IWL conference comes to town

Writers of all genres — published and unpublished — will be flocking to Sandpoint in September for the annual statewide writers’ conference sponsored by the Idaho Writers League and hosted by the Sandpoint chapter.

Under the theme “Tips and Techniques from a Writer’s Toolbox”, speakers from around the Pacific Northwest will lead two days of workshops and sessions on the craft of writing and the process of publishing. The conference is open to anyone interested in writing and will be held Sept. 19-21 at the Best Western Edgewater Inn and Resort on the shores of Lake Pend Oreille.

Keynote speaker, Mary Buckham, award-winning urban fantasy and young adult adventure author and non-fiction writing instructor from Sequim, Wash., will also lead two, two-hour workshops on the pacing and developing active settings. Buckham is also lending her professional editing skills to offering 20-minute one-on-one sessions with writers who submit a 20-page (or less) manuscript for critique.

Regional award-winning author and naturalist Jack Nisbet will keynote the Friday luncheon as well as present a two-hour workshop on writing memoirs and personal essays. Janet Oakley, acclaimed historical fiction author, will present two workshops on researching and writing that genre.

Another 15 published authors will lead a variety of workshops during the two days ranging from character development, to using humor in your writing, to editing, to writing the all-important back-cover blurb for your book and much more.

A Thursday evening “welcome” cruise of Lake Pend Oreille is also offered at a separate price. See conference information for more details.

Conference registration fees include not only the workshops, but breakfasts, lunches and Saturday night’s dinner. IWL awards will be presented at lunches and dinner.

Details and schedules can be found at sandpointwritersonthelake.com or idahowritersleague.net, and questions can be directed to infoIWL2019conference@gmail.com.