(Please note that these are in-person events. We at Writing Day Workshops plan both online/virtual as well as in-person events. This next CWW events are in-person event happening in Charlotte on Friday, March 13, 2026; and Raleigh on Saturday, March 14, 2026. See you there.)
CHARLOTTE CLASSES (FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2026):
The topics below are subject to change. There will be 1-3 classes/workshops going at all times during the day, so sometimes you may have your choice of what class you attend.
8:30 – 9:30: Check-in and registration at the event location.
BLOCK ONE: 9:30 – 10:30
1. How to Write an Amazing Query Letter (Morrison A room), taught by Erica Bauman. What goes into a great query letter, and how can you be expected to pitch yourself (and your book) in one page? In this workshop we’ll go through all the parts of a query letter, what key information agents look for, and how to make your project pop.
2. Understanding Your Readers: Writing Novels That Resonate (Morrison B room), taught by Rossana Corniel. As writers, we’re told to write a book we’d want to read. Yes, that’s a good start — but what about a book that readers want to read? This class examines how, after reviewing data from thousands of book reviews from readers, a writer can actually learn exactly what elements, tropes, story choices, and genres are resonating with readers and finding success today.
BLOCK TWO: 10:45 – 11:50
1. 15 Evergreen Publishing Tips — How to Control Your Writing Journey (Morrison A room), taught by Chuck Sambuchino. If you want to have more say over a journey that seems out of your control, then you need to understand elements of the publishing path that are within your control, and how to harness them. This speech discusses a variety of different things any writer can do to help their chances — whether you’re published or aspiring.
2. Open Doors: How to Make Your Manuscript Stand Out (Morrison B room), taught by Kelly Dyksterhouse. In order to open doors for yourself and your book in the literary marketplace, you first have to create open doors for your readers—avenues through which they can connect and invest in the story. With an eye to craft, I’ll discuss practical ways writers can deepen their stories so as to widen audience appeal and create a compelling book that readers (including agents and editors!) will not be able to put down. The material discussed will apply to picture book writers as well as novelists, and while it could be of help to those who are just beginning a story, it will be most beneficial for writers with a completed draft who are ready to take their story to the next level.
LUNCH ON YOUR OWN: 11:50 – 1:15
Lunch is on your own during these 85 minutes.
BLOCK THREE: 1:15 – 2:30
1. “Writers Got Talent”—a Page 1 Critique Fest (Morrison A room), with participating literary agents and editors. In the vein of “American Idol” or “America’s Got Talent,” this is a chance to get your first page read (anonymously — no bylines given) with attending agents commenting on what was liked or not liked about the submission. Get expert feedback on your incredibly important first page, and know if your writing has what it needs to keep readers’ attention. All attendees are welcome to bring pages to the event for this session, and we will choose pages at random for the workshop for as long as time lasts. All submissions should be fiction or memoir—no prescriptive nonfiction or picture books, please. Do not send your pages in advance. You will bring printed copies with you, and instructions will be sent out approximately one week before the event.
2. How to Sell a Nonfiction Book Proposal (Morrison B room), taught by Chuck Sambuchino. This session focuses on effective strategies for writing a nonfiction book proposal on any subject. Topics include industry standards, building your expertise, and how to prepare a winning proposal that demonstrates your understanding of the marketplace.
BLOCK FOUR: 2:45 – 3:45
1. Open Agent Q&A Panel (Morrison A room). Several attending literary agents will open themselves up to open Q&A from CWW attendees. Bring your questions and get them answered in this popular session.
2. Characters That Drive the Plot (Morrison B room), taught by Vicky Weber. Great plots become extraordinary when driven by characters who feel real and whose choices shape the action. This interactive masterclass will show you how to integrate character depth with plot development, creating stakes that resonate and stories that captivate—no matter your genre.
BLOCK FIVE: 4:00 – 5:00
1. Rejection: Why It’s Happening to You, and How to Avoid It (Morrison A room), taught by Sorche Fairbank. It’s common knowledge that rejection rates in this industry can be over 90% percent, and you have likely felt this bitter sting on more than one occasion, but do you really know why? Sit in on an eye-opening session with agent Sorche Fairbank and dig into the murky world of rejection. Learn what some standard rejection phrasing means (i.e. agent-speak), why so many rejections are simply a form letter; find out of you are guilty of one or more of the top twenty reasons for rejection, participate in a frank discussion about second chances with agents and publishers, learn when to listen to advice and when to chalk things up to subjective difference, and how best to turn a no into a yes or a maybe.
2. Let’s Talk Structure and Craft (Morrison B room), taught by Chuck Sambuchino. How do you create voice in your manuscript? And when during the writing phase does voice come into play? What story beats do readers expect in the three-act structure? These questions, and more, will be examined in this class, taught by a professional freelance editor. Understand how to revise and overhaul your work from a macro (big picture) level all the way down to a micro (sentence by sentence) level.
SESSIONS END: 5:00
Agent & Editor Pitching: All throughout the day. (Register for the event here.)
RALEIGH CLASSES (SATURDAY, MARCH 14, 2026):
The topics below are subject to change. There will be 1-3 classes/workshops going at all times during the day, so sometimes you may have your choice of what class you attend.
8:30 – 9:30: Check-in and registration at the event location.
BLOCK ONE: 9:30 – 10:30
1. How to Write an Amazing Query Letter (Room 3), taught by Erica Bauman. What goes into a great query letter, and how can you be expected to pitch yourself (and your book) in one page? In this workshop we’ll go through all the parts of a query letter, what key information agents look for, and how to make your project pop.
2. Pacing and Structuring Your Fiction (Room 4), by Sarah Fisk. Want to keep readers turning the pages? Commercial fiction readers have strong expectations of story structure and pacing, so you need to understand how the two work together in a book. Literary agent Sarah Fisk will break down the standard three-act story structure commonly used in American publishing.
BLOCK TWO: 10:45 – 11:50
1. Understanding the Publishing Industry in 2026 — From Hybrid Publishing to Diverse Books and Everything in Between (Room 3), taught by Chuck Sambuchino. Writers today have lots of choices and options, but that doesn’t mean your publishing journey is an easy path to navigate. How are traditional publishing and self-publishing changing? What kind of writer is attractive to an agent currently? What is hybrid publishing? Which social media sites and publishing resources are worth the time and effort in 2025? All these questions, and more, will be addressed during the speech.
2. Revise Like a Pro (Room 4), taught by Vicky Weber. Most writers revise in circles because they’re working at the wrong level at the wrong time. This class introduces a powerful two-layer revision method that helps you diagnose what your manuscript actually needs, fix the right problems first, and elevate your work without burnout or endless rewrites. Smart, practical, and built for real-world results, this session will change how you revise.
LUNCH ON YOUR OWN: 11:50 – 1:15
Lunch is on your own during these 85 minutes.
BLOCK THREE: 1:15 – 2:30
1. “Writers Got Talent”—a Page 1 Critique Fest (Room 3), with participating literary agents and editors. In the vein of “American Idol” or “America’s Got Talent,” this is a chance to get your first page read (anonymously — no bylines given) with attending agents commenting on what was liked or not liked about the submission. Get expert feedback on your incredibly important first page, and know if your writing has what it needs to keep readers’ attention. All attendees are welcome to bring pages to the event for this session, and we will choose pages at random for the workshop for as long as time lasts. All submissions should be fiction or memoir—no prescriptive nonfiction or picture books, please. Do not send your pages in advance. You will bring printed copies with you, and instructions will be sent out approximately one week before the event.
2. How to Sell a Nonfiction Book Proposal (Room 4), taught by Chuck Sambuchino. This session focuses on effective strategies for writing a nonfiction book proposal on any subject. Topics include industry standards, building your expertise, and how to prepare a winning proposal that demonstrates your understanding of the marketplace.
BLOCK FOUR: 2:45 – 3:45
1. Open Agent Q&A Panel (Room 3). Several attending literary agents (and editors) will open themselves up to open Q&A from CWW attendees. Bring your questions and get them answered in this popular session.
2. Rewriting Your Relationship with Social Media: Learn to Love Making Connections Online (Room 4), taught by Geneva Agnos. Social media often starts out feeling like the enemy of your writing time and creative energy. Learn how defining your brand and make connections can completely change how platforms perform for your career as an author. Walk away with practical strategies for showing up authentically, growing reader trust, and using platforms without burnout.
BLOCK FIVE: 4:00 – 5:00:
1. Are Your First Pages Helping or Hurting Your Submission? (Room 3) taught by Sorche Fairbank. Do you suspect that even when agents request your material, they sometimes don’t read after the first few pages? You may be right. Join an eye-opening session about the importance of first pages. Learn if you are guilty of one or more of the cardinal first page sins, and leave with a better sense of how and where to begin your story.
2. 15 Evergreen Publishing Tips — Ways to Control Over Your Writing Journey (Room 4), taught by Chuck Sambuchino. If you want to have more say over a journey that seems out of your control, then you need to understand elements of the publishing path that are within your control, and how to harness them. This speech discusses a variety of different things any writer can do to help their chances — whether you’re published or aspiring.
SESSIONS END: 5:00
Agent & Editor Pitching: All throughout the day. (Register for the event here.)
FREE ADDITIONAL RECORDED CLASSES:
We will actually send attendees extra FREE pre-recorded classes as part of their attendance. In addition to getting the weekend’s classes to enjoy live and in person, we will also send you 5 more free recorded classes on the side, from amazing instructors. In the week leading up to your in-person conference, we will send all confirmed attendees these classes below, some of which will aid in your pitching efforts:
- “Tips on Pitching Literary Agents & Editors at an In-Person Event,” taught by literary agent Carlie Webber
- “Tips on Pitching Literary Agents & Editors at an Online Event,” taught by literary agent Carlie Webber
- “Common First Pages Mistakes and How to Fix Them,” taught previously at the San Diego Writing Workshop
- “6 Pillars of Well-Developed Characters,” taught previously at the Texas Writing Workshop
- “How to Fix It: The Art and Craft of Revision,” taught previously at the Writing Workshop of Chicago