' Conference
Notes from the SDSU Writers' Conference
Thanks, San Diego, I Have An Agent!
It's all about the Pitch
Monday's Muse: San Diego State Writers' Conference
SDSU Writers Conference

Here are what our some of our past participants have to say:

"I'm sure you're busy getting ready for the 2012 conference, but I had to take a quick moment of your time to thank you.

I attended your 2010 conference - which was actually the first Writer's Conference I'd ever been to. While I was there, I had a critique on the first 10 pages of my middle grade fantasy novel (at the time it was titled: CHASING EVERBLAZE) and won the Conference Choice Award. I also pitched the project to several agents, one of whom was Laura Rennert with Andrea Brown Literary. She requested pages and two weeks after I sent them to her she offered to represent me. She's been working as my agent ever since, and we revised the project together several times before we were finally ready to shop it. And now it sold to Liesa Abrams at Simon & Schuster (Aladdin).

Here's the PW listing (the new title is Keeper of the Lost Cities)

I wanted to share the news with you because I'm fairly certain none of that would have happened were it not for your conference. Had I never met Laura in person and had her request pages, I would have been WAY too intimidated by her rock star client list to query her. And without her guidance through the revision process, I doubt I could have made the book what it is and been able to sell it. So I just wanted to thank you for putting together such an amazing conference. I always recommend it to my local writer friends. Your conference definitely works!"

– Shannon Messenger, author of Keeper of the Lost Cities

"The SDSU Writers' Conference is wonderful! The conference brings together authors, editors, and agents in a collaborative setting where good things are bound to happen."

– Matthew Holt, Executive Editor, John Wiley & Sons

"I just wanted to tell you how successful last year's conference was for me. At the conference, I met the literary agent who would soon sign me on as a client. Last week, we sold my first children's picture book, Hey, Little Baby to Beach Lane Press, an imprint of Simon and Schuster. My agent works for the literary agency that had sent me a rejection notice just a few weeks before I attended the SDSU conference. Meeting her in person and receiving her critiques made all the difference. I tell all of my writer friends the importance of attending the SDSU conference. It certainly changed my life!"

– Heather Leigh, author of Hey, Little Baby

"No other conference gives you as many opportunities to meet so many top editors and agents in one weekend. It's an incredible way to jump start your career."

"This is an EXCELLENT conference. You are idealistic, you make the editors and agents leave any arrogance at home. They're HELPFUL here. Professional writers are crucial to a society, and it's nourishing to EVERYONE when amateurs are encouraged. You do an excellent job of providing information and encouragement to all levels of writers, and that is SO hard."

"This is a GREAT conference! It's so professional and well-organized. Editor/agent appointments ran smoothly. I liked that many agents said "send it to me." They all seem open to at least reading my work - so valuable! I also found the workshops and talking to other writers very inspirational. I enjoyed hearing their stories - what they write and how they write. I can't wait to get back in front of my computer!"

"I am so grateful to have attended the Writers' Conference. It was a tremendously positive experience, providing invaluable insight into both the business and the creative aspects to being a professional writer. I'm so thankful to SDSU for providing such a wonderful opportunity."

"The agents and editors were all kind and generous with their individual time! Very much appreciated by all."

"Kudos for another EXCELLENT conference. Well organized, great range of topics, excellent range of speakers. Thank you."

"Great administration, great practical sessions, excellent quality of presenters."

"...I travel to many conferences around the country. In my humble opinion, the SDSU Conference is by far the best, both in terms of opportunity and information! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! See you next year!"

– Conference Participants