After successful 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2020 events in Alabama, Writing Day Workshops is excited to announce The 2023 Alabama Writing Workshop — a full-day “How to Get Published” writing event in Birmingham, AL on March 10, 2023. This writing event is a wonderful opportunity to get intense instruction over the course of one day, pitch a literary agent or editor (optional), get your questions answered, and more. Note that there are limited seats at the event (130 total). All questions about the event regarding schedule, details and registration are answered below. Thank you for your interest in the 2023 Alabama Writing Workshop! We are very proud of our many success stories where attendees sign with agents following events — see our growing list of success stories here. (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 AWW is an in-person event happening in Birmingham on March 10, 2023. See you there.)
WHAT IS IT?
This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop on Friday, March 10, 2023, at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Birmingham (by the Zoo). In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome. This event is designed to squeeze as much into one day of learning as possible. You can ask any questions you like during the classes, and get your specific concerns addressed. We will have literary agents onsite to give feedback and take pitches from writers, as well. This year’s agent and editor faculty so far includes:- literary agent Kat Kerr (Donald Maass Literary Agency)
- literary agent Carlie Webber (Fuse Literary)
- literary agent Erin Clyburn (Howland Literary)
- literary agent Michelle Jackson (Olswanger Literary)
- and possibly more to come
EVENT LOCATION & DETAILS
9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Friday, March 10, 2023: Marriott Birmingham | 3590 Grandview Parkway, Birmingham, AL 35243.
WORKSHOP SCHEDULE & INSTRUCTORS (MARCH 10, 2023)
8:30 – 9:30: Check-in and registration at the event location. 9:30 – 10:30: How to Create and Strengthen the Opening Image of Your Book, taught by attending agent Michelle Jackson. In this interactive class, a literary agent instructor walks you through the opening images of books to help you learn how to create and strengthen the A-HA moments of your writing. In addition to her teaching, attendees will have time to work with other attendees to improve the opening images of your book in a workshop environment.

PITCH AN AGENT!




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More 2023 agents may be added at any time. These one-on-one meetings are an amazing chance to pitch your book face-to-face with an agent, and get personal, individual feedback on your pitch/concept. If the agent likes your pitch, they’ll request to see part/all of your book — sending you straight past the slush pile. It also gives you an intimate chance to meet with an agent and pick their brain with any questions on your mind. (Please note that Agent/Editor Pitching is an add-on, separate aspect of the day, for only those who sign up. Spaces are limited for these premium meetings, and pricing/detail is explained below.)PRICING
$169 — EARLY BIRD registration pricing! This is the complete base price for registration to the 2023 AWW and access to all workshops, all day. As of fall 2022, registration is now open. E-mail Brian Klems at WDWconference@gmail.com to register. Add $29 — to secure a 10-minute one-on-one meeting with any of our literary agents in attendance. Use this special meeting as a chance to pitch your work and get professional feedback on your pitch. (Spaces limited.) If they wish, attendees are free to sign up for multiple 10-minute pitch sessions at $29/session — pitching multiple individuals, or securing 20 minutes to pitch one person rather than the usual 10. Here are quick testimonials regarding writers who have signed with literary agents after pitching them at prior Writing Day Workshops events. (Our bigger, growing list of success stories can be seen here.)




- Young adult, middle grade, children’s picture books, adult romance (virtual critiques): Faculty member Gabrielle Prendergast, an author, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, meet with you online (Zoom, etc.) or by phone for 15 minutes sometime before the workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting. If you are submitting a picture book, make the submission 1000 words maximum, and it can or cannot include illustrations.
- Women’s, mainstream, science fiction, fantasy, romance, crime, thriller, mystery (virtual critiques): Faculty member Michelle McGill-Vargas, a writing coach and author, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, meet with you online (Zoom, etc.) or by phone for 10 minutes sometime before the workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting.
- Middle grade, young adult; adult fiction in the areas of low fantasy, literary fiction, romance, contemporary fiction, women’s fiction, historical fiction, and mainstream fiction (virtual critiques): Faculty member Joel Brigham, a writing coach and author, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, meet with you online (Zoom, etc.) or by phone for 15 minutes sometime before the workshop to discuss his thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting.
- Women’s fiction, contemporary/mainstream fiction, literary fiction, young adult, and memoir (virtual critiques): Faculty member Kimiko Nakamura, a literary agent and writing coach, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, meet with you online (Zoom, etc.) or by phone for 15 minutes sometime before the workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting.
- More critique options forthcoming