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2020 Writing & Literary Event Updates

Archived post: This article was published more than one year ago. External links may have been removed to prevent outdated or broken resources.

With the uncertainty around the world and each country doing their best to respond to COVID-19 and stop the spread of the virus, many events are being postponed or cancelled. I have compiled a list of events that have updated their sites or social media with this information. I will update this post along with our Guide to Writing Conferences & Events when I find new ones. Know of any that need to be added to the list? Please contact us.

Arizona

Tucson Festival of Books – Cancelled, 2021 dates TBA

University of Arizona Poetry Center – Cancelling events through May 15

The Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing – Events postponed or cancelled through April 8

Arkansas

Six Bridges Book Festival – Postponed until fall, dates TBA

California

Bay Area Book Festival – Cancelled, next festival slated for May 1-2, 2021

Beyond Baroque – March 21 Scene & Sequence workshop postponed

Catamaran Writing Conference – still being held so far July 26-30 with limited attendance & social distancing practices

CineStory TV Retreat – Postponed to August 29 – September 1

Gold Rush Writers Conference – Postponed until later summer/fall, exact dates TBD

Litquake – All public events postponed until early May

Sacramento Poetry Center – All events cancelled from March 12-31

San Diego Writer’s Festival – Postponed until fall, new dates TBD

The Writing Salon – All on-site April classes moving to remote learning

Colorado

Lighthouse Writers Workshop  – Spring workshops going remote

Northern Colorado Writers Conference – Cancelled, next conference slated for April 29 – May 1, 2021

Pikes Peak Writers Conference – Cancelled, 2021 dates TBA

Connecticut

Westport Writers’ Workshop – All spring courses offered via ZOOM

Washington DC

American Society of Journalists & Authors Writers Conference – Cancelled, 2021 dates TBA

Split This Rock Poetry Festival – Postponed, dates TBD

Florida

Miami Book Fair – All events cancelled until further notice

Mystery Fest Key West – Cancelled, 2021 dates TBA

Palm Beach Book Festival – Cancelled, 2021 dates TBA

Sandhill Writers Retreat – Cancelled, 2021 dates TBA

SleuthFest – Cancelled, purchased critiques will be virtual, 2021 dates TBA

Hawaii

Kahini Kaua’I Writers’ Retreat – April retreat cancelled, July & October retreats still scheduled as planned so far

Idaho

Idaho Writers Conference – Cancelled, next event slated for May 21-22, 2021

Illinois

Let’s Just Write! – March dates cancelled, planning on rescheduling in fall 2020

Ragdale – Novel Affair has been postponed, new dates TBA

Indiana

Indiana University Writers’ Conference – Cancelled, 2021 dates TBA

Taleamor Park – 2020 Residency Season cancelled

Iowa

Mission Creek Festival – April event cancelled with hopes to reschedule for late summer/early fall

Kentucky

Carnegie Center – Closed March 16 through April 5

Kentucky Writers Conference – Cancelled, next event slated for March 26, 2021

Southern Kentucky Book Fest – Cancelled, next event slated for March 26-27, 2021

Louisiana

Delta Mouth Literary Festival – Cancelled, 2021 dates TBA

Saints & Sinners Festival – Cancelled, next event slated for March 26-28, 2021

Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival – Cancelled, next event slated for March 24-28, 2021

Maryland

The Writers Center – All in-person events cancelled, workshops moving online as of March 14

Massachusetts

The Mount: Edith Wharton’s Home – All public events cancelled through May 8 with hopes of reopening as normal for their 2020 season on May 9

Fine Arts Work Center – All events cancelled through April 24

Grub Street – All spring classes being held remotely

The Muse & The Marketplace – Cancelled, 2021 dates TBA

Newburyport Literary Festival – Cancelled, 2021 dates TBA

The Power of Narrative – Cancelled, next event slated for March 19-21, 2021

Straw Dog Writer’s Guild – March & April programs cancelled and will be rescheduled

Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill – Closed through April 30

Michigan

Festival of Faith & Writing – Postponed until April 8-10, 2021

Interlochen Academy – All on-campus events cancelled with classes being resumed online. Campus set to re-open May 4

Kalamazoo Poetry Festival – April 18 event will be offered online, but the open mic has been cancelled

A Rally of Writers – Cancelled, next event slated for April 17, 2021

MSU Center for Poetry – Spring Poetry Festival postponed & they are working to reschedule all visiting poets to the Fall 2020 semester; All late March early April events cancelled or postponed

New York

The Writer’s Hotel All-Fiction Writers Conference – June event postponed to October 14-20